The Reading / Listening - Level 5

There is a new world record for the sale of a postage stamp. It is for the one-of-a-kind, 1856 British Guiana One-Cent Magenta. The auction house Sotheby's sold it in New York for $9.48 million. It is the fourth time the stamp has broken the record. Sotheby's said the record would not be broken again, unless the same stamp came up for auction. A spokesman said: "That price will be hard to beat, and likely won't be exceeded unless the British Guiana itself comes up for sale again in the future." A former curator of stamps at the British Library said the sale was like buying the 'Mona Lisa'.

An anonymous buyer bought the stamp. It was last owned by an heir to the du Pont chemical fortune. He is currently in prison for killing an Olympic champion wrestler. A 12-year-old stamp collector first found the stamp in 1873. He sold it a few years later for about $50 in today's money – a lot back then. It has since had a dozen owners, including the French government. The Sotheby's spokesman was amazed at the stamp's popularity. He said: "This is the most valuable item in the world by weight. It's just a tiny piece of paper." He was happy a collector bought it and not an investor.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 4 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://abcnews.go.com/US/wireStory/rare-stamp-set-record-nyc-auction-24169833
  • http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation-now/2014/06/18/one-cent-magenta-stamp-sold-millions/10729109/
  • http://money.cnn.com/2014/06/18/luxury/stamp-auction/


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)

The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

a new world record for the

a.

kind

2.

one-of-a-

b.

be exceeded

3.

auction

c.

fourth time

4.

It is the

d.

at the British Library

5.

That price will be

e.

house

6.

… and likely won't

f.

sale again

7.

comes up for

g.

hard to beat

8.

A former curator of stamps

h.

sale of a postage stamp



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PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

An anonymous

a.

collector

2.

an heir to the

b.

piece of paper

3.

currently in

c.

du Pont chemical fortune

4.

stamp

d.

back then

5.

about $50 in

e.

buyer

6.

a lot

f.

in the world by weight

7.

the most valuable item

g.

today's money

8.

It's just a tiny

h.

prison

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

There is a new world record (1) ___________________ postage stamp. It is for (2) ___________________, 1856 British Guiana One-Cent Magenta. The auction house Sotheby's sold it in New York for $9.48 million. It is the fourth time the stamp has (3) ___________________. Sotheby's said the record would not be broken again, unless the same stamp (4) ___________________. A spokesman said: "That price will be hard to beat, and likely won't be exceeded unless the British Guiana itself comes up for sale (5) ___________________." A former curator of stamps at the British Library said the sale (6) ___________________ 'Mona Lisa'.

An (7) ___________________ bought the stamp. It was last owned by an heir to the du Pont chemical fortune. He (8) ___________________ for killing an Olympic champion wrestler. A 12-year-old stamp collector first found the stamp in 1873. He sold it (9) ___________________ about $50 in today's money – a lot back then. It (10) ___________________ dozen owners, including the French government. The Sotheby's spokesman was amazed at (11) ___________________. He said: "This is the most valuable item in the world by weight. It's (12) ___________________ paper." He was happy a collector bought it and not an investor.

STAMPS SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about stamps in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about stamps for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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