Page 50 - INTEGRAL

Reading Comprehension H Guess the Word

A Read the article below. Work in pairs.

1. Choose FOUR words from the list on pages 58-59.
Collectors 2. Write 3 clues for each of the words you've chosen. Write your clues in the boxes
Collectors
below.

3. Ask your partner to guess which words you've chosen.

I John J. Pittman, though not a wealthy man, had a large and famous coin collection.
He invested almost all of his savings into building his collection, sold his house, and even For example:
traveled to Egypt to buy coins at a coin auction. For many years, the life John’s family lived Clue 1: I am a verb.
was not easy. But when John passed away in 1996, his family finally received their reward:

5 the collection was sold at an auction for over $30,000,000, and the sale made them very rich. Clue 2: I begin with the letter ‘R’.
Clue 3: I mean to make
II What makes people like Pittman start collections? Collectors have many different something smaller in size
motivations. Firstly, some collectors are nostalgic. They want to stay connected to the past or amount.
because they believe that it was much better than the present is. Their collection of old things
reduce
helps them keep their good memories alive. “Whenever things get difficult, I look through The word is: ............................................

10 my collections. This helps me recall happy memories and always improves my mood,” says
collector Jim Bonds.
4. Now, switch roles.
III Secondly, life is uncertain and can easily make a person feel helpless. Because of this,
some people use their collections to create a private comfort zone. Arranging and rearranging
their collections gives them a sense of control over their lives. These actions reduce anxiety Clue 1: .......................................... Clue 1: ..........................................

15 and help collectors cope with the feeling that the real world is not in their control. Clue 2: .......................................... Clue 2: ..........................................
Clue 3: .......................................... Clue 3: ..........................................
IV Thirdly, some people collect so that others will respect them for their accomplishments.
Robert Lesser, for example, is a collector who has collected over 250 rare robots. He is very The word is: ................................... The word is: ...................................
proud of his collection, which has been exhibited at many museums around world. “I often
get letters and phone calls from people who have seen my collection and want to let me know

20 how amazed they are,” says Lesser.
Clue 1: .......................................... Clue 1: ..........................................
V Lastly, many people start collections hoping they will make a lot of money doing Clue 2: .......................................... Clue 2: ..........................................
so. Serious collectors of rare objects often do become very wealthy at the end of the day.
“My father paid $400 for one set of coins in 1954. When we auctioned it in 1999, we Clue 3: .......................................... Clue 3: ..........................................
got $345,000 for the set!” says Pittman’s son. However, this is not true for all collectors. The word is: ................................... The word is: ...................................

25 Therefore, if you collect - or ever plan to collect - anything, it’s a good idea to develop an
understanding of your true reason for collecting. This way, you will be more likely to enjoy
the benefits of your collection and avoid any disappointments.

50 © No part of this book may be photocopied in any form or by any means. © No part of this book may be photocopied in any form or by any means. 63