The English Lesson 22 theme is GOLD

Part One: Learn English Skills

Read the following text and answer the questions that follow:

Gold Humans have always regarded gold as special. The ancient Egyptians worshipped it as the flesh of the gods while the Incas called it the sun’s rays in solid form.

Today, gold is still one of the most valuable metals and South Africa produces more than 40% of the world’s supply.

It has done so since the late 1880s when huge gold reefs were discovered in an area known as the Witwatersrand in the north-eastern part of the country. News of the discovery spread like wildfire and thousands of people flooded to the area in search of their fortune.

A farm neighbouring the main gold reef slowly developed into a mining village – which today is the nucleus of the City of Johannesburg.

Although gold is most commonly associated with jewellery, it is also used in many other industries. The metal is used in dentistry, the treatment of illness and as an electricity conductor in electronics, for example. The Hubble telescope is protected by gold coatings to prevent it from rusting, because gold never reacts with oxygen and so never rusts. The gold death-mask of Tutankhamen is as shiny today as when it was made almost 3000 years ago.

The problem with the metal is that gold-bearing stone has to be mined from great depths and so some mines are almost 4 000 metres deep. What’s more, about 3 tons of ore, 5 000 litres of water and 600 kilowatt hours of electricity are needed to produce one fine ounce of gold.

This makes gold very expensive, which only adds to its special allure.

Your Turn

What did the ancient Egyptians call gold?
How much gold does South Africa produce?
Name 4 industries in which gold is used.
Why does gold never rust?
Why is gold so expensive?
Genius question: What word in the text means the same as attraction or appeal?

Part Two: Learn English Structure

EXPERIENCE and EXPERIMENT

The tests which scientists do are called EXPERIMENTS.

Isaac Newton did several EXPERIMENTS on gravity. (NOT …did several EXPERIENCES…)

We also use EXPERIMENT for anything that people do to see what the result will be.

The goldsmith combined gold with silver as an EXPERIMENT.

EXPERIENCES are the things that you live through: the things that happen to you in life.

The Eurocentres student had a lot of interesting experiences during his months in Cape Town.

The noun EXPERIENCE means "learning by doing things" or the "knowledge you get from doing things".

The gold miner gains EXPERIENCE while working in the mine.
The owner of the jewellery store is looking for a goldsmith who has at least 5 years’ EXPERIENCE.

LOOK AFTER and LOOK FOR

LOOK AFTER means to "take care of".

Will you LOOK AFTER my pets while I’m at the shops? LOOK FOR means "try to find".
During the gold rush, many people went to the Witwatersrand area to LOOK FOR gold.

LOSE and LOOSE

LOSE is a verb with 2 different meanings.

It can have the opposite meaning to "find".

How often do you LOSE your keys?

It can mean the opposite to win.

If you keep hitting the ball out of the court, you are going to LOSE the tennis match. LOOSE is an adjective. It is the opposite of tight.
The ring is too big, so it is too LOOSE on her finger.

PRICE and PRIZE

The PRICE is the amount of money you pay if you buy something.

The PRICE of the gold ring is €1 000. A PRIZE is what you are given if you win a competition or if you have done something extraordinary.
The athlete received a gold medal as a PRIZE for winning the race.

SOME TIME and SOMETIMES

SOME TIME refers to an indefinite time which is usually in the future. Basically it means the same as "one day".

Let’s visit Robben Island SOME TIME next week. (Let’s visit Robben Island during the course of next week, but we still have to decide exactly when to go.)

SOMETIMES is an adverb that describes how often something happens. It means "on some occasions" or "more than once".

The Eurocentres student SOMETIMES went to the beach while he was in Cape Town. (He was not at the beach very often but did still go more than once.)

Your Turn

In each sentence choose the correct word to complete the sentence.

The OWLS student won a PRICE/PRIZE for coming first in her class.
The miner managed to LOSE/LOOSE his helmet so he had to buy a new one.
What is the PRICE/PRIZE of that gold bracelet?
We must visit the gold mine SOME TIME/SOMETIMES next month.
SOME TIME/SOMETIMES the goldsmith sells his jewellery at discount prices.
The miner’s boots were too LOSE/LOOSE so they kept sliding off his feet.

Part Three: Funnies

Patient: Doctor, Doctor, I have this irrepressible urge to paint myself all over in gold. Doctor: Don't worry, it's just a gilt complex.

One golfer tells another: "Hey, guess what! I got a set of gold golf clubs for my wife!" The other replies: "That's a GREAT trade!"

Part Four: Did You Know?

Gold can be drawn out into tiny wires or threads without breaking. As a result, a single ounce of gold can be drawn into a wire that is 8 kilometres long.

Gold can be shaped or extended into very thin sheets. One ounce of gold can be hammered into a 100 square-foot sheet.

Part Five: Quotations

Gold which is begotten of the sun. - Leonardo da Vinci

Gold is the child of Zeus, neither moth nor rust devours it. - Pindar (522-442 BC)

Truly now is the golden age; the highest honour comes by means of gold, by gold love is procured. - Ovid (43 BC-18AD)

All that glitters is not gold. - Thomas Gray

Part Six: Links

World Gold Council

The attractive and very extensive site of the World Gold Council has all the information you could ever want about the precious metal. Amongst other topics, there is information on gold mining, the history of gold and the use of the metal in industry.

http://www.gold.org

Poetry Daily

For lovers of poetry, Poetry Daily features a new poem every day. Of course you can also read all their old poems which have been stored in a handy archive. If you’re interested in poetry in general, the site also features news and a free weekly e-mail newsletter.

http://www.poems.com

Answers

Answers to Part One

The ancient Egyptians called gold the flesh of the gods.
South Africa produces more than 40% of the world’s gold supply.
Gold is used in the jewellery, dentistry, electronics and medical industries (the treatment of illness).
Gold does not react with oxygen.
The price of mining gold is very high. Gold bearing stone must be mined from great depths and about 3 tons of ore, 5 000 litres of water and 600 kilowatt hours of electricity are needed to produce one fine ounce of gold.
"allure".