[WORLD NEWS ★]
LARGEST DIAMOND FIND IN MORE THAN A CENTURY
(P1) A 1,111 CARAT “high quality diamond” has been discovered at a MINE in BOTSWANA, said to be the biggest find in more than a century, according to the mine company.
(P2) The gem, second in size only to the Cullinan diamond which was UNEARTHED in South Africa in 1905, was mined by Lucara Diamond Corp.
(P3) “The MAGNIFICENT stone, which ORIGINATED from the Karowe Mine, is the second largest GEM-QUALITY diamond ever found,” the company said in a statement.
(P4) Botswana is the world’s second biggest diamond producer, and Lucara said the gem was the largest ever to be discovered in the country.
(P5) “The significance of the discovery of a gem-quality stone larger than 1,000 carats, the largest for more than a century….CANNOT BE OVERSTATED,” said William Lamb, the President and chief executive of Lucara.
(P6) The stone is yet to be EVALUATED, but analyst Kieron Hodgson said it has “the potential to be one very expensive diamond.”
(P7) “VALUATION will depend on how the diamond would be cut, its final shape and color,” he said.
(P8) “All these factors will need to be evaluated.”
(P9) The biggest diamond ever discovered is the 3,106-carat Cullinan, found near Pretoria in South Africa in 1905.
(P10) It was cut to form the Great Star of Africa and the Lesser Star of Africa, which are among the CROWN JEWELS OF BRITAIN.
(P11) Lucara indicated on its website that the Karowe Mine experienced two other major finds this week — an 813 carat stone and a 374 carat stone, prompting Lamb to LAUD “an amazing week” for the company.
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SOURCE: http://artdaily.com/index.asp?int_sec=11&int_new=83034#.Vk6LyvlViko
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS:
If you found the passage difficult to read or had problems understanding specific words or idiomatic expressions, please discuss them with your tutor. The following discussion questions should be answered in your own words and with your own arguments.
- Briefly summarize the content of the article in your own words.
- Do you or anyone in your family own any genuine diamond jewelry?
- Why are diamonds so valuable? What is special about them?
- Do you believe that spending a lot of money on a diamond ENGAGEMENT RING is wise or foolish?
- Why is mining such a dangerous job?
EXPRESSIONS TO PRACTICE:
What do the following expressions mean? Practice using each expression in a sentence; extra points if you can use it in conversation.
- Gem-quality
- Cannot be overstated
- Engagement ring
