Historical bridge discovered from the Mona Lisa

An EFL and ESL English Lesson

Lesson Collection
A photo of the Mona Lisa.

Date: 8th May 2023

Level: B1 Intermediate

Grammar: Articles after prepositions

Topics: The Arts & Culture, History, Countries & Places

Printables: 10-Page Lesson, Single-Page Lesson

Worksheets: Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing

Lesson

Text

Historical bridge discovered from the Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa has one less mystery today thanks to an Italian art expert. The bridge in the background of the painting has been located in real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the remaining part of a bridge in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for years.

At a press meeting in Rome, Vinceti announced his conclusions. The expert has made historical analysis of the famous portrait his main work throughout life. The bridge in the painting, just over the shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the surviving single gap in the real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across the river Arno.

Through research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a function once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of Laterina at that time, Vinceti claims. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of excitement over the expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of interest in the town now and the town is certain to protect the monument.

Information sources (external links): metro.co.uk, nzherald.co.nz

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Warm-up activities and vocabulary

Activities:

Connect the two topics geography and art with the word discovery.

Starting with the word history, make a chain of words where each word connects in meaning to the previous word it is chained to.

Think of two adjectives for the noun mystery, one positive and one negative. Share your answers with the group.

Vocabulary:

1. Scan the text and find a word or phrase that means:

  • A. behind (paragraph 1)b...
  • B. found (paragraph 1)l...
  • C. idea (paragraph 1)t...
  • D. results (paragraph 2)c...
  • E. painting (paragraph 2)p...
  • F. existing (paragraph 2)s...
  • G. fully (paragraph 2)p...
  • H. use (paragraph 3)f...
  • I. present (paragraph 3)c...
  • J. joy (paragraph 3)e...
Answers
  • A. background, B. located,  C. theory,  D. conclusions,  E. portrait,  F. surviving,  G. perfectly,  H. function,  I. current,  J. excitement

2. What does the italicised phrase below mean — inside, stoney, or existing?

  • the remaining part of a bridge
Answer
  • slightly

3. Which word below doesn’t belong?

  • protect — determine — analysis — measure
Answer
  • settlement

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Reading comprehension true or false

  1. The Italian expert is building a model of the bridge.
  2. The remaining parts of the bridge are being repaired.
  3. Experts were already talking about the painting’s bridge.
  4. The discovery was made in Rome.
  5. Vinceti has spent a long time studying the Mona Lisa.
  6. The bridge in the painting is close to the woman.
  7. Only a quarter of the Romito is still in place.
  8. The bridge was never completed.
  9. The town’s mayor is worried about the news.
  10. The town will finish rebuilding the bridge.
Answers
  • 1F, 2F, 3T, 4F, 5T, 6T, 7T, 8F, 9F, 10F

worksheet  |  interactive  |  top

Phrases, synonyms, and antonyms match-up

Match the words on the left to their endings to make phrases from the text.

  1. fit
  2. the expert’s
  3. famous
  4. current
  5. press
  6. single
  7. historical
  8. protect the
  9. academic
  10. a lot of
  1. meeting
  2. analysis
  3. argument
  4. perfectly
  5. gap
  6. portrait
  7. interest
  8. suggestion
  9. monument
  10. mayor
Answers
  • 1D, 2H, 3F, 4J, 5A, 6E, 7B, 8I, 9C, 10G

Match the words on the left from the text to their synonyms.

  1. protect
  2. single
  3. mystery
  4. survive
  5. determine
  1. puzzle
  2. find out
  3. one
  4. continue
  5. save
Answers
  • 1E, 2C, 3A, 4D, 5B

Match the words on the left from the text to their antonyms.

  1. locate
  2. countryside
  3. historic
  1. lose
  2. modern
  3. city
Answers
  • 1A, 2C, 3B

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Grammar gap-fill cloze: articles after prepositions

For each answer, use one of the four following: a, an, the, or the zero article.

The Mona Lisa has one less mystery today thanks to 1._____ Italian art expert. The bridge in 2._____ background of 3._____ painting has been located in 4._____ real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the remaining part of 5._____ bridge in the countryside of 6._____ Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for 7._____ years.

At 8._____ press meeting in 9._____ Rome, Vinceti announced his conclusions. The expert has made historical analysis of the famous portrait his main work throughout 10._____ life. The bridge in 11._____ painting, just over 12._____ shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the surviving single gap in 13._____ real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across 14._____ river Arno.

Through 15._____ research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a function once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 16._____ 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of 17._____ Laterina at that time, Vinceti claims. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of 18._____ excitement over 19._____ expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of 20._____ interest the town now and the town is certain to protect the monument.

Answers
  1. 1. an, 2. the, 3. the, 4. -, 5. a, 6. -, 7. -, 8. a, 9. -, 10. -, 11. the, 12. the, 13. the, 14. the, 15. -, 16. -, 17. -, 18. -, 19. the, 20. -

worksheet  |  interactive  |  top

Vocabulary multiple-choice cloze

The Mona Lisa has one less 1._______________ today thanks to an Italian art expert. The bridge in the 2._______________ of the painting has been located in real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the 3._______________ part of a bridge in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for years.

At a press meeting in Rome, Vinceti announced his 4._______________. The expert has made 5._______________ analysis of the famous 6._______________ his main work throughout life. The bridge in the painting, just over the shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the 7._______________ single gap in the real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across the river Arno.

Through research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a 8._______________ once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of Laterina at that time, Vinceti claims. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of 9._______________ over the expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of interest in the town now and the town is certain to 10._______________ the monument.

1.
A. mystery
B. conclusion
C. fact
D. strange
2.
A. represent
B. front
C. background
D. colours
3.
A. bone
B. stone
C. remaining
D. remade
4.
A. conclude
B. services
C. service
D. conclusions
5.
A. history
B. historical
C. require
D. required
6.
A. portrait
B. poster
C. perfect
D. project
7.
A. survive
B. survives
C. survived
D. surviving
8.
A. function
B. theory
C. business
D. reporter
9.
A. sadness
B. excitement
C. stress
D. doubt
10.
A. protect
B. locate
C. identify
D. compare
Answers
  1. 1A, 2C, 3C, 4D, 5B, 6A, 7D, 8A, 9B, 10A

worksheet  |  interactive  |  top

Writing cloze

Spell the missing words correctly.

  1. y s y m r e t
  2. g c k u b a r d n o
  3. o c e a d t l
  4. m g e i r a n i n
  5. r u t e m n g a
  6. n s c o u c o s l i n
  7. i l t s h i r c o a
  8. r o a t r t p i
  1. u i r v i g s v n
  2. f e t y e p c r l
  3. u o f n i t n c
  4. l s i a c m
  5. c x t m e i e t n e
  6. t n e r i e t s
  7. r o t e t p c

The Mona Lisa has one less 1._______________ today thanks to an Italian art expert. The bridge in the 2._______________ of the painting has been 3._______________ in real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the 4._______________ part of a bridge in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic 5._______________ that has been going on for years.

At a press meeting in Rome, Vinceti announced his 6._______________. The expert has made 7._______________ analysis of the famous 8._______________ his main work throughout life. The bridge in the painting, just over the shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the 9._______________ single gap in the real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit 10._______________ across the river Arno.

Through research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a 11._______________ once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of Laterina at that time, Vinceti 12._______________. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of 13._______________ over the expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of 14._______________ the town now and the town is certain to 15._______________ the monument.

Answers
  • 1. mystery, 2. background, 3. located, 4. remaining, 5. argument, 6. conclusions, 7. historical, 8. portrait, 9. surviving, 10. perfectly, 11. function, 12. claims, 13. excitement, 14. interest, 15. protect

worksheet  |  interactive  |  top

Fill-in punctuation

The text below is missing its capital letters, commas, full stops, and an apostrophe.

the mona lisa has one less mystery today thanks to an italian art expert the bridge in the background of the painting has been located in real life the expert silvano vinceti has matched it to the remaining part of a bridge in the countryside of tuscany, italy his theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for years

at a press meeting in rome vinceti announced his conclusions the expert has made historical analysis of the famous portrait his main work throughout life the bridge in the painting just over the shoulder of the woman has four gaps in it vinceti measured the surviving single gap in the real bridge the romito and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across the river arno

through research vinceti determined that the bridge did have a function once the mona lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519 da vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of laterina at that time vinceti claims the current mayor of laterina says there is a lot of excitement over the experts suggestion she says there is a lot of interest in the town now and the town is certain to protect the monument

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Cool-down discussion, game, and keywords

Discussion questions:

  • Have you ever been to a place that was featured in a book, a film, some art, or the news?
  • Is there a famous local landmark where you live?
  • What do artists get inspiration from
  • What types of buildings are most interesting to you and why?
  • What would happen if we didn’t try to protect things from history?

CEFR B1 10 lesson keywords:

Adjectives: historical

Nouns: background, conclusion, excitement, function, mystery, portrait

Verbs: protect, remain, survive

Scattergories. In the table below, add one word to each box that matches both the beginning letter and the category, e.g. something in a museum beginning with S is relics.

R E A L
Something in a museum
An artist
A European city
A river
A synonym for old

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Interactive exercises

Reading comprehension interactive true or false

Choose the correct options from the pairs

Historical bridge discovered from the Mona Lisa

The Mona Lisa has one less mystery today thanks to an Italian art expert. The bridge in the background of the painting has been located in real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the remaining part of a bridge in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for years.

At a press meeting in Rome, Vinceti announced his conclusions. The expert has made historical analysis of the famous portrait his main work throughout life. The bridge in the painting, just over the shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the surviving single gap in the real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across the river Arno.

Through research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a function once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of Laterina at that time, Vinceti claims. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of excitement over the expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of interest in the town now and the town is certain to protect the monument.

1.
The Italian expert is building a model of the bridge.
2.
The remaining parts of the bridge are being repaired.
3.
Experts were already talking about the painting’s bridge.
4.
The discovery was made in Rome.
5.
Vinceti has spent a long time studying the Mona Lisa.
6.
The bridge in the painting is close to the woman.
7.
Only a quarter of the Romito is still in place.
8.
The bridge was never completed.
9.
The town’s mayor is worried about the news.
10.
The town will finish rebuilding the bridge.

reading worksheet  |  lesson  |  top

Phrases, synonyms, and antonyms interactive match-up

Select the correct matches from the dropdown menus

Phrases
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.
Synonyms
11.
12.
13.
14.
15.
Antonyms
16.
17.
18.

lesson  |  top

Grammar gap-fill interactive cloze: articles after prepositions

Select the correct answers from the dropdown menus

The Mona Lisa has one less mystery today thanks to
1.
Italian art expert. The bridge in
2.
background of
3.
painting has been located in
4.
real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the remainiing part of
5.
bridge in the countryside of
6.
Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for
7.
years.
At
8.
press meeting in
9.
Rome, Vinceti announced his conclusions. The expert has made historical analysis of the famous portrait his main work throughout
10.
life. The bridge in
11.
painting, just over
12.
shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the surviving single gap in
13.
real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across
14.
river Arno.
Through
15.
research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a function once. The Mona Lisa was painted between
16.
1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of
17.
Laterina at that time, Vinceti claims. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of
18.
excitement over
19.
expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of
20.
interest the town now and the town is certain to protect the monument.

grammar worksheet  |  lesson  |  top

Vocabulary multiple-choice interactive cloze

Select the correct answers from the dropdown menus

The Mona Lisa has one less
1.
today thanks to an Italian art expert. The bridge in the
2.
of the painting has been located in real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the
3.
part of a bridge in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic argument that has been going on for years.
At a press meeting in Rome, Vinceti announced his
4.
.
The expert has made
5.
analysis of the famous
6.
his main work throughout life. The bridge in the painting, just over the shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the
7.
single gap in the real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit perfectly across the river Arno.
Through research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a
8.
once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of Laterina at that time, Vinceti claims. The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of
9.
over the expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of interest in the town now and the town is certain to
10.
the monument.

vocabulary worksheet  |  lesson  |  top

Interactive writing cloze

Type the words correctly in the boxes

The Mona Lisa has one less
1.
today thanks to an Italian art expert. The bridge in the
2.
of the painting has been
3.
in real life. The expert, Silvano Vinceti, has matched it to the
4.
part of a bridge in the countryside of Tuscany, Italy. His theory may end an academic
5.
that has been going on for years.
At a press meeting in Rome, Vinceti announced his
6.
.
The expert has made
7.
analysis of the famous
8.
his main work throughout life. The bridge in the painting, just over the shoulder of the woman, has four gaps in it. Vinceti measured the
9.
single gap in the real bridge, the Romito, and found that four similar gaps would fit
10.
across the river Arno.
Through research, Vinceti determined that the bridge did have a
11.
once. The Mona Lisa was painted between 1503 and 1519. Da Vinci would have used the bridge to visit his uncle in the town of Laterina at that time, Vinceti
12.
.
The current mayor of Laterina says there is a lot of
13.
over the expert’s suggestion. She says there is a lot of
14.
in the town now and the town is certain to
15.
the monument.

writing worksheet  |  lesson  |  top

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