Beginner’s luck for man who found Norwegian gold

An EFL and ESL English Lesson

Lesson Collection
A photo of a man with a metal detector.

Date: 18th September 2023

Level: B1 Intermediate

Grammar: No articles after prepositions

Topics: Hobbies & Recreation, Countries & Places, History

Printable lesson: Lesson, Single-page lesson

Individual worksheets: Reading, Grammar, Vocabulary, Writing, Spelling, Listening

Audio files: 1, 2, 3

Text

Beginner’s luck for man who found Norwegian gold

A Norwegian man who found a new hobby discovered something much more than that. After his doctor told him to get out more, 51-year-old Erland Bore considered hiking. On one expedition around the countryside, the beginner took his new metal finding device. By the end of the day, he had made the biggest gold discovery of the century in Norway.

The find was 22 golden objects in total, weighing around 100 grams. At first sight Bore thought it was just chocolate coins dropped in the dirt. But as he began to dig deeper in the spot he found rings, parts of a necklace, and other pieces.

The collection dates back to approximately the fifth and sixth centuries. This was a period when there was no Roman control over Western Europe and so societies travelled more. The items likely belonged to powerful people.

Norwegian law says that anything found that is older than 1537 is state property. So while Bore may have found the ancient jewellery on private farmland, the plan is to put it on show in a museum. There is some good news for Erland Bore however. He can expect to get a finder’s fee, which will be split equally between himself and the owner of the land.

Information sources (external links): euronews.com, livescience.com

top

Warm-up activities and scan reading

Activities:

Name three things that are made from gold.

Walking in the countryside or jogging in the city — which is better exercise and why?

As a group, each person name one item they would put in a time capsule. Write down the total contents of the time capsule.

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

Paragraph 1

  1. found
  2. journey
  3. environment
  1. d...
  2. e...
  3. c...

Paragraph 2

  1. money
  2. ground
  1. c...
  2. d...

Paragraph 3

  1. time
  2. strong
  1. p...
  2. p...

Paragraph 4

  1. government
  2. hope
  3. the same
  1. s...
  2. e...
  3. e...
Answers

A. discovered, B. expedition, C. countryside, D. coins, E. dirt, F. period, G. powerful, H. state, I. expect, J. equally

top

Reading comprehension interactive match-up

Match the sentences on the left to their endings to complete the text.

A Norwegian man who found a new hobby...
After his doctor told him to get out more, 51-year-old...
On one expedition around the countryside, the...
By the end of the day, he had made...
The find was 22 golden objects in total, weighing...
At first sight Bore thought it was just...
But as he began to dig deeper in the spot...
The collection dates back to...
This was a period when there was no Roman control...
The items likely belonged...
Norwegian law says that anything found...
So while Bore may have found the ancient jewellery on...
There is some good news...
He can expect to get a finder’s fee, which will be split...

A. ...around 100 grams.

B. ...beginner took his new metal finding device.

C. ...that is older than 1537 is state property.

D. ...discovered something much more than that.

E. ...chocolate coins dropped in the dirt.

F. ...to powerful people.

G. ...for Erland Bore however.

H. ...the biggest gold discovery of the century in Norway.

I. ...approximately the fifth and sixth centuries.

J. ...equally between himself and the owner of the land.

K. ...private farmland, the plan is to put it on show in a museum.

L. ...Erland Bore considered hiking.

M. ...over Western Europe and so societies travelled more.

N. ...he found rings, parts of a necklace, and other pieces

top  |  print reading worksheet

Interactive listening exercise: keyword pairs

Choose the word you hear. Words 1-10 are in order in the audio.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

top  |  print listening worksheet

Phrases, synonyms, and antonyms interactive match-up

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

top

Interactive listening exercise: listening cloze

Type the words you hear. Each gap is missing three words.

The find was 22 golden
1.
,
weighing around 100 grams. At first sight Bore thought it was
2.
dropped in the dirt. But as he began to dig deeper in the spot he found rings, parts
3.
,
and other pieces.

top  |  print listening worksheet

Grammar pairs interactive cloze: no articles after prepositions

Choose the correct preposition for 1-10.

A Norwegian man who found a new hobby discovered something much more
1.
that. After his doctor told him to get out more, 51-year-old Erland Bore considered hiking. On one expedition around the countryside, the beginner took his new metal finding device. By the end of the day, he had made the biggest gold discovery of the century
2.
Norway.
The find was 22 golden objects
3.
total, weighing around 100 grams.
4.
first sight Bore thought it was just chocolate coins dropped in the dirt. But as he began to dig deeper in the spot he found rings, parts of a necklace, and other pieces.
The collection dates back to approximately the fifth and sixth centuries. This was a period when there was no Roman control
5.
Western Europe and so societies travelled more. The items likely belonged
6.
powerful people.
Norwegian law says that anything found that is older than 1537 is state property. So while Bore may have found the ancient jewellery
7.
private farmland, the plan is to put it
8.
show in a museum. There is some good news
9.
Erland Bore however. He can expect to get a finder’s fee, which will be split equally
10.
himself and the owner of the land.

top  |  print grammar worksheet

Vocabulary gap-fill interactive cloze

Select the correct word for 1-10.

A Norwegian man who found a new hobby discovered something much more than that. After his doctor told him to get out more, 51-year-old Erland Bore considered hiking. On one expedition around the
1.
,
the
2.
took his new metal finding device. By the end of the day, he had made the biggest gold
3.
of the century in Norway.
The find was 22 golden objects in total,
4.
around 100 grams. At first sight Bore thought it was just chocolate
5.
dropped in the dirt. But as he began to dig deeper in the spot he found rings, parts of a
6.
,
and other pieces.
The collection dates back to approximately the fifth and sixth centuries. This was a
7.
when there was no Roman control over Western Europe and so societies travelled more. The items likely belonged to
8.
people.
Norwegian law says that anything found that is older than 1537 is state
9.
.
So while Bore may have found the ancient jewellery on private farmland, the plan is to put it on show in a museum. There is some good news for Erland Bore however. He can expect to get a finder’s fee, which will be split
10.
between himself and the owner of the land.

top  |  print vocabulary worksheet

Interactive listening exercise: dictation

Type the words you hear. Each word is read twice and there is an autocheck feature for this exercise.

1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
8.
9.
10.

top  |  print listening worksheet

Interactive writing cloze

Spell the words 1-15 correctly. The first letters of 1-15 are the correct starting letters.

A Norwegian man who found a new hobby discovered something much more than that. After his doctor told him to get out more, 51-year-old Erland Bore
1.
hiking. On one expedition around the
2.
,
the
3.
took his new metal finding device. By the end of the day, he had made the biggest gold
4.
of the century in Norway.
The find was 22 golden objects in total,
5.
around 100 grams. At first
6.
Bore thought it was just chocolate
7.
dropped in the dirt. But as he began to dig deeper in the
8.
he found rings, parts of a
9.
,
and other pieces.
The collection dates back to
10.
the fifth and sixth centuries. This was a
11.
when there was no Roman control over Western Europe and so societies travelled more. The items likely belonged to
12.
people.
Norwegian law says that anything found that is older than 1537 is state
13.
.
So while Bore may have found the ancient jewellery on private farmland, the plan is to put it on show in a museum. There is some good news for Erland Bore however. He can
14.
to get a finder’s fee, which will be split
15.
between himself and the owner of the land.

top  |  print writing worksheet with practice page

Fill in last letters

Fill in the text with the missing last letters.

_ Norwegian ma_ wh_ foun_ _ ne_ hobb_ discovere_ somethin_ muc_ mor_ tha_ tha_. Afte_ hi_ docto_ tol_ hi_ t_ ge_ ou_ mor_, 51-yea_-ol_ Erland Bore considere_ becomin_ _ walke_. O_ on_ expeditio_ aroun_ th_ countrysid_, th_ beginne_ too_ hi_ ne_ meta_ findin_ devic_. B_ th_ en_ o_ th_ da_, h_ ha_ mad_ th_ bigges_ gol_ discover_ o_ th_ centur_ i_ Norway.

Th_ fin_ wa_ 22 golde_ object_ i_ tota_, weighin_ aroun_ 100 gram_. A_ firs_ sigh_ Bore though_ i_ wa_ jus_ chocolat_ coin_ droppe_ i_ th_ dir_. Bu_ a_ h_ bega_ t_ di_ deepe_ i_ th_ spo_ h_ foun_ ring_, part_ o_ _ necklac_, an_ othe_ piece_.

Th_ collectio_ date_ bac_ t_ approximatel_ th_ fift_ an_ sixt_ centurie_. Thi_ wa_ _ perio_ whe_ ther_ wa_ n_ Roman contro_ ove_ Western Europe an_ s_ societie_ travelle_ mor_. Th_ item_ likel_ belonge_ t_ powerfu_ peopl_.

Norwegian la_ say_ tha_ anythin_ foun_ tha_ i_ olde_ tha_ 1537 i_ stat_ propert_. S_ whil_ Bore ma_ hav_ foun_ th_ ancien_ jeweller_ o_ privat_ farmlan_, th_ pla_ i_ t_ pu_ i_ o_ sho_ i_ _ museu_. Ther_ i_ som_ goo_ new_ fo_ Erland Bore howeve_. H_ ca_ expec_ t_ ge_ _ finder’_ fe_, whic_ wil_ b_ spli_ equall_ betwee_ himsel_ an_ th_ owne_ o_ th_ lan_.

top  |  print spelling worksheet

Cool-down discussion, game, and keywords

Discussion questions:

  • What recreational activities are there to do in the countryside?
  • What is the best museum you’ve ever visited and why?
  • What objects do people usually lose?
  • What does the phrase “finders keepers, losers weepers” mean?
  • Where can we keep our belongings when we are walking?

Language game:

How many words can you make from the letters in discovery?

CEFR B1 10 lesson keywords:

Used in this lesson as an adverb (adv), adjective (adj), noun (n), or verb (v).

  • beginner (n)
  • coin (n)
  • countryside (n)
  • discovery (n)
  • equally (adv)
  • necklace (n)
  • period (n)
  • powerful (adj)
  • property (n)
  • weigh (v)

top

Thanks for using this lesson! Did you enjoy this lesson? Please click these links to share this lesson on Facebook or share on Twitter.

A bit more on the same topics...

18th September 2022
A photo of a Pop! figure.

Funko and Snoop opening co-founded “Dogg House”

Level: B2

Grammar: Compound adjectives

Topics: Celebrities & People - The Arts & Culture - Hobbies & Recreation

Lesson
8th May 2023
A photo of the Mona Lisa.

Historical bridge discovered from the Mona Lisa

Level: B1

Grammar: Articles after prepositions

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

Lesson

Printable Worksheets

More

Topic Selections

More

Warm-up Activities

More

Discussion Questions

More

Grammar Guides

More

Language Skills

More