Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. combat
    • ex. Many organizations and governments are working hard to combat climate change.
  2. forgery
    • ex. The bank added a new security system to prevent money forgeries.
  3. kick off
    • ex. The concert kicked off with an energetic performance by a local band.
  4. a sentence
    • ex. The judge gave a harsh sentence to the criminals for their crimes.
  5. prominence
    • ex. The new phone model gained prominence in the market due to its very good camera.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Morocco is planning to pass new laws and strengthen penalties to combat art forgeries. The country wants to protect its art market, which is worth millions of dollars and is expected to continue to grow. “This problem is a real danger in this field… and to combat forgery, it is essential to clean this business,” said Mehdi Ben, Morocco’s Minister of Youth, Culture, and Communication.

In February, Morocco’s chief legal officer kicked off a series of meetings with the country’s Ministry of Culture and the National Foundation of Museums. Their goal is to find better ways to recognize and prevent forgeries in art. The said agencies plan to achieve the goal by proposing stricter sentences and improving how auction houses are regulated.

The country’s art market is worth about $2.5 million (about ¥376 million). Moroccan paintings are gaining prominence in the Middle East, especially in Qatar and the United Arab Emirates. Morocco joins other countries in their efforts to combat forgery. This includes the United States, where the FBI’s crime team has become more active in pursuing fake paintings.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Forgery in Art

  • Do you think that harsher punishment would be effective in combatting forgery? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Why do you think Morocco increased its efforts in combatting art forgery? Discuss.
  • How do you think forgery would impact the art market? Discuss.

Making Art and the Art Market

  • What can you say about the art market in your country (ex. it’s big, few people buy art)? Discuss.
  • Why do you think people make art (ex. because they are inspired, to relax)? Discuss.
  • Imagine you’re an artist. What would you do with your art (ex. sell them, keep them)? Discuss.