RALRA LANGUAGE TRAINING (RALT)Professional English • Academic English • Exam Preparation

FAKE OR FORTUNE – MONET

· RMA

Fake or Fortune – Episode 1

Listening 1 – (The Introduction) (to 1:57)

Listen for the following information:

  1. What are ‘sleepers’?
  2. Why is paint compared to blood?

Listening – 2 (Who are the Wildensteins?) (to 8:08)

Listen for the following information:

  1. Why are the Wildensteins so important?
  2. How did David acquire the painting and how much did he pay?
  3. How long has David been trying to get the Wildensteins to accept the painting as genuine?
  4. What did the shortest letter from the Wildensteins say?
  5. Does Philip agree or disagree with the Wildensteins’ opinion?
  6. What would David do with the painting if it were certified as genuine?

Listening – 3 (Investigation) (to 12:52)

Listen for the following information:

  1. What is the first stage of the investigation?
  2. Why are the stamps on the back of the painting important?

Listening – 4 (Early Monet) (to 18:71)

Listen for the following information:

  1. How many paintings did Monet produce?
  2. How did impressionism get its name?
  3. What did the critics think of Monet’s early impressionist work?
  4. Did LaTouche have a connection with Monet?
  5. When did Monet move to Argenteuil?

Listening – 7 (Gathering evidence) (to 31:40)

Listen for the following information:

  1. How did the expert prove that a Monet in the Wildenstein catalogue was a fake?
  2. What was Iris’ opinion of the scan?
  3. What did Iris think about the signature?
  4. What is the relevance of the LaTouche stamp on David’s painting?
  5. Does Iris believe the painting is a fake?

Listening – 8 (Problems) (to 35:25)

Listen for the following information:

  1. What problem does Philip encounter at the Gare du Nord?
  2. What does David have to provide?
  3. What happens to the customs officer?
  4. How does Fiona feel?
  5. Do David, his wife and Fiona manage to retrieve the painting?

Listening – 9 (Calling in the experts) (to 39:00)

Listen for the following information:

  1. How long did it take to get the painting back to England?
  2. What does the connoisseur, Professor House, make of the painting?
  3. Is the signature on David’s painting comparable to authentic Monets?
  4. Is Professor House the only expert who believes the painting is genuine?