Academic English for International Exams

Course Book

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Read the following passage. Then try to make notes of the key facts.

In 1952, a team of archaeologists found a copper scroll that had been hidden in a cave for nearly 2,000 years. It is now called the Copper Scroll. Once the researchers were able to translate the text inscribed on it, they understood that it was a list of buried treasures. However, there are many reasons to believe that it does not describe a real treasure.

The scholar assigned to translate the Copper Scroll concluded that the list is a work of fiction meant to entertain people. This would not be surprising as there were many traditional stories in ancient Israel, the land where the scroll originated. These stories spoke of hidden treasure from Solomon's Temple.

Another reason the information on the scroll is believed to be false is that it mentions a treasure of up to 174 tons of gold and silver, an amount that seems too large for biblical times. In today's terms, that amount of precious metals would be worth around one billion dollars. It is very unlikely that anyone in ancient Israel could have amassed that amount of wealth.

Finally, even if the scroll did point to real treasure, it has yet to be found. This is because the sixty-four locations the scroll describes are referred to vaguely or have ancient place names whose meanings and locations are no longer known.

archaeologist – a scientist who studies past civilizations and cultures

translate – to change words from one language to another

inscribe – to write or cut words into something

assign – to give someone a task or job

imaginary – a thought from the imagination; not from reality

precious – valuable; worth a lot of money

amass – to gather or collect something

vaguely – not clearly; not precisely

Reading:

Now look at the note diagram and fill in the missing information from your notes.

Main idea: The Copper Scroll did not describe a .
Key point 1: The Copper Scroll was likely a because there were many similar stories in Israel.
Key point 2: The amount of treasure described in the scroll seems to be real since it would be worth one billion dollars today.
Key point 3: The has never been found because the descriptions in the scroll are vague.
Answer may vary
  1. Main idea: real
  2. Key point 1: story
  3. Key point 2: too large
  4. Key point 3: treasure

Improve your notes if necessary. Try to summarize the text using your notes.

Reading:

Predict how the listening passage may contrast with the reading.

scholar – a person who has studied a particular field in great depth

technical – difficult to understand without special training or knowledge

generation – a group of people born at about the same time

ancient – very old

region – a particular area in the world

modest – somewhat small or inexpensive

upheaval – a time of significant change

detailed – including many facts or parts; complete

Now listen to a lecture related to the topic in A. Make notes while listening.

Listening

Fill in the blanks of the note diagram below with keywords or key phrases used in the lecture.

Main idea: There is evidence to suggest that the in the Copper Scroll is .
Key point 1: Since the Copper Scroll uses , it is probably real.
Key point 2: The amount of treasure described in the scroll might not be as some people think because money was worth different amounts in different places.
Key point 3: It may be possible to because another scroll might exist.
Answer may vary
  1. Main idea: treasure
  2. Key point 1: technical
  3. Key point 2: as lame
  4. Key point 3: find the treasure

Summarize the contents of the lecture expanding the diagram above and using your notes.

View the transcript

W: Now, there are many scholars who doubt that the treasure of the Copper Scroll is real; however, there is enough evidence to suggest that those scholars are wrong, and the treasure listed in the scroll may still be out there in the Israeli desert waiting to be found.

First of all, the difficult language used in the scroll suggests that it describes a real treasure. Traditional treasure stories from ancient Israel used colorful poetic and religious language. The Copper Scroll, on the other hand, is written with a highly technical vocabulary, In fact, the vocabulary is very difficult for modern scholars to read because it is unlike anything they have ever seen before. Using technical language seems a very strange way to tell a story that is supposed to be passed on from generation to generation. So it probably isn't a story: it's real. Second, the treasure the scroll describes is not necessarily as large as some people think and that means it is more likely to be real. The treasure is described using an ancient measurement called a "talent." Now, in ancient times, money was different in different areas, so the measurement of one talent could mean a large amount in one region and a small amount in another region. Confusing, yes, but that was what it was like in the ancient world. What it tells us is that the treasure may be much more modest than we first thought. In that case, it very well could have been the treasure of the Temple. And historical records suggest that the ancient Israelites hid the Temple's treasure during a time of political upheaval. Finally, although there are many challenges in finding ancient treasure, it would not be impossible to find the treasure listed on the copper scroll. One reason is that the scroll talks about a second scroll, a silver scroll, which gives more detailed directions to each of the different treasure locations. If someone could find that silver scroll, they would have better directions to the treasure. So, it would not be impossible to find the treasure just because the directions contained in the Copper Scroll are not entirely clear to modern scholars.

Listening:

Review your notes from both the reading and the lecture. Pay attention to the main ideas and supporting details. Paraphrasing the information from your notes, complete the following outline:

Introduction:

Main topic:
Main idea of the reading passage:
Main idea of the lecture:

Body:

Key point 1:
Supporting information from the reading passage: Supporting information from the lecture:
Key point 2:
Supporting information from the reading passage: Supporting information from the lecture:
Key point 3:
Supporting information from the reading passage: Supporting information from the lecture:

Conclusion:

Summary:
Answer may vary

Introduction:

  1. Main topic: Is the treasure described in the Copper Scroll is real or imaginary?
  2. Main idea of the reading passage: The Copper Scroll did not describe a real treasure.
  3. Main idea of the lecture: It is possible that the treasure is real.

Body:

  1. Key point 1: Was the scroll a story?
    Supporting information from the reading passage: The scroll was probably just a story used to entertain people because there were many similar stories in-Israel.
    Supporting information from the lecture: The technical language used means it probably was not just a story.
  2. Key point 2: Is the size of the treasure false?
    Supporting information from the reading passage: The scroll describes a treasure that is too large to be real since it would be worth one billion dollars today.
    Supporting information from the lecture: The treasure might not be as large as some people think because money was worth different amounts in different places.
  3. Key point 3: Where is the treasure?
    Supporting information from the reading passage: The treasure has never been found because the descriptions in the scroll are vague.
    Supporting information from the lecture: It might be possible to find the treasure by using another scroll.

Conclusion:

  1. Summary: The reading says that the treasure does not exist, but the speaker thinks that it might.

Use the main ideas and details from D to complete the passage. Include information from both the reading and the lecture.

Both the lecture and the passage discuss the Copper Scroll. While the passage says that the 1. described in the scroll does not actually 2. , the lecturer argues the treasure is real.

According to the passage, the scroll is an old story that was passed down over generations. The lecturer 3. this claim by explaining that the scroll used 4. that is not used in folk tales. The passage also argues that the treasure is much too large to be real. In response, the lecturer 5. that the amount in the scroll may be 6. than it seems; therefore, it is probably real. Last, the passage claims that the treasure is 7. to find because the directions on the scroll are not 8. The lecturer says that a different map mentioned in the Copper Scroll probably has better 9. to the treasure.

The mystery of the Copper Scroll has inspired many arguments. Some people still think it is 10., while others think it is only a story.

Answer may vary
  1. 1. treasure
  2. 2. exist
  3. 3. corrects
  4. 4. vocabulary
  5. 5. reasons
  6. 6. smaller
  7. 7. impossible
  8. 8. clear
  9. 9. directions
  10. 10. authentic