Name: _______________________________ ID: ___________________ Date: ______________

Reading comprehension

Work of Art stolen and held for ransom.

This painting, “The lover letter” by the 17 th Century Dutch Artist Jan Vermeer, is worth over
two million dollars. On the night of September 29, 1971, it was cuto ut of its frame and
stolen from an exhibition of DUTCH paintings in Brussels. The painting belonged to the
Rijiks museum in Amsterdam.

Ten days later, the thief called the radio stations and the newspaper and made certain
demands as the Price for the safe return of the painting. The ransom included:

1. A demand for more than three million dollars for refugees from Bengal where thousands
were dying from hunger.
2. A demand for Rijiks museum to finance a campaing against hunger in the Word.
3. A threat to sell the painting if the ransom was not paid.

The ransom was not paid. But on October 6, the police found the painting. The following day,
They arrested a 24 - year – old Belgian waiter, Mario Roymans, and charged him with
theft, damage to the painting and attempted extortion. Royman`s action was a form of
protesto n behalf on the refugees from Bengal. But did it really help them?

Answer the following questions using complete answers.

1. What is the painting called?

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2. Who painted it? When?

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3. How much is it worth? _________________________________________

 4. What happened to it in September, 1971?

5. Who did the painting belong to?

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6. What did the thief say he would do if the ransom was no paid?

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7. Was the ransom paid?

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8. When did the police find the painting?

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9. How old was the thief?

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10. What nationality was he?

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