The Most Precious Diamonds
Conversation. Ask and answer these questions with your classmates.
1. On what do you form your first impression of a person: appearance, clothing,
smile, occupation, personality, other?
2. What are some reasons people get jealous? What are they jealous of?
3. What can people do to raise their self-esteem? Can a person have too much self
confidence?
4. Have you ever lost something valuable or important? If so, tell what happened.
5. Have you ever lost or broken something that belonged to someone else? If so,
tell what happened.
6. Do you know someone who is materialistic?
7. Do you prefer to dress casually or formally? Do you like to buy and wear
expensive clothes? Expensive jewelry?
8. What are you proud of?
Listen to the story. Take notes as needed. Then answer the following questions:
1. Describe Sarah’s childhood.
2. Why was she unhappy?
3. How did one of Sarah’s friends help her?
4. What happened at the party?
5. What did Sarah realize after the party?
6. What did she do next?
7. What was Sarah’s first job? Did she like it? Why or why not?
8. What career did Sarah study for?
9. How did Sarah’s life change?
Grammar / Summary Writing. Write the past of the verbs in parentheses.
The Most Precious Diamonds
Sarah (grow) ______________________ up in a family that (have)
_______________ a lot of money, and she (live) ___________________ in a large
house with a beautiful garden. She always (get) ___________________ everything she
(want) _____________, but one day her father (lose) ______________________ all his
money. The family (become) ___________________ poor. Sarah (start)
________________ to work, but she (hate) ___________________ it. However, Sarah
still (attend) ________________ parties. One day her old friend Jane (invite)
_______________________ her to a party, but Sarah (no have)
__________________________ the right dress. Jayne (loan) _____________ Sarah a
dress a pair of diamond earrings to wear. Sarah (dance) ________________ at the
party the whole night, and she (feel) __________________ like a princess. After the
party she (realize) ______________________ that one earring (be)
_______________________ missing. She (stand) __________________ in front of the
mirror and (cry) __________________. The next day Sarah (go) _________________
to see a jeweler and (ask) ___________________ him to make a replacement earring.
The jeweler (agree) _______________ to do it for a high cost, to be paid on installment.
The next day Sarah (return) ___________________ the earrings to her friend. For the
next two years Sarah (make) __________________ monthly payments, and it (no be)
___________________________ easy because she (earn)
_______________________ only $500 every month, so Sarah (decide)
_____________________ to find a better job to make more money, but first she (need)
____________________ training. After work, she (learn) ____________________ to
cut hair and do makeup. Later she (work) __________________ as a beautician, and
she (enjoy) _______________________ it a lot. Her boss eventually made her a
partner, and soon afterwards Sarah (own) ___________________ her own shop.
Sarah (fix) ____________ her old friends’ hair, but she (no have)
____________________ time for parties. One day her old friend Jane (come)
_____________ into Sarah’s shop and (tell) ____________ her how lucky she was.
Sarah (thank) __________________ Jane, saying that it all (happen)
____________________ because of Jane. Jane was surprised and confused. Sarah
explained ….
What is the solution to this story?
Talk to your classmates and decide how the story ends.
Listen to the ending of the story. Were you correct?
Now, write the end of the story in your own words. You may work with a
classmate.
Sarah explained that she (become) _________________________________ because
she (have) ___________________ to
_________________________________________________________________.
Jane (apologize) _________________ and (say) _____________________ …
But Sarah just (laugh) _____________________ and (say) ….
Speaking Practice. Tell the story to a classmate. The words below will help you
remember:
Toys, trips, clothes
jeweler
Lost his money
find a job
Invited to parties
beautician
Christmas party
proud of herself
Earrings
independent
Real diamonds
fake
Lost one of the earrings
the most precious diamonds
Discuss your responses to these questions:
1. Why was Jane surprised?
2. Do you think it is a good idea to lend things to friends? Would you do the same
(lend earrings) if you were Jane?
3. In your opinion, what is the message or lesson of the story?
4. Why was it good that Sarah lost the earring?
5. What did Sarah mean when she said that “they were the most precious
diamonds in the world?”