B. Use the words in part A to complete the following sentences. Make the necessary changes.

1- I bought this beautiful pottery cup in Meibod.

2- The little boy was sleeping on the carpet it was soft and warm.

3- Can you read that calligraphy? It seems to be one of Nezami’s poems.

4- There is a collection of Farshchian’s paintings in Astan Ghods Museum.

5- There are lots of tileworks in Sheikh Lotfollah Mosque.

C. How do you feel when you look at an artwork?

- happy and cheerful

– uncertain and worried

– bored and tired

– proud and hopeful

depend on, How touching!, discount, product, pack

Listen to the conversation between Reza and a tourist.

Reza: How can I help you, sir?

Tourist: I am looking for some Iranian handicrafts.

Reza: Here you can find a range of Iranian hand-made products, from carpets to pottery and tilework, but we don't sell metalwork.

Tourist: I'd like to buy a Persian carpet, but it seems too expensive.

Reza: The price depends on its size. Instead, you can take an Isfahan Termeh or a Qashqai Gabbeh.

Tourist: Wow! How touching this Gabbeh is! How much is it?

Reza: It is 85 dollars. If you buy more than 100 dollars, you'll get a 20 percent discount. You can take this calligraphic tile for only 30 dollars.

Tourist: Well, I'll take both. Please pack them for me.

Reza: Yes, sure.

Tourist: Do you work for this shop? Who has made these beautiful items?

Reza: Actually, it is my father's workshop and store. I work here after school. All my family members work here to help our family business.

Tourist: Well done! How lucky you are to work in such a lovely shop! I really appreciate the culture and art of Iran.

Reza: Thank you very much. If you are interested in knowing more about our products, you can check this booklet.

Answer the following questions orally.

1- What did the tourist buy? He bought the calligraphic tile and the Gabbeh.

2- Are all Persian handicrafts expensive? No, they aren’t. some of them are cheap.

3- What is the most famous handicraft of your city or village? The most famous handicraft of my city is carpet.

Art is what people create with imagination and skill.

As a part of culture, it shows the way of life and identity of a nation and reflects the history of a society.

In fact, the history of humankind is the history of art.

If we want to know a country or a nation well, we should study its art.

Handicrafts are good examples of the art and culture of a country.

By handicrafts, we mean making decorative items in a skillful way using our hands.

Each country and culture has its own handicrafts.

Making and selling handicrafts are good ways to help a country's economy and introduce its culture to other nations.

Many people of the world produce handicrafts and sell them to tourists.

In some Asian countries a part of the country's income comes from making and selling handicrafts.

Iran has a five-thousand-year-old history of artistic works and handicrafts including pottery, painting, calligraphy, rugs and carpets, etc

If you travel across Iran, you'll get back home with excellent handicrafts as souvenirs for your family and friends.

Iranian art is also quite famous all around the world.

There are very excellent collections of Persian art in many important museums of the world.

If we want to name countries with richest art and cultural diversity, Iran is among them.

Persian art is famous in the world for reflecting moral and social values of Iranian people and the natural beauty of this vast country.

Iranian craftsmen and craftswomen are famous for producing very unique artworks from wood, metal and other simple materials around them.

Many people of the world appreciate the art and skill of a young Iranian girl who weaves a beautiful silk carpet in a small village of Azarbaijan or Kordestan.

When tourists buy Persian rugs or carpets, they take a part of Iranian art and culture to their homelands.

Recognizing Reference Words

We use reference words instead of repeating the names of people, places, ideas, or other things.

Follow these steps to find reference words.

- Read the text.

– Look out for common reference words like ‘it, they, them, this, those, that, etc’.

– Look at sentences nearby especially the former ones to find what they refer to.

A. Read the Reading. Use the above strategy to find what these words refer to.

1- it (paragraph 1, line 2) art

2- its (paragraph 2, line 3) each country

3- them (paragraph 3, line 3) handicrafts

4- them (paragraph 5, line 4) countries

5- they (paragraph 6, line 6) tourists

B. Scan the Reading to find the following information.

1- What does art reflect? It reflects the history of a society.

2- How can we help the economy of our country? Making and selling handicrafts are good ways to help a country’s economy.

3- Why is Persian art famous? Persian art is famous in the world for reflecting moral and social valuesof Iranian people and the natural beauty of this vast country.

Speaking Strategy