I actually heard about this story through News in Slow Italian, a language learning resource I use. I was intrigued and decided to read more about it.
About this time last year, two men announced that a train loaded with gold, jewels, valuable art and arms was buried in an underground tunnel near the city of Walbrzych, in Poland. Apparently, they obtained this information from a man on his deathbed but rumours about a ‘gold train’ have been circulating since the end of the second world war. The Nazis are said to have hidden their loot because the Soviet army were approaching. A Polish minister said that the ground-penetrating radar results looked ‘promising’ and the treasure hunters managed to bag themselves a 10% finders fee. The hunt was on. The explorers began their excavation with bulldozers and heavy machinery but to no avail – so far they have just dug up a big rock! The latest news is that this mysterious train doesn’t exist but the treasure hunters aren’t giving up. Poland has come out trumps though as hordes of tourists have flocked to the area and brought millions of pounds to Walbrzych!
- intrigued (adj.)
Interested in something
- loaded (adj.)
Carrying a large amount of something
- arms (noun)
- to bury (verb)
To put something under the ground
- deathbed (noun)
In bed and just about to die
- rumours (noun)
Information that people talk about that could be true or false.
- to circulate (verb)
To go from person to person. This verb also has other meanings.
- loot (noun)
Possessions that are stolen during a war. This word also has other meanings.
- ground-penetrating radar (adj. + noun)
A radar that goes underground
- promising (adj.)
Something that might be successful
- treasure hunters (noun)
People that look for valuable items, especially gold and jewels
- bag (verb - informal)
To have success in getting something.
- a finders fee (noun)
To receive an amount of money for finding something.
- hunt (verb)
To look for something
- explorer (noun)
Someone who travels to a place that other people don't know much about.
- excavation (noun)
Removing earth from an area to find the objects that are underneath.
- bulldozer (noun)
A vehicle that is used for removing earth and stones
- to no avail (phrase)
with no luck
- dig up (phrasal verb)
To find something underground.
- give up (phrasal verb)
To stop doing something that you were trying to do. This phrasal verb also has other meanings.
- to come out trumps (phrase)
To do well or have a good result.
- hordes (noun)
- flock (verb)
When a lot of people, animals or birds go to a place.