Three Men Rob Pokemon Card Shop in New York

Level 2 Lesson by: Aron Thode Source:nytimes.com

How to study this lesson

Ask: (1) Do you collect anything? (2) Have you ever heard of Pokémon?

A first edition Charizard Pokémon card.
A first edition Charizard Pokémon card.

Actions

Three men robbed a Pokémon card shop in New York City on Wednesday evening. Pokémon cards are trading cards with small creatures on them. Some rare cards are very valuable. The shop is called Poké Court.

One man had a gun. He pointed it at the workers and customers. Another man closed the curtain at the front of the shop. He also watched the door. No one could leave. Nobody got hurt.

The men broke a glass case with a hammer. They put many cards into their bags. The cards were worth at least $110,000. One card had a picture of Charizard. Charizard is a famous Pokémon that looks like a dragon. This card alone was worth about $15,000.

The robbery took only three minutes. The men also took money from the shop. Police are looking for them. This was not the first robbery at a Pokémon card shop. Thieves have robbed other shops across the country.

Vocab List

  • Rob (v.) — To steal from a person or place.
  • Valuable (adj.) — Worth a lot of money.
  • Pointed (v.) — Aimed something at someone or something.
  • Curtain (n.) — A piece of cloth that covers a window or door.
  • Hammer (n.) — A tool used to hit things.
  • Rare (adj.) — Not common and hard to find.
  • Robbed (v.) — Took money or things by force.

Listen and fill the gaps below:

Listen and Fill Gaps

Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:

Three men robbed a Pokémon card shop in New York City on Wednesday evening. Pokémon cards are (1) __________ cards with small creatures on them. Some rare cards are very valuable. The shop is called Poké Court.

One man had a (2) __________. He pointed it at the workers and customers. Another man closed the curtain at the front of the shop. He also watched the (3) __________. No one could leave. Nobody got hurt.

The men broke a glass case with a (4) __________. They put many cards into their bags. The cards were worth at least $110,000. One card had a picture of Charizard. Charizard is a famous Pokémon that looks like a (5) __________. This card alone was worth about $15,000.

The robbery took only three minutes. The men also took money from the shop. Police are looking for them. This was not the first robbery at a Pokémon card shop. Thieves have robbed other shops across the country.

True or False

Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.

  • The robbery happened on a Wednesday evening.
    The article says the men robbed the shop on Wednesday evening.
  • The shop is called Pokémon Palace.
    The article says the shop is called Poké Court, not Pokémon Palace.
  • Someone got hurt during the robbery.
    The article says nobody got hurt.

True or False

1. The robbery happened on a Wednesday evening. T / F

2. The shop is called Pokémon Palace. T / F

3. Someone got hurt during the robbery. T / F

Put Events in Order

Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (4):

  • ___ The men broke a glass case with a hammer.

  • ___ One man pointed a gun at the workers and customers.

  • ___ The men put many cards into their bags.

  • ___ Another man closed the curtain and watched the door.

Multiple Choice

1. How much were the stolen cards worth?

   A) At least $110,000

   B) About $15,000

   C) Less than $100,000

   D) Exactly $150,000

2. What did the men use to break the glass case?

   A) A gun

   B) Their hands

   C) A hammer

   D) A rock

3. What does the Charizard card look like?

   A) A small creature

   B) A famous person

   C) A dragon

   D) A bird

Vocab List
  • Rob (v.)
  • Valuable (adj.)
  • Pointed (v.)
  • Curtain (n.)
  • Hammer (n.)
  • Rare (adj.)
  • Robbed (v.)

Vocab Match

Match each vocabulary word with a definition:

1. Rob

2. Valuable

3. Pointed

4. Curtain

5. Hammer

a) A tool used to hit things.

b) A piece of cloth that covers a window or door.

c) Aimed something at someone or something.

d) Worth a lot of money.

e) To steal from a person or place.

Discussion Builder
  1. The thieves took $110,000 worth of cards.
  3. The men took many valuable cards.

Discussion Builder

Choose the best phrase for each gap:

  1. The thieves took $110,000 worth of cards. ________ that's a lot of money.

    For example, / I think, / But,

  2. Shops need good security ________ thieves can steal expensive things.

    but / and / because

  3. The men took many valuable cards. ________ the police have not caught them yet.

    So, / But, / Also,

Discussion Questions

  1. How did this article make you feel? Surprised? Angry? Why?
  2. Do you know anyone who collects cards, figures, shoes, or something else?
  3. Why do you think some Pokémon cards are so expensive?
  4. Have you ever seen a robbery in a movie or on TV?
  5. How can shops protect expensive items?
  6. Would you pay a lot of money for a rare item? Why or why not?
  7. What is the most valuable thing you own?
  8. Do you think collecting things is a good hobby? Why?

Answers

Listening: (1) trading, (2) gun, (3) door, (4) hammer, (5) dragon

True or False:

  1. True. The article says the men robbed the shop on Wednesday evening.
  2. False. The article says the shop is called Poké Court, not Pokémon Palace.
  3. False. The article says nobody got hurt.
  4. Undefined.

Multiple Choice: A, C, C

Put Events in Order:

  1. One man pointed a gun at the workers and customers.
  2. Another man closed the curtain and watched the door.
  3. The men broke a glass case with a hammer.
  4. The men put many cards into their bags.

Vocabulary:

  1. Rob: To steal from a person or place.

  2. Valuable: Worth a lot of money.

  3. Pointed: Aimed something at someone or something.

  4. Curtain: A piece of cloth that covers a window or door.

  5. Hammer: A tool used to hit things.

Discussion Builder:

Hints: 1) Opinion. 2) Reason. 3) Contrast.

  1. I think,

  2. because

  3. But,

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