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created a tulip collection so fine that he couldrft bring himself to sell it. Inevitably the famę of his collection spread and it was eventually stolen. As soon as the thieves had the tulips, they planted the seeds to produce morę.

VIII. ( 7 -........) People who were unable to afford tulip bulbs commissioned paintings by

masters whose works were considered cheap substitutes for the real flowers. Jan van Huysum, the great master of Dutch flower painting, could rarely charge morę than 5,000 guilders for a canvas, but at an auction in 1637, at the height of Dutch tulipmania, a trader paid 4,000 guilders (the equivalent of a year’s wages) for a single bulb.

A.    Because its cause was not known, its effects could not be controlled.

B.    In seventeenth-century Holland, books were often illustrated with engravings of garden flowers and were purchased at a cost far less than that of bulbs.

C.    How had this bizarre situation come about?

D.    It could change colour.

E.    One possible explanation for this domination rests on a famous theft.

F.    The tulip, which had only recently been introduced, became the ultimate status symbol in much the same way as a fast sports car might be today.

G.    Early growers had a thousand theories on the best way to bring about the magie break.

H.    There is no denying that the flower has had an eventfiil history fuli of mystery and drama.

I.    Tulipmania is supposed to have ended when the State finally intervened to bring an end to the three years of frenzied trading in the flower.

From S. Burgess with RAcklam, First Certificate Gold Emm Maximiser 02000 by Pearson Education Limited

14 I

Ex2. Read the sentences taken from the text and decide what is the meaning of the word/s underlined. Circle option A, B or C.

1.    Greed, desire, anguish and devotion all played a part in the development of the tulip.(I)

A.    Worry

B.    Suffering

C.    Anxiety

2.    What might be called “Tulipmania” engulfed the country in the 1630s and has puzzled historians and economists ever sińce.(II)

A.    Has mystified

B.    Has worried

C.    Has occupied

3.    Before tulipmania took hołd, a bulb sold for 46 guilders.(II)

A.    Was in effect

B.    Started to have an effect

C.    Got tightly hołd of people

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