Listening
Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- vanish / ˈvæn ɪʃ / (v.) – to suddenly disappear without explanation
Example:The magician made the rabbit vanish from the hat, and everyone was amazed.
- fugitive / ˈfyu dʒɪ tɪv / (n.) – a person avoiding being caught by the police by running away
Example:The movie is about fugitives who escaped from prison and hid in the mountains.
- withdraw / wɪðˈdrɔ / (v.) – to take back something such as a request, an offer, a threat, etc.
Example:He is prepared to withdraw his complaint if he can speak with the manager.
- launch / lɔntʃ / (v.) – to start something such as a project, an effort, a cause, etc.
Example:The organization launched a national program to reduce plastic usage.
- perpetrator / ˈpɜr pɪˌtreɪ tər / (n.) – a person who has done something illegal
Example:The perpetrators of the robbery are still missing.
Article
Read the text below.
Thieves used a stolen card to buy a winning French lottery ticket worth 500,000 euros ($523,000). But they vanished before cashing in—and now they’re among France’s most famous fugitives.
The man whose card was stolen, identified in police documents as Jean-David E., is offering to split the cash with the lucky winners. He wants his wallet back, too.
The thieves, meanwhile, face the risk of arrest.
The state lottery operator La Française des Jeux, or FDJ, said that no one had submitted the ticket to cash out.
“A totally incredible story, very funny,” Jean-David’s lawyer, Pierre Debuisson, told The Associated Press.
Jean-David discovered in early February that his backpack had been stolen from his car in the southern city of Toulouse, including bank cards and other documents, the lawyer said. Jean-David asked his bank to block the card and learned it had already been used in a local shop.
At the shop, a vendor told him two apparently homeless men had used one of his cards to buy the winning scratch-off lottery ticket.
Jean-David filed a police complaint about the theft, but is ready to withdraw it if the thieves come forward so that they can share the money, Debuisson said.
Prosecutors may try to seize the winnings, considering them illegally obtained gains, the lawyer said.
The lawyer launched a national appeal asking the perpetrators to contact his office to make a deal.
This article was provided by The Associated Press.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
- The man who lost his wallet is offering to split the lottery prize with the thieves if they come forward. Do you think this is a fair solution? Why or why not? What would you do if you were in his place? Discuss.
- Do you think the thieves deserve a part of the money if they bought the ticket with a stolen card? Why or why not? Should people benefit from something they obtained illegally? Why do you think so? Discuss.
Discussion B
- If the thieves return the wallet and share the prize, should they still be punished by the law? Why or why not? What message do you think this would send to the public? Discuss.
- Do you think the law should always be strict, or should some situations allow for flexibility? Why do you say so? Are there situations where the one who broke the law may not be punished? Discuss.
