Modul 4: Story 45 The Art Thief
Video 01 Story Presentation 01.
Video 02 Story Presentation 02.
Audio 01 The story
The Art Thief
Leo is a weak, nimble man who grew up being excluded. Nobody knew when he came or went; he was swift. Invisible.
Today was the day his life would go one of two ways.
Without friends, he spent his life reading about everything, and he was obsessed with art. Whether he was looking at the Night Skies of van Gogh or the Waterlilies of Monet, he was always fascinated by the curves and textures of the patterns on the canvas.
Despite his seemingly harmless exterior, darkness loomed within him. His knowledge surpassed his morals, and, at the age of 28, he began to steal famous artworks. His intellect meant that he never failed and was never caught.
Today was the day that Piet Mondrian’s ‘Composition with Red Blue and Yellow’ was coming to the National Art Gallery. Leo had previously planned the perfect burglary, and now he was on his way to deactivate some laser sensors, when out of nowhere …
Two hours later, Leo awoke in the hospital.
“You were hit by a van, sir,” a nurse informed him.
“No, I’ve got somewhere to be!”
“Not anymore, you don’t. You are on a lot of pain relief medication, so I’m afraid it might make you a little bonkers!”
Leo nodded hesitantly as she left.
He then sprang up from the bed, put his clothes over his hospital gown and rushed over to the Gallery. His plan was two hours delayed, so he needed to rush. When the coast was clear, he slyly took the painting off the wall. His pride was soon diminished when the sound of alarms rang through the halls. And then he realized: he hadn’t deactivated the sensors.
Policemen ran in from all angles, but Leo quickly had an idea as his fingers stroked against the gown beneath his clothing.
“Quick, I have to deliver the package to the Colonel at sunset before the White Coats begin the apocalypse!”
The policemen looked at him in utter disbelief until one of the yelled, “Look, he’s wearing a hospital gown! He’s clearly delusional! Let’s check him back into the hospital. If he’s taken strong medication, then we will just put it down to hallucination and let him go.”
Leo smiled as they carried him away.
Video 03 Simple statements
Audio 02 Simple statements
1. Leo – weak, nimble man
2. grew up – excluded
3. swift, invisible
4. nobody knew – when – came or went
5. spent life – reading – everything
6. obsessed – art
7. especially fascinated – paintings
8. seemed harmless – outside
9. darkness – loomed within him
10. age 28 – began steal – famous artworks
11. Leo – clever
12. never caught
13. today – Piet Mondrian’s famous painting – coming to National Gallery
14. Leo – previously planned – perfect burglary
15. on his way – deactivate laser sensors
16. suddenly – nowhere – BAM!
17. two hours later – woke up – hospital
18. nurse told him – hit by van
19. on strong painkillers
20. painkillers might affect – way he was thinking
21. waited – nurse – leave
22. sprang – out his bed
23. 2 hours behind schedule
24. needed rush
25. museum – clear
26. took painting – off the wall
27. alarm went off
28. realized – not deactivated the sensors
29. police raided – place
30. acted – he was insane
31. police – took him back – hospital
32. not charged – imprisoned
Audio 05-6 Story versions
The story (version A)
Leo, who is a weak, nimble man, grew up being excluded. He was swift and invisible, and nobody knew when he came or went. He spent his life reading about everything and was obsessed with art. He was especially fascinated by paintings. Although Leo seemed harmless from the outside, darkness loomed within him, and, at the age of 28, he began to steal famous artworks. Leo was clever, so he was never caught.
Today Piet Mondrian’s famous painting was coming to the National Gallery, so Leo had previously planned the perfect burglary. When he was on his way to deactivate some laser sensors, suddenly, out of nowhere …BAM; two hours later, Leo woke up in the hospital.
A nurse told him that he had been hit by a van, and that he was on strong painkillers which might affect the way he was thinking. He waited for the nurse to leave and then sprang out of his bed. As he was 2 hours behind his schedule, he needed to rush.
The museum was clear, but as soon as he had taken the painting off the wall, the alarm went off. Just then, he realized he hadn’t deactivated the sensors. The police raided the place, but he acted as if he was insane, so the police took him back to the hospital without charging or imprisoning him.
The story (version B)
Leo is a weak, nimble man who grew up being excluded. However, he was swift and invisible, and nobody knew when he came or went. As he spent his life reading about everything, he was obsessed with art, especially with paintings.
Even though Leo seemed harmless from the outside, darkness loomed within him, and at the age of 28 he began to steal famous artworks. Since Leo was clever, he was never caught.
Today Piet Mondrian’s famous painting was coming to the National Gallery, and Leo had previously planned the perfect burglary. He was on his was way to deactivate some laser sensors when suddenly, out of nowhere… BAM!
Two hours later, after Leo had woken up in the hospital, a nurse told him that he had been hit by a van. Also, he was on strong painkillers which might affect the way he was thinking. After the nurse had left, he sprang out of his bed. He was 2 hours behind his schedule, so he needed to rush.
The museum was clear, but when he took the painting off the wall, the alarm went off which then made him realize he hadn’t deactivated the sensors. When the police raided the place, he acted as if he was insane, so the police took him back to the hospital.
In the end, he was neither charged nor imprisoned.