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Speaking

Something Old

Something Old

Describe something old that your family has kept

You should say:

– what the thing is

– what it looks like

– what it is used for

and explain why your family has kept this thing for a long time

 

The old thing that I would like to talk about is an astonishing pearl necklace that belonged to my great grandmother. It has been there for quite a long time as a family heirloom on my mom’s side, which, I guess, would become mine when the time comes. Though I haven’t seen neither my Grannie nor my mom wear it, the necklace still holds an underlying meaning and is always treated with greatest care and love.

The pearl necklace is super classic and simple, just like what it represents: pure beauty. The strand was hand-strung with a notch between each pearl to avoid them rubbing against each other. Even though it has been carefully preserved, the shiny surface of each pearl is no longer at its best; instead, a few scratches have appeared and the bright white color has started to get dull. It was on our great grandparents’ wedding that my great grandfather presented his beloved wife this precious gift and it immediately became her favorite. She wore it whenever there was an occasion, which means practically every time she went out. This was proven by the number of pictures we found her wearing the chain years later.

My Grannie inherited it after her mom passed away but almost never touched it unless to clean or move it from box to box. She said she wanted to keep its true spirit and the beautiful story behind as it was meant to be. As a result, years has gone by but that delicate pearl chain has always stayed untouched inside the jewelry box and will still be there in many years to come as a sign of respect and reminder of the good old days.

 

Vocabulary:

Astonishing (adj) very surprising, amazing

Heirloom (noun) a valuable or special possession that has belonged to a family for many years

underlying meaning (expression) are the real or basic meaning, although they are not obvious or directly stated

inherit (verb) to receive property or money from someone who has died

delicate (adj) attractive with many small details

 

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