Why do you think someone would wear  Coronavirus jewellery?

What kinds of jewellery do you like, or not like, to wear?

A small Russian jewelry company makes science and medicine styled ornaments. It has now made a coronavirus-shaped pendant. Some people are accusing them of insensitivity. 

The jewellery is sold online for around $20. Its silver coronavirus pendants are the shape of the virus.

Pavel Vorobev the owner of the company said "People started buying it, posting the product on their social media pages." And he said, "No matter how sad it is, it has become a trend. It has had a viral effect."

The company also makes pendants in the shape of hearts, lungs and DNA.

Vorobev said the pendants are not intended to cash in on what has become an international problem.

Some people who were coronavirus patients have purchased the pendants as gifts for the medical staff who had treated them.

Vorobev said the firm was now planning to donate the jewellery to doctors working hard to curb the spread of the virus.

Try to guess the meaning of the words in bold and match them with their closest meaning from the choices in the right. Some of the answers are very close and have similar meaning. The meaning of these words is how they are used in the reading. Some of these words have different meanings in the dictionary depending on how they are used.

 The answers are below the table.

A=4, B=2, C=8, D=7, E=3, F=1, G=6, H=5

Some example sentences using the new words or phrases from the meaning of how they are used in the reading to help you understand better.

1. She has many dolls as ornaments in her home.

2. Some couples buy heart pendants that are the same to remind them of their other lover.

3. The mayor has been accused of stealing public money.

4. Telling her that she needs to lose weight was insensitive.

5. The trend among young people is to smoke less.

6. My intention is to get into a good university.

7. Your new recipe is delicious. Let’s cash in on your recipe. A lot of people will pay money for it.

8. The university is trying to curb too much drinking by making the campus an alcohol free campus.

    

    

    

    

Some questions using the new words/phrases. Try to use the words/phrases in your answer.

1. What ornaments do you have? Why do you like them?

2. Do you like pendants? Have you ever given a pendant as a gift? Why do people like pendants?

3. Would you accuse this jewelry maker of cashing in on Coronavirus? Why or why not?

4. Why don’t medical staff see the pendants as insensitive? How do they see the gift?

5. How has Coronavirus changed trends in your country?

6. What is your opinion of Vorobev’s intentions?

7. What actions in your city/society would you like to see curbed?