Harry Potter book bought for 33 cents sells for $36,000 

Have you read a Harry Potter book or seen a Harry Potter movie?

Why do you think a Harry Potter book could be sold for $36,000?

 A rare Harry Potter first edition book has sold for a spellbinding $36,000. It was sold at an auction.

There are only 500 hardback copies of Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. This was the first of the JK Rowling’s blockbuster series. It was first published in June 1997.

The owner, a 54-year-old office worker, read it then left it on the shelf for 20 years.  Last year he decided to get a value on it.

The owner said afterwards: “I can’t believe it. It’s what I’d hoped for but I never really believed my book would get that price.” 

All the owner wants to do is use the money to buy a new bathroom for his house.

The auctioneer said he knew the book was not a fake because it still had a sticker inside showing it had been owned by Staffordshire Libraries.

The auctioneer said he was in disbelief when he first saw the book. He receives calls every week from people saying they have a first-edition Harry Potter.

He said when news of the discovery of the book was heard he began receiving 50 emails a day. But most copies could invariably be ruled out.

He found the book when he was called to a client’s house to value three boxes of books.

He said he was so excited. Every book valuer dreams of finding one of these he said.

The 500 real original books can be spotted because the word “philosopher” is spelt wrongly on the back cover. And “wand” appears twice in a list of spell equipment on page 53.

Also the writer’s name appears as Joanne Rowling on the inside page. In later editions it was changed to the initials JK Rowling.

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

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. These days it is rare to find a tiger living in the forest in Asia.

2. Her beauty was spellbinding.

3. The Psy song was a blockbuster hit all over the world.

4. If you go to that market you can see many fake Prada bags.

5. She was in disbelief to discover her teacher had cheated.

6. Invariably, cheats will be caught.

7. We have ruled out buying from that business. Their products are fake.

8. The K Pop star was spotted in Gangnam.

    

    

    

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

1. What rare thing would you love to own? Why?

2. Are you in disbelief that a book could sell for so much money? Would you be spellbound if something cheap you had was worth so much money?

3. Describe a blockbuster book or move that you love.

4. How close do some fake products look to the real ones?

5. Tell about a time you were in disbelief about something?

6. What can you think might invariably be worth a lot of money?

7. Tell about a time you really wanted something but you were ruled out?

8. Have you ever spotted somebody famous? What famous person would you like to spot?