Workers Find €9 Million in Gold Hidden in a Wall
Listen to the story
Construction workers in Belgium have found gold worth nine million euros hidden inside a wall. The discovery happened during renovation work in a house cellar.
While breaking through the wall, the workers found a safe that had been hidden for many years. Inside, they discovered gold nuggets, gold bars and old coins. Experts believe the treasure could be worth about nine million euros.
A gold nugget is a small, natural piece of gold, while a gold bar is a solid block used to store large amounts of value. The mix of items suggests the gold may have been collected over a long period.
The exact origin of the treasure remains unknown. Nobody has said who hid the gold in the wall or how long it had been there. Local authorities are now trying to learn more about the history of the house and its former owners.
News of the discovery has spread quickly, as such large amounts of hidden gold are rarely found during ordinary building work. The case has caught public attention because of both the size of the treasure and the mystery surrounding it.
For now, the gold is being kept safe while investigations continue. It is not yet clear who will legally receive the treasure, as this can depend on where it was found and who owns the property.
Vocabulary10 words
- construction worker
- a person who builds or repairs buildings
- renovation work
- work done to repair or improve a building
- safe
- a strong box used to keep valuable things secure
- nugget
- a small solid piece of a metal like gold
- bar
- a solid block shape, often used for metal
- origin
- where something comes from
- mystery
- something that is hard to explain
- investigation
- an official effort to find out facts
- treasure
- a valuable collection of things, often gold or money
- authorities
- people or groups with official power
Quiz
Answer key
1. Renovation work in a cellar 2. Nuggets, bars and coins 3. No, it remains unknown
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Construction workers in Belgium have found gold worth nine million euros hidden inside a _____.
The discovery happened during _____ work in a house cellar.
While breaking through the wall, the workers found a _____ that had been hidden for many years.
Inside, they discovered gold _____, gold _____ and old coins.
The exact _____ of the treasure remains unknown.
Local _____ are now trying to learn more about the history of the house.
The case has caught public attention because of the size of the treasure and the _____ surrounding it.
For now, the gold is being kept safe while _____ continue.
Discussion questions
- Why do you think people hide gold inside walls instead of banks?
- How do you think authorities decide who legally owns hidden treasure?
- Would you be excited or worried if you found hidden gold in your own home? Why?
- What other famous stories of hidden treasure have you heard about?