3 Listen to a short paragraph of the Episode and write it down (classwork).

4 Watch the episode again and fill in the gaps with the missing information. Write no more than three words.

1) 02:55 - Was there a ____________ to his perfectionism, one that could explain his __________________ and _________? I was hoping to find some answers inside the ____ ______, and in a ____________ attempt to ___________ with the locals I rented an ________________ orange bicycle.

2) 04:52 - For _______ _________, I went to the Delft _________, where many of the pieces of the Vermeer puzzle are to be found. And although there are only _________ forensic ___________, from them I think we can start __________ a ________________, both of the artist, and of the __________of his tragedy.

3) 13:45 - Among his __________________ works is Diana and Her Companions, Vermeer’s only ___________________, but a very quiet, ___________ moment in a story that often ends in __________ against an _________________ presence. It has _________________ overtones: foot washing, the bowl, even the napkin, which suggests the shape of a dove, have strong catholic and ____________________. It’s a picture by a man who loved women, who loved to look at women, loved to paint them. There’s a familiar Vermeer _________ here, the feel of a __________________, which also has a certain ____________ of peace about to be _____________ .

5 Check you know the meanings of the words and phrases given in the box, make use of them when covering the information provided in the episode:

1. The reasons why the presenter goes to Vermeer’s native town.

to associate with to run beneath to build a profile

to unearth evidence to make headlines to hold key to

to make sense of

2. The life of the 17^th century Holland and the town of Delft. The paradox of Vermeer’s art.

in-your-face splendor sink-or-swim world be scarred by

be in the ascendant in trauma a religious strife

a hint of disturbance be becalmed a turbulent reality

3. Vermeer’s childhood, his father Reynier, Vermeer’s appearance

to commit manslaughter to run business mark the spot

to follow smb’s footsteps the plaque says elusive

The Procuress to depict the world rambunctious

In the shadows to leer

4. The register of baptism in the New Church, The Best Outer Garment Tax

matrimony testaments to be christened a posh name

to live up to a descent into piece of clothing

5. Grim moments in the family history. Vermeer’s dodgy grandmother Neeltge and grandfather.

to haunt the ancestors to sell for a song con artist

to run raffles counterfeiting go to the lengths

to keep one’s heads above the water coin forgery

to hush up to sweep under the carpet

6. The most important decision of Vermeer’s life.

to propose to smb to declare one’s intention to worship

intervening years son of a publican to be apprenticed

a devout mother to strike a bargain to convert

a secular ceremony an enclave of

7. The nature of Vermeer’s own household. Catherina’s childhood

a domestic life a close-knit family an impecunious artist

opulence and harmony to fit an ideal skeletons in the closet

unlike the girl the disintegration of to be on the slide

to beat black and blue to take out one’s anger on smb

domestic abuse dysfunctional neghbours