Word List: Counterfeit, Forgery, Duplicate, Impersonate, Fabricate, Alter, Imitate, Deception, Ruse, Scam
The city was in awe as a new art gallery opened its doors. It promised to showcase some of the finest works of art from all around the world, but little did they know that not everything was as it seemed. Detective Sarah was called in to investigate when one of the art collectors claimed that a painting he purchased from the gallery was a counterfeit. Further investigation revealed that the gallery was filled with forgeries and duplicates of famous paintings. The mastermind behind the operation was a man named David, who was not only an expert in impersonating famous artists but was also skilled in fabricating and altering documents to prove the authenticity of the paintings. He had used his skills of deception and ruse to fool art collectors and experts into believing that the paintings were genuine, and had made millions from the sales. When Sarah finally caught up with David, she discovered that this was just the tip of the iceberg, as he was part of a larger operation that specialized in art-related scams and deceptions.
Vocabulary
| Word | Meaning | Collocations |
|---|---|---|
| Counterfeit | a copy of something, especially a fake copy of a valuable item such as money or a work of art, made in order to deceive people | Counterfeit money, Counterfeit goods, Counterfeit painting |
| Forgery | a copy of a document, signature, or work of art that is made in order to deceive people | Art forgery, Signature forgery, Document forgery |
| Duplicate | a copy of something | Duplicate key, Duplicate document, Duplicate painting |
| Impersonate | to pretend to be someone else, especially in order to deceive people | Impersonate an officer, Impersonate a celebrity, Impersonate a doctor |
| Fabricate | to make something, especially something that is not true, in order to deceive people | Fabricate evidence, Fabricate a story, Fabricate a history |
| Alter | to make small changes to something in order to deceive people | Alter a document, Alter a painting, Alter the truth |
| Imitate | to copy or try to copy someone or something else | Imitate a famous actor, Imitate a famous painting, Imitate a style |
| Deception | the act of deceiving someone by making them believe something that is not true | Deception tactics, Deception plan, Deception scheme |
| Ruse | a trick that is used to deceive someone | Clever ruse, sneaky ruse, cunning ruse |
| Scam | a dishonest plan or scheme for making money, especially by tricking people | Internet scam, Investment scam, Charity scam |