Collectors

dialogue 1

Jingjing: Mark, what's that you're______?

Mark: It's a ______ book.　I have too many of these from my______ years.　So, I'm taking photos of the pages then putting each______ in the recycling bin.　I was just ______ the pages one last time on this one.

Jingjing: You've found a good way to ______ in your house.　How many______ do you have?

Mark: ______, now.　I used to have a ______ or two.

Jingjing: You were quite the ______.　It's good that you're not too much of a______, though.

Mark: Yeah, it's sad to ______, but not too sad when I have a ______.

Jingjing: I know lots of kids read ______.　What got you______ when you were a teen?

Mark: I had a neighbor with a______, including several ______.　He would just let me borrow them and read them, without ______ they were.

Jingjing: I know values can ______, if someone has a______ copy.

Mark: His were in______, but not______.　Anyway, there were comic book stores near my house.　I'd go ______ a week.

Jingjing: Are any of those stores still______?

Mark: ______.　I saw one or two.　My favorite shop was still there.　But when I went in to chat with the ______, she said they were ______ staying in business.

Jingjing: That's a pity.　Did you ever collect______?

Mark: Not really.　My dad had a stamp collection that he______ to me.　Somehow, I managed to______ a few baseball cards also.

Jingjing: Is there anything you still ______, that you wouldn't want to ______?

Mark: Remember those______I told you I had?　I still have them, even though I______ them.

Jingjing: Are any of them______?

Mark: ______.　Also, there are two or three I still want to buy, like the Hermes______ tie, and one with ______ by Dunhill.

Jingjing: Good luck ______ them.　Have you ______ on eBay?

Mark: Many, many times.

dialogue 2

Jingjing: Mark, what's the______ thing you ever heard of someone______?

Mark: I had a buddy who ______a bit of hair from each of his______.

Jingjing: That is weird, and______.

Mark: I thought so too.　He had them all______ in zip-lock bags.　He told me he recently dated a ______ just to get a ______ for his collection.

Jingjing: ______?

Mark: No, I just ______.　Actually, I just read a news article about______.

Jingjing: Oh yeah?　What's that?

Mark: People are collecting something called ______—NFTs.

Jingjing: What ______ are those?

Mark: They're similar to ______.　Each one is like a______, super-long ______ or SKU.　But it can only be sold for ______.

Jingjing: OK, ______.　______ NFTs do, and why do people ______ them?

Mark: Each one is______ a digital image.　That way, one person can ______ the image, even though lots of people use ______ of the image.

Jingjing: Give me an example.

Mark: Sure.　There's one called Nyan Cat, which sold for______.　It's a popular picture of a ______ flying through space and leaving______ behind it.　It looks like it came out of a Nintendo game, all 8-bit and simple.

Jingjing: I think I can______ that.　______ an NFT?

Mark: You could get another kind of______.　But it's actually easier to ______ a piece of ______and then sell it as an NFT.

Jingjing: Hmm, that's something I might ______.　And I'll______ to friends of mine who are collectors or ______.

Mark: Something has to be really______ to______ 500K.　But it's always______.

Jingjing: Well, interesting topic, Mark. ______!

new words and phrases

hard copy

pack rat

golden age comics

mint condition

handed down

part with

Are you for real?

fungible

SKU

You're losing me.

cryptocurrency

pass word along