英语听力精选进阶版 7228

Background: 以超人为封面的第一册漫画以2千1百万美金成交，创下漫画书拍卖的世界新纪录。这本初版“动作漫画"是1938年出版的，这次通过美国的一个拍卖网站进行拍卖。

When it appeared on newsstands 73 years ago, the first edition of Action Comics cost just ten cents. The cover design showed a well-built man in blue tights and a red cape¹, smashing a car against a rock.

Superman was introduced to readers as a "champion of the oppressed," who could "run faster than an express train."

Only a hundred copies of that first issue survive. And for comic buffs this one was in breathtakingly good condition.

In an online auction² it fetched a little over $2 million, a world record for a comic. The buyer remains³ anonymous⁴. The seller is rumoured⁵ to have been the actor Nicolas Cage.

Connoisseurs⁷ of the comic world say this type of investment has become popular during troubled economic times because rare collectibles hold their value more reliably than property or shares.

Glossary⁸ 词汇表

a newsstand 报亭，报摊

the cover design 首页设计

the oppressed 受排挤的，受压迫的

a buff 一个对什么事情或东西特别感兴趣的人

to be in breathtakingly good condition 品相令人难以致信的好

to fetch 得到

to be anonymous 匿名，没有公开

a connoisseur⁶ 鉴赏家，行家

a collectible 收藏品

to hold its value 保值

Questions:

1: In which edition of Action Comics did the character Superman appear?

The first edition.

2: How many copies still exist of this edition?

A hundred.

3: True of false? Because of its age the comic is not in a very good state.

False, it's in a "breathtakingly good condition".

4: Who sold the comic?

It's not known. The seller is anonymous but some people think it might be the actor Nicolas Cage.

1 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

2 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

3 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

4 anonymous   

adj.无名的；匿名的；无特色的

参考例句：

• Sending anonymous letters is a cowardly act.寄匿名信是懦夫的行为。
• The author wishes to remain anonymous.作者希望姓名不公开。

5 rumoured   

adj.谣传的；传说的；风

参考例句：

• It has been so rumoured here. 此间已有传闻。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• It began to be rumoured that the jury would be out a long while. 有人传说陪审团要退场很久。 来自英汉文学 - 双城记

6 connoisseur   

n.鉴赏家，行家，内行

参考例句：

• Only the real connoisseur could tell the difference between these two wines.只有真正的内行才能指出这两种酒的区别。
• We are looking for a connoisseur of French champagne.我们想找一位法国香槟酒品酒专家。

7 connoisseurs   

n.鉴赏家，鉴定家，行家( connoisseur的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Let us go, before we offend the connoisseurs. 咱们走吧，免得我们惹恼了收藏家。 来自辞典例句
• The connoisseurs often associate it with a blackcurrant flavor. 葡萄酒鉴赏家们通常会将它跟黑醋栗口味联系起来。 来自互联网

8 glossary   

n.注释词表；术语汇编

参考例句：

• The text is supplemented by an adequate glossary.正文附有一个详细的词汇表。
• For convenience,we have also provided a glossary in an appendix.为了方便，我们在附录中也提供了术语表。