文字稿

一位女士在三十年前從舊貨市場花了 10 英鎊（約88.3元人民幣）買到一顆鉆石戒指，如今這枚鉆石將有可能在拍賣場上以 35 萬英鎊（約 310 萬人民幣）的價格出手。在八十年代的一個周日，這枚鉆石的主人在倫敦西部西米德爾塞克斯醫院附近買下了這顆“大號”石頭，那時她以為這只是一件普通的服裝配飾。對這塊石頭的真實價值毫不知情的她這幾十年來像 佩戴普通飾物 一樣戴著這顆大約 在十九世紀就已被切割成形的 鉆石。請聽 報道。

The large cushion-shaped stone caught the eye of the woman who bought it one Sunday at a car boot sale at the West Middlesex Hospital in London.

Unaware that it was a diamond, she treated the ring as everyday jewellery, wearing it to the shops and while doing the chores. Decades later, a jeweller persuaded her to get it tested. She took it to Sotheby’s, whose experts confirmed that it was a diamond.

They say it dates from the 19th Century, when diamonds were cut for size, rather than brilliance, which might explain why its true nature and value went unnoticed for so long. 

詞匯表

cushion-shaped 墊形的、枕形的（鉆石切割術語）
caught the eye of 吸引了…的注意
car boot sale （把物品擺在汽車后備箱的）舊貨市場
everyday 普通的
chores 日常瑣事，家務事
jeweller 珠寶商
brilliance 光澤，明亮度
nature 本質，性質
unnoticed 未被注意到的

測驗

請聽報道并回答下列問題。  

1. Where did the owner of the cushion-shaped stone buy it?

2. How did the woman who bought the stone treat it over the years?

3. True or false? Decades later, the owner realised it was a diamond by herself.

4. Which word in the text means ‘the amount of money something is worth’?

答案

1. Where did the owner of the stone buy it?
The owner bought the cushion-shaped stone at a car boot sale at the West Middlesex Hospital in London.

2. How did the woman who bought the stone treat it over the years?
Unaware that it was a diamond, the woman who bought the stone treated it as everyday jewellery, wearing it to the shops and while doing the chores.

3. True or false? Decades later, she realised it was a diamond by herself.
False. A jeweller persuaded the owner to get the stone tested. She took it to Sotheby’s, and the experts there confirmed it was a diamond.

4. Which word in the text means ‘the amount of money something is worth’?
Value.