阅读理解 The small unframed painting called “Fisherman was signed by a little-known

阅读理解

The small unframed painting called “Fisherman” was signed by a little-known Italian artist, Maveleone(1669～1740) . When it was sold recently in New York for $ 27,000, the seller, Mr. Oliver Pitt, was asked to explain how the picture had cane into his possession.

Pitt said, “I didn't know it was so valuable. I'm not an art expert. Photography is my hobby. I bought ‘Fisherman ’ in Italy in 1970 for $ 140. The picture wag dirty, and I couldn't see the artist's signature. But anyway it wasn't the picture I liked. I bought it because of the frame. It's a most unusual frame, made of tiny, silvery sea-shell. They are set in such a way that they reflect(反射) perfect light onto the surface of a picture. I now have a photograph of my wife in that frame, and I'll never part with it. ”

“When I returned to New York I showed the painting in its frame to a customs officer. I told him that I had paid E 140 for it but admitted I didn't know its actual worth. The customs man valued it at $ 140 and I was asked to pay duty on that value. I did so, there and then. ”

“Later, I took off the frame, and then uncovered Mavelone's signature. My wife suggested in fun that the painting might be a valuable one, so I cleaned it and put it up for sale. ”

As a result of this explanation, Oliver Pitt had to appear in court. He was charged with knowingly making a false statement of the value of the picture so as to cheat the Customs Department.

Pitt was not happy. “I told the truth as I knew it then. ”he said. “What else could I say?”

And then the judge agreed with him. “The Customs Department is to be responsible,” he said, “for making a true valuation of goods brought into the country, so that the correct amount of duty may be demanded. If, now, the Customs Department finds that its valuation was not correct, it cannot be allowed to have another try. Pitt is not guilty(有罪的) .”

1．When Oliver Pitt bought the picture, ________.

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A．it was unframed

B．Maveleone signed the deal

C．he suggested that it was valuable

D．it was the frame that attracted him

2．From the passage we can infer that, if Maveleone had been a well known artist, ________.

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A．the painting would have coat more than $ 140

B．he wouldn't have sold the painting

C．the customs officer wouldn't have been cheated

D．Pitt wouldn't have had the intention to buy any of his paintings

3．Pitt took off the frame in order to ________.

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A．clean the picture to put it up for sale

B．look for the artist's signature

C．use it for his wife's photograph

D．find the painting's true value

4．Which of the following statements is true according to the story?

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A．In the end Pitt was asked to pay the correct amount of duty.

B．In the end Pitt sold the frame of the painting at an even higher price .

C．In the end the Customs Department had no right to revalue the painting.

D．In the end Pitt's wife was regarded as an expert because of her wise suggestion.

试题答案

答案：D;A;C;C