英语听力精选进阶版 6135
时间：2019-02-13 作者：英语课 分类：英语听力精选进阶版
Recession, What Recession? 衰退，什么衰退？
While many of the headlines this week have been about the turmoil 1 in the financial markets, one British artist has been bucking 2 the trend by turning a healthy profit.
In fact, Damien Hirst, a conceptual artist best-known for pickling sharks in formaldehyde, has broken records by taking an astonishing ￡111m (1,355m yuan) during a two-day auction 3 of his work in London this week.
In total 223 of his creations were up for grabs in the groundbreaking sale at British auction house Sotheby's. Normally artists sell their work via galleries, but by cutting out the middleman, Hirst will happily pocket the difference.
Art expert Charles Dupplin said, "It's another landmark 4 and an astounding 5 day for the art market in a year that has seen many long-standing records demolished 6, despite the gloomy world economy."
Hirst's work has received mixed reactions from the press in the past but it has consistently sold for high prices. Last year his diamond-encrusted skull 7 was valued at ￡50m (612m yuan), making it the costliest 8 single work of art ever.
The most expensive item at this year's auction was The Golden Calf 9: a real calf in a tank of formaldehyde with 18-carat hooves, horns and a gold disc on its head, which sold for ￡9.2m (112m yuan).
But while art collectors from around the world have been scrambling 10 to pick up an original Damien Hirst piece in London this week, not everyone is so enamoured with his work.
A spokesperson for the Stuckist movement, which favours figurative over conceptual art, said, "It's obvious the art world has gone stark 11 raving 12 bonkers."
Indeed, people frequently question the boundaries of what is and what isn't art. In a world where modern art has become increasingly conceptual, perhaps the most useful definition we can turn to is that of the late American artist Andy Warhol, who said, "Art is what you can get away with."
However you define art, Hirst should be laughing all the way to the bank.
GLOSSARY 词汇表
turmoil 骚动， 混乱
bucking the trend 反市场潮流
turning a healthy profit 数目可观的盈利
conceptual artist 概念派艺术家
pickling 浸泡（在…里）
formaldehyde 甲醛
auction 拍卖
up for grabs 出售；可得的
cutting out the middleman 避开中间商，直接交易
pocket the difference 赚差价
gloomy world economy 低迷不振的世界经济
diamond-encrusted skull 镶嵌满钻石的骷髅
18-carat hooves 18k黄金牛蹄
scrambling 抢着
enamoured 喜爱，沉迷于
figurative (art) 具象（艺术）
stark raving bonkers 完全疯了
question the boundaries 对两事务间的界限提出疑问
"art is what you can get away with" 只要有认同者你的作品就是艺术
laughing all the way to the bank 轻轻松松赚大钱
- His mind was in such a turmoil that he couldn't get to sleep.内心的纷扰使他无法入睡。
- The robbery put the village in a turmoil.抢劫使全村陷入混乱。
- a bucking bronco in the rodeo 牛仔竞技表演中一匹弓背跳跃的野马
- That means we'll be bucking grain bags, bustin's gut. 那就是说咱们要背这一袋袋的谷子，得把五脏都累坏。 来自辞典例句
- 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。
- The Russian Revolution represents a landmark in world history.俄国革命是世界历史上的一个里程碑。
- The tower was once a landmark for ships.这座塔曾是船只的陆标。
- There was an astounding 20% increase in sales. 销售量惊人地增加了20%。
- The Chairman's remarks were so astounding that the audience listened to him with bated breath. 主席说的话令人吃惊，所以听众都屏息听他说。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The factory is due to be demolished next year. 这个工厂定于明年拆除。
- They have been fighting a rearguard action for two years to stop their house being demolished. 两年来，为了不让拆除他们的房子，他们一直在进行最后的努力。
- The skull bones fuse between the ages of fifteen and twenty-five.头骨在15至25岁之间长合。
- He fell out of the window and cracked his skull.他从窗子摔了出去，跌裂了颅骨。
- At 81 billion dollars, Katrina is the costliest natural disaster in American history. “卡特里娜”飓风造成了近810亿美圆的损失，是美国历史上最严重的自然灾难之一。 来自互联网
- Senator John Kerry has proposed a tax on the costliest health plans sold by insurance companies. 参议员约翰？克里(JohnKerry)已经提议对保险公司销售的高价值的保险计划征税。 来自互联网
- The cow slinked its calf.那头母牛早产了一头小牛犊。
- The calf blared for its mother.牛犊哞哞地高声叫喊找妈妈。
- Scrambling up her hair, she darted out of the house. 她匆忙扎起头发，冲出房去。 来自《现代英汉综合大词典》
- She is scrambling eggs. 她正在炒蛋。 来自《简明英汉词典》
- The young man is faced with a stark choice.这位年轻人面临严峻的抉择。
- He gave a stark denial to the rumor.他对谣言加以完全的否认。