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 $ 27000, the seller, Mr. Oliver Pitt, was asked to explain how the picture had e 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 was dirty, and I couldn’t see the artist’s signature. But anyway it wasn’t the picture that I like. I bought it because of the frame.”
“It’s most unusual frame, made of tiny, silvery sea-shells. They are set in such a way that they reflect 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 $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 that uncovered Maveleone’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 his explanation, Oliver Pitt had to appear in court. He was accused of (指控) knowingly making a false statement of the value of a 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 (blame),” he said, “for making a true valuation of goods bought into the country, so that the correct amount of duty may be charged. Mr Pitt did not cause or try to cause the mistake that was made. He paid the duty that was 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.
【小题1】Pitt met the customs officer , where the officer was employed to .A．at the railway station or airport; examine people’s baggageB．at the airport or port; examine people’s baggageC．at the bus-stop; help people enter the USAD．at the airport or port; help people enter the USA【小题2】From the passage we can infer that if Maveleone had been a well-know artist .A．the painting would have cost much more than $ 140B．he wouldn’t have sold his painting at such a low priceC．the customs officer wouldn’t have valued the painting at $ 140D．Pitt wouldn’t have had the intention to buy any of his paintings【小题3】Pitt took off the frame in order to .A．clean the painting to put it up for saleB．look for the artist’s signatureC．use if for his wife’s photographD．find the painting’s true value【小题4】Which is true according to the passage?A．Pitt knew the true value of the picture.B．Pitt’s wife knew the true value of the picture.C．When Pitt’s wife suggested keeping the picture, she was kind of joking.D．Pitt didn’t pay any duty at all.【小题5】Which of the following statements is true to the story? In the end .A．Pitt was asked to pay the correct amount of duty.B．Pitt sold the frame of the painting at an even higher price.C．The Customs Department had no right to revalue the painting.D．Pitt’s wife was regarded as an expert because of her wise suggestion.B
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(答案)B
解析：
【小题1】细节题，从第四段可以看出，画框是在飞机场海关通道的时候，海关官员在检查他的行李。
【小题2】推理题，从文中来看，无论是卖画框的人，还是Pitt以及他的妻子，抑或是海关官员，都不知道这个艺术家的情况，所以把它定价为140，如果知道这个家伙的名气的话，价格肯定会上扬的。
【小题3】细节题，从第三段来看，Pitt把画框拿来装妻子的照片了。
【小题4】细节推理题，从第五段My wife suggested in fun that the painting might be a valuable one, so I cleaned it and put it up for sale.”可以看出妻子并没有当真。
【小题5】推理题，从最后一段来看，法官已经做了定断，If now, the Customs Department finds that its valuation was not correct, it cannot be allowed to have another try. Pitt is not guilty.，Pitt是无罪的，海关更改自己的决定也是于法无据的。