阅读理解

Auctions（拍卖）arepublicsalesofgoodsconductedbyanofficiallyapprovedauctioneer.Heasksthecrowdgatheredintheauction-roomtomakeoffersor“bids”forthevariousitemsonsale.Heencouragesbuyerstobidhigherfiguresandfinallynamesthehighestbidderasthebuyerofthegoods.

Almostallgoodsofvariousqualitiesaresoldbyauction.Amongthesearecoffeeskinswoolteafruitvegetablesandwines.Auctionsalesarealsousefulforlandandpropertyantique（古董）furniturepicturesrarebooksoldchina（瓷器）andworksofart.

Anauctionisusuallyadvertisedbeforehandwithafulldescriptionofthearticlestobesoldandwhereandwhentheycanbeviewedbypossiblebuyers.Iftheadvertisementcannotgivefulldetailscatalogues（目录）areprintedandeachgroupofgoodstobesoldtogethercalleda“lot”isusuallygivenanumber.TheauctioneerneednotbeginwithLot1andcontinuewithLot2Lot3andsoon;hemaywaituntilheseescertaindealersintheroomandthenproducesthelotstheyarelikelytobeinterestedin.Theauctioneerthereforehasadirectinterestinpushingupthebiddingashighaspossible.

Theauctioneermustknowquiteaccuratelythecurrentmarketvaluesofthegoodsheissellingandheshouldbeacquainted（熟悉）withregularbuyersofsuchgoods.Hewillnotwastetimebystartingthebiddingtoolow.Hewillalsoencouragetherivalsamongbuyerstobidagainsteachotherinordertogetahighprice.Itislargelyinhisadvicethatasellerwillfixa“reserved”pricethatisapricebelowwhichthegoodscannotbesold.Eventhebestauctioneerhoweverfindsitdifficulttostopa“knock-out”（连裆拍货）becausedealersillegallyarrangedbeforehandnottobidagainsteachotherbutchooseoneofthemastheonlybidderinthehopeofbuyinggoodsatverylowprices.Ifsucha“knock-out”succeedstherealauctionsaletakesplaceprivatelyafterwardsamongthedealers.

1.Atwhatpricesareauctionedgoodsusuallysold?

A.Thereservedpricesfixedbysellers.

B.Thepricesofficiallyapproved.

C.thehighestpricesofferedbybidders.

D.Thepricesthedealersarrangedbeforehand.

2.WhichofthefollowingstatementsaboutanauctioneerisNOTtrueaccordingtothepassage?

A.Heencourage