《哈利·波特》小說系列的一幅水彩畫原作在美國的一場拍賣會上拍出瞭 190 萬美元。這幅畫是英國作傢 J·K·羅琳（JK Rowling）所寫的小說《哈利·波特與魔法石》的初版封面，成交價更是超出預期價格的三倍。
He was an unknown 23-year-old working at a Cambridge bookstore when Thomas Taylor got a commission for the cover of a children’s book. The author JK Rowling was as little known as he was.
在接到委托為一本兒童書籍繪制封面畫前，23 歲的托馬斯·泰勒隻是劍橋一傢書店裡名不見經傳的店員。書的作者 J·K·羅琳和他同樣鮮為人知。
As the illustrator, Mr Taylor read the manuscript, so he was one of the first people to get a glimpse of the world of Harry Potter and Hogwarts, where the world is magic and the rest are just muggles. It was up to him to visualise the young boy with round glasses and a lightning bolt scar.
作為插畫師，泰勒先生是第一批閱讀瞭書籍原稿的人，得以率先看到哈利·波特與霍格沃茨魔法學校這個區分瞭魔法與 “麻瓜（不會使用魔法的人）” 的世界。用自己的畫筆呈現出那個戴圓框眼鏡、有閃電形傷疤的年輕男孩成為瞭他的責任。
That watercolour has fetched 1.9 million dollars at a New York auction.
這幅水彩畫在紐約市舉行的一場拍賣會上以 190 萬美元的價格成交。
詞匯表
commission 委托
cover 封面
illustrator 插畫師
manuscript 原稿
glimpse 看到
muggles 麻瓜，不會魔法的人
visualise 呈現出
watercolour 水彩畫
fetched 以…價格成交/賣出
auction 拍賣會
閱讀理解：請在讀完上文後，回答下列問題。
1. True or False? JK Rowling was famous when Thomas Taylor illustrated the cover.
2. Why was Thomas Taylor one of the first people to read about Harry Potter?
3. What features of Harry Potter’s appearance are mentioned?
4. True or False? It’s predicted the painting will sell for 1.9 million dollars.
答案
1. True or False? JK Rowling was famous when Thomas Taylor illustrated the cover.
False. The author JK Rowling was as little known as he was.
2. Why was Thomas Taylor one of the first people to read about Harry Potter?
Because he was the illustrator, and he needed to read the manuscript before painting.
3. What features of Harry Potter’s appearance are mentioned.
He was a young boy with round glasses and a lightning bolt scar.
4. True or False? It’s predicted the painting will sell for 1.9 million dollars.
False. The watercolour has fetched (sold for) 1.9 million dollars at a New York auction.
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