考研英语（二）历年真题阅读要点之2010-Text 1（二）

 　历年考研英语(二)真题较少，但是不可掉以轻心，一定要合理利用。为了帮助大家更好地复习，小编为各位同学梳理一下历年考研英语(二)真题阅读文章中涉及的要点，包括词汇、短语、长难句以及简单的阅读方法。接下来看一下2010年考研英语(二)真题阅读Text 1，这篇文章主要探讨了艺术品市场和艺术品拍卖的衰退。

　　The current downturn in the art market is the worst since the Japanese stopped buying Impressionists at the end of 1989, a move that started the most serious contraction in the market since the Second World War. This time experts reckon that prices are about 40% down on their peak on average, though some have been far more fluctuant. But Edward Dolman, Christie’s chief executive, says: “I’m pretty confident we’re at the bottom.”

　　current“目前的”，current situation“现状”;currency可以表示“货币”;since“自从”，引导时间状语从句;impressionist“印象派艺术家”;at the end of“在...尽头”;move“举措”;contraction“收缩”;expert“专家，行家”，也可以充当形容词，表示“熟练的，内行的”;reckon“估计”;peak“巅峰”;on average“平均”，average也可以表示“普通的”，average person“普通人”;fluctuant“波动的，起伏的”;Christie’s“克利斯蒂拍卖行”;chief executive“董事长”;confident“确信的”，常见搭配be confident in“对...有信心”，be confident that“确信”。

　　What makes this slump different from the last, he says, is that there are still buyers in the market. Almost everyone who was interviewed for this special report said that the biggest problem at the moment is not a lack of demand but a lack of good work to sell. The three Ds -- death, debt and divorce -- still deliver works of art to the market. But anyone who does not have to sell is keeping away, waiting for confidence to return.

　　slump“衰退，暴跌”;be different from“与...不同”，反义词组be similar to“与...相似”;interview“采访”;special report“专题报道，特别报道”;at the moment“此刻，现在”;a lack of“缺乏”;demand“需求”;两个破折号之间补充说明，可以直接略过，当然题干涉及的话另当别论;debt“债务”;divorce“离婚”;deliver“交付，递送”;keep away“离开”;wait for“等待”，相当于await;confidence“信心”，self-confidence“自信”。