《哈利·波特》 小说系列的一幅水彩画原作在美国的一场拍卖会上拍出了 190 万美元。这幅画是英国作家 J · K · 罗琳（ JK Rowling ）所写的小说《哈利 · 波特与魔法石》的初版封面，成交价更是超出预期价格的三倍。

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.

在接到委托为一本儿童书籍绘制封面画前，23 岁的托马斯·泰勒只是剑桥一家书店里名不见经传的店员。书的作者 J·K·罗琳和他同样鲜为人知。

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.

作为插画师，泰勒先生是第一批阅读了书籍原稿的人，得以率先看到哈利·波特与霍格沃茨魔法学校这个区分了魔法与 “麻瓜（不会使用魔法的人）” 的世界。用自己的画笔呈现出那个戴圆框眼镜、有闪电形伤疤的年轻男孩成为了他的责任。

That watercolour has fetched 1.9 million dollars at a New York auction.

这幅水彩画在纽约市举行的一场拍卖会上以 190 万美元的价格成交。

词汇表

commission 委托
cover 封面
illustrator 插画师
manuscript 原稿
glimpse 看到
muggles 麻瓜，不会魔法的人
visualise 呈现出
watercolour 水彩画
fetched 以…价格成交/卖出
auction 拍卖会

阅读理解：请在读完上文后，回答下列问题。

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.