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A rare diamond(钻石) known as the Pink Star has been sold in Hong Kong for more than 71 million dollars (57 million pounds), setting a new world record for any gemstone(宝石) at auction(拍卖). The oval-shaped 59.6 carat stone was bought after just five minutes’ bidding at Sotheby’s. It is the largest polished diamond in its class to go under the hammer.

It sold for 83 million dollars in Geneva in 2013 but the buyer later defaulted. The record until now was held by the Oppenheimer Blue, which sold for 50 million dollars last May. Bidding for the gemstone, which was found by De Beers at a mine in Africa in 1999 and cut over a period of two years, began at 56 million dollars.

Sotheby has said the buyer was Chow Tai Fook Jewellery, which is a famous diamond jewellery retailer in China, starting in Hong Kong and having more than 2000 outlets in the mainland of China, Macau and Hong Kong.

Alexander Breckner, head of diamonds at jewellers “77 Diamonds”, said that the stone was exceptional. It’s the largest pink diamond ever found in the history of humankind. It's an incredible colour to it. And the size alone of the stone already makes it so rare and so beautiful.

1.What is the highest gemstone auction price in record?

A 50 million dollars.

B 56 million dollars.

C 71 million dollars.

D 83 million dollars.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第一段第一句A rare diamond known as the Pink Star has been sold in Hong Kong for more than 71 million dollars (57 million pounds)…可知粉红之星被卖出了7100万美元的天价，故选C。

2.What does the underlined word “defaulted” mean in Chinese?

A 违约.

B 后悔.

C 犯错.

D 赎回.

解析：选A。词义猜测题。根据后文The record until now was held by the Oppenheimer Blue, which sold for 50 million dollars last May.可知，交易记录还是由去年五月卖出的奥本海默之蓝保持，这次交易并没有完成，因此是买主“违约”了，故选A。

3.Where was the gemstone found?

A In China.

B In America.

C In Africa.

D In Britain.

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据第二段第三句Bidding for the gemstone, which was found by De Beers at a mine in Africa in 1999 and cut over a period of two years, began at 56 million dollars.可知“粉红之星”是在非洲发现的，故选C。

4.Which of the following statements is NOT true?

A Alexander Breckner thinks the Pink Star is wonderful.

B The Pink Star is the largest polished diamond to be auctioned.

C Chow Tai Fook Jewellery is a large jewellery retailer in China.

D You cannot buy the Pink Star if you offered lower than 56 million dollars.

解析：选B。综合理解题。根据第一段最后一句It is the largest polished diamond in its class to go under the hammer. 可知“粉红之星”是这个级别的切割好的钻石中被拍卖的最大的钻石，而不是所有钻石中被拍卖的最大的，故选B。

5.What makes the Pink Star so expensive?

A Its colour and size.

B Its seller and buyer.

C Its producer and designer.

D Its history and born place.

解析：选A。推理判断题。根据最后一段最后两句It's an incredible colour to it. And the size alone of the stone already makes it so rare and so beautiful.可知“粉红之星”的颜色和型号使得其非常珍贵，故选A