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A “teapot” which almost went to a charity shop sold for £468,000 at auction(拍卖). The tiny yellow pot had been put in a box for more than ten years and kept in a loft and then in a garage.

But during the lockdown(禁闭) its owner finally had a clear-out and decided to get it valued. It turned out to be a 250-year-old Chinese wine ewer from the period of the Qianlong Emperor from 1735 to 1796 and may have been handled by the ruler himself. There are only three others in the world — two in Beijing and one in Taiwan.

The 51-year-old owner, from Derbyshire, said, “We’d been thinking of sending everything to a charity shop. But then the lockdown came along. I’d always thought the teapot was special. We believe it was brought back from China by my grandfather, who stayed in the Far East during World War II. My mum used to display it in a cabinet.” He found similar pots online and took it to Hansons auctioneers in Etwall, Derbys.

It attracted people from all over the world and was sold to an unknown buyer in China. Auctioneer Charles Hanson said, “It’s the best lockdown find ever.”

1.The “teapot” was never kept _______ before.

A in a loft

B in a garage

C in a cabinet

D in a charity shop

解析：选D。细节理解题。根据文章第一段第一句A “teapot” which almost went to a charity shop sold for £468,000 at auction.可知，这只茶壶差点进了一家慈善商店，故选D。

2.What can we learn from Paragraph 2?

A The owner still didn’t know the pot’s value.

B This kind of pot is not often seen in the world.

C The pot was made by Emperor Qianlong himself.

D Chinese people were good at making pots 250 years ago.

解析：选B。推理判断题。根据文章第二段内容可知，这是一个有着250年历史的中式酒壶，年代为1735年至1796年的乾隆皇帝统治时期，可能是统治者御用的。只有另外三件存世——两件在北京，一件在台湾，由此说明该器皿在世上并不常见，故选B。

3.Who paid a visit to China and got the pot?

A Charles Hanson.

B The owner’s mum.

C The 51-year-old owner.

D The owner’s grandfather.

解析：选D。细节理解题。根据文章第三段We believe it was brought back from China by my grandfather, who stayed in the Far East during World War II.可知，壶主人的祖父从中国带回该壶，他在第二次世界大战期间在远东待过，故选D。

4._______ finally became the new owner of the pot.

A Charles Hanson

B Derbyshire

C A Chinese buyer

D Hansons auctioneers

解析：选C。细节理解题。根据文章最后一段第一句It attracted people from all over the world and was sold to an unknown buyer in China.可知，该壶吸引了来自世界各地的人，并被卖给了中国一个不知名的买家，故选C。