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進入中英對照讀新聞》Huge opal sells for nearly $144,000 at Alaska auction 阿拉斯加拍賣會上 巨大蛋白石以近14萬4000美元售出
價值逾14萬美元的蛋白石。（美聯社檔案照）
◎孫宇青
A gemstone, billed as one of the largest gem-quality opals in existence, was sold for $143,750 at auction in Alaska.
被視為現存最大、具有寶石價值的一顆蛋白石，在阿拉斯加拍賣會上以14萬3750美元（約431萬台幣）售出。
The opal, dubbed the "Americus Australis," weighs more than 11,800 carats.
這顆被稱為「來自澳洲的亞美利加」的蛋白石，重量超過1萬1800克拉。
Most recently, it was kept in a home in Big Lake, north of Anchorage, by Fred von Brandt, who mines for gold in Alaska and whose family has deep roots in the gem and rock business.
直到近期，這顆蛋白石都被弗雷德．馮．布蘭特收藏在安克拉治以北的大湖區家中。他在阿拉斯加專門挖掘金礦，其家族也與寶石和岩石生意淵源頗深。
The opal is larger than a brick and is broken into two pieces, which von Brandt said was a practice used decades ago to prove gem quality.
這顆蛋白石比一塊磚頭更大，並已被切割成兩半。馮．布蘭特解釋，這是幾十年前就開始採用的寶石品質鑑定方法。
Von Brandt said the stone has been in his family since the late 1950s, when his grandfather bought it from an Australian opal dealer named John Altmann.（AP）
馮．布蘭特說，這顆寶石從1950年末就來到他們家，他的祖父當時向澳洲一位名叫約翰．奧特曼的寶石商人購買。（美聯社）
新聞辭典
gemstone：名詞，寶石。例句：Craig spent huge amount of money collecting gemstones.（克雷格投入鉅資蒐集寶石。）
in existence：慣用片語，現存的。例句：This is the most magnificent temple in existence.（這是現存最宏偉的廟宇。）
dealer：名詞，業者。例句：Jimmy is a dealer in foreign furniture.（吉米是經銷外國家具的業者。）
