2011年考研英語備考作文背誦二十二

考研英語來源：新東方 2010-12-14　

Collectibles

Collectibles have been a part of almost every culture since ancient times. Whereas some objects have been collected for their usefulness, others have been selected for their aesthetic beauty alone. In the United States, the kinds of collectibles currently popular range from traditional objects such as stamps, coins, rare books, and art to more
recent items of interest like dolls, bottles, baseball cards, and comic books.
　　
Interest in collectibles has increased enormously during the past decade, in part because some collectibles have demonstrated their value as investments. Especially during cycles of high inflation, investors try to purchase tangibles that will at least retain their current market values. In general, the most traditional collectibles will be sought because they have preserved their value over the years, there is an organized auction market for them, and they are most easily sold in the event that cash is needed. Some examples of the most stable collectibles are old masters, Chinese ceramics, stamps, coins, rare books, antique jewelry, silver, porcelain, art by well-known artists, autographs, and period furniture. Other items of more recent interest include old photograph records, old magazines, post cards, baseball cards, art glass, dolls, classic cars, old bottles, and comic books. These relatively new kinds of collectibles may actually appreciate faster as short-term investments, but may not hold their value as long-term investments. Once a collectible has had its initial play, it appreciates at a fairly steady rate, supported by an increasing number of enthusiastic collectors competing for the limited supply of collectibles that become increasingly more difficult to locate.

全文翻譯：收藏品

從古代開始，收藏品就是文化的一部分。一些物品因它們的有用性被收藏，而另一些則純粹因為它們的美被收藏。
　　
在美國，當今流行的收藏品種類從傳統物件，如郵票、硬幣、珍本書籍、藝術品，到更近期一些的有趣的東西，如布娃娃、瓶子、壘球卡、連環漫畫冊。
　　
對收藏品的興趣在過去十年中大大地增長，部分原因是一些收藏品顯示出了它們的投資價值。尤其在高通貨膨脹時期，投資者盡量購買那些至少會保持他們現有市場價值的有形資產。一般來說，最傳統的收藏品受青睞，因為它們多年后仍保持其價值。
　　
它們擁有完善的拍賣市場，在需要現金的時候最容易被賣掉。一些最穩當的收藏品是古老的畫作、中國陶器、郵票、硬幣、珍本書籍、古代珠寶、銀器、瓷器、著名藝術家的作品、親筆簽名和有時代特征的家具。其它更近期的物品有舊唱片、舊雜志、明信片、壘球卡片、彩色玻璃、布娃娃、早期汽車、古瓶和連環畫冊。作為短期投資這些相對說來較新穎的收藏品的確可能更快地增值，但作為長期投資則可能不能保值。一旦一件收藏品有了它第一次交易，它便以一個相當穩定的比率增值，這個增值率受到越來越多的熱情的收藏者的支持，他們為有限的而且越來越難找到的收藏品而競爭。