英语博客：ESL Podcast 703 – Attending an Auction

　　Diane: This is so exciting! I’ve never been to an auction¹ before.
Martin: Sit down. It’s about to start. The auctioneer is on the podium with her gavel and she’s ready to start the bidding.
Diane: Are you bidding on the first lot?
Martin: No, the reserve is too high. See? The opening bid is over 10,000 dollars. I’m not surprised. Items of that quality don’t appear on the auction block very often.
Diane: What are those people doing on the phone?
Martin: They are bidding on behalf of people who can’t be here, the absentee bidders². Hey, stop waving that paddle around! The auctioneer is going to think that you’re placing a bid.
Diane: Oh, sorry. Listen, the price is up to 30,500 dollars. Going, going, gone! The auction house is going to make a nice commission on that one. This is so much fun!
Martin: Shhh! I’m going to bid on the next lot. Where is the paddle?
Diane: The paddle?
Martin: Yeah, the paddle. Where did you put it?
Diane: I had it just a minute ago.
Martin: Find it, or else I’m putting your head on the block.
Diane: The auction block?
Martin: No, the chopping block!
Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 auction   

n.拍卖；拍卖会；vt.拍卖

参考例句：

• They've put the contents of their house up for auction.他们把房子里的东西全都拿去拍卖了。
• They bought a new minibus with the proceeds from the auction.他们用拍卖得来的钱买了一辆新面包车。

2 bidders   

n.出价者，投标人( bidder的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Bidders should proceed only if they intend on using a PayPal account to complete payment. Bidders的唯一形式，应继续只当他们在使用贝宝帐户，以完成付款打算。 来自互联网
• The other bidders for the contract complained that it had not been a fair contest. 其他竞标人抱怨说该合同的竞标不公平。 来自《简明英汉词典》