氣質姐與可愛可

"If something exists, somebody somewhere collects them."
「如果某個物品存在，在某個地方的某個人就會收集。」
（右鍵可另存）
　　Collecting all kinds of objects, whether for amusement or survival, has long been a part of human history. Indeed, this hobby makes people willing to wait hours in line to get their hands on limited edition items. Some do it as an investment, while others simply see collecting as a hobby. One popular line of products, celebrating its 25th anniversary of charming people around the world this year, is the Cherished Teddies collection by the company Enesco.
　　Made up of over 2,000 figurines▼ and other accessories, the collection has received numerous awards as one of the leading brands of collectible▼ teddy bears around the world. Made to look like old-fashioned childhood treasures, Cherished Teddies were a huge hit when they were first introduced to the public in 1992. Self-taught▼ artist and creator of the collection, Priscilla Hillman said, "Each piece is an expression of a favorite childhood memory."
　　Though she majored in botany▼ in college, Hillman always held a passion for art. After spending several years as a research assistant, she decided to turn her attention back to art and found a career in book illustration. Then in the 1980s, Hillman had back problems that prevented her from doing anything for months. To pass the time, she watched old movies, looked at nostalgic▼ pictures, and dreamed up designs of what would eventually become Cherished Teddies.
　　These days, Hillman continues to design a whole range of characters with her son, Glenn. Together, they go around the country to meet their fans and sign their Cherished Teddies pieces. After all, a signed collectible is a valuable addition to any collection.

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1. What is Enesco?
(A) The company that owns the Cherished Teddies brand.
(B) The name of a collection of teddy bears.
(C) An award-winning figurine.
(D) The last name of the person who owns Cherished Teddies.

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2. What is one of the reasons why Cherished Teddies are so popular?
(A) They remind people of their own childhood.
(B) They are covered in precious stones▼.
(C) They are extremely rare and hard to buy.
(D) They have been given many awards.

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3. What is a lesson that can be learned from the third paragraph?
(A) Always try to create products that will be a huge hit.
(B) Always pursue your passion and your dreams.
(C) Return to school and get a degree if you can't find a job.
(D) Taking some time off to relax is never the answer.

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4. What is suggested by the last paragraph?
(A) Having the artist's signature on an item is worthless.
(B) Priscilla Hillman and her son collaborated to work on Cherished Teddies.
(C) Glenn Hillman has taken over designing Cherished Teddies from his mother.
(D) Traveling and meeting fans takes a lot of patience and time.

▼ figurine n. 公仔；小塑像
▼ collectible a. 可收藏的 & n. 收藏品
▼ self-taught a. 自學的
▼ botany n. 植物學
衍: botanical a. 植物（學）的
▼ nostalgic a. 懷舊的
▼ precious stone　　寶石

珍愛寶貝熊
「如果某個物品存在，在某個地方的某個人就會收集。」

　　不論是為了娛樂或生存，收集各式各樣的東西長久以來都是人類歷史的一部分。確實，這個興趣讓人們願意為了取得限量版商品而排隊等上幾個鐘頭。有些人將之作為投資，有些人則僅僅將收集視為一種嗜好。有個廣受歡迎的產品系列在今年歡慶二十五週年，它一直以來風靡了世界各地的人，這個產品系列便是由 Enesco 公司所打造的寶貝熊收藏品。
　　該收藏系列由超過兩千個公仔與其他配件所組成，曾獲獎無數，同時也是全球供收藏的泰迪熊領導品牌之一。寶貝熊被打造為看起來像是復古的童年珍藏，當它們於 1992 年首度向大眾推出時就大獲成功。自學藝術家及該收藏品的創造者普莉絲拉‧希爾曼說：「每一件作品都訴說了一個美好的兒時記憶。」
　　雖然希爾曼大學時主修植物學，她始終熱愛藝術。她在擔任研究助理幾年之後，決定將注意力轉回藝術，並找到一份書籍插畫的工作。接著於 1980 年代，希爾曼有背痛的問題，使她連續數個月都無法從事任何活動。為了要消磨時間，她觀看舊電影、看著懷舊照片，並發想出最終成為寶貝熊的設計。
　　近來，希爾曼和她的兒子葛蘭繼續設計整個系列的角色。他們一起走遍全國各地，和他們的粉絲見面，並在他們的寶貝熊上簽名。畢竟，有著簽名的收藏品對於任何收藏來說都是額外的附加價值。

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