英语听力：自然百科 永恒的钻石（一）

This accident of nature holds an unrivaled place in society. Large diamonds are so rare and so prized (that) they have become the emblem of the elite. In the elegant halls of Christie's Galleries in New York City, an auction of fabulous jewels is about to begin. Its centerpiece: a dazzling 26-carat diamond once owned by Geraldine Rockefeller Dodge. The auction will decide the diamond's worth. But it will no doubt remain in its familiar social set, a world of great wealth and complete discretion. And it's undeniable that diamonds stir deep emotions.

“Diamonds evoke beauty, sentimentality, romance, passion. In today's culture a diamond is given when one gets engaged. ‘A diamond is forever’, so to quote a famous saying. Ah, and one hopes that love, and passion, and eternity, and integrity and loyalty are forever as well. I mean it's really nature at its finest. And one can say ‘Oh, it's just a rock’. But it is rare, and it is beautiful. And it evokes passion. And when you walk through a room in the evening and a light is hitting a diamond in a certain way, the whole, the person glows and the whole room seems to glow.”