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(2020届湖南省长郡中学高三开学考试)
Many people trying to sell homes find that an increase in home prices has turned the market in their favor. But sellers can still get the short end of the deal if they aren't careful. Here are a few tips for you：
Don't test your luck. Of course you think anyone who moves into your lovely home should be willing to pay top dollars, especially if you've recently invested in some improvements. But listing a home at a price that's too high above the market price could turn away some buyers.
Buyers noticing that the home still hasn't sold may begin to assume there's something wrong with the house and use that as a reasonable excuse for offering a lower price. And if a home hasn't received any offers after two weeks, it might be time to reset the price.
A price that's too low can bring about an undesired outcome. Listing your home at or slightly below the market price can have the effect of drawing in a large group of buyers and increase the chances that a home will receive multiple offers. But setting the price too low comes with several risks. One possibility is that buyers will get skeptical of the home that is listed for $15，000 to $20，000 less than similar homes in the area, especially if it's not properly marketed. Once again, people might assume there is something wrong with the home and may not bother to look at it.
Spy on the competition. Going to other people's open houses can give you a better sense of how your home compares to others on the market. Check out the decoration in their kitchens, the size of their backyards and use the information to figure out where your home should fit in the range of the price. But don't set your pricing just on what you see elsewhere.
【语篇解读】 本文讲述了把房子卖出好价钱的注意事项。
1．What does the underlined part in Paragraph 1 probably mean?
A．Be at a disadvantage.
B．Get the upper hand.
C．Have control over the situation.
D．Be unable to fit in.
解析：选A 句意猜测题。根据画线部分所在句的语境及下文的“if they aren't careful”可以推断出，画线部分的意思是“处于劣势”。由此可知，A项正确。
2．What should home sellers do according to the passage?
A．Price your house on the basis of its geographic location.
B．Price your house slightly above the market price after decorating it.
C．Change the price if no offer has been received within a week.
D．Price your house at or slightly below the market price.
解析：选D 细节理解题。根据第四段第二句“Listing your home at or slightly below the market price can have the effect of drawing in a large group of buyers and increase the chances that a home will receive multiple offers.”可知，D项正确。
3．If you set the price of your house too low, ________．
A．buyers might think it not worthwhile to go to have a look
B．you are likely to come into conflict with the neighborhood sellers
C．your house will be crowded with buyers within a couple of days
D．chances of your house being sold at a better price will be greatly increased
解析：选A 细节理解题。根据第四段中后三句尤其是最后一句中的“...people might assume there is something wrong with the home and may not bother to look at it”．可知，A项正确。
4．What is the benefit of going to other people's open house?
A．You can pick up some useful lessons on house selling.
B．You can get your pricing mainly based on what you see elsewhere.
C．You can work out how much money you should ask for your home.
D．You can know how to make your house stand out against other houses.
解析：选C 推理判断题。根据最后一段中的“...to figure out where your home should fit in the range of the price.”可知，C项正确。
