VOA慢速英语2020--美军终于有了自己的博物馆

The United States Army now has its own national museum.

The National Museum of the United States Army opened in Fort Belvoir, Virginia on Wednesday, Veterans Day. The site is about thirty kilometers from the nation's capital, Washington, D.C.

The museum is aimed at telling the story of the country's oldest military service, which began 245 years ago in 1775.

The large five-level complex contains interactive¹ and historical exhibits. It includes thousands of documents, pictures, artwork and many kinds of army equipment. They include a Sherman tank used in World War II, a helicopter from the Vietnam War, an armored personnel carrier from the Iraq War in 2003. Included are things like a saddle for horseback riding used by Army Special Forces in the mountains of Afghanistan in 2001.

A life-size exhibit shows the American forces landing on the beaches of Normandy, France on D-Day during World War II.

Weapons, protective wear and service awards are also shown. One display holds a time piece, a watch, from the wreckage² of the September 11, 2001 attack on the Pentagon military headquarters.

Many exhibits deal with wartime activity. But others center on peacekeeping operations and humanitarian³ missions around the world, said the new museum's director Tammy Call. She also noted⁴ the exhibit Soldier Stories, saying it speaks of "the individual soldier story."

It "allows us to get very personal and reflective," the Army veteran told VOA.

Jack⁵ Querfeld, an official with the veterans' organization, American Legion, praised what he saw at the museum. The exhibits of battle, he said, "put a human face on it, instead of just saying we fought here."

"The National Army Museum will be a place for members of the total Army family to gather and share their stories," said Ryan D. McCarthy, secretary of the Army.

That means a lot to museum visitor B.J. Lawrence. He leads the Washington, D.C., office of the organization, Veterans of Foreign Wars. He served in the U.S. Army in South Korea in the early 1980s.

Lawrence said he found the exhibits on the Korean War "especially touching," and called the museum overall "phenomenal."

"And", he said, "it helps to explain and put into perspective why the American people enjoy the freedoms they do today," he added.

Words in This Story

museum –n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public

interactive –adj. designed to respond to actions, commands usually the electronic devices

exhibit –n. a show of something to the public such as in a museum

allow –v. to permit

reflective –adj. causing thoughtfulness or thinking about something

phenomenal –adj. very good; unusual in a way that is impressive

perspective –n. a way of thinking about and understanding something (such as a particular issue or life in general)

1 interactive   

adj.相互作用的，互相影响的，（电脑）交互的

参考例句：

• The psychotherapy is carried out in small interactive groups.这种心理治疗是在互动的小组之间进行的。
• This will make videogames more interactive than ever.这将使电子游戏的互动性更胜以往。

2 wreckage   

n.（失事飞机等的）残骸，破坏，毁坏

参考例句：

• They hauled him clear of the wreckage.他们把他从形骸中拖出来。
• New states were born out of the wreckage of old colonial empires.新生国家从老殖民帝国的废墟中诞生。

3 humanitarian   

n.人道主义者，博爱者，基督凡人论者

参考例句：

• She has many humanitarian interests and contributes a lot to them.她拥有很多慈善事业，并作了很大的贡献。
• The British government has now suspended humanitarian aid to the area.英国政府现已暂停对这一地区的人道主义援助。

4 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

5 jack   

n.插座，千斤顶，男人；v.抬起，提醒，扛举；n.（Jake）杰克

参考例句：

• I am looking for the headphone jack.我正在找寻头戴式耳机插孔。
• He lifted the car with a jack to change the flat tyre.他用千斤顶把车顶起来换下瘪轮胎。