2006年VOA标准英语-George Washington's Home Gets New Galleries

By Susan Logue
Mount Vernon, Virginia
30 October 2006
 
watch Mount Vernon report

Mount Vernon, the historic home of the first U.S. President, George Washington, celebrated¹ the opening of new galleries and theaters on its property Friday.  As VOA's Susan Logue reports, officials at Mount Vernon hope the changes will help attract even those not interested in history.

Mount Vernon was President George Washington's home

Mount Vernon, which has been open to visitors for 150 years, is already the most popular historic home in the United States.   One million people pass through its gates every year.  Despite those high numbers, one demographic group has been difficult to reach until now, says Jim Reese, executive director of Mount Vernon: "Teenagers, one of the most difficult audiences of the entire world, are going to be attracted, where they might not have been before."

Mount Vernon's new Donald W. Reynolds Education Center has 13 galleries and three theaters that are specifically targeted to teens and children with levers to pull and buttons to push

"This is fun -- just pushing and watching the lights light up," said one young man.

Even more popular with young people is the new Revolutionary War Theater that highlights Washington's role as commander-in-chief of the American troops during the 18th century war for independence.  During one winter scene, snow falls on the audience.  17-year-old Collin Wilson describes it as "in your face." "There are a lot of special effects going on:  cannon² shots, snow falling, smoke drifting up.  It's a great learning experience."

Jane Forehand, who homeschools her children drove more than 300 kilometers to bring them to the opening. "Sitting in the theater and having snow fall on you, sitting in the seats and feeling them shake from the cannons³.  I couldn't teach that,” she says. “It's something they can experience."

The multimedia⁴ experience not only gets teens and children in the door, but helps them to learn, says Ann Bay, Mount Vernon's Associate Director in charge of Education. "We believe that providing an experience that really speaks to the way children this age are accustomed and attuned⁵ to taking in information is necessary."

All visitors to Mount Vernon, regardless of their age, will learn that Washington's life, even without special effects, was an exciting one, from boyhood to military leader, to President and beyond.  There is much more to Washington than the old man whose face is on the dollar bill:

"Washington was the most robust⁶, the most adventurous⁷, the most exciting, the most athletic⁸, the most attractive of all the founding fathers,” says Jim Reese.  “He wasn't just the most important and powerful man of this important period; he was also the most fascinating."

That is the story that couldn't be told in George Washington's home, but is now being told at the new visitor and education center at Mount Vernon.

1 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

2 cannon   

n.大炮，火炮；飞机上的机关炮

参考例句：

• The soldiers fired the cannon.士兵们开炮。
• The cannon thundered in the hills.大炮在山间轰鸣。

3 cannons   

n.加农炮，大炮，火炮( cannon的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Cannons bombarded enemy lines. 大炮轰击了敌军阵地。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• One company had been furnished with six cannons. 某连队装备了六门大炮。 来自《简明英汉词典》

4 multimedia   

adj.多种手段的，多媒体的；n.多媒体

参考例句：

• Multimedia is the combination of computer and video technology.多媒体是计算机和视频技术的结合。
• Adam raised the issue of multimedia applications and much useful discussion ensued.亚当提出了多媒体应用的问题，从而引发了许多有益的讨论。

5 attuned   

v.使协调( attune的过去式和过去分词 )；调音

参考例句：

• She wasn't yet attuned to her baby's needs. 她还没有熟悉她宝宝的需要。
• Women attuned to sensitive men found Vincent Lord attractive. 偏爱敏感男子的女人，觉得文森特·洛德具有魅力。 来自辞典例句

6 robust   

adj.强壮的，强健的，粗野的，需要体力的，浓的

参考例句：

• She is too tall and robust.她个子太高，身体太壮。
• China wants to keep growth robust to reduce poverty and avoid job losses,AP commented.美联社评论道，中国希望保持经济强势增长，以减少贫困和失业状况。

7 adventurous   

adj.爱冒险的；惊心动魄的，惊险的，刺激的　

参考例句：

• I was filled with envy at their adventurous lifestyle.我很羨慕他们敢于冒险的生活方式。
• He was predestined to lead an adventurous life.他注定要过冒险的生活。

8 athletic   

adj.擅长运动的，强健的；活跃的，体格健壮的

参考例句：

• This area has been marked off for athletic practice.这块地方被划出来供体育训练之用。
• He is an athletic star.他是一个运动明星。