2006年VOA标准英语-Natural Wonders on Display at Smithsonian Natur

By Tabinda Naeem
Washington, DC
29 September 2006
 
watch Natural Museum report

The Smithsonian Institution is the world's largest museum complex. Its 17 museums display many of the treasured icons¹ of America's past, the vibrant² arts of the present and the scientific promise of the future.  For producer Tabinda Naeem, VOA's Jim Bertel takes us to a museum dedicated³ to the wonders of the Earth.

 
The Museum of Natural History's African elephant
Washington, D.C. is a city of museums, none more famous than those of the Smithsonian Institution. Millions of tourists from all over the world visit these galleries every year.  One of the most popular is the Smithsonian National Museum of Natural History -- dedicated to inspiring curiosity about the natural world.

A giant African elephant standing⁴ four meters tall greets visitors inside. It is the centerpiece of the museum's mammoth⁵ collection of more than 125 million natural science specimens⁶ and cultural artifacts.

 
Larry O'Reilly
Larry O'Reilly is the head of Special Projects at the museum. "The primary focus of our museum is what they call taxonomic research,” he tells us. “In other words, we collect animals from all over the world, but then we classify them. In other words, to understand where an animal fits into the world and in evolutionary⁷ history. We've got exhibits here, for example, we have objects on display here that go back to the very beginnings of the Earth, when it was formed."

The museum was established nearly a century ago. In addition to exhibit halls, the facility houses seven different scientific departments with more than 100 researchers.

Museum curators say several of the museum's most popular displays have Hollywood director Steven Spielberg to thank for their newfound appeal. His series of "Jurassic Park" movies has sparked interest in the museum's giant skeletons in the Dinosaur⁸ Hall.

 
Matt Carrano
Matt Carrano is the exhibit's curator. "The oldest dinosaurs⁹ we know of are about 225 million years old and that is in the period of time known as the Triassic period. And dinosaurs begin then, they live through the next period, which is the Jurassic period, which is very familiar because of the movie, and then they live into the Cretaceous [period]. And at the end of the Cretaceous, 65 million years ago, dinosaurs go extinct. And that is about 60 million years before the earliest ancestors of humans that we know of. So, there is a very large gap between the last dinosaurs and the first humans."

 
The Hope Diamond is believed to be a billion years old
Evidence of dinosaurs can be traced back thousands of years, but understanding the significance of these findings only dates back to the 1800s, with the birth of the science known as paleontology. Today, more than 1,000 types of dinosaurs have been identified. Children are among their biggest fans.

While the dinosaurs are popular, museum curators say the number one attraction is the Hope Diamond, the world's largest deep blue diamond. The gem¹⁰ weighs in at over 45 carats and is believed to be a billion years old. This priceless jewel is just one of the thousands of exhibits awaiting visitors at the Smithsonian's National Museum of Natural History. 

1 icons   

n.偶像( icon的名词复数 )；（计算机屏幕上表示命令、程序的）符号，图像

参考例句：

• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons. 用图标来区分重要的文本项。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Daemonic icons should only be employed persistently if they provide continuous, useful status information. 只有会连续地提供有用状态信息的情况下，后台应用程序才应该一直使用图标。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

2 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。

3 dedicated   

adj.一心一意的；献身的；热诚的

参考例句：

• He dedicated his life to the cause of education.他献身于教育事业。
• His whole energies are dedicated to improve the design.他的全部精力都放在改进这项设计上了。

4 standing   

n.持续，地位；adj.永久的，不动的，直立的，不流动的

参考例句：

• After the earthquake only a few houses were left standing.地震过后只有几幢房屋还立着。
• They're standing out against any change in the law.他们坚决反对对法律做任何修改。

5 mammoth   

n.长毛象；adj.长毛象似的，巨大的

参考例句：

• You can only undertake mammoth changes if the finances are there.资金到位的情况下方可进行重大变革。
• Building the new railroad will be a mammoth job.修建那条新铁路将是一项巨大工程。

6 specimens   

n.样品( specimen的名词复数 )；范例；（化验的）抽样；某种类型的人

参考例句：

• Astronauts have brought back specimens of rock from the moon. 宇航员从月球带回了岩石标本。
• The traveler brought back some specimens of the rocks from the mountains. 那位旅行者从山上带回了一些岩石标本。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 evolutionary   

adj.进化的；演化的，演变的；[生]进化论的

参考例句：

• Life has its own evolutionary process.生命有其自身的进化过程。
• These are fascinating questions to be resolved by the evolutionary studies of plants.这些十分吸引人的问题将在研究植物进化过程中得以解决。

8 dinosaur   

n.恐龙

参考例句：

• Are you trying to tell me that David was attacked by a dinosaur?你是想要告诉我大卫被一支恐龙所攻击？
• He stared at the faithful miniature of the dinosaur.他凝视著精确的恐龙缩小模型。

9 dinosaurs   

n.恐龙( dinosaur的名词复数 )；守旧落伍的人，过时落后的东西

参考例句：

• The brontosaurus was one of the largest of all dinosaurs. 雷龙是所有恐龙中最大的一种。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• Dinosaurs have been extinct for millions of years. 恐龙绝种已有几百万年了。 来自《简明英汉词典》

10 gem   

n.宝石，珠宝；受爱戴的人 [同]jewel

参考例句：

• The gem is beyond my pocket.这颗宝石我可买不起。
• The little gem is worth two thousand dollars.这块小宝石价值两千美元。