VOA标准英语2010年-Rock & Roll Hall of Fame, Graceland Ce

"Fortunately, Elvis didn't throw away a whole lot of stuff, " says Curatorial Director Howard Kramer.

Elvis Presley was among the first inductees into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 1986, so it's no surprise that its museum in Cleveland, Ohio, is rolling out the red carpet to honor rock's most intriguing¹ pioneer.

Curatorial Director Howard Kramer says the museum's display of Presley artifacts and memorabilia has been updated for its new exhibit, "75 Years of Elvis."

"Every few years we freshen up the exhibit [with] artifacts, things that he used in his life," explains Kramer.  "Whether it's stage clothing, paper, concert-related memorabilia, and personally owned artifacts and objects.  There's just a tremendous amount of things.  Fortunately, Elvis didn't throw away a whole lot of stuff, so here we are, [more than] 30 years after his passing, and there are tens of thousands of items of his that are out there."

Some of the more popular items include Elvis Presley's 1975 Lincoln Continental² automobile³, his personal jukebox, and an acoustic⁴ guitar that was seen and heard by millions.

"We have one of his guitars that he used on the 1968 comeback [television] special.  It's a Gibson J-200, and it's a guitar he used a lot actually, starting from around 1961 forward," he said.

Custom-made jumpsuits draw interest

While Elvis Presley is primarily known for the songs that made him the best-selling solo artist in pop history, he's also remembered for his unique collection of custom-made jumpsuits.  Howard Kramer says Elvis himself probably lost count of how many jumpsuits he actually owned.

"There are about 117 total jumpsuits, and not all of them were white," notes Kramer.  "There were red, there's black, and there were vests with shirts.  There's an incredible amount of variations on that theme.  But, in fact, we do have one really cool jumpsuit with a cape⁵ on exhibit currently."

Graceland tribute will look back at icon's life

Each year, hundreds of thousands travel to Elvis Presley's home, Graceland Mansion⁶ in Memphis, Tennessee, to pay respects to the so-called "King of Rock and Roll."  Graceland's Public Relations Director Kevin Kern says those coming to the Mansion to celebrate the 75th Anniversary will see a new Elvis exhibit called "From Tupelo to Memphis."

"It will take a look at the life of Elvis Presley as a normal human being, before he became a superstar," explained Kern.  "And that's our special 75th birthday exhibit that really examines that life of the rags-to-riches story; from Tupelo [Mississippi] and living in a shotgun [very small] shack⁷, to when he was living in public housing and walked into Sun Studio and got his first recording⁸ gig and made rock and roll history."

As his fame grew, Elvis purchased Graceland in early 1957 and lived there until his death on August 16, 1977.  Kevin Kern explains why so many people, of all ages and from every corner the world, feel compelled to make the journey to the gates of 3764 Elvis Presley Boulevard.

"Traveling to Graceland during August on the anniversary of his passing or in January for his birthday is really just a tribute to the legacy⁹," Kern said. "Elvis really changed pop culture and music.  He was a part of the music and cultural and sexual revolution of the '50s.  Without Elvis, we can only imagine things might be a little different because he did have the unique sound.  He dressed differently, he moved differently, and he really changed popular culture.  And, I think the fans that come here are paying tribute to his life and legacy of which we're truly thankful for."

Washington DC, Los Angeles will also honor star

Elvis 75 CD

Elvis Presley 75th Anniversary tributes will continue throughout the year, including exhibitions at the National Portrait Gallery and Newseum in Washington, D.C., and the Grammy Museum in Los Angeles, California.

In addition, RCA Records has released a compilation¹⁰ of 100 digitally re-mastered Elvis Presley tunes¹¹, Elvis 75 - Good Rockin' Tonight.

1 intriguing   

adj.有趣的；迷人的v.搞阴谋诡计(intrigue的现在分词)；激起…的好奇心

参考例句：

• These discoveries raise intriguing questions. 这些发现带来了非常有趣的问题。
• It all sounds very intriguing. 这些听起来都很有趣。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 continental   

adj.大陆的，大陆性的，欧洲大陆的

参考例句：

• A continental climate is different from an insular one.大陆性气候不同于岛屿气候。
• The most ancient parts of the continental crust are 4000 million years old.大陆地壳最古老的部分有40亿年历史。

3 automobile   

n.汽车，机动车

参考例句：

• He is repairing the brake lever of an automobile.他正在修理汽车的刹车杆。
• The automobile slowed down to go around the curves in the road.汽车在路上转弯时放慢了速度。

4 acoustic   

adj.听觉的，声音的；(乐器)原声的

参考例句：

• The hall has a fine acoustic.这个大厅的传音效果很好。
• Animals use a whole rang of acoustic, visual,and chemical signals in their systems of communication.动物利用各种各样的听觉、视觉和化学信号来进行交流。

5 cape   

n.海角，岬；披肩，短披风

参考例句：

• I long for a trip to the Cape of Good Hope.我渴望到好望角去旅行。
• She was wearing a cape over her dress.她在外套上披着一件披肩。

6 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

7 shack   

adj.简陋的小屋，窝棚

参考例句：

• He had to sit down five times before he reached his shack.在走到他的茅棚以前，他不得不坐在地上歇了五次。
• The boys made a shack out of the old boards in the backyard.男孩们在后院用旧木板盖起一间小木屋。

8 recording   

n.录音，记录

参考例句：

• How long will the recording of the song take?录下这首歌得花多少时间？
• I want to play you a recording of the rehearsal.我想给你放一下彩排的录像。

9 legacy   

n.遗产，遗赠；先人(或过去)留下的东西

参考例句：

• They are the most precious cultural legacy our forefathers left.它们是我们祖先留下来的最宝贵的文化遗产。
• He thinks the legacy is a gift from the Gods.他认为这笔遗产是天赐之物。

10 compilation   

n.编译，编辑

参考例句：

• One of the first steps taken was the compilation of a report.首先采取的步骤之一是写一份报告。
• The compilation of such diagrams,is of lasting value for astronomy.绘制这样的图对天文学有永恒的价值。

11 tunes   

n.曲调，曲子( tune的名词复数 )v.调音( tune的第三人称单数 )；调整；（给收音机、电视等）调谐；使协调

参考例句：

• a potpourri of tunes 乐曲集锦
• When things get a bit too much, she simply tunes out temporarily. 碰到事情太棘手时，她干脆暂时撒手不管。 来自《简明英汉词典》