2006年VOA标准英语-New Paris Museum Highlights Cultures Outside Eu

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
23 June 2006

A major new museum in Paris dedicated¹ to art from Africa, Asia, Oceania and the Americas opened its doors to the public Friday. The Musée du Quai Branly aims to give art from these regions the same respect as art from the West. The museum also raises fresh debate about France's colonial legacy².

------------------

Jacques Chirac, left, and Kofi Annan, second left, look at masks as former Senegalese President Abdou Diouf, center, looks on during inauguration³ of Primitive⁴ Art Museum in Paris, June 20, 2006  
  
The $330 million Branly museum is a key achievement for French President Jacques Chirac, who first promoted the project when he took power more than 10 years ago. During the inauguration ceremony earlier this week, the French president described the museum as a rejection⁵ of colonial assumptions of Western superiority.

Hierarchy⁶ in art, culture and people no longer exists, Chirac said at the event, attended by United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan and other visiting dignitaries. Rather, he said, the Branly museum will celebrate equality among the world's different cultures.
 
 
People line up to visit new Musée du Quai Branly
  
French and tourists packed the new museum on its opening day Friday. Many waited hours in line to get in. The museum is open free of charge for the first three days.

Overlooking the Seine River, the new museum was designed by French architect Jean Nouvel. Its treasure trove⁷ of art includes masks and spears from Papua New Guinea, costumes from Vietnam and sculptures from Mali. But museum head Stephane Martin says the museum doesn't seek to represent the worlds entire artistic⁸ heritage.

In remarks broadcast on Radio France International, Martin said the Branly museum is simply a look at the world by scientists. It represents a French collection of non-European art. It says things about the men and women who produced this art - but also about the French and Europeans who acquired this art as scientists and colonizers.
 

19th century dance sculptures from Malekula Island inside Quai Branly Museum  
  
France's colonial legacy remains⁹ a matter of debate in France. A law last year to teach the positive aspects of French colonialism in schools - alongside the negative ones - stirred uproar¹⁰ here. And last year's riots by mostly ethnic¹¹ African youths fed the debate.
 
 
Outside view of Musée du Quai Branly
  
The Branly museum has also attracted controversy¹². Some critics believe the museum should have put more emphasis on explaining the negative aspects of French colonialism. Others argue that by showcasing only indigenous¹³ art, the museum risks reinforcing stereotypes¹⁴ of Western versus¹⁵ other civilizations.

Even naming the museum proved controversial. Organizers first considered names like the primitive arts museum. They finally opted for the more neutral Branly - the name of the street the museum was built on

1 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。

2 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。

3 inauguration   

n.开幕、就职典礼

参考例句：

• The inauguration of a President of the United States takes place on January 20.美国总统的就职典礼于一月二十日举行。
• Three celebrated tenors sang at the president's inauguration.3位著名的男高音歌手在总统就职仪式上演唱。

4 primitive   

adj.原始的；简单的；n.原(始)人，原始事物

参考例句：

• It is a primitive instinct to flee a place of danger.逃离危险的地方是一种原始本能。
• His book describes the march of the civilization of a primitive society.他的著作描述了一个原始社会的开化过程。

5 rejection   

n.拒绝，被拒，抛弃，被弃

参考例句：

• He decided not to approach her for fear of rejection.他因怕遭拒绝决定不再去找她。
• The rejection plunged her into the dark depths of despair.遭到拒绝使她陷入了绝望的深渊。

6 hierarchy   

n.等级制度；统治集团，领导层

参考例句：

• There is a rigid hierarchy of power in that country.那个国家有一套严密的权力等级制度。
• She's high up in the management hierarchy.她在管理阶层中地位很高。

7 trove   

n.被发现的东西，收藏的东西

参考例句：

• He assembled a rich trove of Chinese porcelain.他收集了一批中国瓷器。
• The gallery is a treasure trove of medieval art.这个画廊是中世纪艺术的宝库。

8 artistic   

adj.艺术(家)的，美术(家)的；善于艺术创作的

参考例句：

• The picture on this screen is a good artistic work.这屏风上的画是件很好的艺术品。
• These artistic handicrafts are very popular with foreign friends.外国朋友很喜欢这些美术工艺品。

9 remains   

n.剩余物，残留物；遗体，遗迹

参考例句：

• He ate the remains of food hungrily.他狼吞虎咽地吃剩余的食物。
• The remains of the meal were fed to the dog.残羹剩饭喂狗了。

10 uproar   

n.骚动，喧嚣，鼎沸

参考例句：

• She could hear the uproar in the room.她能听见房间里的吵闹声。
• His remarks threw the audience into an uproar.他的讲话使听众沸腾起来。

11 ethnic   

adj.人种的，种族的，异教徒的

参考例句：

• This music would sound more ethnic if you played it in steel drums.如果你用钢鼓演奏，这首乐曲将更具民族特色。
• The plan is likely only to aggravate ethnic frictions.这一方案很有可能只会加剧种族冲突。

12 controversy   

n.争论，辩论，争吵

参考例句：

• That is a fact beyond controversy.那是一个无可争论的事实。
• We ran the risk of becoming the butt of every controversy.我们要冒使自己在所有的纷争中都成为众矢之的的风险。

13 indigenous   

adj.土产的，土生土长的，本地的

参考例句：

• Each country has its own indigenous cultural tradition.每个国家都有自己本土的文化传统。
• Indians were the indigenous inhabitants of America.印第安人是美洲的土著居民。

14 stereotypes   

n.老套，模式化的见解，有老一套固定想法的人( stereotype的名词复数 )v.把…模式化，使成陈规( stereotype的第三人称单数 )

参考例句：

• Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。
• It makes me sick to read over such stereotypes devoid of content. 这种空洞无物的八股调，我看了就讨厌。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》

15 versus   

prep.以…为对手，对；与…相比之下

参考例句：

• The big match tonight is England versus Spain.今晚的大赛是英格兰对西班牙。
• The most exciting game was Harvard versus Yale.最富紧张刺激的球赛是哈佛队对耶鲁队。