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零距离接触“自由女神”

New York expects more than 50 million visitors in 2014, according to the city’s tourism department. Many of them flock to famous sites such as the Statue of Liberty, a copper-and-iron colossus given to the United States by the French and dedicated¹ in 1886.

纽约市旅游部门预计，2014年将有5000多万游客到纽约市来旅游，很多游客会和身穿绿袍、手举火炬的自由女神扮演者合影留念。在温暖的季节，来自国内外的游客涌入纽约市去参观著名景点，自由女神像就是其中之一，这是1886年法国赠送给美国的一座巨型铜像。

The monument to American freedom, at 93 meters or 305 feet tall, is a huge draw. And she’s so emblematic² of the city that some tourists will shell out $5 to $10 for a photo even with a miniature, mobile version.

这座高93米象征自由美国的铜像有着巨大的魅力，一些游客愿出5到10美元和迷你型自由女神合影。

A recent tourist named Monica, making a day trip with her three children from Washington, D.C., didn’t have time to visit the actual statue. But the kids grabbed mock torches and other props³ to pose with a couple of Lady Liberty impersonators in mint-green masks and robes.

来自华盛顿特区的莫妮卡和家人只来一天，没有时间去参观真的自由女神像。莫

"I know it isn’t the real one," Monica said, referring to the statue, "but to be able to get up close and personal has great meaning to them on their first trip here to New York City."

妮卡说：“我知道这不是真的，不过对他们来说，第一次来纽约市，可以这么近地接触自由女神，很有意义。”

Alberto is a statue impersonator. Like many of those VOA met, he’s originally from Latin America – Colombia, in his case.

阿尔伯托是铜像扮演着，和记者遇到的很多扮演者一样，他也是来自拉丁美洲。来自哥伦比亚的他带着面具接受访问。

"I make people happy," he said, his voice muffled⁴ as he spoke⁵ from behind his mint-green mask. "If someone is sad, I make them laugh. Kids like it a lot and that makes me like this job a lot more."

阿尔伯托说：“我逗人开心，如果有人伤心，我就设法让他们笑，小孩非常喜欢，这让我更喜欢这份工作。”

Alberto has been portraying⁶ Lady Liberty for four years. He calls his work a form of art and a way to survive in this country. While he doesn’t charge, he does ask for donations. It often takes as much as 14 hours to raise $100.

阿尔伯托扮演自由女神像已经4年了，他说这份工作是艺术，是他在美国的生存之道。他不收费，但是希望人们捐款。往往需要14个小时才能募集到100美元。

"Some people give more than others," he said. No matter what the amount, he said, he and other impersonators "do our job with all our heart and we welcome all tourists to New York. The Statue of Liberty will welcome you!"

他说：“游客给的钱有多有少，不过我们都全心全力地工作，欢迎所有到纽约来的游客，自由女神像欢迎你！”

They’re just like Lady Liberty herself, welcoming immigrants with her torch and the famous inscription⁷ from Emma Lazarus poem: "Give us your tired, your poor, your huddled⁸ masses yearning⁹ to breathe free."

自由女神用火炬和刻在底座上的著名诗句欢迎移民：“让那些渴望呼吸自由的空气，疲惫不堪，而又身无分文的人们，相互依偎着投入我的怀抱吧！”

The quote remains¹⁰ as relevant and welcoming today it did when it was added, on a bronze plaque¹¹, to the statue’s pedestal in 1903.

120年前的诗句至今意义犹存。