VOA慢速英语--非裔美国人在国家广场博物馆开幕

First Look: African American Museum Opening on National Mall 非裔美国人在国家广场博物馆开幕

The National Museum of African American History and Culture opens Saturday, September 24.

What began years ago as legislation under then-President George W. Bush will soon be the newest addition to the Smithsonian Institution in Washington.

VOA’s Arash Arabasadi was invited the new museum before it officially opened to the public. June Simms has his report.

“What we want is a museum that uses the past to help you understand the world you’re living in.”

That is Lonnie Bunch III. He serves as curator of the Smithsonian Museum of African American History and Culture.

“This is your story, regardless of who you are. This is a story that tells you about your own family, your own family’s struggle of freedom or citizenship¹..."

Civil rights activist² Jesse Jackson, a former presidential candidate, describes the power of the new museum.

“It reshuffles the deck of American history. It’s revolutionary.”

The story starts with the slave trade that forcibly brought Africans on a long, difficult journey to North America. Jackson notes that African Americans have faced many struggles in the United States.

“We built the country, and we were enslaved for 246 years, which means that we were enslaved longer than we have been free.”

People visiting the new museum can see an early 1800s slave home. The Smithsonian’s Nancy Bercaw describes the living conditions.

“It would have been pretty unbearable³ living within this cabin. If you’ve ever been down to the South Carolina low country, you’ll know that it’s very heavy with mosquitos and bugs⁴. It’s very hot. When we collected the cabin, snakes came out of the cabin...”

The museum also has reminders⁵ of the Jim Crow laws in the southern states. Those laws effectively enforced racial separation and remained in effect into the 1960s.

Supporters described the legal policies as “separate but equal.” But, in truth, everything was better for whites. Richard Kurin, Undersecretary of the Smithsonian Institution, provides an example.

“If you were white, you bought your ticket, you walked into this railcar, and you sat in the white section. The white section was a lot nicer than the black section.”

The museum exhibits flow through time from slavery to Jim Crow to the civil rights movement and modern times. There are some areas dedicated⁶ to music and entertainment, as well as to sports.

Jesse Jackson noted⁷ that equality ruled in sports when members of all races were finally permitted to compete.

“Whenever the playing field is even and the rules are public, and the goals are clear, the referees⁹ are fair and the score is transparent¹⁰, we can make it.”

The struggle for civil rights for African Americans served as a model, says Smithsonian official John Whittington Franklin.

“African Americans paved the way through their strategies to assist other groups seeking equality.”

President Barack Obama and his wife Michelle are to take part in the opening ceremony at the African American History and Culture museum.

Words in This Story

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things are kept and shown to the public

curator – n. someone responsible for organizing things in a museum

regardless – adv. without being stopped by trouble or difficulty

cabin – n. a small, simple house, usually made of wood

dedicate – v. to officially make (something) a place for honoring or remembering a person, event, etc.

referee⁸ – n. a person who makes sure that players obey the rules of a game or sport

transparent – adj. honest and open: not secretive

pave the way – expression begin a process that makes something possible

strategy – n. a careful plan or method for achieving a particular goal usually over a long period of time

1 citizenship   

n.市民权，公民权，国民的义务(身份)

参考例句：

• He was born in Sweden,but he doesn't have Swedish citizenship.他在瑞典出生，但没有瑞典公民身分。
• Ten years later,she chose to take Australian citizenship.十年后，她选择了澳大利亚国籍。

2 activist   

n.活动分子，积极分子

参考例句：

• He's been a trade union activist for many years.多年来他一直是工会的积极分子。
• He is a social activist in our factory.他是我厂的社会活动积极分子。

3 unbearable   

adj.不能容忍的；忍受不住的

参考例句：

• It is unbearable to be always on thorns.老是处于焦虑不安的情况中是受不了的。
• The more he thought of it the more unbearable it became.他越想越觉得无法忍受。

4 bugs   

adj.疯狂的，发疯的n.窃听器( bug的名词复数 )；病菌；虫子；[计算机]（制作软件程序所产生的意料不到的）错误

参考例句：

• All programs have bugs and need endless refinement. 所有的程序都有漏洞，都需要不断改进。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The sacks of rice were swarming with bugs. 一袋袋的米里长满了虫子。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 reminders   

n.令人回忆起…的东西( reminder的名词复数 )；提醒…的东西；（告知该做某事的）通知单；提示信

参考例句：

• The film evokes chilling reminders of the war. 这部电影使人们回忆起战争的可怕场景。
• The strike has delayed the mailing of tax reminders. 罢工耽搁了催税单的投寄。

6 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。

7 noted   

adj.著名的，知名的

参考例句：

• The local hotel is noted for its good table.当地的那家酒店以餐食精美而著称。
• Jim is noted for arriving late for work.吉姆上班迟到出了名。

8 referee   

n.裁判员．仲裁人，代表人，鉴定人

参考例句：

• The team was left raging at the referee's decision.队员们对裁判员的裁决感到非常气愤。
• The referee blew a whistle at the end of the game.裁判在比赛结束时吹响了哨子。

9 referees   

n.裁判员( referee的名词复数 )；证明人；公断人；（专业性强的文章的）审阅人

参考例句：

• The fiery player has had numerous run-ins with referees. 这位脾气暴躁的队员曾和裁判员发生过无数次争吵。
• If you want to appeal, the Court of Referees will decide. 如果你要上诉，可以由仲裁法庭去判决。 来自辞典例句

10 transparent   

adj.明显的，无疑的；透明的

参考例句：

• The water is so transparent that we can see the fishes swimming.水清澈透明，可以看到鱼儿游来游去。
• The window glass is transparent.窗玻璃是透明的。