VOA慢速英语2021--意大利重开著名的庞贝博物馆

Italy reopened its famous Antiquarium this week. The museum was created to keep and show objects from the ancient city of Pompeii.

Life in Pompeii ended almost 2,000 years ago, after a massive burst of the nearby Mount Vesuvius volcano. The city was quickly buried by ash and lava¹. Many people were immediately killed. In fact, scientists found some human remains² had turned to glass because the heat from the explosion was so intense.

For many years now, specially³ trained scientists called archaeologists have been digging in the area that was once Pompeii. It is now an archeological park.

The Antiquarium was created in the 1870s as a place to keep the findings. For many years, visitors were able to see some of the frescoes⁵ unearthed⁶ by archaeologists as well as everyday objects that the people of Pompeii used.

Bombings in World War Two damaged the museum. Then, in 1980, a deadly earthquake shook the park. Officials were forced to close the Antiquarium.

It had remained closed until now.

Current COVID-19 restrictions⁷ bar most people from visiting the newly reopened museum. Only visitors from Italy's Campania area, which includes the city of Naples and the Pompeii ruins, are permitted to enter.

Pompeii has long been one of Italy's top tourist sites. When the tourism industry fully⁸ reopens, admission to the ruins will also include a visit to the Antiquarium.

The re-opening of the museum after so many years is "a sign of great hope during a very difficult moment," said Pompeii's long time director, Massimo Osanna.

On show in the last room of the museum are casts from the remains of some of Pompeii's citizens. Osanna said that part of the museum is emotionally powerful for him.

"The objects deformed⁹ by the heat of the eruption¹⁰, the casts of the victims, the casts of the animals," are very moving, he noted¹¹.

Much of ancient Pompeii remains to be discovered at the park. Although tourism has halted during the pandemic, archaeologists have kept working.

Just one month ago, Osanna announced the discovery of an ancient fast-food restaurant at Pompeii. Archaeologists were able to fully uncover the eatery. The find helped researchers learn about the food Pompeii's citizens enjoyed. Researchers even discovered what was for sale at the restaurant on the day the ancient city met its explosive end.

Words in This Story

museum – n. a building in which interesting and valuable things (such as paintings and sculptures or scientific or historical objects) are collected and shown to the public

fresco⁴ – n. the art of painting on wet plaster

tourist – n. a person who travels to a place for pleasure

cast – n. a container that is used to give its form or shape to something that is poured or pressed into it; also : an object that is made by using such a container

1 lava   

n.熔岩，火山岩

参考例句：

• The lava flowed down the sides of the volcano.熔岩沿火山坡面涌流而下。
• His anger spilled out like lava.他的愤怒像火山爆发似的迸发出来。

2 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。

3 specially   

adv.特定地；特殊地；明确地

参考例句：

• They are specially packaged so that they stack easily.它们经过特别包装以便于堆放。
• The machine was designed specially for demolishing old buildings.这种机器是专为拆毁旧楼房而设计的。

4 fresco   

n.壁画；vt.作壁画于

参考例句：

• This huge fresco is extremely clear and just like nature itself.It is very harmonious.这一巨幅壁画，清晰有致且又浑然天成，十分和谐。
• So it is quite necessary to study the influence of visual thinking over fresco.因此，研究视觉思维对壁画的影响和作用是十分必要的。

5 frescoes   

n.壁画( fresco的名词复数 )；温壁画技法，湿壁画

参考例句：

• The Dunhuang frescoes are gems of ancient Chinese art. 敦煌壁画是我国古代艺术中的瑰宝。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• The frescoes in these churches are magnificent. 这些教堂里的壁画富丽堂皇。 来自《简明英汉词典》

6 unearthed   

出土的（考古）

参考例句：

• Many unearthed cultural relics are set forth in the exhibition hall. 展览馆里陈列着许多出土文物。
• Some utensils were in a state of decay when they were unearthed. 有些器皿在出土时已经残破。

7 restrictions   

约束( restriction的名词复数 )； 管制； 制约因素； 带限制性的条件（或规则）

参考例句：

• I found the restrictions irksome. 我对那些限制感到很烦。
• a snaggle of restrictions 杂乱无章的种种限制

8 fully   

adv.完全地，全部地，彻底地；充分地

参考例句：

• The doctor asked me to breathe in,then to breathe out fully.医生让我先吸气，然后全部呼出。
• They soon became fully integrated into the local community.他们很快就完全融入了当地人的圈子。

9 deformed   

adj.畸形的；变形的；丑的，破相了的

参考例句：

• He was born with a deformed right leg.他出生时右腿畸形。
• His body was deformed by leprosy.他的身体因为麻风病变形了。

10 eruption   

n.火山爆发；（战争等）爆发；（疾病等）发作

参考例句：

• The temple was destroyed in the violent eruption of 1470 BC.庙宇在公元前1470年猛烈的火山爆发中摧毁了。
• The eruption of a volcano is spontaneous.火山的爆发是自发的。

11 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。