2 sisters reminisce about the family's laundry business in Hollywood

2 sisters reminisce about the family's laundry business in Hollywood

　　Transcript¹

　　Suzi and Donna Wong grew up just minutes from the big movie studios, but a world away. Their dad moved to the U.S. from China and opened a laundry business on Melrose Avenue in 1949.

　　STEVE INSKEEP, HOST:

　　Hollywood is preparing for the Oscars this weekend. And today's StoryCorps features people with a special view of Hollywood. They're sisters - Suzi and Donna Wong. They grew up just minutes from the big movie studios but a world away and came to StoryCorps in 2013 to remember their dad, Frank, who moved to the United States from China and opened a laundry on Melrose Avenue in 1949.

　　SUZI WONG: We lived in the back of the laundry in Hollywood.

　　DONNA WONG: It wasn't your typical home, but it was a home for us. There was a simple plywood wall that just kind of hid our living area from the customers. As kids, we carved a little keyhole...

　　S WONG: Yes.

　　D WONG: ...So we could peek² out and see which customer had come in.

　　S WONG: Actually, at some point, Dad, had a customer who worked for "Bonanza," that TV show that was popular in the early '60s. And he invited all of us to go to the set and to watch the actors. And my father readily agreed.

　　D WONG: That was one show that had a character that was Chinese - Hop³ Sing. And he was the worst stereotype⁴. I mean, he was sort of, you know, bowing and smiling all the time. But I think it was important for my dad to see that there was some acknowledgement of Chinese people on the screen.

　　S WONG: You know, being in the laundry, we still had our own world as a family. But we also witnessed my father in interaction with people who had more money who came to them for menial work. And that's always a little hard to see your dad in that role.

　　D WONG: But when it came to protecting his children, he was heroic.

　　S WONG: Right. When I was in second grade, someone shoved me into the water spigot. And the next day, he came with me to the principal's office to protest and just get across, hey, this cannot continue.

　　D WONG: I don't think I at all thought about what our parents did for us until much later. One of our daughters is now a film editor. And she told me recently that the first time she got to work on Paramount⁵ Studio, which was just a mile from the laundry, she really felt like it was coming home.

　　S WONG: Yeah. I'm very proud of our family.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

　　INSKEEP: Suzi and Donna Wong at StoryCorps in Atlanta, recalling their dad, Moontung Wong, known as Frank. He ran the family laundry with his wife for 35 years. Their conversation will be archived at the Library of Congress.

　　(SOUNDBITE OF MUSIC)

1 transcript   

n.抄本，誊本，副本，肄业证书

参考例句：

• A transcript of the tapes was presented as evidence in court.一份录音带的文字本作为证据被呈交法庭。
• They wouldn't let me have a transcript of the interview.他们拒绝给我一份采访的文字整理稿。

2 peek   

vi.偷看，窥视；n.偷偷的一看，一瞥

参考例句：

• Larry takes a peek out of the window.赖瑞往窗外偷看了一下。
• Cover your eyes and don't peek.捂上眼睛，别偷看。

3 hop   

n.单脚跳，跳跃；vi.单脚跳，跳跃；着手做某事；vt.跳跃，跃过

参考例句：

• The children had a competition to see who could hop the fastest.孩子们举行比赛，看谁单足跳跃最快。
• How long can you hop on your right foot?你用右脚能跳多远？

4 stereotype   

n.固定的形象，陈规，老套，旧框框

参考例句：

• He's my stereotype of a schoolteacher.他是我心目中的典型教师。
• There's always been a stereotype about successful businessmen.人们对于成功商人一直都有一种固定印象。

5 paramount   

a.最重要的，最高权力的

参考例句：

• My paramount object is to save the Union and destroy slavery.我的最高目标是拯救美国，摧毁奴隶制度。
• Nitrogen is of paramount importance to life on earth.氮对地球上的生命至关重要。