VOA慢速英语--当地人在没有人群的情况下参观莫奈的花园

The famous gardens of French painter Claude Monet reopened to the public this week, as France lifts its coronavirus restrictions¹.

The gardens are in Giverny, about 70 kilometers outside Paris. They are where Monet created his best-known works, including "Water Lilies." More than 500,000 people visit each year to walk the pathways where Monet set up his easel and painted great works of Impressionist art.

Most visitors come in the spring when the painter's large and colorful gardens are in full bloom. This spring, however, the gardens bloomed only for garden workers.

France remains² closed to international visitors, so t he reopening of the gardens lets French people experience them as few ever have: without crowds.

Groups are not permitted, and individuals must keep social distance. The pathways are one-way. And everyone must wear face coverings.

Jean-Marie Avisard is the head gardener at Monet's gardens. He has worked there for 32 years.

"At this time of the year we normally welcome 4,000 to 5,000 people a day," Avisard said. "Now we can have 900 persons."

He added, "We are very happy to show what we do... People will see the garden a bit like on a private visit."

Seventy-three-year old Jerome Blanchet was pleased to see the gardens without the crowds.

"We are seeing it [the garden] in exceptional³ conditions," he said.

Another visitor, Parisian Roberto Vellutini, agreed.

"There are not a lot of people...Today is perfect," he said.

Claude Monet bought the Giverny farmhouse⁴ for his family in 1883. He lived there until his death in 1926.

He changed the house into a colorful mansion⁵, and filled the grounds around it with every flower that would grow in the local climate, including thousands of roses. He built a Japanese-style water lily garden with a small, green bridge. There, he painted one great work of art after another.

After World War II ended, the house and gardens were left empty. In the 1970s, however, they were restored to look exactly how Monet had built them.

The property was opened to the public in the 1980s. Last year, it welcomed 717,271 visitors. Almost 50 percent were international visitors.

I'm Susan Shand.

Words in This Story

garden – n. the place where flowers and vegetables are grown

water lily – n. a type of flower that grows in pond water

impressionist - adj. a style of 20th century painting that blurred⁶ images

bloom – v. the moment when a flower opens up and reaches perfection⁷

mansion – n. the large house of a rich person

1 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

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 exceptional   

adj.优越的，杰出的，例外的，独特的，异常的

参考例句：

• He is a man of exceptional talent.他是位具有非凡才能的人。
• He showed exceptional musical ability.他显示出特殊的音乐才能。

4 farmhouse   

n.农场住宅（尤指主要住房）

参考例句：

• We fell for the farmhouse as soon as we saw it.我们对那所农舍一见倾心。
• We put up for the night at a farmhouse.我们在一间农舍投宿了一夜。

5 mansion   

n.大厦，大楼；宅第

参考例句：

• The old mansion was built in 1850.这座古宅建于1850年。
• The mansion has extensive grounds.这大厦四周的庭园广阔。

6 blurred   

v.（使）变模糊( blur的过去式和过去分词 )；（使）难以区分；模模糊糊；迷离

参考例句：

• She suffered from dizziness and blurred vision. 她饱受头晕目眩之苦。
• Their lazy, blurred voices fell pleasantly on his ears. 他们那种慢吞吞、含糊不清的声音在他听起来却很悦耳。 来自《简明英汉词典》

7 perfection   

n.尽善尽美，无比精确

参考例句：

• Their works reach to a great height of perfection.他们的作品到了极完美的境地。
• The picture wants something of perfection.这幅画还有些不够完美。