VOA常速英语2007年-Madame Tussauds Opens in Washington

By George Dwyer
Washington
01 November 2007
 

The famous Madame Tussauds waxworks¹ museum first opened in London in 1884, and has drawn² curiosity seekers from around the world ever since. Over the years the presentation of lifelike wax figures has proven to be so popular that licensed³ "Madame Tussaud" attractions have now opened at half a dozen other locations around the world - from Shanghai to Las Vegas. In October, it was Washington, D.C.'s turn to open its own Madame Tussauds House of Wax. More from VOA's George Dwyer.

The new "Madame Tussauds" in Washington D.C. features life-like wax replicas⁴ of some the world's best known celebrities⁵, including sports figures, movie stars, and world leaders.

The marketing⁶ manager for Washington, D.C.'s Madame Tussauds -- the newest in an expanding chain of these establishments -- Shameka Lloydat, says, "We have a total of 50 figures. We have 13 Presidents, we also have famous icons⁷ from the civil rights movement, like [social activist] Rosa Parks, like Martin Luther King, and Malcolm X."

She continued, "We have A-list celebrities, so we have a glamour⁸ room where you can actually party and rub elbows with Angelina Jolie, Brad Pitt, Tom Cruise, Julia Roberts, dance with Beyonce, sit on the couch with Madonna -- so we just have something for everyone."

" Madame Tussauds" is often referred to as a "museum." But the visitor experience here is different from the typical museum encounter.

Lloyd says, "I think a lot of times people have an idea that when they come to a lot of the museums here that there is this attitude of, 'You can look but you cannot touch', and maybe there is no flash photography. And we are 180 degrees [opposite] from that."

Because this is Washington, famous figures here include historically important personalities⁹ from Abraham Lincoln right down to President George W. Bush. So, is there a favorite?

Lloyd says, not really. "All of our figures are very popular, but yes, people do love to come and get close to Bill Clinton you know. This is one of the few places (where) you actually get to hug him and, you know, just get close and take a photo with him. So it is fun for everybody," she said.

French-born Marie Tussauds is here as well. Her early wax models launched this attraction into existence. But even she could not have foreseen the innovations in fashion that would follow.

"We want this to be an attraction for everybody, not just tourists to the nation's capital but international visitors and residents alike," Lloyd added.

The firm that operates the Madame Tussauds chain claims more than half a billion people worldwide have visited since the first wax museum opened. Of course, there is always a new face to meet here.

1 waxworks   

n.公共供水系统；蜡制品，蜡像( waxwork的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• Madame Tussaud is one of most famous waxworks in the world. 杜莎夫人蜡像馆是世界上最著名的蜡像馆之一。 来自互联网
• A lot of people in the waxworks will get the axe. 蜡像馆里的很多人将被解雇。 来自互联网

2 drawn   

v.拖，拉，拔出；adj.憔悴的，紧张的

参考例句：

• All the characters in the story are drawn from life.故事中的所有人物都取材于生活。
• Her gaze was drawn irresistibly to the scene outside.她的目光禁不住被外面的风景所吸引。

3 licensed   

adj.得到许可的v.许可，颁发执照(license的过去式和过去分词)

参考例句：

• The new drug has not yet been licensed in the US. 这种新药尚未在美国获得许可。
• Is that gun licensed? 那支枪有持枪执照吗？

4 replicas   

n.复制品( replica的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• His hobby is building replicas of cars. 他的爱好是制作汽车的复制品。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• The replicas are made by using a thin film of fusible alloy on a stiffening platen. 复制是用附着在加强托板上的可熔合金薄膜实现的。 来自辞典例句

5 celebrities   

n.（尤指娱乐界的）名人( celebrity的名词复数 )；名流；名声；名誉

参考例句：

• He only invited A-list celebrities to his parties. 他只邀请头等名流参加他的聚会。
• a TV chat show full of B-list celebrities 由众多二流人物参加的电视访谈节目

6 marketing   

n.行销，在市场的买卖，买东西

参考例句：

• They are developing marketing network.他们正在发展销售网络。
• He often goes marketing.他经常去市场做生意。

7 icons   

n.偶像( icon的名词复数 )；（计算机屏幕上表示命令、程序的）符号，图像

参考例句：

• Distinguish important text items in lists with graphic icons. 用图标来区分重要的文本项。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Daemonic icons should only be employed persistently if they provide continuous, useful status information. 只有会连续地提供有用状态信息的情况下，后台应用程序才应该一直使用图标。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓

8 glamour   

n.魔力，魅力；vt.迷住

参考例句：

• Foreign travel has lost its glamour for her.到国外旅行对她已失去吸引力了。
• The moonlight cast a glamour over the scene.月光给景色增添了魅力。

9 personalities   

n. 诽谤，（对某人容貌、性格等所进行的）人身攻击； 人身攻击；人格, 个性, 名人( personality的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• There seemed to be a degree of personalities in her remarks.她话里有些人身攻击的成分。
• Personalities are not in good taste in general conversation.在一般的谈话中诽谤他人是不高尚的。