VOA标准英语2009年-France's Cartoon Hero Astérix Celebrates

By Lisa Bryant
Paris
22 October 2009

France is celebrating the 50th anniversary of Astérix, the comic book character whose adventures find him battling the armies of Julius Caesar with his Gallic buddies¹ in Brittany more than 2,000 years ago. Since Astérix made his debut² in 1959, he has starred in three movies and 34 books, and has fans worldwide. From Paris, Lisa Bryant takes a look at what makes France's cartoon mascot³ so beloved.

Astérix is not your typical hero. He is not tall or handsome, and he is certainly not a prince. But along with his sidekicks, enormous, goofy Obelix and dog Idéfix, Astérix wages battle against the ancient Romans to defend the Gaullish way of life.

 
Asterix and Obelix's Birthday: The Golden Book
Astérix comic books and cartoon strips have been published in 107 languages and dialects. Three Astérix movies have drawn⁴ millions of viewers. The French version of the latest Astérix book, The Birthday of Astérix and Obelix, was launched Thursday.

Nobody could be more surprised about Astérix's stunning⁵ success than the original illustrator of Astérix, Albert Uderzo, who has also authored the series since the death of the original writer, Rene Goscinny.

Uderzo told French radio that Astérix was born when the owner of a French magazine called Pilote wanted a comic strip his kids could read that represented French culture. The creators settled on Gaulles as their characters, because he said, nothing is more French than the Gaulles.

Astérix' half-century birthday is being celebrated⁶ around France with special exhibits and other commemorations. 

In the Paris suburb of Bobigny, a plaque⁷ was unveiled honoring his 1959 birth there. Several villages in Brittany, the part of ancient Gaulle never conquered by the Romans, are also claiming to have inspired the Astérix series.

Many see Astérix as the ultimate symbol of France and the battle of many French to preserve their culture and way of life.

But Astérix has fans worldwide, including Brian Spence, the Canadian owner of The Abbey Bookshop in Paris. 

Spence has a copy of every Astérix book in his English language book store. He says they remain in demand. Spence started reading Astérix when he was young.

"I am still a fan. I have not kept up with the latest ones, to tell you the truth," he said. "But sure, I went to see the premiere of Astérix and Cleopatra when it was at the Grand Rex [movie theatre], almost 30,000 people there just to laugh along. There is a very special place in my heart for Astérix."

So what is Astérix' appeal, 50 years later?

"Maybe we identify with the imperial pretensions," he explained. "Manifest destiny, and so forth⁸. And I think most of the world probably feels it is in the same situation as Astérix and his village Gaullois in that we can identify with that sense of wanting to hold out and resist against the encroaching powers. That sense of using your wits and a little bit of brawn⁹ to get out of peril¹⁰, danger or any kind of threat."

And besides, Spence says, there is always a bit of exoticism, because Astérix is French. That makes fans want to keep on reading, to get a better understanding of what Astérix, and France, is all about.

1 buddies   

n.密友( buddy的名词复数 )；同伴；弟兄；（用于称呼男子，常带怒气）家伙v.（如密友、战友、伙伴、弟兄般）交往( buddy的第三人称单数 )；做朋友；亲近（…）；伴护艾滋病人

参考例句：

• We became great buddies. 我们成了非常好的朋友。 来自辞典例句
• The two of them have become great buddies. 他们俩成了要好的朋友。 来自辞典例句

2 debut   

n.首次演出，初次露面

参考例句：

• That same year he made his Broadway debut, playing a suave radio journalist.在那同一年里，他初次在百老汇登台，扮演一个温文而雅的电台记者。
• The actress made her debut in the new comedy.这位演员在那出新喜剧中首次登台演出。

3 mascot   

n.福神，吉祥的东西

参考例句：

• The football team's mascot is a goat.足球队的吉祥物是山羊。
• We had a panda as our mascot.我们把熊猫作为吉详物。

4 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。

5 stunning   

adj.极好的；使人晕倒的

参考例句：

• His plays are distinguished only by their stunning mediocrity.他的戏剧与众不同之处就是平凡得出奇。
• The finished effect was absolutely stunning.完工后的效果非常美。

6 celebrated   

adj.有名的，声誉卓著的

参考例句：

• He was soon one of the most celebrated young painters in England.不久他就成了英格兰最负盛名的年轻画家之一。
• The celebrated violinist was mobbed by the audience.观众团团围住了这位著名的小提琴演奏家。

7 plaque   

n.饰板，匾，(医)血小板

参考例句：

• There is a commemorative plaque to the artist in the village hall.村公所里有一块纪念该艺术家的牌匾。
• Some Latin words were engraved on the plaque. 牌匾上刻着些拉丁文。

8 forth   

adv.向前；向外，往外

参考例句：

• The wind moved the trees gently back and forth.风吹得树轻轻地来回摇晃。
• He gave forth a series of works in rapid succession.他很快连续发表了一系列的作品。

9 brawn   

n.体力

参考例句：

• In this job you need both brains and brawn.做这份工作既劳神又费力。
• They relied on brains rather than brawn.他们靠的是脑力，而不是体力。

10 peril   

n.(严重的)危险；危险的事物

参考例句：

• The refugees were in peril of death from hunger.难民有饿死的危险。
• The embankment is in great peril.河堤岌岌可危。