VOA慢速英语--多年的困难之后 新闻博物馆将关闭

Newseum to Close after Years of Difficulties

The Newseum, a private museum showing modern history through the eyes of journalists, is closing after 11 years in Washington, DC.

Opened in 2008, the building became recognizable for its four-story high marble presentation of the First Amendment¹. That amendment to the U.S. Constitution protects the freedoms of speech and the press among others.

After years of financial difficulties, the Newseum will finally close its doors on December 31, the last day of 2019. The building was sold for $372.5 million to Johns Hopkins University. The school plans to use it for some of its graduate programs.

Sonya Gavankar is the outgoing spokesperson for the museum. She noted² several issues that led to the closing. One was bad timing³. The museum opened in 2008 during an economic recession. Newspapers were hit especially hard. Some closed and many reporters lost their jobs.

Also, in a city full of free museums, the private Newseum charged visitors $25 to enter. Just across the street is the National Gallery of Art. Within walking distance are several Smithsonian museums. All receive money from the U.S. Congress.

"Competing with free institutions in Washington was difficult," Gavankar said.

Claire Myers lives in the city of Washington. She recalls coming to the Newseum on a class trip during her final year of high school. She only returned in late December for a final visit because she heard it was closing at the end of the year.

She said, "I do think part of the reason was because it's a paid museum. Why go out of my way to do this when I could just go to any other free museum?"

But Myers said she was deeply impressed by the exhibits, especially the Pulitzer Prize-winning photographs. "I do wish it wasn't going away," she said.

In addition to journalism⁴ and historic event exhibits, the Newseum has added others involving free speech and civil rights issues.

There is an exhibit exploring the cultural and political influence of comedian⁵ John Stewart and his "The Daily Show" television program. Others include a look at the history of LGBTQ rights and an exhibit of presidential dogs.

Gavankar said the Freedom Forum⁶ would continue its mission in different forms. That is the journalism foundation that started the Newseum, which was first based in northern Virginia.

The foundation currently has exhibits on the Berlin Wall in two Washington area airports. Next year, they will be replaced by exhibits on the women's voting rights movement.

The Newseum's popular Today's Front Pages, which shows nearly 1,000 newspaper's front pages each day from around the world, will continue online after the December 31 closing.

Ken⁷ Paulson is a former president of the Newseum. He called the museum's closing "a major disappointment to so many who care deeply about freedom of the press."

As for the marble entrance on Pennsylvania Avenue, Paulson wrote in USA Today, "It was a dramatic and valuable reminder⁸ of the role our freedoms of press, speech, religion, petition and assembly play in ensuring that the United States remains⁹ the most vibrant¹⁰, powerful — and free — nation in the world."

Words in This Story

journalist –n. someone who writes news stories for newspapers, magazines, television or radio

exhibit –n. a collection of objects put in a public place so they can be seen and examined

LGBTQ - n. stands for lesbian, gay, bisexual, transgender, and questioning (or queer)

foundation –n. an organization created to do something that helps society

role –n. the part something or someone plays in an activity

petition –n. a formal request made to an official or organization

assembly –n. the act of meeting together to exchange ideas

vibrant –adj. showing great life, activity and energy

1 amendment   

n.改正，修正，改善，修正案

参考例句：

• The amendment was rejected by 207 voters to 143.这项修正案以207票对143票被否决。
• The Opposition has tabled an amendment to the bill.反对党已经就该议案提交了一项修正条款。

2 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。

3 timing   

n.时间安排，时间选择

参考例句：

• The timing of the meeting is not convenient.会议的时间安排不合适。
• The timing of our statement is very opportune.我们发表声明选择的时机很恰当。

4 journalism   

n.新闻工作，报业

参考例句：

• He's a teacher but he does some journalism on the side.他是教师，可还兼职做一些新闻工作。
• He had an aptitude for journalism.他有从事新闻工作的才能。

5 comedian   

n.喜剧演员；滑稽演员

参考例句：

• The comedian tickled the crowd with his jokes.喜剧演员的笑话把人们逗乐了。
• The comedian enjoyed great popularity during the 30's.那位喜剧演员在三十年代非常走红。

6 forum   

n.论坛，讨论会

参考例句：

• They're holding a forum on new ways of teaching history.他们正在举行历史教学讨论会。
• The organisation would provide a forum where problems could be discussed.这个组织将提供一个可以讨论问题的平台。

7 ken   

n.视野，知识领域

参考例句：

• Such things are beyond my ken.我可不懂这些事。
• Abstract words are beyond the ken of children.抽象的言辞超出小孩所理解的范围.

8 reminder   

n.提醒物，纪念品；暗示，提示

参考例句：

• I have had another reminder from the library.我又收到图书馆的催还单。
• It always took a final reminder to get her to pay her share of the rent.总是得发给她一份最后催缴通知，她才付应该交的房租。

9 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。

10 vibrant   

adj.震颤的，响亮的，充满活力的，精力充沛的，(色彩)鲜明的

参考例句：

• He always uses vibrant colours in his paintings. 他在画中总是使用鲜明的色彩。
• She gave a vibrant performance in the leading role in the school play.她在学校表演中生气盎然地扮演了主角。