希爾伍德博物館

四川蔣建平（特級教師）

希爾伍德博物館是一座藏品豐富的博物館，它收藏了世界上許多有名的藝術品。

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難詞探意

1.ambassador/?m'b?s?d?(r)/n.大使；使節

2.float/fl??t/v.漂浮；漂流

Hidden from the noise of Washington,D.C.,Hillwood Museum is a special treasure.It contains one of the finest personal collections of Russian and French art in the world.

Hillwood Museum was once the home of Marjorie Merriweather Post.She was a rich businesswoman.She owned one of the largest food companies in the United States.She was also very interested in collecting beautiful French art and furniture.

She moved to Russia in the 1930s as her third husband,Joseph Davies,became the Americanambassadorin Moscow.Marjorie Merriweather Post had a love for Russian art as well.She bought the house in Washington in 1955 and she wanted to make it into a museum after her death.Many art experts helped Mrs Post create its fine collection.

Hillwood has many rooms which are filled with her treasures.Visitors can see beautiful music boxes from the eighteenth century and colorful paintings of European princesses.Experts say the ancient wood and gold furniture from France is some of the finest ever made.Visitors can even look at Mrs Post's jewels and clothes.

The museum also has several beautiful gardens.One is designed like the gardens in Japan.It has a bridge and visitors can watch flowersfloatingin the water.Flowers are also grown all the year in a special glass building or greenhouse.These flowers are placed in the house throughout the year.

After a walk,visitors can rest at a nearby eating place.They can also buy objects to remember this special museum.

Reading Check

1.What can we know about Marjorie Merriweather Post?

A.She lived near Hillwood Museum.

B.She was a successful businesswoman.

C.She owned a food company in France.

D.She was good at painting and designing.

2.Why did Marjorie Merriweather Post move to Russia?

A.Her husband had a job there.

B.She wanted to collect art works.

C.She liked the environment there.

D.She hoped to meet some art experts.

3.What is special about the museum's gardens?

A.There are some rock hills.

B.There are some restaurants.

C.Flowers are grown all the year.

D.They are all built in Japanese style.

Language Study

Useful expressions

be hidden from躲避……

make...into...把……變成……

move to遷移到

Cultural Background

瑪荷麗

希爾伍德的女主人瑪荷麗1887年3月15日出生于美國伊利諾伊州斯普林菲爾德市，作為家里的獨生女，27歲那年繼承了父親的谷物帝國食品公司，總資產將近2.5億美元，成為全美國最富有的人之一。除了她的財富令人驚嘆之外，瑪荷麗最令人感到驚訝的是她的收藏。她一生酷愛收藏珠寶、藝術品，特別是沙皇俄國時期的器具油畫，以及18世紀、19世紀的法國藝術品。