Lesson 93 A noble gift

One of the most famous monuments in the world, the Statue of Liberty, was presented to the United States of America in the nineteenth century by the people of France. The great statue, which was designed by the sculptor Auguste Bartholdi, took ten years to complete. The actual figure was made of copper supported by a metal framework which had been especially constructed by Eiffel. Before it could be transported to the United States, a site had to be found for it and a pedestal had to be built. The site chosen was an island at the entrance of New York Harbour. By 1884, a statue which was 151 feet tall had been erected in Paris. The following year, it was taken to pieces and sent to America. By the end of October 1886, the statue had been put together again and it was officially presented to the American people by Bartholdi. Ever since then, the great monument has been a symbol of liberty for the millions of people who have passed through New York Harbour to make their homes in America.

Words & Expressions

noble  adj. 高尚的，壮丽的

*monument  n. 纪念碑/ˈmɒnjəmənt$ˈmɑː/

a building, statue, or other large structure that is built to remind people of an important event or famous person→memorial

--The Statue of Liberty is one of the most famous monument in the world.

--Ancient monuments are protected by law.

*statue n. 雕像/ˈstætʃuː/, an image of a person or animal that is made in solid material such as stone or metal and is usually large--sculpture

--Churchill’s statue stands outside the parliament building.

*sculptor  n. 雕刻家 /ˈskʌlptə$-ər/

--Most Roman sculptors were very cautious about supporting large blocks of marble.

*pedestal n. 底座/ˈpedəstəl/, the base on which a pillar or statue stands

--pedestal basin ----British English(=a bowl to wash your hands in, supported by a pedestal)立柱式盥洗盆

put/place somebody on a pedestal (knock off)， to admire someone so much that you treat them or talk about them as though they are perfect

--Since childhood,I put my own parents on a pedestal. I felt they could do no wrong.

Pronunciations

*famous /ˈfeɪməs/ 注意不要加r音

*ever /ˈevə$ˈevər/ 美音中发出r音

*harbour: British English; harbor,  American English /ˈhɑːbə $ ˈhɑːrbər/

"By extension the term gift can refer to anything that makes the other happier or less sad, especially as a favor, including forgiveness and kindness. Gifts are also first and foremost presented on occasions - birthdays and, in Western cultures, Christmas being the main examples and other occasions like birthdays." Wikipedia