Preview
1 Work in groups and discuss these questions,
a When was the last time you visited a museum?
b What did you see there?
c How was it displayed?
d Why do we keep things from the past in museums?
e What is the role of a museum in society today7
Reading
2 Read the introduction from a guidebook to the Louvre and answer these questions.
a What was the ami ol I lie Grand Louvre project7
b What was if that made people very angry?
c What is the purpose of a museum according to leoh Ming I'd?
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"M-I.E DECISION TO lurn the Louvre into the world's biggest
President Pntn^ois Miilemml. 'Die challenge lay in turning what was basically a luiieleeullveenlury m use inn into a modem museum equipped to bundle the evcr-jjiiiwing number <>!' people anxious lo sec and leant about art. The first si e p towards Wilting the "Grand Louvre" was lo creme nunc exhibition space and lo reorganise the collections, so dial works could be presented both more logically anil with more breadline space.
According to a number of experts the most raiional way m reorganise (he museum was to use ilu: area beneath the courtyard itself. Tins isjtisl what the Chine.se-Americein architect leoh Ming Pei decided to do. Lie had been named to dc.siim die project, without a prior competition beim: held, in March I9H3
The architect's choice of a 71-l'oot high pyramid, albcil of glass, ci'caled a storm of protest. Many believed thai this historic site was already "saturated with nrchiieciural styles..." I.M. Pen who designed the striking. Least Wing tit Washington's National Gaflc.ry. wanted to linn this historic palace into a modern museum, lie wanted lo create something alive and welcoming, without destroying the history of the place, and he succeeded in persuading the uulhoritics to accept'Iiis transparent, reflecting prism.
Listen i n g 2
9 Listen to the guide describing artefacts in the Pergamon Museum. As you listen find Athena, Zeus and Alkyoneus in the pictures on the right.
• Pei. is eon vJnce.d tllal' tmiseums sl'loiild pfay a- rate in educaling ilie public, Willi- cornjjcciIiot> frorn so many oilter forras o'f reeretitioiT, iTitiseunis musi be invitiug enoiigh for people UrwiuiL'tu-spend 11«e day liiere. Al lhe same tinie, Ihe uictiileciiire inust be l'tin.etaonal. so ihm mtisetinis can olTcr heiler .serv'ice iii more comfonable stiroumdings Pven merc rliportani, mtiscums shotild not only be a place lo see an hm. Ibanks 1.0 ihetr archiiecii.ual qmtlity, should bc an aesihelic experience in Iheimelves.
O3
10 Are these statements true 01 false?
a Pergamon was the name of a man.
b The monument was built 2,000 years ago.
c II has always been considered one of Hie wonders of the world.
d The Gauls had come from Europe.
Listening I.
Listen to an expert talking about the reconstruction of the Neues Museum in Berlin and answer these questions.
What are the-choices facing the architects7
How do the export's views on ihe design of a museum
compare with leoh Ming PeLs?
Work with a partner and discuss how a museum can encourage visitors to keep coming back. Then listen to how the Neues museum intends to deal with tourists, and answer these questions,
blow does the museum intend lo encourage the frequent visitor?
What will the museum do for the groups on a thirty-minute
tour?
How will this help the individual visitor?
According to the speaker what are the disadvantages of-museums like the louvre?
Do you agree with the speaker's view of how a museum should be organised? Give your reasons,
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g The frieze symbolises two victories,
f The giant attacks Athena with his serpent.
c| The whole frieze is painted in bright colours
h You will see another monument.
C.
bpeech work
Pausing and stress
11 Why is the speaker in Listening 2 easy to understandr i    Listen to another part of his tour and mark where he pauses. Mark a short pause with / and a long pause with //.
Now let's follow the path of the goc and walk up Ihe processional avenu towards the great gale ahead ol you. Remember as you go past these, lior. that they were not only admired a wild, noble and free animals but the they also represented ishtar, th goddess ol love, the sky and of wai. Ishtar was the patron goddess of th Babylonian army and the enormon gateway that, you are now approachin was named after her. The original decorations revealed much about the
religious life of the city They showed that the avenue was decorated during the time of King Nebuchadoeuar II to mark the path of the annual new year procession when statues- ol the gods were carried with great ceremony from a special banqueting house to the, main temple of the city. As the gods were believed actually to inhabit these statues it was very important that whatever they saw should please them and so a great deal of effort was lavished on this processional avenue.