大英博物馆部分黄金珠宝被盗

近日，据外媒报道，大英博物馆库房中的部分黄金和珠宝文物被盗。

🤔️小作业：

1. Which statement is NOT supported by the article?

a. The stolen items were primarily used for public display.

b. The museum is tightening its security measures.

c. The British Museum has been victimized before.

d. Legal actions will be taken against the dismissed staff.

a. They lacked faith in the capabilities of the police. b. They wanted a public relations strategy.

c. To get a comprehensive understanding of the security lapses and rectify them.

d. To punish the dismissed staff member further.

a. The theft was a minor incident.

b. He was unaware of the theft until recently.

c. The museum has been neglectful in the past.

d. Changes are essential to ensure such incidents don’t reoccur.

无注释原文：

British Museum sacks staff member after items vanish from collection

From: The Guardian

The British Museum has sacked a member of staff and imposed “emergency measures” to increase security after it found items from its collection to be missing.

It launched an independent review of security after items including gold jewellery and gems of semiprecious stones and glass dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD were found to be missing, stolen or damaged.

Legal action against the dismissed member of staff will be taken and the matter is also being investigated by the economic crime command of the Metropolitan police.

The museum’s independent review, led by Sir Nigel Boardman, a former trustee, and Lucy D’Orsi, the chief constable of the British Transport Police, will investigate and make recommendations on future security arrangements. It will also “kickstart a vigorous programme to recover the missing items”, the museum said.

Most of the missing items were small pieces kept in a storeroom belonging to one of the museum’s collections. None had recently been on public display, and they were kept primarily for academic and research purposes.

George Osborne, the museum’s chair, said: “The trustees of the British Museum were extremely concerned when we learned earlier this year that items of the collection had been stolen.

“The trustees have taken decisive action to deal with the situation, working with the team at the museum. We called in the police, imposed emergency measures to increase security, set up an independent review into what happened and lessons to learn, and used all the disciplinary powers available to us to deal with the individual we believe to be responsible.

“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

“This incident only reinforces the case for the reimagination of the museum we have embarked upon. It’s a sad day for all who love our British Museum, but we’re determined to right the wrongs and use the experience to build a stronger museum.”

Hartwig Fischer, the museum’s director, said: “This is a highly unusual incident. We take the safeguarding of all the items in our care extremely seriously.

“The museum apologises for what has happened, but we have now brought an end to this – and we are determined to put things right.

“We have already tightened our security arrangements and we are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged and stolen. This will allow us to throw our efforts into the recovery of objects.”

Boardman said: “The British Museum has been the victim of theft and we are absolutely determined to use our review in order to get to the bottom of what happened, and ensure lessons are learnt. We are working alongside the Metropolitan police in the interest of criminal justice to support any investigations.

“Furthermore, the recovery programme will work to ensure the stolen items are returned to the museum. It will be a painstaking job, involving internal and external experts, but this is an absolute priority – however long it takes – and we are grateful for the help we have already received.”

The museum said it would not comment further while the police investigated.

A spokesperson for the Met said: “We have been working alongside the British Museum. “There is currently an ongoing investigation – there is no arrest and inquiries continue. We will not be providing any further information at this time.”

It is understood that the museum hopes the review of security will be completed by the end of the year.

Items that have gone missing from the museum in previous years include a number of coins and medals taken in the 1970s, and Roman coins stolen in a 1993 break-in.

In 2002, the museum reviewed security after a 2,500-year-old, 12cm-high Greek statue was stolen by a member of the public. Two years later, Chinese jewellery went missing.

In 2017, it was revealed a £750,000 Cartier diamond ring from the heritage asset collection had been reported absent in 2011.

- ◆ -

注：完整题目见本文开头；中文文本为机器翻译并非一一对应，仅供参考

含注释全文：

British Museum sacks staff member after items vanish from collection

From: The Guardian

The British Museum has sacked a member of staff and imposed “emergency measures” to increase security after it found items from its collection to be missing.

大英博物馆在发现其馆藏物品失踪后，解雇了一名员工，并采取了“紧急措施”以加强安保。

表示“（尤指突然）消失，灭绝”，英文解释为“to disappear or stop being present or existing, especially in a sudden, surprising way”举个🌰：The child vanished while on her way home from school. 那个小女孩在放学回家的路上不见了。

解雇除了常见的fire一词，sack也表示“解雇，开除”，英文解释为“to remove someone from a job, usually because they have done something wrong or badly, or sometimes as a way of saving the cost of employing them”举个🌰：They sacked her for being late. 因为迟到，他们把她开除了。

类似的还有：

📍dismiss表示“解雇；免职；开除”，英文解释为“to officially remove sb from their job”举个🌰：She claims she was unfairly dismissed from her post. 她声称自己被无理免职。

1）表示“推行；强制实行”，英文解释为“to officially force a rule, tax, punishment, etc. to be obeyed or received”举个🌰：Very high taxes have recently been imposed on cigarettes. 最近对香烟开征很高的税。

📍《经济学人》（The Economist）一篇分析拜登贸易政策的文章中提到：The other matter is what Mr Biden will do with the tariffs imposed by Mr Trump. 另一件事是拜登将如何处理特朗普实施的关税。

2）表示“把（尤指信仰或生活方式）强加于”，英文解释为“to force someone to accept something, especially a belief or way of living”举个🌰：I don't want them to impose their religious beliefs on my children. 我不希望他们把自己的宗教信仰强加给我的孩子们。

3）表示“勉强；打扰，麻烦”，英文解释为“to expect someone to do something for you or spend time with you when they do not want to or when it is not convenient for them”举个🌰：She's always imposing on people - asking favours and getting everyone to do things for her. 她总是强人所难——要人帮忙做这做那。

It launched an independent review of security after items including gold jewellery and gems of semiprecious stones and glass dating from the 15th century BC to the 19th century AD were found to be missing, stolen or damaged.

在发现公元前15世纪到公元19世纪的黄金首饰、半宝石和玻璃制品丢失、被盗或损坏后，该博物馆启动了独立的安保审查。

gem /dʒem/ 1）表示“（尤指切割成规则形状的）宝石”，英文解释为“a jewel (= precious stone), especially when cut into a particular regular shape”

2）表示“难能可贵的人（或物）;被人喜爱的人（或物）;非常有用的人（或物）”，英文解释为“someone or something that is very good, pleasing, or useful”举个🌰：The coffee house is a hidden gem (= something that not a lot of people know about). 这个咖啡馆真是块隐藏的瑰宝。

semiprecious /ˌsem.iˈpreʃ.əs/ 表示“（宝石）次珍贵的；半宝石的”，英文解释为“A semiprecious stone is one that is used for making jewellery but is not extremely valuable.”举个🌰：Jade and turquoise are semiprecious stones. 玉和绿松石是半宝石。

Legal action against the dismissed member of staff will be taken and the matter is also being investigated by the economic crime command of the Metropolitan police.

该博物馆将对被解雇的员工采取法律行动，伦敦警察厅经济犯罪指挥部也正在调查此事。

1）表示“对…不予理会，摒弃，（从头脑中）去除”，英文解释为“to decide that something or someone is not important and not worth considering”举个🌰：I think he'd dismissed me as an idiot within five minutes of meeting me. 我认为他和我见面5分钟后就把我归入了傻瓜之列。

2）表示“解雇；免职；开除”，英文解释为“to officially remove sb from their job”举个🌰：She claims she was unfairly dismissed from her post. 她声称自己被无理免职。

metropolitan /ˌmet.rəˈpɒl.ɪ.tən/ 表示“大都市的”，英文解释为“relating to a large city”如：the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York 纽约大都会艺术博物馆，a metropolitan area 大都市区。

The museum’s independent review, led by Sir Nigel Boardman, a former trustee, and Lucy D’Orsi, the chief constable of the British Transport Police, will investigate and make recommendations on future security arrangements. It will also “kickstart a vigorous programme to recover the missing items”, the museum said.

博物馆独立审查由前理事奈杰尔·博德曼爵士（Sir Nigel Boardman）和英国交通警察局局长露西·德奥尔西（Lucy D’orsi）领导，他们将对未来的安保措施进行调查并提出建议。博物馆表示，他们还将“启动一项有力计划，以找回丢失物品”。

trustee /ˌtrʌsˈtiː/ 表示“（财产的）受托人；（慈善事业或其他机构的）受托人”，英文解释为“a person, often one of a group, who controls property and/or money for another person or an organization”如：the museum's board of trustees 博物馆的受托人理事会。

constable /ˈkʌn.stə.bəl/ 表示“（英国最低级别的）警察，保安官”，英文解释为“a British police officer of the lowest rank”

表示“启动（摩托）；开始，重启；振兴”，英文解释为“to make the engine of a motorcycle start by forcefully pushing down a metal bar with your foot；to make something start to happen or start to develop more quickly”

vigorous /ˈvɪɡ.ər.əs/ 1）表示“充满活力的；有力量的；精力旺盛的”，英文解释为“very forceful or energetic”如：a vigorous debate 激烈的辩论。

2）表示“健壮的;强壮的”，英文解释为“healthy and strong”举个🌰：Cutting the bush back in the autumn will help promote vigorous growth in the spring. 秋天将灌木丛剪短有利于它在春天茁壮生长。

Most of the missing items were small pieces kept in a storeroom belonging to one of the museum’s collections. None had recently been on public display, and they were kept primarily for academic and research purposes.

大部分丢失物品都是存放在博物馆藏品库里的小物件。近期这些物品都没有公开展出，主要用于学术和研究目的。

George Osborne, the museum’s chair, said: “The trustees of the British Museum were extremely concerned when we learned earlier this year that items of the collection had been stolen.

博物馆理事会主席乔治·奥斯本（George Osborne）表示：“当我们今年早些时候得知馆藏物品被盗时，大英博物馆的理事都感到非常担忧。”

“The trustees have taken decisive action to deal with the situation, working with the team at the museum. We called in the police, imposed emergency measures to increase security, set up an independent review into what happened and lessons to learn, and used all the disciplinary powers available to us to deal with the individual we believe to be responsible.

“理事们迅速采取了行动，联合博物馆团队应对此事。我们报了警，采取了紧急措施加强安保，成立了独立调查团队查明事情原委并吸取教训，同时对涉事责任人也采取了纪律处罚措施。

disciplinary /ˌdɪs.əˈplɪn.ər.i/ 表示“纪律的；惩戒的”，英文解释为“relating to discipline”如：disciplinary measures/action (= punishment) 惩罚措施/行动。

“Our priority is now threefold: first, to recover the stolen items; second, to find out what, if anything, could have been done to stop this; and third, to do whatever it takes, with investment in security and collection records, to make sure this doesn’t happen again.

“我们现在的首要任务有三个：首先，找回被盗物品；其次，找出是否有什么可以预防这种情况的措施；第三，不惜一切代价，加大安保措施和馆藏档案的投资，确保此类事情不再发生。”

threefold /ˈθriː.fəʊld/ 表示“三倍的”，英文解释为“three times as big or as much”如：a threefold increase 三倍的增长，也可以表示“有三部分的”，英文解释为“having three parts”如：a threefold classifcation 三部分的分类法。

“This incident only reinforces the case for the reimagination of the museum we have embarked upon. It’s a sad day for all who love our British Museum, but we’re determined to right the wrongs and use the experience to build a stronger museum.”

“这一事件进一步加强了我们对博物馆进行重新规划的决心。这对于所有热爱大英博物馆的人来说都是悲伤的一天，但我们决心纠正错误，并利用这次经历，建设一个更强大的博物馆。”

1）表示“加强；充实；使更强烈；进一步证实（观点、看法等）”，英文解释为“to make a feeling, an idea, etc. stronger”举个🌰：Such jokes tend to reinforce racial stereotypes. 这样的笑话容易渲染种族偏见。

2）表示“加固；使更结实”，英文解释为“to make a structure or material stronger, especially by adding another material to it”举个🌰：All buildings are now reinforced to withstand earthquakes. 所有建筑现都已加固，以抗地震。

embark on/upon sth 表示“开始，着手做（新的或重要的事情）”，英文解释为“to start something new or important”如：embark on a new journey 开启新征程，举个🌰：We're embarking upon a new project later this year. 今年晚些时候我们会启动一个新项目。

right 作动词，表示“改正，纠正；使恢复正常”，英文解释为“If you right a situation or a mistake, you make it better or correct it.”举个🌰：It's a terrible situation and we should right it as soon as possible. 这种局面太糟糕了，我们应当尽快使其恢复正常。

📍"Right the wrongs"意思是纠正错误或不公正的行为。

Hartwig Fischer, the museum’s director, said: “This is a highly unusual incident. We take the safeguarding of all the items in our care extremely seriously.

博物馆馆长哈特维格·费舍尔（Hartwig Fischer）表示：“这是一起极其不寻常的事件。我们非常重视对我们馆藏所有物品的保护。”

“The museum apologises for what has happened, but we have now brought an end to this – and we are determined to put things right.

“博物馆对于此次发生的事情表示歉意。但现在，我们已对此画上了句号，并决心纠正错误。”

“We have already tightened our security arrangements and we are working alongside outside experts to complete a definitive account of what is missing, damaged and stolen. This will allow us to throw our efforts into the recovery of objects.”

“我们已经加强了安保措施，并与外部专家合作，对丢失、损坏和被盗物品进行彻底清点。这将使我们能够全力以赴找回物品。”

1）表示“最终的，决定性的；不可更改的”，英文解释为“not able to be changed or improved”如：a definitive judgment/ruling 最终的判决；

2）表示“最佳的；最完整可靠的”，英文解释为“considered to be the best of its type”举个🌰：He's written the definitive guide to Thailand. 他写出了最完整可靠的泰国旅游指南。

Boardman said: “The British Museum has been the victim of theft and we are absolutely determined to use our review in order to get to the bottom of what happened, and ensure lessons are learnt. We are working alongside the Metropolitan police in the interest of criminal justice to support any investigations.

博德曼表示：“大英博物馆已成为盗窃案的受害者，我们决心通过调查来弄清到底发生了什么，并从中吸取教训。为确保刑事公正，我们与伦敦警察厅紧密合作，支持所有调查工作。”

“Furthermore, the recovery programme will work to ensure the stolen items are returned to the museum. It will be a painstaking job, involving internal and external experts, but this is an absolute priority – however long it takes – and we are grateful for the help we have already received.”

“此外，追回计划将努力确保被盗物品归还博物馆。这将是一项艰巨的工作，需要内部和外部专家的参与，但无论需要多长时间，这都是绝对优先事项，我们对已得到的帮助表示感谢。”

painstaking /ˈpeɪnzˌteɪ.kɪŋ/ 表示“认真仔细的，精心的，费尽心思的；需细心的；辛苦的；需专注的”，英文解释为“extremely careful and correct, and involving a lot of effort”举个🌰：It took months of painstaking research to write the book. 这本书是经过好几个月的苦心研究才写出来的。

The museum said it would not comment further while the police investigated.

博物馆表示，在警方调查期间不会再发表任何评论。

A spokesperson for the Met said: “We have been working alongside the British Museum. “There is currently an ongoing investigation – there is no arrest and inquiries continue. We will not be providing any further information at this time.”

伦敦警察厅一名发言人表示：“我们一直在与大英博物馆合作。目前正在进行调查，尚未逮捕任何人，调查仍在继续。目前我们无法提供进一步的信息。”

It is understood that the museum hopes the review of security will be completed by the end of the year.

据了解，博物馆希望安全审查能在年底前完成。

Items that have gone missing from the museum in previous years include a number of coins and medals taken in the 1970s, and Roman coins stolen in a 1993 break-in.

博物馆前些年丢失的物品包括20世纪70年代丢失了一些硬币和奖章，以及1993年入室盗窃中被盗的罗马硬币。

break /breɪk/ 表示“闯入，破门而入;（尤指）入室盗窃”，英文解释为“an occasion when a building is entered illegally by a criminal or criminals, usually by damaging a window or door, especially in order to steal something”

In 2002, the museum reviewed security after a 2,500-year-old, 12cm-high Greek statue was stolen by a member of the public. Two years later, Chinese jewellery went missing.

2002年，一名公众盗窃了一尊有2500年历史、高12厘米的希腊雕像后，博物馆对安保措施进行了审查。两年后，一些中国珠宝丢失。

In 2017, it was revealed a £750,000 Cartier diamond ring from the heritage asset collection had been reported absent in 2011.

2017年博物馆披露，一枚价值75万英镑的卡地亚钻戒在2011年丢失。

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