TextB  Disney Empire

Walt Disneywas born on December 5, 1901 in Chicago Illinois. He had very early interestsin art. As a young artist, Walt Disney often worked late in this studio. Onenight he heard some mice in his wastebasket. He captured them and kept them insmall cages on his desk. One of these little creatures became his particularfriend and gave him the idea for the famous cartoon character Mickey Mouse.

Ever sinceMickey Mouse first appeared on screen in 1928, Disney has been a namesynonymous with family entertainment. Then it was followed by Donald Duck,Pluto the dog, the Three Little Pigs, and then the Seven Dwarfs and Snow White.Every one of these Disney characters has brought great amusement and laughterto children and adults alike. Walt founded his empire on his popular cartooncharacters.

In 1995 WaltDisney decided to try his hand at a new venture. Unhappy with the style of funparks he would often visit with his daughters he set out to create a new styleof “theme park” where the whole family could enjoy attractions together. In theprocess he transformed the face of the leisure industry forever.

His firstcreation utilized his unique imagination creating a series of areas whichincluded rides, shows and attractions based around a given theme. He needed spaceto build rivers, waterfalls, and mountains; he would have flying elephants andgiant teacups; a fairy-tale castle, moon rockets, and a scenic railway; allinside a magic kingdom he Called “Disneyland”. At a cost of over one milliondollars and taking one year to construct, Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom opened itsgates in 1955 in Anaheim, California and soon become the most popular tourist attraction in America.

The design ofDisneyland was something never done before. There would be five uniquelydifferent lands.

Walt hadplanned out all the lands to every detail. Main Street, U.S.A., the very front of the park, was where Waltwanted to relive the typical turn of the century city Main Street. For those of us who remember thecarefree time it recreates, Main Street will bring back happy memories. For younger visitors, it isan adventure in turning back the calendar to the days ofgrandfather’s youth. Main street offer leisurely pleasure seasoned withnostalgia(怀旧之情), thesimpler, more careful way of life of days gone by.

Walt also had planned for an “exotictropical place” in a “far-off region of the world” calledAdventureland. Travel down the perilous water ways of Africa, Asia and theAmazon on the Jungle Cruise. Climb to the tip-top of the spreading Swiss FamilyTreehouse. In this exotic realm(领域) of beastsand blossoms, the stay-at-home dreamer meets adventure head-on.

Frontierlandwas made to relive the pioneer days of the American frontier. It is a riverboattown, a cavalry(骑兵) fort, aMississippi sternwheeler, a keelboat cruise and a dance hall revue. It is thespecial playground of Tom Sawyer Island and the majestic three-masted merchantship Columbia.

Fantasylandwas created with the goal to “make dreams come true”. Cross the drawbridge ofSleeping Beauty Castle into a magic realm and take part in adventures thatbefell Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and so many other Disney favorites.Fantasyland brings to life the vivid screen for the young and for the young atheart.

Tomorrowlandwas created as a look at the “marvels of the future:” The Tomorrowlandattractions have been designed to give you an opportunity to participate inadventures that are a living blueprint of our future.

Those were thefive original themed lands of Disneyland. As Walt Disney said that Disneylandwould never be completed and it would continue to grow as long as there isimagination left in the world. Disneyland gradually added more amusementfacilities later. Now, in addition to those five themed lands, you also canvisit other three themed lands, New Orleans Square, Critter(家畜，动物) Country, andToontown, and another theme park-Disney's California Adventure.

New OrleansSquare is designed to create the feel of the French Quarter(法国区) during thebirth period of jazz. You can experience a variety of southern and Cajun foodshere as well as shop at some of the finer stores in the park. Critter Countrythat is a land of “critters,” or small animals, is inspired by the Disney film“Song of the South”. Toontown is a town bursting with color and cartoon verve.There's a zany(滑稽的), uproarious(骚动的) downtown, aloony(愚蠢的) town square,and a suburban neighborhood where Disney characters live, work, and play.

Disney'sCalifornia Adventure (opening February 8, 2001) is located on adjacent to theoriginal Disneyland Park. The park's theme is based on celebrating the fun,diversity and pioneering spirit of the Golden State and will feature threethemed lands: Paradise Pier----the ultimate California boardwalk amusementzone, Hollywood Pictures Backlot(外景场地) bringingmovie business magic to life, the Golden State—inspired by the innovativespirit of California's beauty and people.

Some yearslater Walt turned his attention to a new project. This time was on Americaneast coast. Here in Florida Walt not only had plans for a new Magic Kingdomsimilar in design to the California park but for more ambitious ideas thatincluded an area called E. P. C. O. T. (an Experimental PrototypeCommunity of Tomorrow.) Sadly Walt passed away in 1966 before the new projectopened but his brother Roy continued his work opening “Walt Disney Worlds”Magic Kingdom in 1971.

The MagicKingdom has gone on to become arguably the most beloved theme park in Florida,continuing to closely resemble Disneyland in California. There are differences,but the resemblance remains strong. The items that remain identical between thetwo parks are the spirit, showmanship and true vision that define the Disneytheme park brand name. (973 words )

 

Exercises:

A. Readthe passage and answer the following questions.

1. How did Walt Disney get the idea forthe cartoon character Mickey Mouse?

2. What are the six popular Disneycartoon characters?

3. Why did Walt Disney want to create anew style of “theme park”?

4. What amusement facilities doesDisneyland’s Magic Kingdom always have?

5. What are the five uniquely lands ofDisneyland?

6. What are the other three themed landof Disneyland?

7. When did Disney’s CaliforniaAdventure open and what themed lands did it have?

8. What are the identical items betweenthe Disneyland in California and the Disneyland in Florida?

 

B.Translate the following sentences into Chinese.

1.Ever since Mickey Mouse first appeared on screen in 1928, Disney has been aname synonymous with family entertainment. Then it was followed by Donald Duck,Pluto the dog, the Three Little Pigs, and then the Seven Dwarfs and Snow White.

2. Unhappy with the style of fun parkshe would often visit with his daughters he set out to create a new style of“theme park” where the whole family could enjoy attractions together.

3. Ata cost of over one million dollars and taking one year to construct,Disneyland’s Magic Kingdom opened its gates in 1955 in Anaheim, California andsoon become the most popular tourist attractionin America.

4.Cross the drawbridge of Sleeping Beauty Castle into a magic realm and take partin adventures that befell Snow White, Pinocchio, Peter Pan and so many otherDisney favorites.

5. AsWalt Disney said that Disneyland would never be completed and it would continueto grow as long as there is imagination left in the world. Disneyland graduallyadded more amusement facilities later.