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Dollhouses: Miniature Marvels 娃娃屋：袖珍世界巧玲珑

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Peering into the rooms and marveling at the exquisite detail of the furniture, you feel as if you were a giant. Everything in the house appears so realistic, apart from the fact that almost every item could comfortably fit in the palm of your hand. For the past century or so, dollhouses have mainly been viewed as children’s playthings. However, their appeal to adults has a much longer and richer history.

从窗口窥视那一间间房间，里头那些连细节都是精巧的家具令你惊叹不已，此时你觉得自己好像是一个巨人。屋里的每样东西看起来都如此逼真，但实际上几乎每一件物品都只有掌心般大心而已。过去约一百年来，娃娃屋主要被视为孩童的玩具。但其实成人对娃娃屋的迷恋背后有着更多悠久的历史。

The earliest examples of dollhouses date back around 5,000 years, from ancient Egyptian tombs. Featuring miniature versions of servants and livestock, these wooden models were likely created for religious purpose rather than simply as a hobby. The trend for owning dollhouses caught on in Europe during the late 17th century, although only the wealthy could afford them. Germany was the center of production, with many of the finest craftsmen and a number of companies that specialized in miniatures. Originally, dollhouses were called “baby houses,” but this certainly didn’t mean they were meant for children. On the contrary, children were generally not trusted to go near them, for fear of damaging the delicate furnishings.

最早的娃娃屋模型出现在约五千年前古埃及人的陵墓里。屋里有迷你版的仆人和家畜，制作这些木制玩偶很可能是为了宗教因素，而非单纯为了嗜好。17世纪末期，收藏娃娃屋在欧洲成为一种时尚，不过也只有富裕人家才买得起。当时德国是制作娃娃屋的重镇，许多最优秀的工匠和几家专门制作袖珍模型的公司都聚集在该地。起初，娃娃屋被称为「婴儿屋」，但这可不代表它们是给孩子玩的。相反地，大人通常不敢让小孩子靠近它们，深怕他们把里头精美易碎的家饰弄坏。

Arguably the most famous of all existing dollhouses is Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House, which is displayed in Windsor Castle in England. It was created in the 1920s for Queen Mary, the wife of King George V. One of the most respected architects of the time was enlisted for its construction, as well as a number of top artists and craftsmen. Their expert handiwork is evident in the amazing attention to detail in the house, right down to a flushable toilet, fully functioning light fixtures, and tiny wine bottles containing real wine! Besides their aesthetic appeal, dollhouses like this one also serve a valuable purpose as three-dimensional records of past lifestyles, a merit that is not to be toyed with!

在所有仅存的娃娃屋中，玛丽皇后的娃娃屋堪称是最有名的代表，目前陈列于英国的温莎古堡中供人参观。这幢娃娃屋是于1920年代为了英皇乔治五世的正室玛丽皇后而建造的，当时最负盛名的建筑师应诏负责其建设，更有多名顶尖的艺术家与工匠共襄盛举。他们专业的手艺充分表现在房子的超威细节里，连马桶都可以冲水，灯也能通电，还有小酒瓶里也装了真的酒！除了美轮美奂的外观十分吸引人外，这样的娃娃屋还代表着一个重要意义：它是昔日生活的立体纪录：个中价值可就不是儿戏了。

−by David Vickers

Vocabulary

单词发音

miniature [ˋmɪnɪətʃɚ] n. 微型复制品

marvel [ˋmɑrv!] v. 感到惊讶；感到好奇[（+at）]

detail [ˋditel] n. 细节

fit [fɪt] v. 适合放置(于)

appeal [əˋpil] n. 吸引力

livestock [ˋlaɪv͵stɑk] n. 牲畜﹐家畜

trend [trɛnd] n. 趋势，倾向

catch on 流行 to become popular

specialize [ˋspɛʃəl͵aɪz] v. 专攻；专门从事[（+in）]

be meant for 预定作某种用途

on the contrary 恰恰相反 to the opposite effect from what has been stated or what is expected

delicate [ˋdɛləkət] adj. 易碎的；娇贵的

arguably [ˋɑrgjʊəblɪ] adv. 可以说是

merit [ˋmɛrɪt] n. 价值; 长处; 优点

toy with 玩弄  to think about something but not seriously

More Information

单词发音

peer [pɪr] v. 凝视，盯着看[Q][（+at/into）]

exquisite [ˋɛkskwɪzɪt] adj. 精致的；制作精良的

apart from 除...外  with the exception of; besides

dollhouse [ˋdɑl͵haʊs] n. 玩具屋

plaything [ˋple͵θɪŋ] n. 供玩耍的东西；玩具

craftsman [ˋkræftsmən] n. 工匠；技工

furnishing [ˋfɝnɪʃɪŋ] n.（常用复）家具

enlist [ɪnˋlɪst] v. 征募

handiwork [ˋhændɪ͵wɝk] n. 手工，手工艺

flushable [flʌʃəb!] adj. 可（以水）冲刷的

fixture [ˋfɪkstʃɚ] n.（房屋等的）固定装置，配件，设备

aesthetic [ɛsˋθɛtɪk] adj. 美的；艺术的

Reading Questions

1. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about dollhouses?

A. Dollhouses in ancient Egypt were not made for playing with.

B. The earliest European dollhouses were very expensive.

C. German people collected the most dollhouses.

D. For most of their history, dollhouses have been for adults.

2. What do we know about Queen Mary’s Dolls’ House?

A. It’s more than one hundred years old.

B. It is no longer on show to the public.

C. King George V helped to design it.

D. It has water pipes and electricity.

3. What would be another suitable title for the passage?

A. Dollhouses: The Pride of England

B. Dollhouses: Through the Ages

C. The Little House Fit for a Queen

D. A Guide for Dollhouse Collectors

Queen Mary's Dolls' House in detail

The Queen's Palaces - Windsor Castle - 1 of 2

The Queen's Palaces - Windsor Castle - 2 of 2

 Answer