The Whole Ancient World in One Place 古今珍寶一把抓 —— 什麼都有的大英博物館 For more than 250 years, the British Museum has held the ancient world's greatest treasures. 兩百五十多年以來，大英博物館已收藏了許多古老的世界珍寶。
The British Museum is home to one of the world's largest collections of historical artifacts▼. It has objects from all around the world and covers thousands of years of human history. What's even more amazing is that the museum began as just one man's personal collection, which he wanted to share with the public free of charge. In 1753, Sir Hans Sloane gave his collection of artifacts to the nation. This may not sound like much, but Sloane had succeeded in collecting over 71,000 items in his lifetime. His collection included tens of thousands of books, which would later become the basis of the British Library. It also included thousands of historical pieces like paintings, statues, and things from the natural world. Six years after his death, Sloane's huge personal treasure led to the creation of the British Museum, which officially opened in 1759. Since its founding, the British Museum has kept growing. Throughout the British Empire, sailors and soldiers brought more cultural treasures back to the British Museum, which now includes over eight million different pieces. In addition, all of the museum's regular collections are still free to the millions of people who visit every year, just like Sloane would have wanted.
ancient a. 古代的 This ancient Greek artifact is extremely valuable. 這件希臘古物價值連城。
collection n. 一批（東西）；收藏品 Bill showed us a very fine collection of old coins. 比爾向我們展示了一批非常珍貴的古錢收藏。
personal a. 私人的，個人的 When getting off the train, don't forget to take your personal belongings with you. 下火車時，別忘了將您的個人物品帶下車。
charge n. & vi. 索費 The repairman charged me NT$500 for fixing the television. 維修人員向我索取新台幣五百元的電視修理費。 *repairman n. 維修人員；修理工
succeed vi. 順利完成；成功 Jerry succeeded in borrowing his father's car. 傑瑞順利借到他父親的車。
basis n. 根基；基礎 Kevin's theory has no scientific basis. 凱文的理論沒有科學上的根基。
found vt. 建立；創辦 The United Nations was founded in 1945. 聯合國創立於西元 1945 年。
regular a. 一般的；定期的 Tommy looks like a regular guy, but in fact, he is a billionaire. 湯米看起來像普通人，但事實上他是個億萬富豪。 *billionaire n. 億萬富翁
▼artifact n. 歷史文物，古物，手工藝品
free 的相關片語 本文 "... share with the public free of charge" 中的 free of charge 表『不收費』。 be free of sth 可表『不含／沒有……的；不受……之苦的』。free 做為『免費』的意思時，還有一個十分常用，與中文用法也非常相似的諺語 "There's no such thing as a free lunch." 意思就是『天下沒有白吃的午餐。』例：
The surgery went well, and the patient is now free of cancer. （手術很成功，病人現在已不用再承受癌症之苦了。）
A: Bruce wants me to introduce him to one of my female friends. That's why he has been so nice to me recently. B: I knew it! There's no such thing as a free lunch. （甲：布魯斯想要我介紹我的一位女性朋友給他認識。難怪他最近對我這麼好。） （乙：我就知道！天下沒有白吃的午餐啊。）
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