THE Little Mermaid, the biggest attraction at the Denmark Pavilion and a star exhibit at Expo 2010, will begin its journey back home by aircraft this week after completing its first trip overseas.

The sculpture will return to her perch in Copenhagen Harbor by the end of November, where a welcome home party will be held.

The Denmark Pavilion has received more than 5.55 million visitors over the past six months, equal to the country's population.

The pavilion reached its original goal of 3 million visitors half way through the Expo and celebrated" target="_blank" title="a.著名的">celebrated the 97th anniversary of the Little Mermaid on August 23.

Girls of all ages were invited to jump into the pool around the statue to celebrate the anniversary, a tradition in Denmark. On the same day in Copenhagen, residents posed on the stone where the Little Mermaid sat before its journey to Shanghai.

A big screen has been installed at Copenhagen Harbor since the Little Mermaid's departure. It broadcasts footage of the sculpture in Shanghai.

The Danish government approved the Little Mermaid's trip to Shanghai after a debate.

"It's a positive thing that she will represent Denmark at the World Expo," commissioner-general of the Denmark Pavilion Christopher Bramsen was quoted as saying at the time.

The Little Mermaid statue, one of Denmark's top touristattractions, was created by sculptor Edvard Eriksen and placed in central Copenhagen on August 23, 1913.

• exhibit [ig´zibit] vt.展出 n.展览品 (初中英语单词)
• welcome [´welkəm] a.受欢迎的；可喜的 (初中英语单词)
• celebrated [´selibreitid] a.著名的 (初中英语单词)
• statue [´stætʃu:] n.塑像，雕像 (初中英语单词)
• celebrate [´selibreit] vt.庆祝；表扬；赞美 (初中英语单词)
• tradition [trə´diʃən] n.传统；惯例；传说 (初中英语单词)
• screen [skri:n] n.银幕 vt.遮蔽 (初中英语单词)
• departure [di´pɑ:tʃə] n.离开，出发 (初中英语单词)
• debate [di´beit] n.&v.讨论，辩论 (初中英语单词)
• attraction [ə´trækʃən] n.吸引(力)；引力 (高中英语单词)
• denmark [´denmɑ:k] n.丹麦 (高中英语单词)
• pavilion [pə´viljən] n.大帐篷；亭子 (高中英语单词)
• sculpture [´skʌlptʃə] n.雕塑(品)；雕刻(术) (高中英语单词)
• positive [´pɔzətiv] a.确定的 (高中英语单词)
• saying [´seiŋ, ´sei-iŋ] n.言语；言论；格言 (高中英语单词)
• tourist [´tuərist] n.游客，观光者 (高中英语单词)
• anniversary [,æni´və:səri] n.周年纪念(日) (英语四级单词)
• danish [´deiniʃ] a.&n.丹麦人(语)(的) (英语四级单词)
• sculptor [´skʌlptə] n.雕刻家，雕刻家 (英语四级单词)
• overseas [,əuvə´si:z] ad.(向)海外 a.海外的 (英语六级单词)
• august [ɔ:´gʌst] a.尊严的；威严的 (英语六级单词)