2006年VOA标准英语-Manhole Covers Become Art

By Deepak Dobhal and Amy Katz
New York City
09 March 2006
 
watch Manhole Art report

 
This manhole cover houses a water valve in a U.S. street 
  
The utilitarian¹ manhole cover is getting a lot of attention in the U.S. these days. India is the world's leading manufacturer of manhole covers -- many of which make their way to the U.S.  As Amy Katz reports, in this story produced by Deepak Bobhal of VOA's Hindi Service, they now are being turned into usable art.

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On the busy streets of New York City people rush from place to place without even noticing them.  But the 50 kilogram round plates that prevent people from falling into the city's manholes actually bear very intricate designs. Though their function is to cover the holes in streets through which sewers², drains and other structures are reached; manhole covers have long been admired for their beauty.  Now designers are turning them into usable art, which people are paying a lot of money to own.  

Michael Miller³   
  
Michael Miller is one such artist.  He is turning manhole covers into tables. "When I get reaction from people who have bought them or who want one, they are very enthusiastic about it."

Manhole covers are also gaining popularity as lamps.  Michele Brody dreamed up the idea as she walked around New York City. "The manhole covers there just have some very wonderful unique patterns and designs.  And when they are lit from behind, they have a wonderful glowing effect because I use this soft white light."

 
Michele Brody 
  
Buyers agree -- paying $450 a piece for her creations. But Michele Brody says she may be willing to drop her prices to make her manhole cover art more accessible and affordable⁴. 

She loves manhole covers so much; she even got involved in a public works project -- designing a series of manhole covers to commemorate⁵ some of New York City's history.

1 utilitarian   

adj.实用的，功利的

参考例句：

• On the utilitarian side American education has outstridden the rest of the world.在实用方面美国教育已超越世界各国。
• A good cloth coat is more utilitarian than a fur one.一件优质的布外衣要比一件毛皮外衣更有用。

2 sewers   

n.阴沟，污水管，下水道( sewer的名词复数 )

参考例句：

• The sewers discharge out at sea. 下水道的污水排入海里。 来自《现代汉英综合大词典》
• Another municipal waste problem is street runoff into storm sewers. 有关都市废水的另外一个问题是进入雨水沟的街道雨水。 来自英汉非文学 - 环境法 - 环境法

3 miller   

n.磨坊主

参考例句：

• Every miller draws water to his own mill.磨坊主都往自己磨里注水。
• The skilful miller killed millions of lions with his ski.技术娴熟的磨坊主用雪橇杀死了上百万头狮子。

4 affordable   

adj.支付得起的，不太昂贵的

参考例句：

• The rent for the four-roomed house is affordable.四居室房屋的房租付得起。
• There are few affordable apartments in big cities.在大城市中没有几所公寓是便宜的。

5 commemorate   

vt.纪念，庆祝

参考例句：

• This building was built to commemorate the Fire of London.这栋大楼是为纪念“伦敦大火”而兴建的。
• We commemorate the founding of our nation with a public holiday.我们放假一日以庆祝国庆。