VOA慢速英语--纽约博物馆展示黄金马桶

AS IT IS 2016-09-17 Gold Toilet Revealed at NYC Museum 纽约博物馆展示黄金马桶

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If you have ever wanted to use a toilet made of pure gold, now is your chance.

New York’s famous Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum has set up a working, 18-carat gold toilet in one of its washrooms. The device, like a piece of art, even has a name. It is called “America."

Museum visitors are invited to use the golden toilet, when the need arises. The toilet is the creation of Italian artist Maurizio Cattelan. He reportedly stated that his artwork is about economic inequality.

The Guggenheim museum said the toilet is a "a bold, irreverent work ... ultimately reminding us of the inescapable physical realities of our shared humanity.” It added that the point of the bright, shiny object is to make “available to the public an extravagant¹ luxury product seemingly intended for the 1 percent," or the wealthiest people.

A reporter for The New York Times was able to try out the golden toilet before it was opened to the public on Friday. The reporter said it “looks best when in use, sparkling so much it’s almost too bright to look at.”

The newspaper reported that the arrival of the golden toilet was delayed because it was difficult to set up in the Guggenheim. Private donors² provided money for the project. The toilet’s value has yet to be made public.

This is not the first time a washroom fixture³ has been used as a work of art.

In 1917, French-American artist Marcel Duchamp called a urinal connected to the wall a “Fountain.” The work led to protests in the art community.

Words in This Story

irreverent - adj. having or showing a lack of respect for someone or something that is usually treated with respect

extravagant - adj. more than is usual, necessary, or proper; very expensive and not necessary

urinal - n. a toilet that is attached to a wall especially in a public bathroom for men to use

1 extravagant   

adj.奢侈的；过分的；(言行等)放肆的

参考例句：

• They tried to please him with fulsome compliments and extravagant gifts.他们想用溢美之词和奢华的礼品来取悦他。
• He is extravagant in behaviour.他行为放肆。

2 donors   

n.捐赠者( donor的名词复数 )；献血者；捐血者；器官捐献者

参考例句：

• Please email us to be removed from our active list of blood donors. 假如你想把自己的名字从献血联系人名单中删去，请给我们发电子邮件。
• About half this amount comes from individual donors and bequests. 这笔钱大约有一半来自个人捐赠及遗赠。 来自《简明英汉词典》

3 fixture   

n.固定设备；预定日期；比赛时间；定期存款

参考例句：

• Lighting fixture must be installed at once.必须立即安装照明设备。
• The cordless kettle may now be a fixture in most kitchens.无绳电热水壶现在可能是多数厨房的固定设备。