The Duet Tape

　　Among the contents of the toolboxes of most people in the western world you would expect to find a hammer and nails, a drill, screwdrivers(螺丝起子) and some screws. But if you were to ask people from North America what the most useful item in their toolboxes was, the majority of people would undoubtedly tell you that it was duct(输送管) tape. Indeed, it has become an indispensable addition to every person’s perception of what constitutes necessity.

　　Maybe you have never heard of duct tape. It is the brand name of a tape. Not only is it a tape, but also it is a special kind of tape.

　　The name of the tape comes from the fact that it was designed as an insulating(绝缘的) tape that can be used in duct work (channels or conduits[导管] that are used for heat to travel through to get to different areas of a building). Incredible though it seems, someone actually put a picture of a duck on the packaging of the tape from one manufacturer perhaps just as a joke or maybe because the design artist did not understand the origin of the name. Neither the word duck nor duct was on the label. Presumably, it was assumed that everyone could identify the product.

　　You can recognize the genuine tape because of its silver grey color. The color was likely chosen because it closely resembles the color of the pipes the color of the pipes it would be used on. That was the primary intended use of the tape. It was unlikely that the inventor realized how many other uses could be found for this product.

　　Ingenious(善于创造发明的) people have found many alternative uses for this tape. The binder(粘合剂) on the tape is of good quality and it will stick to most surfaces. The tape is of great strength. It is impossible to tear the tape. It must be cut. The durable nature of the tape is one of its main assets(益处,优点).

　　It comes in a variety of widths and the length of the tape on the roll will vary as well. The number of centimeters wide and the number of meters long will determine the price of the roll.

　　The duct tape is acquiring fame as the number of its uses for it exceeds the thoughts possible. The number of uses for this tape will amaze you. One internet Website(环球网的站点) started out trying to identify 101 uses for the duct tape and the list has well over 200 uses on it now. Maybe there are an infinite number of uses. Some of the items it lists involve an imagination but others are quite genuine. Not even a kindergarten student requires instruction on how to use it. One idea seems to generate(产生,引起) another, inspired by the unique way someone else has decided to make use of the tape. However, some of the uses are not feasible to execute. For instance, the use of the tape as a bandage is not recommended. It could cause injury when it is removed. You must evaluate the list with a sense of humor as some of the uses could embarrass a person. The commercial value of the tape is undoubtedly tremendous with huge profits resulting from the sales. The product practically promotes itself without much need for publicity.