常春藤生活英語：Everyday Things 原來如此！

Everyday Things　原來如此!

London had a big problem during the hot and humid summer of 1858. The River Thames had become seriously polluted because of the recent invention of flush toilets. These were much better than the traditional holes in the ground, but now the city had to dump a lot more waste into the river. This led to a horrible smell that floated in the air all around London. People even soaked their curtains in bleach to try to reduce the odor. Soon, this problem was nicknamed The Great Stink.

Heavy rain finally saved the day and rid London of its smell. British politicians soon passed a law that funded the building of sewers all over the country. The toilet is a good example of things that people take for granted which can cause a lot of trouble.

This month, National Geographic Channel dives into The Toilet on Everyday Things. The show goes behind one of the most important and overlooked inventions of all time. Toilets are significant because no matter who you are, what you do, how much money you have, or where you live, everyone still has to use the bathroom.

1858那年炎熱潮濕的夏季，倫敦市碰上了很大的問題。泰晤士河的污染變得更為嚴重，因為沖水馬桶剛剛發(fā)明。它們雖然比傳統(tǒng)的在地上挖個洞要方便太多，但現(xiàn)在整座城市得往河中倒進更多污物。這樣的狀況使得倫敦市的空氣中到處彌漫著臭味。民眾甚至將窗簾用漂白水泡過，試著減少怪味。這個問題很快就被戲稱為『大惡臭』。

滂沱大雨挽救了局面，讓倫敦免于臭氣熏天。英國的政治人物很快就通過法律，在全國出資興建污水道。人們將許多可能會引起大麻煩的東西視為理所當然，馬桶就是一個好例子。

本月份，國家地理頻道《原來如此!》將看盡《馬桶大小事》。本節(jié)目將一探史上最重要、卻也是最遭人忽視的發(fā)明之一。馬桶非常重要，因為不論您是誰、從事哪一行、有多少錢、住在哪里，每個人都得要上廁所。

Building Your Vocabulary

1.horrible　a. 糟糕的;可怕的

The accident left a horrible scar on my back.

這場意外在我背上留下一道可怕的傷痕。

2.fund　vt. 資助，為……提供資金

The project was funded by the government.

這項計劃是由政府出資進行。

3.overlook　vt. 忽視(本文以過去分詞作形容詞用)

It is easy to overlook a small detail like that.

像那樣的細支末節(jié)很容易受到忽略。

4.significant　a. 重要的，重大的

The computer is one of the most significant inventions of the 20th century.

計算機是二十世紀最重要的發(fā)明之一。

Phrases for Learning

1.dump + 物 + into...　　將某物倒入……

Mom dumped the leftovers into the trash can.

媽媽將廚余丟進垃圾桶里。

2.take...for granted　　將……視為理所當然

People often take their friends for granted.

人們常常視其朋友為當然。

參考字詞

1.flush toilet　n. 沖水馬桶

2.waste　　n. 排泄物;廢棄物

3.bleach　n. 漂白水，漂白劑

4.odor　n. 臭味

5.stink　n. 惡臭

6.sewer　n. 污水管，下水道

Tips In Use

...because of the recent invention of flush toilets...

(……因為沖水馬桶剛剛發(fā)明。)

because of 與 because 均表『因為，由于』，但使用上有所不同。

1."because of..."為一詞組，其后須接名詞。

Many houses collapsed because of the earthquake.

(許多房屋因地震而倒塌。)

2.because 為連接詞，須連接完整的兩句。

Many houses collapsed because there was an earthquake.

Enjoy Box

馬桶』名稱的由來

相信許多人一定會納悶，明明是人坐的桶，為什么要叫『馬桶』呢?這個問題可由中國歷朝的皇帝說起：據(jù)《左傳》記載，魏晉南北朝時的晉景公在品嘗新麥之后覺得腹脹，上完廁所后卻不慎跌進糞坑而死，暴露出當時宮廁的簡陋。

漢高祖劉邦也稱一絕。某次他在群臣面前內(nèi)急，為了節(jié)省時間來開會，竟然要一個文官把帽子遞給他。他轉(zhuǎn)過身去，不一會兒，半帽子『龍尿』就呈現(xiàn)在眾人面前了。

或許是受了漢高祖用大臣帽子撒尿的啟發(fā)，后世的皇帝們多半不再上廁所，而使用便壺來解決問題?！段骶╇s記》說，漢朝宮廷用瑰玉做成『虎子』，以備皇上隨時方便支用。相傳西漢時飛將軍李廣因射死臥虎，故請人鑄成虎形的銅質(zhì)便器，表示對猛虎的蔑視，這就是『虎子』得名的由來。到了唐朝之時，因為皇族中有先人名為『李虎』，便將『虎子』這個大不敬的名稱改叫『獸子』或『馬子』，之后就逐漸演變成『馬桶』。