365个英语简短小故事-197. Man Invents Toilet for Cars

“People have been traveling by car for 100 years. My invention is long overdue¹. Who hasn’t had an emergency while traveling? Sometimes you’re miles from the nearest gas station or McDonald’s. Everyone knows that when you gotta go, you gotta go,” said Phil Bole.

Phil has invented a chemical toilet for vehicles. One size fits all (vehicles and people). It is made from recycled materials. It never smells bad, he claims. Between uses, it can be stored in the trunk. When the toilet is full, an adult or child can compress it into the size of a bowling² ball. The waste matter in the toilet is continuously being absorbed by chemicals and bacteria. Eventually, all the waste matter turns into a pile of dry crumbs³.The toilet can be dropped into any trash can at any time.

Phil tested his invention while on a two-week vacation with his wife and four young kids. He said that the kids loved it. His wife didn’t.

“Nothing on Earth could make me use that disgusting thing!” she told him. He pleaded⁴ with her, saying that he had invented the toilet primarily for women and kids. He needed a woman’s blessing⁵ so the toilet would sell. “No woman would ever use this thing!” she responded.

“My wife’s sort of a prude,” Phil said one day to Bret, his mechanic. After much thought, Phil finally figured out how to make his wife love his invention: he made a pink toilet covered with yellow flowers. “What more could a woman want?” he asked while showing it to Bret. Bret said it was a beautiful and a practical gift. And since his wife's birthday was the following week, Bret ordered a toilet. "Your wife will remember this birthday forever!" Phil promised Bret.

 

1 overdue   

adj.过期的，到期未付的；早该有的，迟到的

参考例句：

• The plane is overdue and has been delayed by the bad weather.飞机晚点了，被坏天气耽搁了。
• The landlady is angry because the rent is overdue.女房东生气了，因为房租过期未付。

2 bowling   

n.保龄球运动

参考例句：

• Bowling is a popular sport with young and old.保龄球是老少都爱的运动。
• Which sport do you 1ike most,golf or bowling?你最喜欢什么运动，高尔夫还是保龄球？

3 crumbs   

int. (表示惊讶)哎呀 n. 碎屑 名词crumb的复数形式

参考例句：

• She stood up and brushed the crumbs from her sweater. 她站起身掸掉了毛衣上的面包屑。
• Oh crumbs! Is that the time? 啊，天哪！都这会儿啦？

4 pleaded   

恳求，请求( plead的过去式和过去分词 )； 提出…为借口[理由]； （向法庭）陈述案情； （在法庭）申辩，认罪，辩护

参考例句：

• She pleaded with him not to go. 她恳求他不要离开。
• She wept and pleaded until he agreed to do as she wished. 她哭着恳求他，一直到他答应按她的愿望去做。

5 blessing   

n.祈神赐福；祷告；祝福，祝愿

参考例句：

• The blessing was said in Hebrew.祷告用了希伯来语。
• A double blessing has descended upon the house.双喜临门。