英国公共厕所数量有所下降
UK public toilets are less common

每个国家都会在车站、机场等公共场所设置厕所，以方便人们使用。然而，据最近公布的数据表明，在英国，去公共厕所 “方便” 这件事正变得越来越难，这是因为英国政府已经停止维护多处公厕。听音频，跟《随身英语》学习多种表示 “上厕所” 的委婉说法。

When you've got to go, you've got to go. At least that's the old saying! It refers to the often inconvenient need for a person to visit the toilet. It can happen to us all. There you are, out and about - when suddenly your bladder informs you that you need to spend a penny. The logical thing to do is tie a knot in it until you get to your destination, but what if you're busting? That's when you head straight to the nearest public lavatory. But in the UK, that might prove tough.

Public loos in the UK appear to be going down the toilet. At least 673 public restrooms across the UK have not been maintained by their councils since 2010, according to figures obtained by the BBC under the Freedom of Information Act. That means there are 13% fewer places where a person can have a tinkle. Why is this?

It's a combination of two factors. Councils in the UK are facing enormous pressure to reduce spending. By 2020, they will have experienced a 54% reduction in funding from central government, according to the UK's Local Government Association. Secondly, there is no legal requirement for a local authority to provide a location to relieve yourself. As a result, toilet upkeep often gets 'flushed' to save money. Many councils have handed over the running of some toilets to parish councils, private companies or community groups.

Councils have a 'moral responsibility' to provide access to public toilets, Raymond Martin of the British Toilet Association told the BBC. And it would seem that they know it, too. Despite closures, many councils have backed schemes to allow the public to use private business facilities to do their business. The City of London has run a community toilet scheme since 2012, giving the public free access to their toilets during trading hours, and Derry City and Strabane District Council's Community Toilet Scheme offers businesses in their remit a financial incentive to allow the public to powder their noses. In addition, Network Rail, owner and operator of the railway infrastructure in Britain, has plans in the pipeline to scrap entry fees at all of its station toilets from 2019.

So it seems all hope is not lost. Despite the fact that council-run public toilet numbers are down, there are alternatives available. Rather than having to cross your legs, look around. You can always find somewhere that will let you polish the porcelain.

词汇表

go 上厕所（口语）
toilet 卫生间
bladder 膀胱
spend a penny 去卫生间方便一下
tie a knot in it 忍着（口语）
busting 急着想上厕所
public lavatory 公共卫生间
loo 厕所（口语）
go down the toilet 打水漂，毁了（此处是双关用法）
restroom 公共洗手间
have a tinkle 小便（儿童用语）
relieve yourself 解手（礼貌说法）
flush 付诸东流，抛弃
do your business 这里指上厕所
powder your nose 如厕（委婉说法）
in the pipeline 在酝酿中，在筹备中
cross your legs （因憋着想上厕所而）交叉双腿
polish the porcelain 上厕所

测验与练习

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How many public toilets haven't been looked after since 2010?

2. True or false: All toilet closures across the country have been the same. 

3. What does Raymond Martin say about UK councils' responsibility to provide toilets?

4. How much will Network Rail charge for the public to use their toilets from 2019?

5. Which word in the text means 'the area an organisation has authority over'?

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. I'm sorry, sweetie. There aren't any toilets near here. You'll have to ______.

go       spend a penny       tie a knot in it       relieve yourself

2. Excuse me, I'm not a customer, but could I please use your ______?

public lavatory       porcelain       loo       pipeline

3. Urine is produced by the kidneys and stored in the ______.

bladder       toilet       loo       legs

4. The new business development is ______ and expected to be finished soon.

spend a penny       down the toilet       powder your nose       in the pipeline

5. Before we go can I just nip to the loo? I need to ______.

spend a penny       relieve yourself       power my nose       poke the porcelain

答案

1. 阅读课文并回答问题。

1. How many public toilets haven't been looked after since 2010?
At least 673 public restrooms across the UK have not been maintained by their councils since 2010.

2. True or false: All toilet closures across the country have been the same.
False. There are regional variations in closures.

3. What does Raymond Martin say about UK councils' responsibility to provide toilets?
Raymond Martin says that councils have a "moral responsibility" to provide access to public toilets.

4. How much will Network Rail charge for the public to use their toilets from 2019?
Nothing. Toilets will be free to use.

5. Which word in the text means 'the area an organisation has authority over'?
Remit. Derry City and Strabane District Council's Community Toilet Scheme offers businesses in their remit a financial incentive to allow the public to powder their noses.

2. 请在不参考课文的情况下完成下列练习。选择一个意思合适的单词填入句子的空格处。

1. I'm sorry, sweetie. There aren't any toilets near here. You'll have to tie a knot in it.

2. Excuse me, I'm not a customer, but could I please use your loo?

3. Urine is produced by the kidneys and stored in the bladder.

4. The new business development is in the pipeline and expected to be finished soon.

5. Before we go can I just nip to the loo? I need to spend a penny.