Lesson?6-2 The sporting spirit
On the village green, where you pick up sides and no feeling of local patriotism is involved, it is possible to play simply for the fun and exercise: but as soon as the question of prestige arises, as soon as you feel that you and some larger unit will be disgraced if you lose, the most savage combative instincts are aroused. Anyone who has played even in a school football match knows this. At the international level, sport is frankly mimic warfare. But the significant thing is not the behavior of the players but the attitude of the spectators: and, behind the spectators, of the nations who work themselves into furies over these absurd contests, and seriously believe --- at any rate for short periods --- that running, jumping and kicking a ball are tests of national virtue.
patriotism?/?pe?tri?t?z?m/?愛國主義;愛國精神
pick up? 隨意挑選
prestige?/pre?sti??/?威信;聲望;威望
disgrace??/d?s?ɡre?s/??丟臉;恥辱;不光彩
savage?/?s?v?d?/ 野性的淌铐，兇惡的;兇殘的;損害嚴(yán)重的;
combative?/k?m?b?t?v/?好戰(zhàn)的;好斗的;
instinct?/??nst??kt/ 本能;天性;
frankly?/?fr??kli/?坦白地說;坦率地;
mimic warfare?/?m?m?k ?w??rfer/??模擬戰(zhàn)爭(zhēng)
significant?/s?ɡ?n?f?k?nt/??重要的, 有重大意義的;
behaviour??/b??he?vj?r/??行為;舉止;
spectator??/?spekte?t?r/?觀看者，觀眾;旁觀者禽捆，目擊者
fury?/?fj?ri/?狂怒;暴怒;狂暴? ? ? ? ?fury over? 對(duì)晚胡。醋虏。席吴。極端憤怒
absurd?/?b?s??rd/?荒謬的;荒唐的;
virtue?/?v??rt?u?/? ?美德
