06 · 体育的精神
The Sporting Spirit
区分观点、依据、例子与限制，用自己的话准确重建论述。
课文精读整篇课文
点选一句，句末即可听读；连起意思，大声读一遍。
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations, and that if only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn't know from concrete examples the 1936 Olympic Games, for instance that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.
Nearly all the sports practised nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win. 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 behaviour 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.
本课原文与译文
展开完整文本 · 便于查阅与检索
整篇课文
I am always amazed when I hear people saying that sport creates goodwill between the nations, and that if only the common peoples of the world could meet one another at football or cricket, they would have no inclination to meet on the battlefield. Even if one didn't know from concrete examples the 1936 Olympic Games, for instance that international sporting contests lead to orgies of hatred, one could deduce it from general principles.
Nearly all the sports practised nowadays are competitive. You play to win, and the game has little meaning unless you do your utmost to win. 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 behaviour 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.
每当听人说体育能增进国家间的友谊，我总觉得惊讶。他们还说，只要世界各国的普通民众能在足球场或板球场上相遇，就不会想在战场上交锋。即使不看具体的例子——比如一九三六年的奥运会——不了解国际体育比赛曾怎样激起狂热的仇恨，人们也能从一般道理推导出同样的结论。
今天的体育运动几乎都带有竞争性。参加比赛就是为了取胜；如果不竭尽全力争胜，比赛便没有多少意义。在乡间草地上，大家临时分队，又不牵涉为本地争光的情绪时，比赛确实可以只是为了娱乐和锻炼。但一旦涉及声望，一旦你觉得输了会让自己和所代表的更大集体丢脸，最凶猛的争斗本能便会被激发出来。哪怕只参加过校际足球赛，也会明白这一点。到了国际层面，体育简直就是模拟战争。不过，更值得注意的不是运动员的行为，而是观众的态度，以及观众背后各个国家的态度。它们为这些荒唐的比赛大发雷霆，还一本正经地相信——至少一时如此——跑步、跳跃和踢球能够检验一个民族的品格。
学完这一课
先转述一种常见看法，再明确说明自己是否赞同。
译文依据整理稿，由本站按中文表达重新校订；解析据吴应时整理资料及首轮审校稿；词伙与练习提示为本站学习设计。原PDF第30—32页，2022年2月第2版。