2018年6月英语四级听力美文：War思维导图

War

Somepessimistichistoriansthinkthewholesocietyofmanrunsincyclesandthatoneofthephasesiswar.

Theoptimists,ontheotherhand,thinkwarisnotlikeafloodoraspellofbadweather.

Theybelievethatitismorelikeadiseaseforwhichacurecouldbefoundifthecausewereknown.

Becausewaristheultimatedramaoflifeanddeath,storiesandpicturesofitaremoreinterestingthanthoseaboutpeace.

Thisissotruethatallofus,andperhapsthoseofusontelevisionmorethanmost,areoftencaughtupintheactionofwartotheexclusionoftheideasofit.

Ifitistrue,aswewouldliketothinkitis,thatourageismorecivilizedthanagepast,wemustallagreethatit’sverystrangethatinthetwentiethcentury,wehavekilledmorethan70millionsofourfellowmenonpurpose,atwar.

Probablythereasonweareabletodoboth—thatis,believeontheonehandthatwearemorecivilizedandontheotherhandwagewartokill—isthatkillingisnotsopersonalanaffairinwarasitoncewas.

Theenemyisinvisible.

Onemandoesn’tlookanotherintheeyeandkillhimwithasword.

Theenemy,deadoralive,islargelyunseen.

Heiskilledbyremotecontrol:aloudnoise,adistantpuffofsmokeandthen...silence.

Thepicturesofthevictim’swifeandchildren,whichhecarriesinhisbreastpocket,aredestroyedwithhim.

Heisnotheardtocryout.

Thequestionofcompassionorpityorremorsedoesnotenterintoit.

Theenemyisnotaman,heisastatistic.

Itistrue,too,thatmorepeoplearebeingkilledatwarnowthanpreviouslybecausewe’rebetteratdoingitthanweusedtobe.

Onemanwithonemodernweaponcankillthousands.