13星火英语四级美文听力第十三篇LeisureandBoredom.docVIP

Passage 13 Leisure and Boredom Technology and the division of labour have done two things: by eliminating in many fields the need for special strength or skill, they have made a very large number of paid occupations which formerly were enjoyable work into?boring?labour, and by increasingproductivity?they have reduced the number of necessary labouring of the?population, that is to say, its labourers, will have almost as much leisure as in earlier times was enjoyed by the?aristocracy.It seems interesting and relaxing good news at the first sight, but when one recalls how aristocracies in the past actually behaved, the prospect is not?cheerful.The past aristocracies invented a lot of activities to make fun out of?boredom, however, the problem of?dealing?with?boredom?may be even more difficult for such a future?mass?society than it was for aristocracies. The latter, for example, ritualized their time; there was a season to shoot?grouse, a season to spend in town, a season to hold a lot of parties, etc.The masses are more likely to?replace?an?unchanging?ritual?by fashion which it will be in the economic interest of?certain?people to change as often as possible.Again, the masses cannot go in for hunting, for very soon there would be no animals left to hunt. For other aristocratic amusements like gambling, dueling, and?warfare, it may be only too easy to find equivalents in dangerous driving, drug-taking, and?senseless?acts of?violence. Workers seldom commit acts of violence, because they can put their?aggression?into their work, be it physical like the work of a smith, or?mental?like the work of a scientist or an artist. The role of aggression in mental work is?aptly?expressed?by the?phrase?“getting one’s teeth into a problem”. productivity [,pr?d?ktiv?ti, ,pr?u-]n. 生产力；生产率；生产能力 1. Keep the highest level of safety, quality and?productivity.保持安全，质量和生产力的最高水平。 aristocracy [,?rist?kr?si]n. 贵族；贵族统治；上层社会；[法]贵族政治 1. He objected to the toadying toaristocracy.他反对对于贵族阶级的奉承。 2