Text B The Future Is Now（第1页）

TextBTheFutureIsNow

Katherier

Pre-reading

Katherier（May15，1890-September18，1980）wasAmerialist，essayist，shortstorywriter，，andpoliticalactivist。Sheisregardedasobrilliantpraersoftheartoftheshortstory。In1930，shepublishedherfirstshortstory，FlJudasaories。Thoughamasterlyofshortstories，itmetwithosales。Aionofthisublishedin1935andreceivedsuchcriticalacclaimthatitalouallyassuredherplaAmeriliterature。HernovelShipofFools（1962）toppedtheimesFiBestSellerslistthatyear，remaiontopforexactlyhalfayear—fromApriltoNovember。In1966，sheulitzerPrizeforFidNationalBookAward（1966）forTheCollectedStoriesofKatherier（1965）。HercareerwasalsohohreenominationsfortheNobelPrizeiure。Herworks，particularlyhershortstoriesandessays，receivedgreatcriticalacclaimforherpeinginsightintothedarksideoftheaverageindividualsoverishedbythemoderne，andheruseofdarkthemesingguilt，betrayal，isolatioh，spiritualdenialandtheinofhumayleismarkedbysuperbdobjectivitywithsensitivity。Herflawlesspenandharshcritiotoimes，butofhumay，madePorteramajorvoitiethturyAmeriliterature。

Apartfromteathelate1940sand195htatStanfordUheUyofMi，WashingtonandLeeUy，andtheUyofTexas，whereherundised，uioeagmadeherextremelypopularwithstudents。Shealsooallyappearedontelevisioninthe1950sand196ramsdisgliterature。

ThefollowihefutureisnoublishedinMademoisellein1950，aheDaysBefore（1952）。

Promptsf

1。Whatseeminglydisecteddetailsbriothethoughtsaboutthefuture?

2。Inhdoestheauthihoughtsathefuture?

3。Hraph6relatedtothepreviraphs?

4。WhatisthebeliefthatWesternEuropeansandAmerishavebeenbroughtupwithfeions?Whatdoyoufeelistheauthor’sattitudetowardsthisbelief?

5。Whatdoyouthihormeanby“theameliorationofthehardhumanlraph7）?

6。Istheaalbeliefglifefuallydifferentfromitsterpartsi?

7。Whatdoesthe“visibleevidenParagraph8）showaboutthetradiankind’sprogress?

8。Whatdoestheauthormeanby“manhasobviouslyoutreachedhimself”（inParagraph9）?

9。Agtotheauthor，isthebombingofHiroshimamorealthanotherlessprogressiveactsofkilling?Whyorwhynot?

[1]Notsolongaginamagazihanenormouseinstrusastohowtobehaveifaflashbrighterthanthesutheatombombhasarrived。Ireadofcoursewiththeiofonewhtolearnonthissubject;butattheend，theadvidledtothis:theoyseemstolieinsimplybeingsomewhereelseatthetime，thefartherawaythebetter;the，failiodeepshelters，bombproofdall，istogetutable—thatis，justwhatyoumightdoifsomeohrowingbricksthroughyourwindowaooothro>

[2]Thisiticlimax1towhatIhadbeentakingasaseriousedualpiecesurprisedmeier，heartyaissucharelieftobetoldthetruth，orjusteves，sopleasantnottobecoddledwithunreasoveryeveningIayfrommyworktabletomyfifty-storywindowbyohoseshrillterrsirenswhichourext-lovingeoaffeanyos:Afire?Poligagangster?Somebodybeihehospitalinahurry?Somedistinguishedpublicguestbeingtransferredfromoeairingover，maybe?Usoftheergofthegreatavenue，ahugeclosedvehiclewhizzedpast，sg。Iwas，hadnotioknow;nooneIcouldpossiblyaskthatwehavebellsgawayinsteadforsuts，weallhaveoless，ifperhapsoahesinglesireotellusohing。

[3]Butatthatdoubtfulmoment，framedinalightedithmimehestreet，Isawayoungmaniasatworkpolishingaloifuldarktabletop。Itwasobviouslyhisowntableinhisownflat，andhewasenjoyinghiso。Hewasbentoveritrati，sandpapering，ruofhispalmoverthesurfadingbadthehesheenoflightonthefinewood。Iamsurehehadnotevenraisedhisheadatthehesiren，muchlesshadheetothewindow。Istoodthereadmiringhisworkmaoago，andthereflashedthroughmeohosepurefallaciesoffeelingwhilyoverleapreasohateffortandenergysoirreproachablyemploiedowastobeusedmerelyfusomeuhehosepaiiful?Anysortofoldboardwoulddo。

[4]IwassoshockedatthistreacheryFoulFiend3（despairisafoulfiend，andthisair）Istoodamomentloutandartoyfeelings，tryingtothinkalittle。Tayandafloordowninthehouseacrossthestreet，ayoungwomanwaslollinginadeepchair，readiingfruitfromalittlebasket。Ohesidewalk，aboyandagirldressedalikeinchecker-boardshirtsandskin-tightbluedenims，aewhichdisplayedacutelythestructuraldiffereheirshapes，strolledalongwiththeirarmsarouher。Ibelievethisehed4inpublicortedbyoursoldiersoftheFirstWorldWarfromFranParisindeed。“Youdidsortofthingherebefore，”membersoftheeiooremarkquiteoften，inatoneofvoice。Well，oealotofitnow，anditisaverypretty，reassuringsight。Othersofallsizesandkindsandagesweregbadfhtsflashedredaually。Motorszoomedby，ahegreatcity—butwhereamIgoiherpeople’sdessofgreatcities，moreparticularlyifitisagreatow。Itdoesn’tbelonghereahatIhadagainthatquietiheuityofhumahisearth，itsperpetualaspiratio-backs，failuresandre-beginerhat，withsomeappreciabledifferencesofdress，eansofce，sopeoplehavelivedahecitiestheyhavebuiltformoremillenniathaabletoatfor，andwillnodoubtbuildandliveforasmanymore。

[5]Whydidthise?Iymindisofthesortthatbesoothedwithlargegehesilehespathestarsdoesnhtme，asitdidPascal5，becauseIamuoimagiidmyaweisnotforthesilendspaceoftheendlessufortheinspiredimaginationofman，whokandfeelso，andturhattouous。Thentoo，Ilikethekiyaheyouelyansweredsomeonewhoaskedhimifhekhewasfightingfor。“Isuredo，”hesaid，“I’mfightingtolive。”Andasforthefuture，Iwasthefirstwritingsofayounggirl，ahor，whowasquiteimpatiehthebusinessaoprint。Thereisverylittleonesayofuseinsuchmatters，butIadvisedheragainsthaste—shecouldsretit。“Giveyourselftime，”Isaid，“thefuturewilltakecareofitself。”Thisopinionatedyoungpersonlookeddowlemeandsaid，“Thefutureisnow。”Shemayhaveheardthephrasesomewherea，orshemayjusthavenaturallybelosetaphysics;I’msureshewastooyouigatedthethoughtdeeply。Butmaybeshewasrightauredoesarriveeverydayanditisallwehave，fromohe。

[6]SoIglanattheyoungmanater-lookingdidateforthearmedservidrealizedtheplai:hereparingapossibleshelter，somethirembliasurfacetoputhisbooksaoservehisplatesfrom，toholdhiscocktailtrayandhislamp。Hewasfullofthedeep，right，instinctive，humaheaableweregetherftime。Eveothearmywillbetherewhenheesback。Attheveryleast，heisdoihinghefeelsiswnow，andthatisnosmallthing。

[7]Atohediffidthehope，ofourspecialtimeinthisworldofWesternEuropeahatwehavebeenbroughtupfeionsinthebelief，howevertacit，thatallhumanitywasalmostunanimouslyengagedingoingforward，naturallytsandtohigherreacethe18thturyatleastwhentheEs6seizedupoothehighestpleasureofmankindursuitofthegood，thetrue，aiful，progress，preciselytheseual，gradualameliorationofthehardhumanlot，hasbeentaughtpopularlynotjustastheoryofpossibilitybutasahandthegroundolitir。Tonybee7hasevensimplifiedthisviewforuswithpicturediagramsofvariousseasowoitsowruggliifullyyleveltolevel，butalholepeoplesarearrestedatpoints，ahere，butoon。Thereisalsotheschoolofthought，Orientalandverya，whichgivetolifethespiralshape，andthespiralmovesbynatureupward。Evehecircular-cycleschool，alsoaandhonorable，somehowdofinallyallowthatthecircleisathreadthatspionelayeraboveahateventhoughitisperpetuallyateverymomentpassingoveraplaceithasbeebyitsoillhaverisenjustsomuchhigher。

[8]Theseareadmirableattemptstogetalittlemeaningaoourviewofourdestiny，inthatsamespiritwhichmovestheartisttolaborwithhislittlehandfulofchaittoaframe;butonthevisibleevideadmitthatinhumahespiritoftradiorethanholdsitsown。Mankindhasalwaysbuiltalittlemorethahertobeetotmorethanhehasbeeokill;iedmorelawsandsthanhehadaion;fionsthanheractitobelievein;madeingeneralmanymorepromisesthanhecouldkeep;andhasbeenkhaoitsuierefearofdeath。Nowinourtime，inhispridetoexplorehisusunimagisandtoexceedhispossiblepowers，hehasatlastproduembarrassingseriesofeoopowerfulfortheirersandtootries;millionsadgetswhibereallyuselessbythemerefailureofthepublicpowerplants，andhasreducedhimselftosuchhelplessadozeheenemycoulddisableawholecitybythroitches8。Thisparadoxicalcreaturehasittedalltheseextravagandcreatedallthesedangersandsufferingsi—wearetold—forpeadsecurity。

[9]Howmuchofthisarewetobelieve，whenwiththeprideofLucifer9，thereessofIcarus10，theboldnessofPrometheus11aellectualcuriosityofAdamaellectual;theserpehemwisdomif12。。。）manhasobviouslyoutreachedhimself，tothepointwherehederstandisowrolhisowions。Indeedhehasbeeasthegods，whohaveoverandaianddownfallatthehaures。Havihemostexquisiteandinstantaneousmeansofunitoallersoftheearth，foryearsuponyearsfriendswereuapetoeachotheraationalfroheneersassureusthatfromthekittapthereflowsachemical13，davailable，tomakeabomb14mtotheimagiheoneallinomaehasbeeopurifythewatersothatitwillnotspoileveeaorcoffee。Orataisnotiheproudpossessorsofrobsthatgohigherandfartherahananyeverbefore，andthereissometalkofarocketshipshortlytotakeoffforthemoon。（Myplanistostoemayihemoonsomeday，athatenbeforewehavedevisedadetsystemofcitygarbagedisposal。

[10]Thislunatibhassurousingthepeopleofallnatiopointofunanimeonumbersofpershtenedwhoneverreallyhadmuchcausethtehisworldhasalwaysbeeelydangerousplacetreaterpartoftheearth’sinhabitants;itwas，howeverrelutly，ehenaturalstateofaffairs。Yettheiionofeveryneonofwarhasalwaysbeehhhteousindignation，especiallybythosewhofailedtoi，orwhowerethreatefirst。。。bowsandarrows，stoneballs，gulocks，pistols，thedumdumbullet15，theMaximsilehema，poisongas，armoredtanks，andonandontothegrandclimax—ifitshouldprovetobe—oftheexperimentonHiroshima。Nagasakiwasbombed，too，remember?Orwerewealreadygrowingaedtotheidea?AndasforHiroshima，surelyitothavebeeiohofothersthatshockedus。Howcoulditbe，arswithiionwehavebeiliarwithmillionsofshogdeaths，bysuddecrueldevidbyagedforyearinprisonsandhospitalsaioncamps。Wetakearehehedeathsofmillionsbyflood，famine，plague—no，allthefreraredownnow，nooneissafe，hat，alas，reallymeansallofus。Itisourowhswefear，awithit17andgiveupourfinedebauoralistizyoverHiroshima。Ifaileoseewhyitismorealtokillafeersothanitistokillthesamenumbersliveime。IfIhaveachoice，I’daslief18bekilledbyanatombombasbyahandgrenadeoraflamethrower。Ifdroppiombombisanimmoralathemakingofitwastoftheformulawasacethosewhowroteitmusthaveknownwhatsutrivancewasgoodfor。Somorallyspeaking，thebombisonlyamagnifiedgrehecrime，ifcrimeitis，isstillmurder。Itwashingelse。Ourproto-althenwasthemanwhofirststruckfirefromflint，forfromthatmomentwehavebeeniothisdayandthisonandthisuseofit。Whatwouldyouhaveadvisedithehumanraceshouldhavegoinginawiaiherovertheheadwiththebones?

[11]Amaybethatwhatwehaveisaworldnoteofflyingapart，butaedoillinshapelessfragmentswaitiogetherproperly。Iimagiater，wemayhaveit:atperhapshanaidfortheworse。

Notes

1。antianticlimaxisadisappoierapreviousrise，efromaserioussubjecttoadisappoiissomethingthatismuchlessexatiitisexpectedtobe，likeadullordisappointingendiinamovieordrama。Youdesethingasananticlimaxifitdisappoihappehiiisingasyouexpect。反**，指令人感到失望或令人扫兴的冲突解决办法或事件结果。

2。level:Ifohihahing，itisatthesameheightasit。（与……）等高的，齐平的

3。FoulFiend:InJohnBunyan’shymnTobeaPilgrim，thehobgoblitroublesomecreature，iscoupledwith“afoulfiend”astwswhotrybutfailto“dauntthePilgrim’sspirit”。

&hed:wreath本意是花环（acirdoffoliageorflowersfororalpurposes）;ehed指恋人相互抱着对方的腰，好似成环状。

5。Pascal:（1623-1662）Freidphilosopherwhoiedanaddiributed（withFermat）tothetheoryofprobability

6。Eheesrefertoagroupof18thturywritersinFranpiledaheEncyclopédie。Thoughnotaunifiedgroupeitherinideologyorsocialclass，theesrepreseellectualgroupwhopromotedtheadvaofsdsecularthoughtandsupportedtoleraionality，andopeheE。

7。Mr。ToheauthorreferstoAroynbee（April1889-October1975），Britishhistorian，philosopherofhistoryandauthorofnumerousbooks。Heisbestknownforhis12-volumeAStudyhwhichheexamiheriseandfallof26civilizationsintheanhistory。

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