新概念4必背16篇(打印版)

Lesson1FindingFossilman

Wecanreadofthingsthathappened5,000yearsagointheNearEast,wherepeoplefirstlearnedtowrite.

Buttherearesomepartsoftheworldwhereevennowpeoplecannotwrite.Theonlywaythattheycan

preservetheirhistoryistorecountitassagas-legendshandeddownfromonegenerationofstory-tellersto

another.Theselegendsareusefulbecausetheycantellussomethingaboutmigrationsofpeoplewholived

longago,butnonecouldwritedownwhattheydid.Anthropologistswonderedwheretheremoteancestors

ofthePolynesianpeoplesnowlivinginthePacificIslandscamefrom.Thesagasofthesepeopleexplain

thatsomeofthemcamefromIndonesiaabout2,000yearsago.

Butthefirstpeoplewhowerelikeourselveslivedsolongagothateventheirsagas,iftheyhadany,are

forgotten.Soarchaeologistshaveneitherhistorynorlegendstohelpthemtofindoutwherethefirst'modern

men*camefrom.

Fortunately,however,ancientmenmadetoolsofstone,especiallyflint,becausethisiseasiertoshapethan

otherkinds.Theymayalsohaveusedwoodandskins,butthesehaverottedaway.Stonedoesnotdecay,

andsothetoolsoflongagohaveremainedwheneventhebonesofthemenwhomadethemhave

disappearedwithouttrace.

Lesson2Sparethatspider

Why,youmaywonder,shouldspidersbeourfriends?Becausetheydestroysomanyinsects,andinsects

includesomeofthegreatestenemiesofthehumanrace.Insectswouldmakeitimpossibleforustolivein

theworld;theywoulddevourallourcropsandkillourflocksandherds,ifitwerenotfortheprotectionwe

getfrominsect-eatinganimals.Weowealottothebirdsandbeastswhoeatinsectsbutallofthemput

togetherkillonlyafi*actionofthenumberdestroyedbyspiders.Moreover,unlikesomeoftheotherinsect

eaters,spidersneverdotheleastharmtousorourbelongings.

Spidersarenotinsects,asmanypeoplethink,norevennearlyrelatedtothem.Onecantellthedifference

almostataglanceforaspideralwayshaseightlegsandaninsectnevermorethansix.

Howmanyspidersareengagedinthisworkonourbehalf?Oneauthorityonspidersmadeacensusofthe

spidersinagrassfieldinthesouthofEngland,andheestimatedthatthereweremorethan2,250,000inone

acre,thatissomethinglike6,000,000spidersofdifferentkindsonafootballpitch.Spidersarebusyforat

leasthalftheyearinkillinginsects.Itisimpossibletomakemorethanthewildestguessathowmanythey

kill,buttheyarehungrycreatures,notcontentwithonlythreemealsaday.Ithasbeenestimatedthatthe

weightofalltheinsectsdestroyedbyspidersinBritaininoneyearwouldbegreaterthanthetotalweightof

allthehumanbeingsinthecountry.

T.H.GILLESPIESparethatSpiderfromTheListener

Lesson5Youth

Peoplearealwaystalkingabout1theproblemofyouthIfthereisone-whichItakeleavetodoubt—thenit

isolderpeoplewhocreateit,nottheyoungthemselves.

Letusgetdowntofundamentalsandagreethattheyoungareafterallhumanbeings-peoplejustliketheir

elders.Thereisonlyonedifferencebetweenanoldmanandayoungone:theyoungmanhasaglorious

futurebeforehimandtheoldonehasasplendidfuturebehindhim:andmaybethatiswheretherubis.

WhenIwasateenager,IfeltthatIwasjustyounganduncertain—thatIwasanewboyinahugeschool,and

Iwouldhavebeenverypleasedtoberegardedassomethingsointerestingasaproblem.Foronething,

beingaproblemgivesyouacertainidentity,andthatisoneofthethingstheyoungarebusilyengagedin

seeking.

Ifindyoungpeopleexciting.Theyhaveanairoffreedom,andtheyhavenotadrearycommitmenttomean

ambitionsorloveofcomfort.Theyarenotanxioussocialclimbers,andtheyhavenodevotiontomaterial

things.Allthisseemstometolinkthemwithlife,andtheoriginsofthings.Itsasiftheywereinsome

sensecosmicbeingsinviolentandlovelycontrastwithussuburbancreatures.

AllthatisinmymindwhenImeetayoungperson.Hemaybeconceited,ill-mannered,presumptuousof

fatuous,butIdonotturnforprotectiontodrearyclichesaboutrespectforelders—asifmereagewerea

reasonfbrrespect.Iacceptthatweareequals,andIwillarguewithhim,asanequal,ifIthinkheiswrong.

Lesson6Thesportingspirit

IamalwaysamazedwhenIhearpeoplesayingthatsportcreatesgoodwillbetweenthenations,andthatif

onlythecommonpeoplesoftheworldcouldmeetoneanotheratfootballorcricket,theywouldhaveno

inclinationtomeetonthebattlefield.Evenifonedidn'tknowfromconcreteexamples(the1936Olympic

Games,forinstance)thatinternationalsportingcontestsleadtoorgiesofhatred,onecoulddeduceitfrom

generalprinciples.

Nearlyallthesportspracticednowadaysarecompetitive.Youplaytowin,andthegamehaslittlemeaning

unlessyoudoyourutmosttowin.Onthevillagegreen,whereyoupickupsidesandnofeelingoflocal

patriotismisinvolved,itispossibletoplaysimplyforthefunandexercise:butassoonasthequestionof

prestigearises,assoonasyoufeelthatyouandsomelargerunitwillbedisgracedifyoulose,themost

savagecombativeinstinctsarearoused.Anyonewhohasplayedeveninaschoolfootballmatchknowsthis.

Attheinternationallevelsportisfranklymimicwarfare.Butthesignificantthingisnotthebehaviourofthe

playersbuttheattitudeofthespectators:and,behindthespectators,ofthenations,whoworkthemselves

intofuriesovertheseabsurdcontests,andseriouslybelieve-atanyrateforshortperiods—thatrunning,

jumpingandkickingaballaretestsofnationalvirtue.

Lesson9Royalespionage

AlfredtheGreatactedashisownspy,visitingDanishcampsdisguisedasaminstrel.Inthosedays

wanderingminstrelswerewelcomeeverywhere.Theywerenotfightingmen,andtheirharpwastheir

passport.Alfredhadlearnedmanyoftheirballadsinhisyouth,andcouldvaryhisprogrammewith

acrobatictricksandsimpleconjuring.

WhileAlfred^littlearmyslowlybegantogatheratAthelney,thekinghimselfsetouttopenetratethecamp

ofGuthrum,thecommanderoftheDanishinvaders.

ThesehadsettleddownforthewinteratChippenham:thitherAlfredwent.Henoticedatoncethatdiscipline

wasslack:theDaneshadtheself-confidenceofconquerors,andtheirsecurityprecautionswerecasual.They

livedwell,ontheproceedsofraidsonneighbouringregions.Theretheycollectedwomenaswellasfood

anddrink,andalifeofeasehadmadethemsoft.

AlfredstayedinthecampaweekbeforehereturnedtoAthelney.Theforcethereassembledwastrivial

comparedwiththeDanishhorde.ButAlfredhaddeducedthattheDaneswerenolongerfitforprolonged

battle:andthattheircommissariathadnoorganization,butdependedonirregularraids.

So,facedwiththeDanishadvance,Alfreddidnotriskopenbattlebutharriedtheenemy.Hewasconstantly

onthemove,drawingtheDanesafterhim.Hispatrolshaltedtheraidingparties:hungerassailedtheDanish

army.NowAlfredbeganalongseriesofskirmishes—andwithinamonththeDaneshadsurrendered.

Theepisodecouldreasonablyserveasauniqueepicofroyalespionage!

Lesson11Howtogrowold

Someoldpeopleareoppressedbythefearofdeath.Intheyoungthereisajustificationfbrthis

feeling.Youngmenwhohavereasontofearthattheywillbekilledinbattlemayjustifiablyfeelbitterinthe

thoughtthattheyhavebeencheatedofthebestthingsthatlifehastooffer.Butinanoldmanwhohas

knownhumanjoysandsorrows,andhasachievedwhateverworkitwasinhimtodo,thefearofdeathis

somewhatabjectandignoble.Thebestwaytoovercomeit-soatleastitseemstome——istomakeyour

interestsgraduallywiderandmoreimpersonal,untilbitbybitthewallsoftheegorecede,andyourlife

becomesincreasinglymergedintheuniversallife.Anindividualhumanexistenceshouldbelikea

river—smallatfirst,narrowlycontainedwithinitsbanks,andrushingpassionatelypastbouldersandover

waterfalls.Graduallytherivergrowswider,thebanksrecede,thewatersflowmorequietly,andintheend,

withoutanyvisiblebreak,theybecomemergedinthesea,andpainlesslylosetheirindividualbeing.The

manwho,inoldage,canseehislifeinthisway,willnotsufferfromthefearofdeath,sincethethingshe

caresforwillcontinue.Andit,withthedecayofvitality,wearinessincreases,thethoughtofrestwillbenot

unwelcome.Ishouldwishtodiewhilestillatwork,knowingthatotherswillcarryonwhatIcannolonger

do,andcontentinthethoughtthatwhatwaspossiblehasbeendone.

Lesson16Themoderncity

Intheorganizationofindustriallifetheinfluenceofthefactoryuponthephysiologicalandmentalstateof

theworkershasbeencompletelyneglected.Modernindustryisbasedontheconceptionofthemaximum

productionatlowestcost,inorderthatanindividualoragroupofindividualsmayearnasmuchmoneyas

possible.Ithasexpandedwithoutanyideaofthetruenatureofthehumanbeingswhorunthemachines,and

withoutgivinganyconsiderationtotheeffectsproducedontheindividualsandontheirdescendantsbythe

artificialmodeofexistenceimposedbythefactory.Thegreatcitieshavebeenbuiltwithnoregardforus.

Theshapeanddimensionsoftheskyscrapersdependentirelyonthenecessityofobtainingthemaximum

incomepersquarefootofground,andofofferingtothetenantsofficesandapartmentsthatpleasethem.

Thiscausedtheconstructionofgiganticbuildingswheretoolargemassesofhumanbeingsarecrowded

together.Civilizedmenlikesuchawayofliving.Whiletheyenjoythecomfortandbanalluxuryoftheir

dwelling,theydonotrealizethattheyaredeprivedofthenecessitiesoflife.Themoderncityconsistsof

monstrousedificesandofdark,narrowstreetsfullofpetrolfumes,coaldust,andtoxicgases,tornbythe

noiseofthetaxi-cabs,lorriesandbuses,andthrongedceaselesslybygreatcrowds.Obviously,ithasnobeen

plannedforthegoodofitsinhabitants.

Lesson24Beauty

Ayoungmanseesasunsetand,unabletounderstandortoexpresstheemotionthatitrousesinhim,

concludesthatitmustbethegatewaytoaworldthatliesbeyond.Itisdifficultforanyofusinmomentsof

intenseaestheticexperiencetoresistthesuggestionthatwearecatchingaglimpseofalightthatshines

downtousfromadifferentrealmofexistence,differentand,becausetheexperienceisintenselymoving,in

somewayhigher.And,thoughthegleamsblindanddazzle,yetdotheyconveyahintofbeautyandserenity

greaterthanwehaveknownorimagined.Greatertoothanwecandescribe,forlanguage,whichwas

inventedtoconveythemeaningsofthisworld,cannotreadilybefittedtotheusesofanother.

Thatallgreatarthasthispowerofsuggestingaworldbeyondisundeniable.InsomemoodsNaturesharesit.

ThereisnoskyinJunesobluethatitdoesnotpointforwardtoabluer,nosunsetsobeautifulthatitdoes

notwakenthevisionofagreaterbeauty,avisionwhichpassesbeforeitisfullyglimpsed,andinpassing

leavesanindefinablelongingandregret.But,ifthisworldisnotmerelyabadjoke,lifeavulgarflareamid

thecoolradianceofthestars,andexistenceanemptylaughbrayingacrossthemysteries;iftheseintimations

ofasomethingbehindandbeyondarenotevilhumourbornofindigestion,orwhimsiessentbythedevilto

mockandmaddenus,if,inaword,beautymeanssomething,yetwemustnotseektointerpretthemeaning.

Ifweglimpsetheunutterable,itisunwisetotrytoutterit,norshouldweseektoinvestwithsignificance

thatwhichwecannotgrasp.Beautyintermsofourhumanmeaningsismeaningless.

Lesson31Thesculptorspeaks

Appreciationofsculpturedependsupontheabi81itytorespondtoforminthreedimensions.Thatisperhaps

whysculpturehasbeendescribedasthemostdifficultofallarts;certainlyitismoredifficultthanthearts

whichinvolveappreciationofflatforms,shapeinonlytwodimensions.Manymorepeopleare'form-blind'

thancolour-blind.Thechildlearningtosee,firstdistinguishesonlytwo-dimensionalshape;itcannotjudge

distances,depths.Later,foritspersonalsafetyandpracticalneeds,ithastodevelop(partlybymeansoftouch)

theabilitytojudgeroughlythree-dimensionaldistances.Buthavingsatisfiedtherequirementsofpractical

necessity,mostpeoplegonofurther.Thoughtheymayattainconsiderableaccuracyintheperceptionofflat

form,theydonotmakethefurtherintellectualandemotionaleffortneededtocomprehendforminitsfull

spatialexistence.

thisiswhatthesculptormustdo.Hemuststrivecontinuallytothinkof,anduse,forminitsfullspatial

completeness.Hegetsthesolidshape,asitwere,insidehishead—hethinksofit,whateveritssize,asifhe

wereholdingitcompletelyenclosedinthehollowofhishand.Hementallyvisualizesacomplexformfrom

allrounditself;heknowswhilehelooksatonesidewhattheothersideislike;heidentifieshimselfwithits

centreofgravity,itsmass,itsweight;herealizesitsvolume,asthespacethattheshapedisplacesintheair.

Andthesensitiveobserverofsculpturemustalsolearntofeelshapesimplyasshape,notasdescriptionor

reminiscence.Hemust,forexample,perceiveaneggasasimplesinglesolidshape,quiteapartfromits

significanceasfood,orfromtheliteraryideathatitwillbecomeabird.Andsowithsolidssuchasashell,a

nut,aplum,apear,atadpole,amushroom,amountainpeak,akidney,acarrot,atree-trunk,abird,abud,a

lark,aladybird,abulrush,abone.Fromthesehecangoontoappreciatemorecomplexformsof

combinationsofseveralforms.

Lesson33Education

Educationisoneofthekeywordsofourtime.Amanwithoutaneducation,manyofusbelieve,isan

unfortunatevictimofadversecircumstancesdeprivedofoneofthegreatesttwentieth-centuryopportunities.

Convincedoftheimportanceofeducation,modernstatesinvestininstitutionsoflearningtogetback

'interest'intheformofalargegroupofenlightenedyoungmenandwomenwhoarepotentialleaders.

Education,withitscyclesofinstructionsocarefullyworkedout,punctuatedbytext-books-those

purchasablewellsofwisdom-whatwouldcivilizationbelikewithoutitsbenefits?

Somuchiscertain:thatwewouldhavedoctorsandpreachers,lawyersanddefendants,marriagesand

births-butourspiritualoutlookwouldbedifferent.Wewouldlaylessstresson'factsandfigures*andmore

onagoodmemory,onappliedpsychology,andonthecapacityofamantogetalongwithhisfellowcitizens.

Ifoureducationalsystemwerefashionedafteritsbooklesspastwewouldhavethemostdemocraticformof

College*imaginable.Amongthepeoplewhomweliketocallsavagesallknowledgeinheritedbytraditionis

sharedbyall;itistaughttoeverymemberofthetribesothatinthisrespecteverybodyis,equallyequipped

forlife.

Itistheidealconditionofthe'equalstart*whichonlyourmostprogressiveformsofmoderneducationtryto

regain.Inprimitiveculturestheobligationtoseekandtoreceivethetraditionalinstructionisbindingtoall.

Therearenoilliterates--ifthetermcanbeappliedtopeopleswithoutascript—whileourowncompulsory

schoolattendancebecamelawinGermanyin1642,inFrancein1806,andinEnglandin1876,andisstill

non-existentinanumberof'civilized'nations.Thisshowshowlongitwasbeforewedeemeditnecessaryto

makesurethatallourchildrencouldshareintheknowledgeaccumulatedbythe'happyfew*duringthepast

centuries.

Educationinthewildernessisnotamatterofmonetarymeans.Allareentitledtoanequalstart.Thereis

noneofthehurrywhich,inoursociety,oftenhampersthefulldevelopmentofagrowingpersonality.There,

achildgrowsupundertheever-presentattentionofhisparents,thereforethejunglesandthesavannahs

knowofnoJuveniledelinquency.1Nonecessityofmakingalivingawayfromhomeresultsinneglectof

children,andnofatherisconfrontedwithhisinability

to'buy'aneducationforhischild.

Lesson34Adolescence

Parentsareoftenupsetwhentheirchildrenpraisethehomesoftheirfriendsandregarditasaslurontheir

owncooking,orcleaning,orfurniture,andoftenarefoolishenoughtolettheadolescentsseethattheyare

annoyed.Theymayevenaccusethemofdisloyalty,ormakesomespitefulremarkaboutthefriends1parents.

Suchalossofdignityanddescentintochildishbehaviouronthepartoftheadultsdeeplyshocksthe

adolescents,andmakesthemresolvethatinfuturetheywillnottalktotheirparentsabouttheplacesor

peopletheyvisit.Beforeverylongtheparentswillbecomplainingthatthechildissosecretiveandnever

tellsthemanything,buttheyseldomrealizethattheyhavebroughtthisonthemselves.

Disillusionmentwiththeparents,howevergoodandadequatetheymaybebothasparentsandasindividuals,

istosomedegreeinevitable.Mostchildrenhavesuchahighidealoftheirparents,unlesstheparents

themselveshavebeenunsatisfactory,thatitcahardlyhopetostanduptoarealisticevaluation.Parents

wouldbegreatlysurprisedanddeeplytouchediftheyrealizehowmuchbelieftheirchildrenusuallyhavein

theircharacterandinfallibility,andhowmuchthisfaithmeanstoachild.Ifparentswerepreparedforthis

adolescentreaction,andrealizedthatitwasasignthatthechildwasgrowingupanddevelopingvaluable

powersofobservationandindependentjudgement,theywouldnotbesohurt,andthereforewouldnotdrive

thechildintooppositionbyresentingandresistingit.

Theadolescent,withhispassionforsincerity,alwaysrespectsaparentwhoadmitsthatheiswrong,or

ignorant,oreventhathehasbeenunfairorunjust.Whatthechildcannotforgiveistheparents*refusalto

admitthesechargesifthechildknowsthemtobetrue.

Victorianparentsbelievedthattheykepttheirdignitybyretreatingbehindanunreasoningauthoritarian

attitude;infactheydidnothingofthekind,butchildrenwerethentoocowedtoletthemknowhowthey

reallyfelt.Todaywetendtogototheotherextreme,butonthewholethisisahealthierattitudebothforthe

childandtheparent.Itisalwayswiserandsafertofaceuptoreality,howeverpainfulitmaybeatthe

moment.

Lesson37Theprocessofageing

Attheageoftwelveyears,thehumanbodyisatitsmostvigorous.Ithasyettoreachitsfullsizeand

strength,anditsownerhisorherfullintelligence;butatthisagethelikelihoodofdeathisleast.Earlierwe

wereinfantsandyoungchildren,andconsequentlymorevulnerable;later,weshallundergoaprogressive

lossofourvigourandresistancewhich,thoughimperceptibleatfirst,willfinallybecomesosteepthatwe

canlivenolonger,howeverwellwelookafterourselves,andhoweverwellsociety,andourdoctors,look

afterus.Thisdeclineinvigourwiththepassingoftimeiscalledageing.Itisoneofthemostunpleasant

discoverieswhichweallmakethatwemustdeclineinthisway,thatifweescapewars,accidentsand

diseasesweshalleventuallydieofoldage,andthatthishappensataratewhichdifferslittlefrompersonto

person,sothatthereareheavyoddsinfavourofourdyingbetweentheagesofsixty-fiveandeighty.Some

ofuswilldiesooner,afewwilllivelonger-onintoaninthortenthdecade.Butthechancesareagainstit,

andthereisavirtuallimitonhowlongwecanhopetoremainalive,howeverluckyandrobustweare.

Normalpeopletendtoforgetthisprocessunlessanduntiltheyareremindedofit.Wearesofamiliarwith

thefactthatmanages,thatpeoplehaveforyearsassumedthattheprocessoflosingvigourwithtime,of

becomingmorelikelytodietheolderweget,wassomethingself-evident,likethecoolingofahotkettleor

thewearing-outofapairofshoes.Theyhavealsoassumedthatallanimals,andprobablyotherorganisms

suchastrees,oreventheuniverseitself,mustinthenatureofthings*wearout*.Mostanimalswecommonly

observedoinfactageaswedoifgiventhechancetolivelongenough;andmechanicalsystemslikea

woundwatchorthesun,doinfactrunoutofenergyinaccordancewiththesecondlawofthermodynamics

(whetherthewholeuniversedoessoisamootpointatpresent).Butthesearenotanalogoustowhathappens

whenmanagesArun-downwatchisstillawatchandcanberewound.Anoldwatch,bycontrast,becomes

sowornandunreliablethatiteventuallyisnotworthmendingButawatchcouldneverrepairitselfitdoes

notconsistoflivingparts,onlyofmetal,whichwearsawaybyfriction.Wecould,atonetime,repair

ourselveswellenough,atleast,toovercomeallbutthemostinstantlyfatalillnessesanaccidents.Between

twelveandeightyyearswegraduallylosethispower;anillnesswhichattwelvewouldknockusover,at

eightycanknockusout,andintoourgrave.Ifwecouldstayasvigorousasweareattwelve,itwouldtake

about700yearsforhalfofustodie,andanother700forthesurvivorstobereducebyhalfagain.

Lesson39Whateverywriterwants

Ihaveknownveryfewwriters,butthoseIhaveknown,andwhomIrespected,confessatoncethatthey

havelittleideawheretheyarcgoingwhentheyfirstsetpentopaper.Theyhaveacharacter,perhapstwo,

theyareinthatconditionofeagerdiscomfortwhichpassesforinspiration,alladmitradicalchangesof

destinationoncethejourneyhasbegun;one,tomycertainknowledge,spentninemonthsonanovelabout

Kashmir,thenresetthewholethingintheScottishHighlands.Ineverheardofanyonemakinga'skeleton：

asweweretaughtatschool.Inthebreakingandremaking,inthetiming,interweaving,beginningafresh,the

writercomestodiscernthingsinhismaterialwhichwerenotconseriouslyinhismindwhenhebegan.This

organicprocess,oftenleadingtomomentsofextraordinaryself-discovery,isofanindescribablefascination.

Ablurredimageappears,headdsabrushstrokeandanother,anditisgone;butsomethingwasthere,andhe

willnotresttillhehascapturedit.Sometimestheyeastwithinawriteroutlivesabookhehaswritten.Ihave

heardofwriterswhoreadnothingbuttheirownbooks,likeadolescentstheystandbeforethemirror,and

stillcannotfathomtheexactoutlineofthevisionbeforethem.Forthesamereason,writerstalkinterminably

abouttheirownbooks,winklingouthiddenmeanings,super-imposingnewones,beggingresponsefrom

thosearoundthem.Ofcourseawriterdoingthisismisunderstood:hemightaswelltrytoexplainacrimeor

aloveaffair.Heisalso,incidentally,anunforgivablebore.Thistemptationtocoverthedistancebetween

himselfandthereader,tostudyhisimageinthesightofthosewhodonotknowhim,canbehisundoing:he

hasbeguntowritetoplease.

AyoungEnglishwritermadethepertinentobservationayearortwobackthatthetalentgoesintothefirst

draft,andtheartintothedraftsthatfollow.Forthisreasonalsothewriter,likeanyotherartist,hasno

restingplace,nocrowdormovementinwhichhemaytakecomfort,nojudgmentfromoutsidewhichcan

replacethejudgmentfromwithin.Awritermakesorderoutoftheanarchyofhisheart;hesubmitshimself

toamoreruthlessdisciplinethananycriticdreamedof,andwhenheflirtswithfame,heistakingtimeoff

fromlivingwithhimself,fromthesearchforwhathisworldcontainsatitsinmostpoint.

Lesson41Trainingelephants

Twomaintechniqueshavebeenusedfortrainingelephants,whichwemaycallrespectivelythetoughand

thegentle.Theformermethodsimplyconsistsofsettinganelephanttoworkandbeatinghimuntilhedoes

whatisexpectedofhim.Apartfromanymoralconsiderationsthisisastupidmethodoftraining,forit

producesaresentfulanimalwhoatalaterstagemaywellturnman-killer.Thegentlemethodrequiresmore

patienceintheearlystages,butproducesacheerful,good-temperedelephantwhowillgivemanyyearsof

loyalservice.

Thefirstessentialinelephanttrainingistoassigntotheanimalasinglemahoutwhowillbeentirely

responsibleforthejob.Elephantsliketohaveonemasterjustasdogsdo,andarecapableofaconsiderable

degreeofpersonalaffection.Thereareevenstoriesofhalf-trainedelephantcalveswhohaverefusedtofeed

andpinedtodeathwhenbysomeunavoidablecircumstancetheyhavebeendeprivedoftheirowntrainer.

Suchextremecasesmustprobablybetakenwithagrainofsalt,buttheydounderlinethegeneralprinciple

thattherelationshipbetweenelephantandmahoutisthekeytosuccessfultraining.

Themosteconomicalagetocaptureanelephantfortrainingisbetweenfifteenandtwentyyears,foritis

thenalmostreadytoundertakeheavyworkandcanbegintoearnitskeepstraightaway.Butanimalsofthis

agedonoteasilybecomesubservienttoman,andaveryfirmhandmustbeemployedintheearlystages.

Thecaptiveelephant,stillropedtoatree,plungesandscreamseverytimeamanapproaches,andforseveral

dayswillprobablyrefuseallfoodthroughangerandfear.Sometimesatameelephantistetherednearbyto

givethewildoneconfidence,andinmostcasesthecaptivegraduallyquietensdownandbeginstoacceptits

food.Thenextstageistogettheelephanttothetrainingestablishment,aticklishbusinesswhichisachieved

withtheaidoftwotameelephantsropedtothecaptiveoneitherside.

Whenseveralelephantsarebeingtrainedatonetimeitiscustomaryforthenewarrivaltobeplaced

betweenthestallsoftwocaptiveswhosetrainingisalreadywelladvanced.Itisthenleftcompletely

undisturbedwithplentyoffoodandwatersothatitcanabsorbtheatmosphereofitsnewhomeandseethat

nothingparticularlyalarmingishappeningtoitscompanions.Whenitiseatingnormallyitsowntraining

begins.Thetrainerstandsinfrontoftheelephantholdingalongstickwithasharpmetalpoint.Two

assistants,mountedortameelephants,controlthecaptivefromeitherside,whileothersrubtheirhandsover

hisskintotheaccompanimentofamonotonousandsoothingchant.Thisifsupposedtoinducepleasurable

sensationsintheelephant,anditseffectsarerein