A puma at large¹¶

Pumas are large, cat-like² animals which are found³ in America. When reports came into⁴ London Zoo that⁵ a wild puma had been spotted⁶ forty-five miles south⁷ of London, they were not taken seriously.⁸ However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given⁹ by people who claimed¹⁰ to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.¹¹

The hunt¹² for the puma began in a small village where a woman picking blackberries saw ‘a large cat’ only five yards away from her. It immediately ran away when she saw it, and experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered. The search proved¹³ difficult, for the puma was often observed at one place in the morning and at another place twenty miles away in the evening. Wherever¹⁴ it went, it left behind it a trail of¹⁵ dead deer and small animals like rabbits. Paw prints were seen¹⁶ in a number of places and puma fur¹⁷ was found clinging¹⁸ to bushes. Several people complained¹⁹ of ‘cat-like noises’ at night and a businessman on²⁰ a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree. The experts were now fully convinced²¹ that the animal was a puma, but where had it come from? As no pumas had been reported missing from any zoo in the country, this one must²² have been in the possession²³ of a private collector and somehow managed²⁴ to escape. The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught. It²⁵ is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.

单词讲解¶

puma /ˈpjuːmə/ n. 美洲狮
spot /spɒt $ spɑːt/ v. 看出，发现(1)
evidence /ˈevɪdəns/ n. 证据(2)
accumulate /əˈkjuːmjəleɪt/ v. 积累，积聚(3)
oblige /əˈblaɪdʒ/ v. 使⋯⋯感到必须(4)
hunt /hʌnt/ n. 追猎；寻找
blackberry /ˈblækbəri $ -beri/ n. 黑莓
human being /ˈhjuːmən ˈbiːɪŋ/ n. 人类(5)
corner /ˈkɔːnə $ ˈkɔːrnər/ v. 使走投无路，使陷入困境
trail /treɪl/ n. 一串，一系列
print /prɪnt/ n. 印痕
cling /klɪŋ/ (clung /klʌŋ/, clung) v. 粘
convince /kənˈvɪns/ v. 使⋯⋯信服
somehow /ˈsʌmhaʊ/ adv. 不知怎么搞地，不知什么原因(6)
disturb /dɪˈstɜːb $ -ɜːrb/ v. 令人不安(7)

- stop lot hot /ɒ $ ɑː/
- boss dog /ɒ $ ɒː/
n. 斑点n. 地点v. 看出
- a big red spot
  一个大红斑
- a spot on oneʼs reputation
  名声上的一个污点
- A leopard wonʼt change its spots.
  本性难移。
- a spot of sth.
  一点点，少许
  
  (NCE3-58) a spot of bother
  一点麻烦事
  
  You seem to be having a spot of bother with your car, can I help?
  你好像汽车出了点麻烦，用我帮忙吗？
- a scenic spot
  一个景点
  
  A great many of scenic spots are being spoilt by the ill-behaved tourists.
  许多旅游景点正在被品行不端的游客破坏。
- The Middle East is a hot spot.
  中东是一个热点地区。
- on the spot
  在现场/到现场
  
  (NCE3-10) Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a look-out.
  起航四天后，当泰坦尼克号正行驶在北大西洋冰冷的水域上时，瞭望员突然发现了一座巨大的冰山。
  
  Ten minutes after calling 911, a police car arrived on the spot.
  报警十分钟后，一辆警车抵达了现场。
- (NCE3-10) Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a look-out.
  起航四天后，当泰坦尼克号正行驶在北大西洋冰冷的水域上时，瞭望员突然发现了一座巨大的冰山。
- (NCE3-11) He had spotted a tiny bottle at the bottom of my case and he pounced on it with delight.
  他注意到我的箱子底部有一只小瓶子，兴奋地扑了上去。
- a piece of evidence(1)
  一条证据
  1. evidence 是不可数名词。
- evident
  明显的，清楚的
- self-evident
  不证自明的
  - All truth passes through three stages. First, it is ridiculed. Second, it is violently opposed. Third, it is accepted as being self-evident. —Arthur Schopenhauer
    所有真理都会经历三个阶段。首先，它会受到嘲弄；其次，它会遭遇激烈的反对；最后，它会公认为是不言而喻的。（亚瑟·叔本华）
  - We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. —Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence
    我们认为这些真理是不言而喻的：人人生而平等，造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，包括生命、自由与对幸福的追求。（托马斯·杰斐逊《独立宣言》）
- cort
  法庭
  - go to cort
    打官司
  - settle sth. out of court
    庭外私了
- accumulate knowledge/possessions
  积累知识/财富
- I accumulated a large vocabulary.
  我积累了大量的词汇。
- amass
  - amass a fortune
    积累一大笔钱
  - (NCE3-59) People tend to amass possessions.
    人们往往喜欢积累财富。
- pile up
  - (NCE3-33) Meanwhile, the traffic piled up behind.
    与此同时，车辆在后面排起了长龙。
- collect
  - collect stamps
    收集邮票
- gather
  - gather crops
    收割庄稼
- hoard
  囤积（尤指非必要）
  - Shenzhen real estate developers hoard large amounts of land.
    深圳的房地产开发商囤积了大量的土地。
词义辨析
- be/feel obliged to do
  感到有必要做某事（由于道义责任）
  - Many parents feel obliged to pay for at least part of the wedding.
    许多父母觉得有责任为婚礼支付至少一部分费用。
- be/feel compelled to do
  感到有必要做某事（迫于外界压力）
  - President Nixon felt compelled to resign.
    尼克松总统感到必须辞职。
- be/feel impelled to do
  感到有必要做某事（出于内心动力）
  - He felt impelled to point out that they were making a dangerous mistake.
    他觉得有必要指出他们正在犯一个危险的错误。
- human being
  人类（侧重个体，可数）
- man
  人类（侧重整体，不可数）
- mankind
  人类（侧重整体，不可数）
- humankind
  人类（侧重整体，不可数）
- human race
  人类（侧重物种，不可数）
- humanity
  人类（侧重人性，不可数）
  - a crime against humanity
    反人类罪
- alien being
  外星人
- intelligent being
  智慧生物
- To be, or not to be: that is the question. —Hamlet
  生存还是毁灭，这是一个问题。（哈姆雷特）
- I think therefore I am. —René Descartes
  我思故我在。（勒内·笛卡尔）
(The Bucket List) And I couldnʼt remember what it felt like when I could not walk down the street without holding her hand. I mean she was the same woman I fell in love with, she hadnʼt changed. But somehow everythingʼs different. Weʼve lost something along the way.
我记不起当时那种无法独自走在街上、非得牵着她的手的感觉了。我的意思是，她还是我爱上的那个女人，她没有改变。但不知怎么的，一切变得不同了。一路走来，我们失去了些什么。
- somewhat
  有点，有些
  - He was somewhat hungry.
    他有点饿。
  - He was somewhat embarrassed.
    他有点尴尬。
- somewhere
  在某处
  - Iʼve lost my wallet somewhere around here.
    我在这附近丢了钱包。
- Do not disturb.
  请勿打扰。
- I hope Iʼm not disturbing you.
  我希望我没有打扰您。
- Sorry to disturb you, but …
  很抱歉打扰你⋯⋯（后接请求）
  - Sorry to disturb you, but I really need your help.
    抱歉打扰你，但我真的需要你的帮助。

课文翻译¶

美洲狮是一种体形似猫的大动物，产于美洲。当伦敦动物园接到报告说，在伦敦以南45英里处发现一头野生美洲狮时，这些报告并没有受到重视。可是，随着证据越来越多，动物园的专家们感到有必要进行一番调查，因为凡是声称见到过美洲狮的人们所描述的情况竟是出奇地相似。

搜寻美洲狮的工作是从一座小村庄开始的。那里的一位妇女在采摘黑莓时看见“一只大猫”离她仅5码远，她刚看见它，它就立刻逃走了。专家证实，美洲狮除非被逼得走投无路，否则是决不会伤人的。事实上搜寻工作很困难，因为常常是早晨在甲地发现那只美洲狮，晚上却在20英里外的乙地发现它的踪迹。无论它走到哪儿，一路上总会留下一串死鹿以及死兔子之类的小动物。在许多地方看见了爪印，灌木丛中也发现了粘在上面的美洲狮毛。有人抱怨说夜里听见了“像猫一样的叫声”；一位商人去钓鱼，看见那只美洲狮在树上。专家们如今已经完全肯定那只动物就是美洲狮，但它是从哪儿来的呢？由于全国的动物园没有一家报告丢了美洲狮，因此那只美洲狮一定是某位私人收藏家豢养的，不知怎么设法逃出来了。搜寻工作进行了好几个星期，但始终未能逮住那只美洲狮。想到在宁静的乡村里有一头危险的野兽继续逍遥流窜，真令人担心。

- at large
  在逃的，未被捕获的，未被控制住的
  - a prisoner/suspect at large
    在逃的囚犯/嫌疑犯
  - The disease is stil at large.
    疾病依旧肆虐。
↩
- bear-like animals
  类似熊的动物
- lady-like behavior
  淑女般的行为
- child-like simplicity
  孩童般的率真
- an angel-like girl
  一个天使般的女孩
- crystal-like eyes
  水晶般的双眸
- flu-like symptoms
  类似流感的症状
- (CET-4) Foxes and farmers have never got on well. These small dog-like animals have long been accused of kiling farm animals.
  狐狸和农民之间从未相处融洽。这种小型、类似狗的动物长期以来被指责杀害农场动物。
- As is shown in the picture, there is a cobweb-like structure with separate compartments packed in it.
  如图所示，有一个类似蜘蛛网的结构，其中堆满了独立的小隔间。
↩
Pumas are large, cat-like animals (which are) found in America.

定语从句的关系代词作主语，如果后面紧跟的是 be 动词，一般来说可以把作主语的关系代词跟 be 动词同时省略，形成非谓语动词充当后置定语的结构。
- be found in ...
  动植物产于⋯⋯；某种物质存在于⋯⋯
  - Many plant and animal species are found only in the rainforests.
    很多植物和动物的物种仅仅产于雨林之中。
  - Vitamin C is found in citrus fruit.
    维生素 C 存在于柑橘水果中。
Example

造句：大熊猫（giant panda）是一种大型的，类似于熊的动物，产于中国四川省。

Giant pandas are large, bear-like animals which are found in Sichuan province, China.

↩
- He came into the classroom.
  他走进了教室。
- (NCE3-29) However, a new type of humor, which stems largely from the US, has recently come into fashion.
  然而，一种主要源自美国的新型幽默，最近开始流行起来。
- (NCE3-34) The dealer told him that it had just come in, but that he could not be bothered to open it.
  经销商告诉他，那东西刚到，但他懒得打开。
无灵主语/物称主语（inanimate subject）
- I thought of a good idea.
  我想到了一个好主意。
- A good idea came into my mind.
  我想到了一个好主意。
- A good idea flashed into my mind.
  我灵光一闪，想到一个好主意。
- He went to the town on business.
  他进城办事去了。
- Business took him to the town.
  他进城办事去了。
- A warm and sunny Sunday found my whole family going for an outing at the beach.
  在一个风和日丽的星期天，我们全家人去海滨远足。
↩
英语中的从句基本可以分为三大类：
- 形容词性从句：定语从句
- 副词性从句：状语从句
- 名词性从句：主语从句/宾语从句/表语从句/同位语从句
同位语从句和定语从句的区别
1. 从定义上看：同位语从句解释前面名词的具体内容；而定语从句仅起到后置定语的作用，常译为“⋯⋯的”。
2. 从形式上看：同位语从句中的“that”仅起到连接符号的作用，不充当语法成分；而定语从句中的“that”一般是关系代词，在从句中充当主语、宾语或表语。
Example
- The proposal that John should be dismissed is unacceptable.
  约翰应该被解雇的提议是不可接受的。
- The proposal that John put forward is unacceptable.
  约翰提出的提议是不可接受的。
- We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by the Creator with certain unalienable rights, that among these are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness. —Thomas Jefferson, Declaration of Independence
  我们认为这些真理是不言而喻的：人人生而平等，造物主赋予他们若干不可剥夺的权利，包括生命、自由与对幸福的追求。（托马斯·杰斐逊《独立宣言》）
↩
had been seen/found/observed … ↩
in/on/to the south of …(1)
1. “to the”出现时可以省略。
Example
- Shanghai is in the south of China.
  上海在中国的南部。
- Vietnam is on the south of China.
  越南在中国的南边。
- Indonesia is to the south of China.
  印度尼西亚在中国的南方。
- 100 kilometers south of Xi'an
  西安以南一百公里处
↩
- take … seriously
  重视，严肃对待
- take … lightly
  轻视，轻率对待
… they were taken lightly.

When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously.

Example

造句：当消息（news）传到了国家博物馆（the national museum），说是在西安以南 100 公里处发现了一座古墓（an ancient tomb）的时候，这则消息受到了重视。

When news came into the national museum that an ancient tomb had been found 100 kilometers south of Xi'an, it was taken seriously.

↩
- give descriptions
- … descriptions which were given by people …
- make descriptions
- … descriptions made by people …
非谓语动词作后置定语
- (NCE3-1) The hunt for the puma began in a smal village where a woman picking blackberries saw a large cat only five yards away from her.
  对美洲狮的搜捕始于一个小村庄，那里有一位正在采摘黑莓的妇女，看见一只大猫就在离她仅五码远的地方。
- (NCE3-7) John had a very good day and put his wallet containing ￡3,000 into the microwave oven for safekeeping.
  约翰度过了非常愉快的一天，随后把装有3000英镑的钱包放进微波炉里以求安全保管。
- (NCE3-8) For hundreds of years, St. Bernard dogs have saved the lives of travellers crossing the dangerous Pass.
  几百年来，圣伯纳犬一直在挽救穿越那个危险山口的旅行者们的生命。
- novels written by Lu Xun
  鲁迅写的小说
- movies directed by Zhang Yimou
  张艺谋导演的电影
- The man leaning against the wall named George is my brother.
  那个靠在墙上，名叫乔治的人是我哥哥。
↩
- claim to have done …(1)
  声称曾经做过某事
  1. 固定搭配要求使用不定式，而动作又发生在之前，故有“to have done”这一结构。
- claim to do …
  声称做某事
- So far, no organization has claimed to be responsible for the accident.
  到目前为止，还没有任何组织声称对这起事故负责。
- Everyone went to the funeral, for the 'ghost' was none other than Eric Cox, a third brother who was supposed to have died as a young man.
  大家都去参加了葬礼，因为那个“鬼”不是别人，正是艾里克·科克斯——他是家里的老三，大家原本以为他年轻时就已经死了。
↩
- were extraordinarily similar
  特别相似的
- were particularly alike
  格外相似的
- had a lot in common
  有很多共同之处
- had considerable commonalities
  有相当多的共性
—well, I saw the ad on the back of the bus stop today. And, uh… though it was not exactly like looking in the mirror, you can't deny that there is a certain commonality in our visages.
那个，我今天看到公交站牌背后的广告了。然后，呃……虽说不完全像是照镜子，但你不能否认，你我的容貌之中确实有着某种共性。

—I guess we do look a little bit alike.
我想我们确实是有那么一点像。

Example

造句: 随着病例（case）开始慢慢增多, 医学专家们（specialist）觉得必须要调查了,因为得了这种病的人的症状（symptom）特别地相似。

As the cases began to accumulate, specialists felt obliged to investigate, for the symptoms of people who had caught the disease were extraordinarily similar.

↩
- hunt for …
  搜寻，寻找
  - I'm hunting for a job now.
    现在我正在找工作。
  - The hunt for a job will begin tomorrow.
    我明天就要开始找工作了。
- the winter in America
  美国的冬天
- the entrance to the parking lot
  停车场的入口
- a witness to the accident
  事故的目击者
- a longing for love
  对爱情的渴望
- the reason for the disaster
  灾难的原因
↩
- prove (to be) + adj./n.
  被证明是⋯⋯
  - His injury proved (to be) fatal.
    他的伤势被证明是致命的。
  - The operation proved (to be) a success.
    手术被证明是成功的。
- turn out to be + adj./n.
  原来是⋯⋯
  - (NCE3-3) When the archaeologists reconstructed the fragmerits, they were amazed to find that the goddess turned out to be a very modern-looking woman.
    当考古学家们拼凑起这些碎片时，他们惊讶地发现，这位女神原来是一个看起来非常现代的女性。
↩
疑问词 + ever (whenever, wherever, whoever, whichever, whatever …) 有两个含义：
1. 表示“无论⋯⋯”引导让步状语从句。= no matter +疑问词
  - No matter where it went, …
  - (NCE3-29) No matter where you live, you would find it difficult not to laugh at, say, Charlie Chaplin's early films.
2. 表示“到底⋯⋯”用于疑问句中。
  - (NCE3-2) 'Whatever are you doing up here Bill?' asked the vicar in surprise.
  - Wherever did you go yesterday?
  - When ever am I going to see you again?
  - When wil you ever learn?
    你什么时候才能长记性？
↩
- a trail of
  一连串的
- Wherever he went, he left a trail of … behind him.
- Wherever he went, he left a trail of unpaid bills behind him.
- Wherever he went, he left a trail of broken hearts behind him.
↩
人们对下岗工人的生活状况越来越关注了。
- People have paid more and more attention to the condition of the laid-off workers.
- Increasing attention has been paid to the condition of the laid-off workers.
↩
- fur
  皮毛
- a fur coat
  裘皮大衣
- feather
- fur and feather
  飞禽走兽
- fin, fur and feather
  鱼鸟兽（泛指所有的动物）
The crown should not yield to the cross.
王权不应屈服于神权。

↩
非谓语动词充当主语补足语。
- As no pumas had been reported missing from any zoo in the country, …
- The fire was reported controlled.
  - It is reported that the fire was controlled.
↩
- complain of/about sth.(1)
  1. complain 是不及物动词。
- complain (that)
  - She complained that no one had been at the airport to meet her.
↩
- on a business/honeymoon trip
- on a journey/voyage/expedition/tour …
↩
- be convinced that …
- convince sb. of sth.
that 引导的名词性从句通常不能直接跟在介词后面，但有两种例外情况：
- in that …
- except/but that …
↩
- must have done
- You must have been il yesterday. You looked so pale.
- must do
- She knew that it must be the baker.
- may/might have done
- can not/could not have done
- You can't have been ill yesterday. I saw you going shopping with your wife.
- (NCE3-60) The girl asked to see a timetable, feeling sure that her father could not have made such a mistake.
- should/ought to have done
  本该（表责备）
- should not/ought not to have done
  本不该（表责备）
- You should have finished your work yesterday.
- I shouldn't have shouted at you yesterday.
—She looks very happy. She must have passed the exam. —I guss so. It's not difficult at all.

—I can't find my purse anyway. —You may have lost it while shopping.

—I'm sorry. I shouldn't have shouted you the other day. —Forget it. I was a bit out of control myself.

The policeman declared that the blow on the victim's head must have been made from behind.

↩
- in the possession of sb. / in one's possession
- in possession of sth.
- The book is in my possession.
- I'm in possession of the book.
- in the charge of sb. / in one's charge
- in charge of …
- The bookstore is in my charge.
- I'm in charge of the bookstore.
↩
- manage to do(1)
  设法完成了某事
  1. 设法去做某事是“try to do”
- (NCE3-2) Our vicar is always raising money for one cause or another, but he has never managed to get enough money to have the church clock repaired.
- fail to do
  没能完成某事
- (NCE3-5) When the journalist again failed to reply, the editor reluctantly published the article as it had originally been written.
↩
- It is … to think that …
  一想到某事就令人觉得如何
  - It is worrying to think that …
  - It is exciting to think that …
  - It is comforting to think that …
  - It is amusing to think that …
  - It is irritating to think that …
↩

A puma at large1¶

单词讲解¶

课文翻译¶

A puma at large¹¶