精读1：A Puma at large

第1篇精读

1：精读原文和译文摘自新概念英语；

2：新概念英语精读系列旨在通过精读经典教材，夯实英语基础（词汇、长难句、语法点），积攒原汁原味的表达；

精读原文

                                                                                    A Puma at large

Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America. When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously. However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.

The hunt 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 proved difficult, for the puma was often observed at one place in the morning and at another place twenty miles away in the evening. Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits. Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes. Several people complained of 'cat-like noises' at night and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree. The experts were now fully convinced 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 must have been in the possession of a private collector and somehow managed to escape. The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught. It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.

精读笔记

Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America. When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously. However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged toinvestigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.

1. A Puma at large

A puma is a wild animal that is a member of the cat family. Pumas have brownish-grey fur and live in mountain regions of North and South America.美洲狮; 长有棕灰色的毛，栖息在美洲的山地间（以上来源于《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》）

at large：未被捕的;自由的,不受约束的;逍遥法外的

The murderer is still at large. 杀人凶手仍逍遥法外。

（以上来源于《21世纪大英汉词典》）

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

that从句：是同位语从句，解释report的具体内容；

they作为代词，代指the reports

3. feel obliged to

obliged: If you are obliged to do something, a situation, rule, or law makes it necessary for you to do that thing. 迫使

The storm got worse and worse. Finally, I was obliged to abandon the car and continue on foot. 暴风雨越来越猛烈。最终，我被迫弃车徒步前行。（以上来源于《21世纪大英汉词典》）

4. However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.（长难句）

given by people：过去分词短语作定语，表被动，修饰descriptions

who引导定于从句，先行词是people

for后面接句子，用以表示因果关系

I must go, for my friend is waiting for me.

 claimed to have seen中的to have done，使用完成时，表示see动作发生于claim动作之前。

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英里处发现一只美洲狮时，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。

The hunt for the puma began in a small village where a woman pickingblackberries 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 proved difficult, for the puma was often observed at one place in the morning and at another place twenty miles away in the evening. Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits. Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes. Several people complainedof 'cat-like noises' at night and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree. The experts were now fully convincedthat 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 must have been in the possession of a private collector and somehow managed to escape. The hunt went onfor several weeks, but the puma was not caught. It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.

1. a woman picking blackberries：

 picking blackberries是现在分词短语作定语，此处表示主动，修饰woman

2. experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered

will：除了用作助动词构成将来时态，还用作情态动词。在本句中will用作情态动词，表示习惯性或倾向性，即美洲狮不到走投无路，是不会去攻击人类。

cornered:If you corner a person or animal, you force them into a place they cannot escape from. 使走投无路

A police motorcycle chased his car twelve miles, and cornered him near Gainsborough.一辆警车追踪他的汽车12英里，在盖恩斯堡附近把他逼得走投无路。（以上来源于《21世纪大英汉词典》）

3. leave sth behind:

to leave a place without taking someone or something with you

He was forced to leave the country, leaving behind his wife and children. 他被迫抛妻弃子，离开国家。（译文：transhare君）

此结构将宾语后置，文中的宾语是：a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits；因此，通常遇到宾语比较长的结构，推荐使用这个用法

4. puma fur was found clinging to bushes

  cling:

 to stick to someone or something, or seem to surround them缠着；黏着

His wet shirt clung to his body. 他的湿衬衫紧紧地贴在身上。

to continue to believe or do something, even though it may not be true or useful any longer坚持，墨守〔某事物〕

cling to the hope/belief/idea etc (that)He clung to the hope that she would be cured.他一直抱着她会治愈的希望。（以上来源于《朗文当代高级英语辞典》）

clinging to bushes：现在分词短语作主语补足语，修饰puma fur

语法小贴士：

主动语态中的宾语补足语，可以转化为被动语态中的主语补足语。

They caught the boy stealing. （stealing 作为宾语补足语）

转化为被动语态

The boy was caught stealing. （stealing转化为主语补足语）

5. complain:If you complain about a situation, you say that you are not satisfied with it. 抱怨 

I shouldn't complain, I've got a good job to go back to.我不该抱怨，我已有可回去干的一份好工作。（以上来源于《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》）

搭配用法：

complain of/about 抱怨……；

complain to sb of/about 向某人抱怨……

 complain that+从句

6. convince：to make someone feel certain that something is true使确信；使信服

The officials were eager to convince us of the safety of the nuclear reactors.

官员们急于说服我们，核反应堆是安全的。

to persuade someone to do something说服，劝服

 I’ve been trying to convince Jean to come with me.  

我一直在设法说服琼跟我一起去。

（以上来源于《朗文当代高级英语辞典》）

搭配用法：

convince sb (that)…使某人确信……

convince sb of sth 使某人深信

convince sb to do sth 说服某人做某事

7. As no pumas had been reported missing from any zoo in the country, this one must have been in the possession of a private collector and somehow managed to escape.

had been done 过去完成时被动语态，表示过去的过去

The door had been locked when I arrived.

must have done表示对过去事情的肯定推测

He must have finished the work yesterday.

be in the possession of与be in possession of:

be in the possession of表示为……所有，主语为物；

而be in possession of表示拥有，主语为人

The book is in the possession of my mom, but I in possession of the pen.

8. go on:If something is going on, it is happening. 发生

 While this conversation was going on, I was listening with earnest attention.

该谈话进行时，我在聚精会神地听（以上来源于《柯林斯英汉双解大词典》）

9. It is disturbing to think that...

it是形式主语，逻辑主语是后面的不定式。由于to think that...主语过长，为避免头   重脚轻，使用it作为形式主语。

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的看见“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，美洲狮非被逼得走投无路，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。无论它走哪儿，一路上总会留下一串死鹿及死兔子之类的小动物，在许多地方看见爪印，灌木丛中发现了粘在上面的美洲狮毛。有人抱怨说夜里听见“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。

感谢阅读

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