Lesson 1 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.

1.Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.

美洲獅是一種體形似貓的大形動物，產自美洲。

語言點1 which定語從句修飾animals.

語言點2 cat-like是"n.+adj."結構的復合形容詞，作定語，此類還有:lady-like女性化的,man-like男人般的,crystal-like水晶般的,baby-like嬰兒般的,dog-like像狗一樣的,steel-like鋼鐵般的,home-like像家一樣的,angel-like天使般的,dream-like夢境般的。

語言點3 large和cat-like都是描述型定語從句，修飾animals。選擇合適的詞翻譯“大的”或“胖的”。修飾動物：fat,huge;修飾男人：strong，heavy；修飾女人：large，plump；修飾小孩：robust，chubby.

語言點4 在寫作中模仿使用本句結構。

例:Koalas are small，bear-like animals which live in Australia.

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.

當倫敦動物園接到報告說，在倫敦以南45英里處發現一只美洲獅時，這些報告并沒有受到重視。

語言點1 本句是一個由when引導的時間狀語從句加that引導的分隔式同位語從句構成的復合句。

語言點2 had been spotted（過去被發現）中spot用詞獨具匠心，強調在荒野“發現”美洲獅不容易。例句：I finally spottedjust the book I wantedin the bookstore.

語言點3 寫作短語模板：take sh. seriously認真對待某事,take sth. easy輕松地做某事,take sb./sth.lightly小看某人/某事,be unsympathetic to sth.對某事很冷漠，show low regard to/for sth.對某事不在意，be indifferent to sth.對某事不感興趣，be not interested in doing sth.對做某事不感興趣，take one's time about doing sth.認真做某事。

語言點4 寫作模板:例When news came into the departments concerned that bird flu had been spotted 30km east to the city,it was taken seriously.

3.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.

可是，隨著證據越來越多，動物園的專家們感到有必要進行一番調查，因為凡是聲稱見到過美洲獅的人們所描述的情況竟是出奇地相似。

語言點1 本句包含了as'引導的時間狀語從句，以及for引導的原因狀語從句。最后是who 引導的定語從句，修飾people。

語言點2 寫作短語模板：feel obliged to do sth.感到有必要做某事，it is necessary for sb to do sth.某人有必要做某事,be forced to do sth.被迫做某事,feel/be impelled to do sth.感到有必要做某事（內因）,be compelled to do sth.被迫做某事（外因）

語言點3 寫作模板:As the proof began to gather,the police felt obliged to interrogate this suspect further,for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the suspect were remarkably similar.

語言點4 claim to have seen，聲稱看到過，to have seen是動詞不定式的現在完成時結構，做claim的賓語。

4.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.

語言點1 where引導定語從句，修飾village。

語言點2 搜索：hunt，search。

語言點3 the hunt for sb./sth.抓捕某人/某物。hunt for a job找工作，Missing Wanted尋人/尋物啟事，People Search/Wanted/Missing尋人，Wanted通緝。

5.It immediately ran away when she saw it, and experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered.

她剛看見它，它就立刻逃走了。專家證實，美洲獅非被逼得走投無路，是決不會傷人的。

語言點1 when引導時間狀語從句，and連接兩個并列分句，第二個分句中的that引導賓語從句，說明confirm的內容，unless引導條件狀語從句。

語言點2 1）corner作動詞常用于被動語態：sth./sb. be corned某人/某物被逼入絕境

2)與corner搭配的介詞at the corner of the street在街道的拐角in the corner of the room在房間的角落里on the corner of the desk在桌子的一角

語言點3 1）unless和if...not均表示否定的條件，一般可互換：Unless you have more pratice,you will fail in the dtiving test.=If you do not have more pratice,you will fail in the dtiving test.

語言點4 寫作模板:The teacher told him that he would never pass the examination unless he studied hard.

6.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.

語言點1 句子中含有一個for引導的原因狀語從句。特別注意的是：地點狀語at one place 和at another place，時間狀語in the morning 和in the evening形成對照。

語言點2 because和for的區別：because知道上的或自然的原因，語氣較強，for多指邏輯上的判斷。比較：Itmust have rained,for the river is so high.He must be at home,for the light in his room is on.

語言點3 twenty miles away做后置定語，修飾place。地點副詞和時間副詞做后置定語：the house ahead前面的房子，the conclusion below下面的討論，the plan last year去年的計劃。

7.Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits.

語言點1 wherever引導地點狀語從句。

語言點2 where/wherever區別：where引導從句表示特定地點，而wherever引導從句表示非特定地點。比較下面兩句：He must go where we send him.=He must go to the place where we send him.

He must go wherever we send him.=He must go to any place where we send him.

語言點3 it left behind it a trail of dead deer...這部分中，a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits與behind it形成倒裝。一般而言，倒裝的用法有兩個作用：強調或平衡句子。本句是為了平衡句子。倒裝是很重要的寫作手法，在新概念英語系列中還有很多，例When they got home，Jane cooked their dinner in the microwave oven and without relising it,cooked her fiance's wallet as well.