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.

8. Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes.
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。

语言点1:句子结构分析:这是一个由and连接的并列句，意思层层递进，说明美洲狮逃遁的充分证据。Clinging to bushes为现在分词短语，作主语puma fur的补足语，补充说明主语的状态。

例句支持:

I found a tagboard clinging to my luggage.
我发现我的行李上挂着一张标签纸。

语言点2:作者接连列举了美洲狮身上的两种特有的东西，并使用了被动语态，完美地呈现了英语语言的特色。

原文句子:Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes.
对比:People saw paw prints in a number of places and found puma fur linging to bushes.

总结:可以看到，如果使用主动语态，则美感全无。

例句支持:

A note was passed up to the speaker.有人给演讲者递上来一张纸条。
对比:Some one passed up a note to the speaker.（主动语态，强调“人”，不突出“纸条”。）

语言点3:由短语a number of还可以进一步引申出下面用于写作的短语:越来越多的

（1） an increasing number of：An increasing number of students have realised the importance of English application,越来越多的学生已经意识到了英语应用的重要性。
（2） a growing number of：Now,a growing number of Chinese students go abroad for study.现在越来越多的中国学生去海外留学。

9. Several people complained of "cat-like noises"at night and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree.
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。

语言点1:句子结构分析:这又是一个由and连接的并列句，再次递进说明判断美洲狮逃遁的另外两个充分的证据，介词短语on a fishing trip作后置定语，修饰businessman。Up a tree作puma的宾语补足语。

语言点2:此句中出现的cat-like noises与本文第一句中cat-like animals的用法有异曲同工之妙，cat-like animals强调美洲狮的体形，cat-like noises则强调美洲狮的声音。不知不觉中，作者已经两次使用了比喻的修辞手法。

语言点3:请注意一下句子中介词的特定用法:

(1) There is a man in the tree.树上有个人。（in the tree一般指外露的东西“在树上”，如人，动物等，而不是树本身所长的东西。）
(2) There are many apples on the tree.树上有许多苹果。（on the tree通常指树本身长出来的东西，如枝，叶，花，果等。）

10. The experts were now fully convinced that the animal was a puma, but where had it come from?
专家们如今已经完全肯定那只动物就是美洲狮，但它是从哪里来的呢？

语言点1:句子结构分析:that引导宾语从句，指were convinced的内容。But引导的分句与前面的分句形成转折并列关系，让抓美洲狮的过程变得更加扑朔迷离。

语言点2:我们平时在写作时可以用believe,be sure,confirm等词汇表达“肯定”，但是本文作者为什么不用这些词呢？原因在于这几个词汇的主管性都太强，而be convinced则更注重客观逻辑推理。而本文第2段中给出了很多美洲狮出没的证据，那么这么多证据恐怕就不能全归结为巧合了。

例句支持:

We believe that he will succeed.我们相信他会成功。（表示主观判断）
We are convinced that he will succeed.我们有理由相信他会成功。（表示这件事有充分的理由成为客观事实）

语言点3:原文中的was一词是斜体，这又是为什么呢？这是作者为了突出强调这个动物确确实实就是那只逃遁的美洲狮，而不是其他的什么动物。

11. 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.
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，不只怎么设法逃出来了。

语言点:句子结构分析:as引导原因状语从句，不用for引导是为了避免重复。现在分词短语missing from any zoo in the country作主语puma的补足语。主句中的this one指代the missing puma,and连接两个并列的动作。

12. The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught.
搜寻工作进行了好几个星期，但始终未能逮住那只美洲狮。

语言点1:句子结构分析:这句话是由but连接的并列句，表示转折。

语言点2:在表示“持续”时，keep,go on,last continue有区别:

(1) keep doing sth 一直做某事（常用于口语中）

Tom always kept asking questions.汤姆总是问个不停。

（2） go on 继续下去（常用于写作体中）

My Heart wii Go On.《我心永恒》（电影《泰坦尼克号》主题曲）

（3） last 持续（和keep意思相近但用法不同）

Most people believe that the strike wii last for at least a week.多数人任务此次罢工至少会持续一个星期。

（4） continue (使)继续（指同一件事继续进行下去，常用于写作中）

The battle continued for several hours until darkness came on.战斗持续了几个小时，直到夜幕降临（才停止）。

13. It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.
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。

语言点1:句子结构分析:这句话中，it是形式主语，真正的主语是disturbing后面的to think that…，但因为它太长了，影响句子的平衡，所以就用it代替而把它放在句子的后面。

语言点2:写作句型总结:

(1) It is disturbing to think that…一想到…就让人感到不安

It is disturbing to think that I will take final examination tomorrow.一想到明天就要参加期末考试了我就感到紧张不安。

(2) It is irritating to think that…一想到…就让人感到生气

It is irritating to think that my brother lost his bicycle this tomorrow.一想到我弟弟今天早上把自行车弄丢了就让人生气。

（3）It is exciting to think that…一想到…就让人感到兴奋

It is exciting to think that I will get the chance.一想到我就要得到这个机会了我就感到兴奋。