A puma at large
Lesson1 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 （adj. 被困得走投无路的） . 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.
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。
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。
1.be at large
The escaped prisoners are still at large.
2.a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London ...
...people who claimed to have seen the puma...
...the puma was often observed at one place...
I spotted someone coming out of the building.
3.As the evidence began to accumulate,experts from the Zoo felt obliged to
investigate…
feel obliged to do
must ,have to
有必要做某事...
I felt obliged to invite him.
4.The hunt for the puma began in a small
village where a woman picking blackberries saw 'a large
cat
hunt
go on a deer /fox hunt
the hunt for the remains of the Titanic
hunt for second-hand books
job-hunting
5.where a woman picking blackberries saw 'a large cat
pick
pick cotton
We need to pick someone reliable
pick and choose
6. The search proved difficult
prove: 证明
They proved her innocence.
The rumour proved false.
-
puma fur was found clinging to bushes.
cling-clung-clung
cling to
His wet shirt clung to his body.
She clings to the belief that her.
坚持
husband will come back. -
Several people complained of ‘cat-like noises’ at night .
complained
complained about the weather
complained of a headache -
disturb
Sorry to disturb you.
Do not disturb.
His strange behaviour disturbed me. -
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.
复杂句
11.Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London
被动语态
