新概念英语第三册逐句精讲第1课 A Puma at large
新概念英语第三册逐句精讲:第1课 A
Puma at large
Lesson 1 A Puma at large
新概念3课文内容：
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.
新概念3逐句精讲：
1.Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.
美洲狮是一种体形似猫的大形动物，产自美洲。
语言点1 which定语从句修饰animals.
语言点2 cat-like是"n.+adj."结构的复合形容词，作定语，此类还
有:lady-like女性化的,man-like男人般的,crystal-like水晶般的,baby-
like婴儿般的,dog-like像狗一样的,steel-like钢铁般的,home-like像家一样的,angel-like天使般的,dream-like梦境般的。
语言点3 large和cat-like都是描述型定语从句，修饰animals。选择合适的词翻译“大的”或“胖的”。修饰动物：fat,huge;修饰男人：strong，heavy；修饰女人：large，plump；修饰小孩：robust，chubby.
语言点4 在写作中模仿使用本句结构。
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.
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。
语言点1 本句是一个由when引导的时间状语从句加that引导的分隔式同位语从句构成的复合句。
语言点2 had been spotted（过去被发现）中spot用词独具匠心，强调
在荒野“发现”美洲狮不容易。例句：I finally spottedjust the book I wantedin the bookstore.
语言点3 写作短语模板：take sh. seriously认真对待某事,take sth. easy轻松地做某事,take sb./sth.lightly小看某人/某事,be unsympathetic to sth.对某事很冷漠，show low regard to/for sth.对某事不在意，be indifferent to sth.对某事不感兴趣，be not interested in doing sth.对做某事不感兴趣，take one's time about doing sth.认真做某事。
语言点4 写作模板: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，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。
语言点1 本句包含了as'引导的时间状语从句，以及for引导的原因状语从句。最后是who 引导的定语从句，修饰people。
语言点2 写作短语模板：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（内因）,be compelled to do sth.被迫做某事（外因）
语言点3 写作模板: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.
语言点4 claim to have seen，声称看到过，to have seen是动词不定式的现在完成时结构，做claim的宾语。
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.
语言点1 where引导定语从句，修饰village。
语言点2 搜索：hunt，search。
语言点3 the hunt for sb./sth.抓捕某人/某物。hunt for a job找工作，Missing Wanted寻人/寻物启事，People Search/Wanted/Missing寻人，Wanted通缉。
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。
语言点1 when引导时间状语从句，and连接两个并列分句，第二个分句中的that引导宾语从句，说明confirm的内容，unless引导条件状语从句。
语言点2 1）corner作动词常用于被动语态：sth./sb. be corned某人/
某物被逼入绝境
2)与corner搭配的介词at the corner of the street在街道的拐角in the corner of the room在房间的角落里on the corner of the desk在桌子的一角
语言点3 1）unless和if...not均表示否定的条件，一般可互换：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.
语言点4 写作模板: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.
语言点1 句子中含有一个for引导的原因状语从句。特别注意的是：地点状语at one place 和at another place，时间状语in the morning 和in the evening形成对照。
语言点2 because和for的区别：because知道上的或自然的原因，语气
较强，for多指逻辑上的判断。比较：Itmust have rained,for the river is so high.He must be at home,for the light in his room is on.
语言点3 twenty miles away做后置定语，修饰place。地点副词和时间
副词做后置定语：the house ahead前面的房子，the conclusion below下面的讨论，the plan last year去年的计划。
7.Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits.
语言点1 wherever引导地点状语从句。
语言点2 where/wherever区别：where引导从句表示特定地点，而wherever引导从句表示非特定地点。比较下面两句：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.
语言点3 it left behind it a trail of dead deer...这部分中，a
trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits与behind it形成倒装。一般而言，倒装的用法有两个作用：强调或平衡句子。本句是为了平衡句子。倒装是很重要的写作手法，在新概念英语系列中还有很多，例When they got home，Jane cooked their dinner in the microwave oven and without relising it,cooked her fiance's wallet as well.
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。