Lesson 1 A puma at large 逃遁的美洲獅
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
Where must the puma have come from?
Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found inAmerica. 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 iscornered. 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.
這篇課文是新概念英語3中的第一篇，雖然比較簡短，但是文章生動有趣，有一些較為實用的詞彙和句式。
課文講解如下：
A.A puma at large.
at large 逃遁的, 沒有被控制的 --The thief is still at large. 竊賊仍逍遙法外
at large 詳細地（= in detail）n.細節, 詳情 -- I need talk to you at large.
at large 總體來講（= as a whole）-- The students at large are hungry for English.（hungry adj.飢餓的, 渴望的）同學們都渴望學好英語
英文表達方式中作者最先呈現的是事件的結果。在議論文寫作中要注意把握觀點，即topic，和中文寫作風格有所不同。
B.Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.
句子的主幹是Pumas are large, cat-like animals，而which所引導的定語從句是用來修飾說明animals.
在英文的表達方式中，首先呈現給讀者的是結果。（和中文不同）
英文擅長用長句，特別在書面語言中，中文擅長用短句。
例句：Pandas are large cat-like animals which are found in Asia.
cat-like （合成詞）貓一樣的, 偷偷摸摸的/ dog-like 狗一樣的 / life-like 栩栩如生的，逼真的
C.When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously.
讓我們先對這個句子進行重新組裝。
When reports that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London came into London Zoo .
這裡的that引導的從句講訴了report 的基本內涵及內容，它是report的同位語。
一般來講定語從句和同位語從句緊隨在被修飾名詞的後面，但為了保持句子平衡，也可以把謂語動詞放到從句之前,以避免頭重腳輕。
這裡簡單講一下定語從句和同位語從句的差別。
1> 定語從句是對於被修飾詞的補充說明、修飾。
定語從句的引導詞：
指人：主語who；賓語who, whom；定語 whose
指物：that（也可以指人）/ which
時間狀語：when/ 地點狀語：where / 原因狀語：why
2> 同位語從句則是講述被修飾名詞的內容。
可以跟同位語從句的名詞通常有news，idea，fact，promise，question，doubt，thought，hope，message，suggestion，words（消息），possibility等（一般的「抽象」名詞都可用）。
同位語從句的引導詞：
名詞(做主語、賓語等)：關係詞用that而不是which
時間：when； 地點：where
定語從句中沒有what這個關係詞，但what可以引導同位語從句
例句如下：
--I have no idea what has happened to him. 這裡要注意,定語從句中沒有what 這個關係詞，而what 可以引導同位語從句.
D.they were not taken seriously（they指代reports）看清上下文代詞they指代著什麼，they refers to reports.這些報告並沒有收到人們很認真的對待。
E.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.
However adv.然而 (起轉折作用) 要依據上下文, 表示與所遇到的情況恰恰相反。
as the evidence began to accumulate,
As 連詞：隨著, 當...之時
過去分詞做定語的用法：
-- the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were
extraordinarily similar.
Given by people 修飾description
相似例句如下：
-- the story told by the sailor
-- a book written by Luxun
claim to have done sth 聲稱曾經做過某事
-- He claimed to have been the manager of a large company.
F.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.
Where a woman picking… 定語從句
a woman picking blackberries saw 『a large cat' in a small village
in a small village 做地點狀語。用關係詞where 引導。
G.It immediately ran away when she saw it, and experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered.
Confirm = be sure = be certain (confirm vt.確定)
Unlessit is cornered = if it is not cornered (unless conj.如果不, 除非) if not
例句如下：
-- He will accept the job unless the salary is too low.
H.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.
I.Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits.
這裡出現了三個it 。Wherever it went;it left behind it. 三個it 均指代puma.
由於賓語過長，a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits被置於句末。
J.Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes.
英文表達方式習慣用被動語態, 突出客觀事實。而中文則善於運用動作的執行者。
It is unnecessary to point out who found Paw prints
-- clinging tobushes是現在分詞短語做賓補。強調正粘在灌木叢上。
讓我們嘗試將其變成主動語態。
Puma fur was found clinging to bushes.（被動）
轉變àWe found the puma fur clinging to bushes. （主動）添加主語we
K.Several people complained of 』cat-like noises' at night and a businessman on a fishing tripsaw the puma up a tree.
complain of/about sth抱怨某事
a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree.
on a fishing trip介詞短語修飾businessman
on+名詞：強調動作正在進行
--on the rise 在上升 / on the increase 在增加
--on the watch 在觀看 / on the match 在比賽中
--on the fishing trip 在釣魚的途中 / on holiday 在度假
L.The experts were now fully convinced that the animal was a puma, but where had it come from?
Fully（adv.充分地, 完全地）修飾convinced
M.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.
sth be in the possession of sb = sth be in sb's possession 某物歸某人所有(主語是物)
這輛漂亮的車是屬於我的。
-- The beautiful car is in my possession.=The beautiful car is in the possession of me.
sb be in possession of sth 某人擁有某物(主語是人)主動概念
我擁有這輛漂亮的車。
-- I am in possession of the beautiful car.（in possession of… 做表語）
-- The person in possession of the big house is excited.（in possession of… 做定語）
N.The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught.
Went on = lasted （last vi.繼續, 持續）
O.It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.
It 做形式主語，而真正主語是that所引導的從句，為保持句式平衡,主語後置。
It is disturbing to think that... 一想到…就心理不安