# 第三册 Lesson 1 A puma at large 逃遁的美洲狮

## 一、课文原文

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.

## 二、重点词汇详解

| 单词 | 音标 | 词性 | 释义 | 用法说明 |
|------|------|------|------|----------|
| puma | /ˈpjuːmə/ | n. | 美洲狮 | 又称cougar/mountain lion，大型猫科动物 |
| spot | /spɒt/ | v. | 发现，认出 | 强调偶然发现，~ sb. doing sth. |
| evidence | /ˈevɪdəns/ | n. | 证据 | 不可数名词，~ for/of sth. |
| accumulate | /əˈkjuːmjəleɪt/ | v. | 积累，积聚 | 指逐渐增加，可作及物/不及物 |
| oblige | /əˈblaɪdʒ/ | v. | 迫使，责成 | feel ~d to do 觉得不得不做 |
| investigate | /ɪnˈvestɪɡeɪt/ | v. | 调查，研究 | ~ sth. 调查某事 |
| description | /dɪˈskrɪpʃən/ | n. | 描述，描写 | beyond ~ 难以描述 |
| extraordinarily | /ɪkˈstrɔːdnrɪlɪ/ | adv. | 格外地，特别地 | 修饰形容词，强调程度 |
| corner | /ˈkɔːnə/ | v. | 使走投无路 | be ~ed 被逼入绝境 |
| trail | /treɪl/ | n. | 痕迹，踪迹 | a ~ of 一连串的痕迹 |
| cling | /klɪŋ/ | v. | 粘着，依附 | ~ to sth. 紧紧抓住/附着 |
| convince | /kənˈvɪns/ | v. | 使确信，使信服 | ~ sb. of sth./that 从句 |
| disturb | /dɪˈstɜːb/ | v. | 令人不安 | ~ing 令人不安的；~ed 心神不宁的 |
| at large | — | 习语 | 逍遥法外，在逃 | 相当于free, not captured |
| possession | /pəˈzeʃən/ | n. | 拥有，所有 | in the ~ of sb. 为某人所有 |

## 三、语法知识点

### 1. 同位语从句（Appositive Clause）

课文中：*When reports came into London Zoo **that a wild puma had been spotted**...*

同位语从句用于解释说明名词的内容，常见搭配名词：fact, news, idea, report, belief, hope等。

| 主句名词 | 连接词 | 从句功能 | 例句 |
|----------|--------|----------|------|
| report | that | 解释报告内容 | The report that he was dead was untrue. |
| fact | that | 阐明事实 | The fact that she survived is a miracle. |
| news | that | 说明消息 | The news that we won excited everyone. |

**注意**：that在同位语从句中不可省略，也不充当句子成分，仅起连接作用。

### 2. claim to have done 结构

*people who claimed **to have seen** the puma*

不定式完成式表示动作发生在谓语动词之前。

| 结构 | 含义 | 例句 |
|------|------|------|
| claim to do | 声称要做 | He claims to know the answer. |
| claim to be doing | 声称正在做 | She claims to be working hard. |
| claim to have done | 声称已经做过 | They claim to have finished it. |

### 3. must have done 表推测

*this one **must have been** in the possession of a private collector*

"must have + 过去分词"表示对过去事实的肯定推测。

| 结构 | 含义 | 例句 |
|------|------|------|
| must have done | 一定做了（肯定推测） | He must have left early. |
| may have done | 可能做了（不确定推测） | She may have missed the bus. |
| can't have done | 不可能做了（否定推测） | They can't have finished already. |

## 四、重点句型分析

### 1. "However, as the evidence began to accumulate..."
- **句型**：as引导原因状语从句，意为"随着/因为"
- **转换**：= Because the evidence began to accumulate...
- **仿写**：As the situation worsened, the government took action.

### 2. "...for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar."
- **分析**：复合句。for引导并列分句表原因；given by people为过去分词短语作后置定语修饰descriptions；who引导定语从句修饰people
- **长难句拆分**：① The descriptions were extraordinarily similar. ② They were given by people. ③ These people claimed to have seen the puma.

### 3. "It is disturbing to think that..."
- **句型**：It is + adj. + to do sth.（it为形式主语）
- **仿写**：It is frightening to realize that the disease is spreading.

### 4. "Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of..."
- **句型**：Wherever引导让步状语从句 = No matter where
- **仿写**：Wherever he goes, he makes friends.

## 五、课文翻译

美洲狮是体形似猫的大型动物，产于美洲。当伦敦动物园收到报告说，在伦敦以南45英里处发现了一只野生美洲狮时，这些报告并没有受到重视。然而，随着证据不断积累，动物园的专家们感到不得不进行调查，因为那些声称见过美洲狮的人所描述的情况惊人地相似。

搜寻美洲狮的工作是从一个小村庄开始的，那里的一位妇女在采摘黑莓时看见"一只大猫"离她仅5码远。她看见它后，它就立刻跑开了。专家证实，美洲狮除非被逼入绝境，否则是决不会攻击人的。搜寻工作十分困难，因为美洲狮早晨出现在一个地方，晚上又在20英里外的另一个地方出现。它无论走到哪儿，身后总留下一串死鹿及兔子之类的小动物。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。有人抱怨说夜里听见了"像猫一样的叫声"，一位商人钓鱼时看见美洲狮爬在树上。专家们如今完全相信那只动物就是美洲狮，但它是从哪儿来的呢？因为全国没有任何动物园报告丢了美洲狮，所以这只美洲狮一定是由某个私人收藏家所有，不知怎么逃了出来。搜寻工作持续了好几个星期，但始终未能逮住它。想到在宁静的乡村有一只危险的野兽仍在逍遥法外，真令人不安。

## 六、语言点精讲

### 写作手法
1. **悬念叙事**：课文以"美洲狮出没"的新闻开篇，逐步积累证据，层层递进，最后仍留悬念——美洲狮未被捕获，营造紧张气氛。
2. **客观描述**：大量使用被动语态和间接引语，增强报道的真实感和客观性。
3. **细节铺陈**：爪印、毛皮、叫声、树上目击——多条线索并行，使叙事丰满可信。

### 文化背景
1. **美洲狮（Puma）**：又称cougar、mountain lion、panther，是美洲分布最广的大型猫科动物，英国本无野生美洲狮，因此"伦敦郊外出现美洲狮"成为新闻。
2. **私人收藏家**：在英国，某些人合法饲养大型猫科动物，这反映了英国对珍稀动物私人饲养的管理问题。

## 七、课后练习要点

1. **关键词填空**：注意at large, feel obliged to, accumulate, convince等短语搭配
2. **句型转换**：同位语从句与定语从句的辨析
3. **写作练习**：模仿课文的叙事结构，写一篇关于某动物出没的新闻报道
4. **语法重点**：must have done表推测的用法；claim to have done不定式完成式

## 八、本课小结

| 项目 | 要点 |
|------|------|
| 核心主题 | 逃逸美洲狮的追踪调查 |
| 重点语法 | 同位语从句、must have done推测、claim to have done |
| 核心词汇 | spot, accumulate, oblige, convince, at large, corner |
| 写作特色 | 悬念叙事、客观报道风格、细节铺陈 |
| 难点 | 长难句中多重修饰关系的拆解（分词短语+定语从句） |