Lesson9FlyingCats飛貓Catsneverfailtofascinatehumanbeings.theycanbefriendlyandaffectionatetowardshumans,buttheyleadmysteriouslivesoftheirownaswell.theyneverbecomesubmissivelikedogsandhorses.asaresult,humanshavelearnedtorespectfelineindependence.mostcatsremainsuspiciousofhumansalltheirlives.oneofthethingsthatfascinatesusmostaboutcatsisthepopularbeliefthattheyhaveninelives.apparently,thereisagooddealoftruthinthisidea.acat'sabilitytosurvivefallsisbasedonfact.

RecentlytheNewYorkanimalmedicalcentermadeastudyof132catsoveraperiodoffivemonths.allthesecatshadoneexperienceincommon:theyhadfallenoffhighbuildings,yetonlyeightofthemdiedfromshockorinjuries.ofcourse,NewYorkistheidealplaceforsuchaninterestingstudy,becausethereisnoshortageoftallbuildings.thereareplentyofhigh-risewindowsillstofallfrom!onecat,Sabrina,fell32storeys,yetonlysufferedfromabrokentooth.'catsbehavelikewell-trainedparatroopers.'adoctorsaid.itseemsthatthefurthercatsfall,thelesstheyarelikelytoinjurethemselves.inalongdrop,theyreachspeedsof60milesanhourandmore.athighspeeds,fallingcatshavetimetorelax.theystretchouttheirlegslikeflyingsquirrels.thisincreasestheirair-resistanceandreducestheshockofimpactwhentheyhittheground.

課文翻譯

貓總能引起人們的極大興趣。它們可以對人友好，充滿柔情。但是，它們又有自己神秘的生活方式。它們從不像狗和馬一樣變得那么順從。結果是人們已經學會尊重貓的獨立性。在它們的一生中，大多數貓都對人存有戒心。最使我們感興趣的一件事情就是一種通俗的信念——貓有九條命。顯然，這種說法里面包含著許多真實性。貓在跌落時能夠大難不死是有事實作為依據的。

最近，紐約動物醫療中心對132只貓進行了為期5個月的綜合研究。所有這些貓有一個共同的經歷：它們都曾從高層建筑上摔下來過，但只有其中的8只貓死于震蕩或跌傷。當然，紐約是進行這種有趣的試驗的一個理想的地方，因為那里根本不缺乏高樓大廈，有的是高層的窗檻從上往下墜落。有一只叫薩伯瑞的貓從32層樓上掉下來，但只摔斷一顆牙。“貓就像訓練有素的跳傘隊員，”一位醫生說。看起來，貓跌落的距離越長，它們就越不會傷害自己。在一個長長的跌落過程中，它們可以達到每小時60里甚至更快的速度。在高速下落中，貓有時間放松自己。它們伸展四肢，就像飛行中的松鼠一樣。這樣就加大了空氣阻力，并減少了它們著地時沖擊力帶來的震動。

一、單詞講解Newwordsandexpressionsfascinate['f?sineit]v.迷住，吸引住affectionate[?'fek??nit]adj.充滿深情的，柔情的mysterious[mis'ti?ri?s]adj.神秘的，難以理解的submissive[s?b'misiv]adj.服從的，順從的feline['fi:lain]adj.貓的independence[indi'pend?ns]n.獨立，獨立性high-riseadj.高層的windowsill['wind?usil]n.窗檻paratrooper['p?r?tru:p?]n.傘兵squirrel['skw?:?l]n.松鼠air-resistancen.空氣阻力impact['imp?kt]n.沖擊力fascinatev.吸引eg.Travellingalwaysfascinatesme.enthrall:tobeinterestinginlisteningorwatching.enthrallingstory引人入勝的故事charmv.迷人eg.Youreyescharmedme.allure:sthexciting,mysterious.allure2000魅力2000affectionateadj.充滿深情的affection：lovematernalaffectionmaternallovesentimentaladj.多愁善感emotionaladj.情緒化的eg.Womenaresaidtobemoresentimentalandemotionalthanmen.melancholy憂郁eg.Fallingleavesgivemeafeelingofmelancholy.mysteriousadj.神秘的，奇怪的amysteriousstrangermysticadj.(religion)神秘的mysteryn.費力難解的事eg.Itisamysteryforhercompanytoweatherthefinancialstorm.enigman.(書面語）謎eg.Hisdeathisanenigmatous.riddlen.難解的謎，猜不透的事eg.It'sariddlethatBenLardenisstillatlarge.sphinx:anancientimageofalionwithahumanhead獅身人面獸→像謎一樣的人eg.BenLardenremainsasphinx.submissiveadj.恭順的，順從的sub-次的，附屬的docile：quietandeasilycontrolledadocilechild聽話的孩子meekandmild(女人）溫順的，溫和的，賢惠的ameekandmildwifefelinen./adj.貓科（的）-ine…科的動物canine犬科類的bovine牛類的swine豬類的eg.Castpearlsbeforeswines.對牛彈琴independentadj.獨立的dependentadj.依靠的beindependentof與…相獨立bedependenton依賴于…eg.Childrenoughttobeindependentoftheirparentsandlearntobedependentonthemselveswhentheyaregrownup.dependv.依靠eg.Italldepends.這要視情況而定。eg.Theanswerdependsonwhodoesit.eg.ManystudentsfindEnglishhardtolearnwhileothersnot.Sotheanswerdependsonwhodoesit.仁者見仁，智者見智eg.Youcandependonme!交給我放心好了。parachuten.降落傘parachutejump跳傘trooper兵paratrooper傘兵infantryn.步兵cavalryn.騎兵(soldierswhofightonhorseback)artillery炮兵；大炮resistancen.抵制；阻力airresistance空氣阻力frictionresistance摩擦阻力resistv.resistthetemptationeg.NevercouldIresistthetemptationofchocolate.二、課文講解Catsneverfailtofascinatehumanbeings.neverfailto總是能eg.Mywatchneverfailstokeepgoodtime.eg.Englishneverfailstofascinateme.never…without…沒有…不…eg.Theynevermeetwithoutquarreling.一見面必吵架eg.Nothingcanbegainedwithoutpainsbutpoverty.只有貧窮是可以不勞而獲的。Theycanbefriendlyandaffectionatetowardshumans,buttheyleadmysteriouslivesoftheirownaswell.leada…Lifeleadamysteriouslifeleadadog'slife過著悲慘的生活…buttheyleadmysteriouslivesoftheirownaswell.ofone'sown自己的eg.Ihaveacar.eg.Thecarisofmyown.onone'sown:withoutanyhelp依靠自己eg.Ibecameindependentofmyparentsandbegantomakealivingonmyown.forone'sowngood為…好，為…著想eg.Iknowwhatyouhavesaidisformyowngood.Theyneverbecomesubmissivelikedogsandhorses.Itissaidfelinesareveryindependent.Asaresult,humanshavelearnedtorespectfelineindependence.asaresult結果是eg.Heneverstudied,andasaresult,hefailedthefinalexam.asaresultof由于eg.Asaresultofthelongdrought,theareaisgreatlyshortofwater.inconsequenceof由于eg.Inconsequenceofgreenhouseeffect,theearthisgettingwarmerandwarmer.Mostcatsremainsuspiciousofhumansalltheirlives.remainsuspiciousof對…存有戒心eg.Littlekidsremainsuspiciousofstrangers.suspectv.懷疑suspectsbofdoingstheg.Hewassuspectedofstealing.suspicionn.beundersuspicion受到懷疑doubt:tofeeluncertaineg.Idoubtwhetherhecancomeornot.donotdoubtthat相信eg.Idon'tdoubtthat.我對此深信不已。eg.Ineverdoubtthattosticktomydreamwillleadtoasuccess.allone'slife終其一生alltheirliveseg.Hekeepssingleallhislife.他終生未娶。forlife終身eg.Hekeepssingleforlife.fordearlife拼命地eg.Itriedtocatchthelasttrainfordearlife.Oneofthethingsthatfascinatesusmostaboutcatsisthepopularbeliefthattheyhaveninelives.Apparently,thereisagooddealoftruthinthisidea.apparentlyadv.(basedonwhatyouhaveheardistruealthoughyouarenotcompletelysureaboutit)itwouldseemthat…似乎…還是…eg.Itwouldseemthathusbandactuallywantshisspousetobeadevotedandsupportivewifeandagoodandlovingmother.Acat'sabilitytosurvivefallsisbasedonfact.theabilitytosurviveabilityn.能力abilitytothinkeffortn.努力eg.Myefforttopersuadehertoreturnfailed.rightn.權利therighttovotedreamn.夢想adreamtobeascientistsurvivev.存活（tocontinuetoexistinspiteofmanydifficulties)RightHereWaiting(sungbyRichardMarx)eg.Howcanwesurvivethisromance?我們兩個怎樣才能躲過這場浪漫呢？eg.Idon'tknowhowtosurviveyourtears.我真的不知道如何才能逃過你的眼淚。survivaln.幸存（者）thesurvivalofthefittest適者生存RecentlytheNewYorkAnimalMedicalCentremadeastudyof132catsoveraperiodoffivemonths.Allthesecatshadoneexperienceincommon:theyhadfallenoffhighbuildings,yetonlyeightofthemdiedfromshockorinjuries.…,yetonlyeightofthemdiedfromshockorinjuries.diefrom(外因）diefromfeardiefromshockdiefromoverworkdiefromaninjurydieof(內因）dieofhungerdieofcancerdieofoldagedieforknowledge渴求知識Ofcourse,NewYorkistheidealplaceforsuchaninterestingstudy,erestingstudy態度詞，表明作者觀點…,becausethereisnoshortageoftallbuildings.shortagen.短缺beshortofbeshortoffund資金匱乏beinwantofeg.Peopleareinwantofpermanentpeace.人民需要永久的和平。runoutof用光了eg.I'mrunningoutofbreath.Thereareplentyofhigh-risewindowsillstofallfrom!plentyof充足的可用來修飾可數或不可數名詞。eg.Thereareplentyoffishinthesea.Youarenottheonlypebbleonthebeach.fallfalloff從…摔下來fallfromeg.Thereareplentyofhigh-risewindowsillstofall！（×）eg.You'vegotthebooktopayfor.fall32storeys強調過程fallfrom/offthe32ndstoreys.強調起始位置Onecat,Sabrina,fell32storeys,yetonlysufferedfromabrokentooth.sufferfrom遭受，經歷sufferfromabrokentoothsufferfromseasicksufferfromhomesick飽受思鄉之苦sufferfromlovesick'Catsbehavelikewell-trainedparatroopers,'adoctorsaid.Itseemsthatthefurthercatsfall,thelesstheyarelikelytoinjurethemselves.thefurther…,theless…越…，就越……eg.Itseemsratherstrangetosomegeniusthatthelesseducationtheyreceived,thegreaterachievementtheymade.SuchasBillGateswhodidn'tfinishhiscollegeeducationbutturnedouttobeabillionaire;andAlbertEinsteinwithoutelementaryeducationbutbecameawell-knownscientist.Inalongdrop,theyreachspeedsof60milesanhourandmore.Athighspeeds,fallingcatshavetimetorelax.Theystretchouttheirlegslikeflyingsquirrels.stretchout舒展stretchthetruth(tomakesthseemmoreimportant,biggerthanitreallyis)夸大其詞，言過其詞。eg.Manyadvertisementsstretchthetruth.searchouthelpoutfigureoutwearouthearsboutbetiredoutThisincreasestheirair-resistanceandreducestheshockofimpactwhentheyhittheground.this:Theystretchouttheirlegs…impactn.沖擊eg.Itisinevitablethatpeopleareabletoresisttheimpactbroughtaboutbythetransitionfromplannedeconomytomarketeconomy.三、Review1.Catsneverfailtofascinatehumanbeings.neverfailtodo總是能eg.Mywatchneverfailstokeepgoodtime.eg.Englishneverfailstofascinateme.Never…without…沒有不eg.Theynevermeetwithoutquarreling.eg.Nothingcanbegainedwithoutpainsbutpoverty.2.Buttheyleadmysteriouslivesoftheirown.leadamysteriouslifeleadadog'slife3.Apparently,thereisagooddealoftruthinthisidea.apparently:basedonwhatyouhaveheardistruealthoughyouarenotcompletelysureaboutitItwouldseemthat…似乎…，還是…eg.Itwouldseemthathusbandactuallywantshisspousetobeadevotedandsupportivewifeandagoodandlovingmother.4.Thereareplentyofhigh-risewindowsillstofallfrom!plentyof充足可以用來修飾可數和不可數名詞。eg.Thereareplentyoffishinthesea.(Ihavealotofchoices.)Youarenottheonlypebbleonthebeach.fallfalloff/from從…摔下來eg.You'vegotthebooktopayfor.fall32storeys強調過程fallfrom/offthe32ndstorey強調起始位置四、Idioms1.raincatsanddogs下傾盆大雨2.leadacatanddoglife(夫妻不和睦）爭吵不休的生活3.Letthecatoutofthebag揭露秘密五、Exercise4.Catshaveanunfailingfascination