(单词翻译:单击)
课文
Flying cats
飞猫
Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
How do cats try to protect themselves when falling from great heights?
Cats never fail to fascinate human beings. They can be friendly and affectionate towards humans, but they lead mysterious lives of their own as well. They never become submissive like dogs and horses. As a result, humans have learned to respect feline independence. Most cats remain suspicious of humans all their lives. One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular belief that they have nine lives. Apparently, there is a good deal of truth in this idea. A cat's ability to survive falls is based on fact.
Recently the New York Animal Medical Center made a study of 132 cats over a period of five months. All these cats had one experience in common: they had fallen off high buildings, yet only eight of them died from shock or injuries. Of course, New York is the ideal place for such an interesting study, because there is no shortage of tall buildings. There are plenty of high-rise windowsills to fall from! One cat, Sabrina, fell 32 storeys, yet only suffered from a broken tooth. 'Cats behave like well-trained paratroopers.' a doctor said. It seems that the further cats fall, the less they are likely to injure themselves. In a long drop, they reach speeds of 60 miles an hour and more. At high speeds, falling cats have time to relax. They stretch out their legs like flying squirrels. This increases their air-resistance and reduces the shock of impact when they hit the ground.
参考译文
参考译文
猫总能引起人们的极大兴趣。它们可以对人友好，充满柔情。但是，它们又有自己神秘的生活方式。它们从不像狗和马一样变得那么顺从。结果是人们已经学会尊重猫的独立性。在它们的一生中，大多数猫都对人存有戒心。最使我们感兴趣的一件事情就是一种通俗的信念——猫有九条命。显然，这种说法里面包含着许多真实性。猫在跌落时能够大难不死是有事实作为依据的。
最近，纽约动物医疗中心对132只猫进行了为期5个月的综合研究。所有这些猫有一个共同的经历：它们都曾从高层建筑上摔下来过，但只有其中的8只猫死于震荡或跌伤。当然，纽约是进行这种有趣的试验的一个理想的地方，因为那里根本不缺乏高楼大厦，有的是高层的窗槛从上往下坠落。有一只叫萨伯瑞的猫从32层楼上掉下来，但只摔断一颗牙。猫就像训练有素的跳伞队员， 一位医生说。看起来，猫跌落的距离越长，它们就越不会伤害自己。在一个长长的跌落过程中，它们可以达到每小时60里甚至更快的速度。在高速下落中，猫有时间放松自己。它们伸展四肢，就像飞行中的松鼠一样。这样就加大了空气阻力，并减少了它们着地时冲击力带来的震动。
词汇
词汇
1. fascinate v. 迷住，吸引住
Her beauty fascinated every boy.
她的美貌使所有的男孩子都着了迷。
2. affectionate adj. 充满深情，柔情的
She is an affectionate child and loves to be hugged and kissed.
她是一个多情的孩子，喜欢让人爱抚亲吻。
3. mysterious adj. 神秘的，难以理解的
His action was very mysterious.
他的行动十分神秘。
4. submissive adj. 服从的，顺从的
He expects his wife to be meek and submissive.
他期望妻子温顺而且听他摆布。
5. feline adj. 猫的
large feline of upland central Asia having long thick whitish fur.
亚洲中部丘陵地区有白色长毛的大型猫科动物。
6. independence n. 独立，独立性
By the time they get to that age they will value their independence.
当他们到了那年龄时他们会珍视自己的独立性。
7. high-rise adj. 高层的
A high-rise will be put up on this empty space.
这块空地上将兴建一座高层建筑。
8. windowsill n. 窗槛
I'm trying to put the flowerpot on the windowsill.
我想把这个花盆放到窗台上
9. paratrooper n. 伞兵
10. squirrel n. 松鼠
Red squirrels are now very rare in Britain.
红色松鼠在英国已十分罕见了。
11. air-resistance n. 空气阻力
12. impact n. 冲击力
Damage assessment: Impact of the Cox Committee Report
破坏性评估：《考克斯委员会报告》的冲击
课文讲解1
课文讲解
1. Cats never fail to fascinate human beings.
never fail to 双重否定意味肯定（运用双重否定结构加深句子肯定的语气）
-- If you ask for help in the polite way, you never fail to succeed.
-- If you receive requests like this, you'll never fail to accept.
双重否定结构：（起加深句子肯定的语气的作用）
1>否定词+fail to
-- never fail to / can't fail to / don't fail to
2>否定的形容词之前加以否定
-- What he said is not unreasonable.（adj.不讲道理的, 不合理的）
-- It is quite common for us to make mistakes.
= It is not uncommon for us to make mistakes.
3> not + without
-- You can't obtain English without working hard. Obtain（vt.获得, 得到）
-- He doesn't have any meal without meats.
4> no + not
-- There is no cat that doesn't like fish.
-- There is nothing that he can't do. 没有什么他不能做的。
-- There is no rule that has no exception. 没有无例外的法规。Exception（n.除外, 例外）
2. They can be friendly and affectionate towards humans, but they lead mysterious lives of
their own as well.
as well 也, 又, 同样
3. They never become submissive like dogs and horses.As a result, humans have learned to respect feline independence.
as a result adv.结果
have learned to 学会了, 习惯了
-- People have learned to expect(盼望) that trains are punctual.（adj.准时的）
-- Children have learned to expect(认为) that their parents are very able.（adj.能干的）
4. Most cats remain suspicious of humans all their lives.
be suspicious of… 对…表示怀疑, 存有戒心
5. One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular belief that they have nine lives.
that 引导同位语从句
-- One of the things that fascinates us most about planes is the popular fact that they are safe and
fast.
6. Apparently, there is a good deal of truth in this idea.
a good deal of +不可数名词
apparently（adv.显然地），语气不是非常确定（= It seems that...）
7. A cat's ability to survive falls is based on fact.
Survive（v.幸免于, 幸存, 生还）
Fall（n.堕落, 落下, 下降）
-- a cat's ability to survive falls is based on fact
be based on 基于事实基础之上
base sth on … 把某事建立在…基础之上
-- We base the theory on the fact. 我们把这理论建立在事实的基础之上。
-- The theory is based on fact. 这理论是建立在事实基础上的。
课文讲解2
8. Recently the New York Animal Medical Center made a study of 132 cats over a period of five months.
make a study of sth 对什么作出研究
over a period of five months
9. All these cats had one experience in common: they had fallen off high buildings, yet only eight of them died from shock or injuries.
in common = the same
fall off 坠落，掉落
die of + illness, disease, hunger, thirst
die from + shock, injures, wound
10. Of course, New York is the ideal place for such an interesting study, because there is no shortage of tall buildings.
Shortage（n.不足, 缺乏）= lack（n.缺乏, 短缺），两个词都和of搭配
-- Shortage of money led to the failure of the experiments.
资金缺乏导致实验的失败。
11. There are plenty of high-rise windowsills to fall from! One cat, Sabrina, fell 32 storeys, yet only suffered from a broken tooth.
suffer from 遭受什么痛苦
12. 'Cats behave like well-trained paratroopers.' a doctor said.
behave like = act like
well-trained 训练很好的，well-decorated 装饰漂亮的
13. It seems that the further cats fall, the less they are likely to injure themselves.
the more...the more...（用定冠词the +形容词或副词的比较级）
-- The harder you study English, the better you can learn it.
-- The more you eat, the fatter you will be.
be likely to do 有可能如何（强调可能性）
-- In cold winter, we are likely to catch a cold.
14. In a long drop, they reach speeds of 60 miles an hour and more.
and more 甚至更多（= more than 60 miles an hour）
15. At high speeds, falling cats have time to relax. They stretch out their legs like flying squirrels.
stretch out 充分伸展
经典句子
经典句子
1. They can be friendly and affectionate towards humans, but they lead mysterious lives of their own as well.
它们可以对人友好，充满柔情。但是，它们又有自己神秘的生活方式。
2. Apparently, there is a good deal of truth in this idea.
显然，这种说法里面包含着许多真实性。
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