新概念3-9英语第三册第9课

New concept English Lesson 9
Flying cats 飞猫
How do cats try to protect themselves when falling from great heights?
从很高处落下时，猫是怎样努力保护它们自己的？
Cats never fail to fascinate human beings.
猫在诱惑人类方面，从未失手过
fail to未能，使失望
fascinate [ˈfæsɪneɪt]，诱惑
They can be friendly and affectionate towards humans,
他们可以对人类很友好很亲热
affectionate [əˈfekʃənət]，亲热
but they lead mysterious lives of their own as well.
但它们还过着他们自己神秘的生活
lead，过着（……生活）
mysterious [mɪˈstɪəriəs]，神秘的
They never become submissive like dogs and horses.
它们从来不会变得像狗和马一样顺从
submissive [səbˈmɪsɪv]，顺从的
As a result, humans have learned to respect feline independence.
结果，人类学会了尊重猫科动物的独立性
respect [rɪˈspekt]，尊重
feline [ˈfi:laɪn]猫科动物
Most cats remain suspicious of humans all their lives.
多数猫一生对人类保持怀疑
suspicious [səˈspɪʃəs] of，怀疑
One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular流行的，大众的 belief信念 that they have nine lives.
关于猫，最让我们着迷的事件之一是流行的说法，猫有九条命
popular流行的，大众的
belief信念
Apparently, there is a good deal of truth in this idea.
实际上，有很多关于这一说法的事实
Apparently实际上
a good deal of很多的
A cat's ability to survive falls is based on fact.
猫在坠落中幸存是基于事实
survive从…中幸存
is based on基于
Recently the New York Animal Medical Center made a study of 132 cats over a period of five months. 最近，纽约动物医疗中心在五个月的时间里对132只猫做了研究
made a study of，做研究
over+数字=超过，over后跟不是数字=during
a period of，一段时期
All these cats had one experience in common:
所有这些猫有共同的经历：
have……in common，具有……共同点
they had fallen off high buildings,
它们曾经从高楼上坠落
yet only eight of them died from shock or injuries.
然而，他们中只有8只死于撞击或损伤
yet，然而
died from，死于外因（如事故），die of死于内因（如疾病）
shock，（通常用作）震惊；（由爆炸、地震等引起的）剧烈震动；有撞击的意思
injury，（对躯体的）伤害，损伤
Of course, New York is the ideal place for such an interesting study,
当然，纽约是做这种有趣研究的理想地方（我个人不认为这种残酷的研究有趣）
because there is no shortage of tall buildings.
因为不缺少高楼
shortage [ˈʃɔ:tɪdʒ]，缺少
shortage of，缺少，不足
There are plenty of high-rise windowsills to fall from!
有很多高楼大厦的窗台用于坠落
plenty of，很多
high-rise，高楼大厦
windowsills，窗台
One cat, Sabrina, fell 32 storeys, yet only suffered from a broken tooth.
一只猫，萨布丽娜，从32层楼上坠落，然而，只是伤到牙齿
32 storeys，名词短语做状语，表距离或高度
suffer，（因疾病、痛苦、悲伤等）受苦，受难，受折磨；遭受；蒙受；变差；变糟
suffer from，受害于，遭受到……伤害
'Cats behave like well-trained paratroopers .' a doctor said.
“猫的表现像收到良好训练的伞兵。

”一个医生说。

paratroopers [ˈpærətru:pə(r)]，伞兵
It seems that the further cats fall, the less they are likely to injure themselves.
似乎猫坠落的（线路）越长，它们可能越少伤害到自己
the+比较级，the+比较级，前半部分表条件，后半部分表结果
It seems that，似乎，好像
further，更多的
be likely to，可能；很可能；很有可能
In a long drop, they reach speeds of 60 miles an hour and more.
在长长的摔落过程中，它们达到每小时60英里或更高的速度
At high speeds, falling cats have time to relax放松.
在高速过程中，坠落的猫有时间放松
relax，放松
They stretch out their legs like flying squirrels.
它们伸展它们的四肢，像飞翔的松鼠
stretch out，伸开
squirrels[ˈskwɪrəl]，松鼠
This increases their air-resistance and reduces the shock of impact when they hit the ground. 这样增加了它们的空气阻力，当撞击地面时减小了冲撞的震动
impact，冲撞。