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---lesson1Apumaatlarge逃遁的美洲狮1Pumasarelarge,cat-likeanimalswhicharefoundinAmerica.^美洲狮是一种体形似猫的大动物,产于美洲。2WhenreportscameintoLondonZoothatawildpumahadbeenspottedforty-fivemilessouthofLondon,theywerenottakenseriously.^当伦敦动物园接到报告说,在伦敦以南45英里处发现一只美洲狮时,这些报告并没有受到重视。3However,astheevidencebegantoaccumulate,expertsfromtheZoofeltobligedtoinvestigate,^可是,随着证据越来越多,动物园的专家们感到有必要进行一番调查,4forthedescriptionsgivenbypeoplewhoclaimedtohaveseenthepumawereextraordinarilysimilar.^因为凡是声称见到过美洲狮的人们所描述的情况竟是出奇地相似。5Thehuntforthepumabeganinasmallvillagewhereawomanpickingblackberriessaw'alargecat'onlyfiveyardsawayfromher.^搜寻美洲狮的工作是从一座小村庄开始的。那里的一位妇女在采摘黑莓时的看见“一只大猫”,离她仅5码远,6Itimmediatelyranawaywhenshesawit,andexpertsconfirmedthatapumawillnotattackahumanbeingunlessitiscornered.^她刚看见它,它就立刻逃走了。专家证实,美洲狮非被逼得走投无路,是决不会伤人的。7Thesearchproveddifficult,^事实上搜寻工作很困难,8forthepumawasoftenobservedatoneplaceinthemorningandatanotherplacetwentymilesawayintheevening.^因为常常是早晨在甲地发现那只美洲狮,晚上却在20英里外的乙地发现它的踪迹。9Whereveritwent,itleftbehinditatrailofdeaddeerandsmallanimalslikerabbits.^无论它走哪儿,一路上总会留下一串死鹿以及死兔子之类的小动物。10Pawprintswereseeninanumberofplacesandpumafurwasfoundclingingtobushes.^在许多地方看见了爪印,灌木丛中发现了粘在上面的美洲狮毛。11Severalpeoplecomplainedof'cat-likenoises'atnightandabusinessmanonafishingtripsawthepumaupatree.^有人抱怨说夜里听见“像猫一样的叫声”;一位商人去钓鱼,看见那只美洲狮在树上。12Theexpertswerenowfullyconvincedthattheanimalwasapuma,butwherehaditcomefrom?^专家们如今已经完全肯定那只动物就是美洲狮,但它是从哪儿来的呢?13Asnopumashadbeenreportedmissingfromanyzoointhecountry,^由于全国动物园没有一家报告丢了美洲狮,14thisonemusthavebeeninthepossessionofaprivatecollectorandsomehowmanagedtoescape.^因此那只美洲狮一定是某位私人收藏豢养的,不知怎么设法逃出来了。15Thehuntwentonforseveralweeks,butthepumawasnotcaught.^搜寻工作进行了好几个星期,但始终未能逮住那只美洲狮。16Itisdisturbingtothinkthatadangerouswildanimalisstillatlargeinthequietcountryside.^想到在宁静的乡村里有一头危险的野兽继续逍遥流窜,真令人担心。1---lesson2Thirteenequalsone十三等于一2Ourvicarisalwaysraisingmoneyforonecauseoranother,^我们教区的牧师总是为各种各样的事筹集资金,3buthehasnevermanagedtogetenoughmoneytohavethechurchclockrepaired.^但始终未能筹足资金把教堂的钟修好。4Thebigclockwhichusedtostrikethehoursdayandnightwasdamagedmanyyearsagoandhasbeensilenteversince.^教堂的钟很大,以前不分昼夜打点报时,但在很多年前遭到毁坏,从此便无声无息了。5Onenight,however,ourvicarwokeupwithastart:theclockwasstrikingthehours!^一天夜里,我们的牧师突然被惊醒了,大钟又在“打点”报时了!6Lookingathiswatch,hesawthatitwasoneo'clock,butthebellstruckthirteentimesbeforeitstopped.^他一看表,才1点钟,可是那钟一边敲了13下才停。7Armedwithatorch,thevicarwentupintotheclocktowertoseewhatwasgoingon.^牧师拿着一支电筒走上钟楼想去看看究竟发生了什么事情。8Inthetorchlight,hecaughtsightofafigurewhomheimmediatelyrecognizedasBillWilkins,ourlocalgrocer.^借着电筒光。他看见一个人,马上认出那是本地杂货店店主比尔.威尔金斯。9'WhateverareyoudoinguphereBill?'askedthevicarinsurprise.^“你究竟在这上面干什么,比?牧师惊讶地问。10I'mtryingtorepairthebell,'answeredBill.^“我想把这口钟修好,”比尔回答说。11I'vebeencomingupherenightafternightforweeksnow.^“好几个星期了,我天天夜里到钟楼上来。12Yousee,Iwashopingtogiveyouasurprise.'^嗯,我是想让你大吃一惊。”13Youcertainlydidgivemeasurprise!'saidthevicar.^“你确实使我大吃了一惊!”牧师说,14You'veprobablywokenupeveryoneinthevillageaswell.^“也许同时你把村里所有的人都吵醒了。15Still,I'mgladthebellisworkingagain.'^不过,钟又能报时了,我还是很高兴的。”16That'sthetrouble,vicar,'answeredBill.^“问题就在这里,牧师,”比尔回答说。17It'sworkingallright,butI'mafraidthatatoneo'clockitwillstrikethirteentimesandthere'snothingIcandoaboutit.'^“不错,钟能报时了,但是,恐怕每到1点钟,它总要敲13下,对此我已无能为力了。”18'We'llgetusedtothat,Bill,'saidthevicar.^“大家慢慢就习惯了,比尔,”牧师说。19'Thirteenisnotasgoodasone,butit'sbetterthannothing.^“13下是不如1下好,但总比1下也不敲强。20Nowlet'sgodownstairsandhaveacupoftea.'^来,咱们下楼去喝杯茶吧。”1---lesson3Anunknowngoddess无名女神2Sometimeago,aninterestingdiscoverywasmadebyarchaeologistsontheAegeanislandofKea.^不久之前,在爱琴海的基亚岛上,考古工作者有一项有趣的发现。3AnAmericanteamexploredatemplewhichstandsinanancientcityonthepromontoryofAyiaIrini.^一个美国考古队在阿伊亚.依里尼海角的一座古城里考察了一座庙宇。4Thecityatonetimemusthavebeenprosperous,foritenjoyedahighlevelofcivilization.^这座古城肯定一度很繁荣,因为它曾享有高度的文明,5Houses--oftenthreestoreyshigh--werebuiltofstone.^房子一般有3层楼高,用石块修建。6Theyhadlargeroomswithbeautifullydecoratedwalls.^里面房间很大,墙壁装饰华丽。7Thecitywasevenequippedwithadrainagesystem,foragreatmanyclaypipeswerefoundbeneaththenarrowstreets.^城里甚至还敷设了排水系统,因为在狭窄的街道底下发现了许许多多陶土制作的排水管道。8ThetemplewhichthearchaeologistsexploredwasusedasaplaceofworshipfromthefifteenthcenturyB.C.untilRomantimes.^考古工作者考察的这座庙宇从公元前15世纪直到罗马时代一直是祭祀祈祷的场所。9Inthemostsacredroomoftemple,clayfragmentsoffifteenstatueswerefound.^在庙中最神圣的一间殿堂里发现了15尊陶制雕像的碎片。10Eachoftheserepresentedagoddessandhad,atonetime,beenpainted.^每一尊雕像代表一位女神,而且一度上过色。11ThebodyofonestatuewasfoundamongremainsdatingfromthefifteenthcenturyB.C.^其中有一尊雕像,她的躯体是在公元前15世纪的历史文物中发现的,12ItsmissingheadhappenedtobeamongremainsofthefifthcenturyB.C.^而她那身首异处的脑袋却碰巧是在公元前5世纪的文物中找到的。13ThisheadmusthavebeenfoundinClassicaltimesandcarefullypreserved.^她的脑袋一定是在古希腊罗马时代就为人所发现,并受到了精心的保护。14Itwasveryoldandpreciouseventhen.^即使在当时,它也属历史悠久的珍奇之物。15Whenthearchaeologistsreconstructedthefragments,^考古工作者把这些碎片重新拼装起来后,16theywereamazedtofindthatthegoddessturnedouttobeaverymodern-lookingwoman.^惊奇地发现那位女神原来是一位相貌十分摩登的女郎。17Shestoodthreefeethighandherhandsrestedonherhips.^她身高3英尺,双手叉腰,18Shewaswearingafull-lengthskirtwhichswepttheground.^身穿一条拖地长裙,19Despit