文章原文：
新概念英语第三册1-A Puma at large逃遁的美洲狮
Pumas are large, cat-like animalswhich are found in America. When reports came into London Zoo that a wild pumahad been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not takenseriously. However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoofelt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimedto have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.
The huntfor the puma began in a small village where a woman picking blackberries saw 'alarge cat' only five yards away from her. It immediately ran away when she sawit, and experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless itis cornered. The search proved difficult, for the puma was often observed atone 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 likerabbits. Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was foundclinging to bushes. Several people complained of "cat-like noises' atnight and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree. The expertswere 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 onemust have been in the possession of a private collector and somehow managed toescape. The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught. It isdisturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quietcountryside.
精读笔记：
1.A puma at large
be at large: if a dangerous person or animal is at large, they haveescaped from somewhere or have not been caught.
例句：The escaped prisoners are still at large.
2.Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.
可以抽象出描述某个陌事物的句型（要解释的事物+be+形容词+种类词+which从句），在向别人解释某事物时可以使用。
3.Whenreportscame into London Zoo(that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London), they were not taken seriously.
（1）在这个句子里，that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London就是reports的具体内容，是同位语从句，在初步理解时，可以先不看that从句的内容，句子就相对比较简单了；
（2）后半句的they指代前面提到的reports，这个句型可以在消息报道时使用，比如：得知外婆去世的消息后，他变得非常的难过。
4.accumulate:to gradually get more and more money, possessions, knowledgeetc over a
period of time.
例句：It is unjust that a privileged few should continue toaccumulate wealth.
5.However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for thedescriptions(given bypeople)(who claimed to have seen the puma)were extraordinarily similar.
（1）as在此处引导时间状语从句，表示“随着。。。”；
（2）for用来补充说明因果关系；
（3）given by people是对descriptions的修饰，who claimed to have seen the puma是对people的修饰，在分析句子时，要先省去修饰成分，找出句子主干。
6.The hunt for the puma began in a small village wherea woman picking blackberriessaw 'a large cat' only five yards away from her.
picking blackberries在此处是现在分词作定语，修饰a woman。
7.a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered.
（1）will:used to say what always happens in a particular
situation or what is generally true
例句：Oil will float on water.
（2）unless:used to say that something will happen or be true if something else does not happen or is not true.
例句：Unless some extra money is
found, the theatre will close.
8.Several people complained of "cat-like noises' at night and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree.
complain of something: to say that you feel ill or have a pain in a part of your body.
例句：Dan’s been complaining ofsevere headaches.
9.The experts were now fully convinced that the animal was a puma, but where had it come from?
（1）convince:to make someone feel certain that something is true
例句：Her arguments didn’t convinceeveryone, but changes were made.
（2）beconvinced that是被动语态结构，可以在文章结尾表达观点态度时使用，例如：I was convinced thatwe were doing the right thing.
10.It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.
It isdisturbing to think that可以用于表达观点，disturbing还可以换为其他词，如reasonable/important/astonishing等。
