《A puma at large》
新概念英语第三册的第一篇文章，作者是英国作家P. G. Wodehouse，最初发表于1936年的杂志上，后来被收录在Wodehouse的短片小说集里。
标题中at large的是一个固定短语搭配，large是常见的形容词，最常见的意思是表示大的，在这个搭配中的意思是自由的，广泛的，固定搭配表示未受限制的意思，短语的意思就是指在逃的罪犯或野生动物，所以标题的正确意思是《在逃的美洲狮》
Pumas are large, cat-like animals which are found in America.
定义puma是一种在美洲发现的大型猫科动物。
When reports came into London Zoo that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London, they were not taken seriously.
主句是“它们没有被认真对待”。（they were not taken seriously）
主句中的它们指的是“报告送到伦敦动物园的时候”。时间状语从句前置。（when reports came into London Zoo）
that提供的定语从句修饰报告内容。“一只美洲狮在伦敦以南45英里被发现”。（that a wild puma had been spotted forty-five miles south of London）
这里spoted是seen的意思，被看见，相比seen有更不容易被看见的意思。方位距离的表达也是一个重要知识点。
However, as the evidence began to accumulate, experts from the Zoo felt obliged to investigate, for the descriptions given by people who claimed to have seen the puma were extraordinarily similar.
然而，随着证据的积累，动物园的专家们感到有责任进行调查，因为声称目击过这只美洲狮的人们所提供的描述异常相似。
The hunt for the puma began in a small village where a woman picking blackberries saw ‘a large cat’ only five yards away from her.
对美洲狮的追踪始于一个小村庄，一个采摘黑莓的女人看到一只距离她仅五码远的“大猫”。
It immediately ran away when she saw it, and experts confirmed that a puma will not attack a human being unless it is cornered.
当她看到它时，它立即逃跑了。专家们确认，除非被逼到绝境，否则美洲狮不会攻击人类。
The search proved difficult, for the puma was often observed at one place in the morning and at another place twenty miles away in the evening.
寻找工作证明很困难，因为美洲狮经常在早晨的一个地方观察到，而在晚上则在二十英里远的另一个地方。
Wherever it went, it left behind it a trail of dead deer and small animals like rabbits.
无论它走到哪里，都会留下死鹿和兔子等小动物的踪迹。
Paw prints were seen in a number of places and puma fur was found clinging to bushes.
在许多地方都发现了爪印，灌木丛中也发现了粘附的美洲狮皮毛。
Several people complained of “cat-like noises’ at night and a businessman on a fishing trip saw the puma up a tree.
几个人抱怨说晚上有“像猫叫的噪音”，一位正在钓鱼的商人看到美洲狮爬上了一棵树。
The experts were now fully convinced that the animal was a puma, but where had it come from?
专家们现在完全相信这只动物是一只美洲狮，但它是从哪里来的呢？
As no pumas had been reported missing from any zoo in the country, this one must have been in the possession of a private collector and somehow managed to escape.
由于该国没有任何动物园报告有美洲狮失踪，这只美洲狮一定是被私人收藏家拥有，并设法逃脱的。
The hunt went on for several weeks, but the puma was not caught.
狩猎持续了几个星期，但美洲狮没有被抓住。
It is disturbing to think that a dangerous wild animal is still at large in the quiet countryside.
想到一只危险的野生动物仍在宁静的乡村逍遥就真令人不安。