Lesson 19

A very dear cat
一条贵重的宝贝猫

Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
听录音，然后回答以下问题。
Why was Rastus 'very dear' in more ways than one?

Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals, but they recently took considerable interest in Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay's cat. Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years. Rastus leads an orderly life. He usually takes a short walk in the evenings and is always home by seven o'clock. One evening, however, he failed to arrive. Mrs. Ramsay got very worried. She looked everywhere for him but could not find him.
There days after Rastus' disappearance, Mrs. Ramsay received an anonymous letter. The writer stated that Rastus was in safe hands and would be returned immediately if Mrs. Ramsay paid a ransom of $1,000. Mrs. Ramsay was instructed to place the money in a cardboard box and to leave it outside her door. At first she decided to go to the police, but fearing that she would never see Rastus again -- the letter had made that quite clear -- she changed her mind. She withdrew $1000 from her bank and followed the kidnapper's instructions. The next morning, the box had disappeared but Mrs. Ramsay was sure that the kidnapper would keep his word. Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually at seven o'clock that evening. He looked very well though he was rather thirsty, for he drank half a bottle of milk. The police were astounded when Mrs. Ramsay told them what she had done. She explained that Rastus was very dear to her. Considering the amount she paid, he was dear in more ways than one!

参考译文

绑架者很少对动物感兴趣。最近，绑架者却盯上了埃莉诺.拉姆齐太太的猫。埃莉诺.拉姆齐太太是一个非常富有的老妇人，多年来，一直同她养的猫拉斯一起住在一所公寓里。拉斯特斯生活很有规律，傍晚常常出去溜达一会儿，并且总是在7点钟以前回来。可是，有一天晚上，它出去后再也没回来。拉姆齐太太急坏了，四处寻找，但没有找着。
拉斯特斯失踪3天后，拉姆齐太太收到一封匿名信。写信人声称拉斯特斯安然无恙，只要拉姆齐太太愿意支付1,000 英镑赎金，可以立即将猫送还。他让拉姆齐太太把钱放在一个纸盒里，然后将纸盒放在门口。一开始拉姆齐太太打算报告警察，但又害怕再也见不到拉斯特斯——这点，信上说得十分明白——于是便改变了主意。她从银行取出1,000 英镑，并照绑架者的要求做了。第二天早晨，放钱的盒子不见了。但拉姆齐太太确信绑架者是会履行诺言的。果然，当天晚上7点正，拉斯特斯准时回来了。它看上去一切正常，只是口渴得很，喝了半瓶牛奶。拉姆齐太太把她所做的事告诉了警察，警察听后大为吃惊。拉姆齐太太解释说她心疼她的猫拉斯特斯。想到她所花的那笔钱，她的心疼就具有双重意义了。

【New words and expressions】 生词和短语

★dear
adj. 亲爱的，珍贵的；昂贵的
I can't afford the car because it's too dear.
The cat is dear to me.
cost somebody dear

★kidnapper
n. 绑架者，拐骗者
kidnap v.

★considerable
adj. 相当大的
a considerable business
He has got a considerable success.
considerably
It's considerably colder today than yesterday.
considerate
be considerate to somebody
Are you considerate to your wife?
considered
It's my considerered opinion.
all things considered
就各方面而言
All things considered ,he finished the work well.
considering
Considering his age,the little boy reads very well.
considering that
He studies English well,considering.

★wealthy
adj. 富的，有钱的

★orderly
adj. 有规律的

★disappearance
n. 失踪

★anonymous
adj. 匿名的

★ransom
n. 赎金
pay ransom to somebody
The old lady paid a ransom of one thousand pounds to the kidnapper.
hold somebody to ransom
They kidnapped the boy and held him to ransom.

★cardboard
n. 硬纸板

★withdraw(withdrew, withdrawn)
v. （从银行）取钱

★punctually
adv. 准时地
punctual adj.
punctuality n.

★astound
v. 使吃惊
语意程度比surprise要强得多
astonish amaze astound 语气一个比一个强
He was ashounded to hear of her death.
They were amazed to find the lazy girl came very early.
surprising surprised

【课文讲解】

seldom take interest in
took great interest in
share something with somebody
I share the room with my friend.

for a long time.

disciplined regular

take a short walk goes for a stroll
however
look for find
after可以和名词搭配　　Three days after～arrival
state: 非常正式的声明
instruct: order be instructed to do something
The journalist was instructed to obtain...

fearing现在分词做原因状语
make it clear to somebody that.
The teacher has made it clear to us that we must read English aloud every day.

keep his promise word表示诺言时，要采用单数形式
keep his word break his word give somebody one's word
as good as one's word 表示守信用，侧重点在于强调一个结果
go back on one's word

sure enough
I said it would happen ,and sure enough it did happen.

half a bottle of milk

in many ways
双重意义：dear

【Special difficulties】

The comma
三个或三个以上的词、短语或句子只用一个并列连接词来连接，他们之间就要用逗号，并列连接词前也要用逗号

插入语或同位语前后必须用逗号分开

状语从句位于句首时也要用逗号和主句分隔开来，放在句尾则不需要

非限定性定语从句必须用逗号分开

语次转变词也应该用逗号将其和句子其他成分分开

介词短语和分词短语位于句首时也必须加逗号加以分隔

【Multiple choice questions】
Comprehension
1 Some kidnaers took consierable interest in Mrs. Ramsay’s cat because _____ .
a. Mrs. Ramsay could and woulday a lot toget her only companion back
b. Mrs. Ramsay clearly loved hercat to have kept him so long
c. Rastus was an orderly cat and wouldd be easy to look after if kdnapped
d.Mrs. Ramsay missed her cat whenever he was not back home on time
1． A
could would

2 On what conditions did the kidnapper promise the safe return of Rastus?
a. His name was not to be revealed and he wanteda ransom of ￡1,000.
b. Mrs. Ramsay was not to inform the police and had to pay ￡1,000.
c. Mrs. Ramsay had to leaveher flat until the box with the money had gone.
d. Mrs. Ramsay was to withdraw ￡1,000 from her bank and follow his instructions.
2. B

3 How was Rastus dear to Mrs. Ramsay in more ways than one?
a. She was very fond of him and it had cost her a lot of get him back.
b. besides the high ransom paid on his behalf, he drank a lot of milk.
c. He was so dear that she had not dared tell the police of the kidnapping.
d. He was very valuable and she valued him greatly.
3. A

Structure
4 Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay is a very wealthy lady who _____ a flat with her cat Rastus, for a great many years. (ll.2-4)
a. shares b. has shared c. shared d. had shared
for a great many years
4. B 现在完成时

5 She searched for him but could not find him _____ . (ll.7-8)
a. nowhere b. somewhere c. everywhere d. anywhere
5．D

6 Her first reaction _____ the police. (ll.11-12)
a. was to call b. was calling c. she would call d. being to call
根据语法规则，当主语是ambition, goal, hope, idea, intention, mistake, plan, policy, purpose, reaction, suggestion等名词的时候，句子的表语必须是to不定式短语， 该不定式短语是说明其内容的。
His purpose in life was to seek truth instead of money.
6. A

7. But _____ never seeing Rastus again, she changed her mind. (ll.12-13)
a. afraid b. afraid of c. for fear d. afraid for
fearing
7. B
for fear + of / that
They are working hard for fear that they should fail.
afraid for 侧重点表示为......感到担心，害怕失去

8 Considering _____ money she paid, he was dear …(ll.17-18)
a. the great b. how many c. how much of d. what a lot of
8． D

Vocabulary
9 Rastus leads a _____ life. (l.4)
a. correct b. measured c. regular d. disciplined
measured : 慎重的，有节奏的
regular:强调有规则的
9． D

10 He ususlly goes _____ in the evenings… (ll.4-5)
a. on a trek b. for a stroll c. for a trot d. on foot
go on a trek 进行艰苦的拔涉
go for a stroll == go for a walk
trot 小跑
I’m going for a trot down the lane.

11 _____, Rastus arrived punctually… (l.15)
a. Certainly b. Without a doubt c. As expected d. As a matter of fact
11. C
sure enough ====As expected
without a doubt 毫无疑问

12 He apeared very _____ , though… (ll.15-16)
a. healthy b. satisfied c. good-looking d. sane
12． A
satisfied 满意的
good-looking 长相好看的
sane 明智的