A very dear cat
生词和短语
dear
adj. 亲爱的，珍贵的；昂贵的
kidnapper
n. 绑架者，拐骗者
considerable
adj. 相当大的
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
cardboard
n. 硬纸板
withdraw(withdrew, withdrawn)
v. （从银行）取钱
punctually
adv. 准时地
astound
v. 使吃惊
dear [dɪə(r)]
adj. 亲爱的；昂贵的
Dear Mr. Smith,
my dear daughter
Come on, dear.
亲爱的
dearest
darling
honey
sugar
sweetheart
贵重的
expensive
costly
pricy / pricey
cost sb. an arm and a leg 下了血本
(A) Linda didn't like it.
(B) Bill lost it.
(C) It was very expensive.
(D) It was very small.
M: Did you see the diamond ring Bill gave to Linda?
W: I sure did. It must have cost him an arm and a leg.
Q: What does the woman imply about the ring?
Answer: (C) It was very expensive.
daylight / highway robbery 东西特别贵
$10 for an orange juice? That's just daylight robbery!
kidnapper ['kɪdnæ pə(r)]
n. 绑架者，绑匪
kidnapper
kidnap
The boy was kidnapped by a terrorist.
abduct
abductor
劫持（交通工具
hijack
hijacker
ransom 赎金
hostage 人质
anonymous [ə'nɒnɪməs]
adj. 匿名的
an anonymous donor / phone call / letter 捐助者 / 电话 / 信
“onym” = name
synonym 同义词
antonym 反义词
pseudonym 假名、笔名、化名
pseudo-science 伪科学
O. Henry is the pseudonym of William Sydney Porter.
withdraw [wið'drɔ:]
v. （从银行）取款
取钱
withdraw … from …
withdraw -- withdraw -- withdrawn
I’d like to withdraw 2,000 yuan from my account.
存钱
deposit … in …
I’d like to deposit 2,000 yuan in my account.
开户
I’d like to open an account.
current account 活期
checking account 活期
deposit account 定期账户
savings account 定期账户
销户
I’d like to close my account because I’m moving.
我能兑换支票么
Can I cash a check here?
查一下账户余额
What’s the balance in my account?
现在利率多少
What’s the interest rate?
转账
I’d like to transfer $2,000 from my savings account to my checking account.
汇款
Can I wire some money to China from here?
兑换
Is it possible for me to exchange some British pounds for U.S. dollars?
今天美元汇率
What’s today’s exchange rate for U.S. dollars?
课文
A very dear cat
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。
双关 pun
treasured / valued
expensive / costly
刘禹锡《竹枝词》
杨柳青青江水平
闻郎江上唱歌声
东边日出西边雨
道是无晴还有晴
Stephen hawking is a star scientist.
-->His expertise is related to cosmology.
-->He is a celebrity.
More sun and air for your son and heir.
We must all hang together or we shall all hang separately.
―What do lawyers do when they die?
―Lie still.
The professor tapped on his desk and shouted, “Gentlemen, order!”
The entire class yelled, “Beer!”
Kidnappers are rarely interested in animals, but they recently took considerable interest in Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay's cat.
几乎很少
rarely
seldom
almost never
hardly ever
部分倒装
Rarely are kidnappers interested in animals.
take an interest in … 有
take no interest in … 没有
take little interest in … 一点
take considerable interest in … 浓厚
have an interest in …
have no interest in …
have little interest in …
have considerable interest in …
show an interest in …
show no interest in …
show little interest in …
show considerable interest in …
造句：孩子们很少对历史感兴趣，但是小约翰最近却对古代雕塑产生了浓厚的兴趣。
Children are rarely interested in history, but little John recently took considerable interest in ancient sculpture.
Mrs. Eleanor Ramsay, a very wealthy old lady, has shared a flat with her cat, Rastus, for a great many years.
有钱的
wealthy
rich
affluent
well-off
well-to-do
住在一起（不能是亲属
share a house / apartment / flat / room with …
I shared an apartment with Kim when I first came to Beijing.
同宿舍
room with …
I roomed with him at college.
跟某人住在一块
live with …
同居（男女朋友、未婚同居
cohabit with …
分担、分享
A sorrow shared by two is half sorrow; a happiness shared by two is double happiness.
有共同的
We share an interest in history.
Alfred Bloggs 是 Ellesmere 公司工作的一名垃圾工，他和他的同事 George 合住一个公寓已经很多年了。
Alfred Bloggs, a dustman for the Ellesmere Corporation, has shared an apartment with his colleague, George, 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.
过着...生活
lead / live a … life
I happened to be walking in my garden when I noticed a huge number of snails taking a stroll on some of my prize plants.
慢悠悠的散步
take a walk / stroll
have a walk / stroll
go for a walk / stroll
What do you want to do after breakfast?
Why don't we take a walk down to the river?
Phoebe: Hey, is Chandler here?
Joey: No, no he went for a walk.
散步
walk the dog
stretch one’s legs
You can stretch your legs on the spacious decks, …
One evening, however, he failed to arrive.Mrs. Ramsay got very worried. She looked everywhere for him but could not find him.
He could not find his fifty pence anywhere, …
She could not find him anywhere.
There days after Rastus' disappearance, Mrs. Ramsay received an anonymous letter.
Four days after setting out, while the Titanic was sailing across the icy waters of the North Atlantic, a huge iceberg was suddenly spotted by a look-out.
从...收到
receive sth. from sb.
get sth. from sb.
有音信
hear from sb.
The writer stated (宾that Rastus was in safe hands and would be returned immediately if Mrs.
Ramsay paid a ransom of £1,000.
in safe hands 被照顾的很安全
Don’t worry about the children. They are in safe hands.
You can be sure your children are in good hands. 被照顾的很号
I am afraid that nuclear weapons could fall into the wrong hands. 落入歹人之手
安然无恙
safe and sound
The hostage now is safe and sound.
In 1908 Lord Northcliffe offered a prize of ￡1,000 to the first man who would fly across the English Channel.
a reward of ￡1,000 酬金
a fund of ￡1,000 基金
a debt of ￡1,000 债务
an investment of ￡1,000 投资
a scholarship of ￡1,000 奖学金
Mrs. Ramsay was instructed to place the money in a cardboard box and to leave it outside her door.
instruct sb. to do
Last year a journalist had been instructed by a well-known magazine to write an article on the president's palace in a new African republic.
At first, she decided to go to the police, but (原fearing that she would never see Rastus again―the letter had made that quite clear)―she changed her mind.
报警（到警察局
go to the police
报警（电话
He told him he had better return it or he would call the police.
通知警方
inform the police
be afraid of ...
be afraid that ...
形容词作状语，都是省略了being的
… but (being) afraid of never seeing Rastus again …
… but (being) afraid that she would never see Rastus again …
担心
for fear of ...
for fear that ...
I didn't turn on the light, for fear of waking the baby.
I didn't turn on the light, for fear that it would wake the baby.
… but for fear of never seeing Rastus again …
… but for fear that she would never see Rastus again …
说清楚讲明白
make sth. clear / explicit
Possible side effects must be made clear / explicit.
说清楚
clarify
Could you clarify your remarks?
clarify one’s position 表明立场
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.
形容词补足语
转天早上
the next / following / succeeding morning
the morning after
keep one’s word / promise 守信用
break one’s word / promise 不受信用
He is a man of his word.
She is a woman of her word.
Sure enough, Rastus arrived punctually at seven o'clock that evening.
果然
sure enough
The man took heart and, sure enough, on New Year's Eve he was able to hobble along to a party.
Sure enough, a policeman arrived on the scene and politely asked the workmen to go away.
He looked very well, (让though he was rather thirsty, for he drank half a bottle of milk.
The police were astounded (时when Mrs. Ramsay told them (宾what she had done.
惊呆、惊讶