歌词
--- lesson 9 Flying cats
飞猫
--- Listen to the tape then answer the question below.
^听录音，然后回答以下问题。
--- How do cats try to protect themselves when falling from great heights?
Cats never fail to fascinate human beings.
^猫总能引起人们的极大兴趣。
They can be friendly and affectionate towards humans, but they lead mysterious lives of their own as well.
^它们可以对人友好，充满柔情。但是，它们又有自己神秘的生活方式。
They never become submissive like dogs and horses.
^它们从不像狗和马一样变得那么顺从。
As a result, humans have learned to respect feline independence.
^结果是人们已经学会尊重猫的独立性。
Most cats remain suspicious of humans all their lives.
^在它们的一生中，大多数猫都对人存有戒心。
One of the things that fascinates us most about cats is the popular belief that they have nine lives.
^最使我们感兴趣的一件事情就是一种通俗的信念--猫有九条命。
Apparently, there is a good deal of truth in this idea.
^显然，这种说法里面包含着许多真实性。
A cat's ability to survive falls is based on fact.
^猫在跌落时能够大难不死是有事实作为依据的。
Recently the New York Animal Medical Center made a study of 132 cats over a period of five months.
^最近，纽约动物医疗中心对132只猫进行了为期5个月的综合研究。
All these cats had one experience in common: they had fallen off high buildings, yet only eight of them died from shock or injuries.
^所有这些猫都有一个共同的经历：它们都曾从高层建筑上摔下来过，但只有其中的8只猫死于震荡或跌伤。
Of course, New York is the ideal place for such an interesting study, because there is no shortage of tall buildings.
^当然，纽约是进行这种有趣的试验的一个理想的地方，因为那里根本不缺乏高楼大厦，
There are plenty of high-rise windowsills to fall from!
^有的是高层的窗槛从上往下坠落。
One cat, Sabrina, fell 32 storeys, yet only suffered from a broken tooth.
^有一只叫萨伯瑞娜的猫从32层楼上掉下来，但只摔断了一颗牙。
'Cats behave like well-trained paratroopers.' a doctor said.^“
猫就像训练有素的跳伞队员，” 一位医生说。
It seems that the further cats fall, the less they are likely to injure themselves.
^看起来，猫跌落的距离越长，它们就越不会伤害自己。
In a long drop, they reach speeds of 60 miles an hour and more.
^在一个长长的跌落过程中，它们可以达到每小时60英里甚至更快的速度。
At high speeds, falling cats have time to relax.
^在高速下落中，猫有时间放松自己。
They stretch out their legs like flying squirrels.
^它们伸展四肢，就像飞鼠一样。
This increases their air-resistance and reduces the shock of impact when they hit the ground.
^这样就加大了空气阻力，并减小了它们着地时冲击力带来的震动。
专辑信息