3. Cats猫
New Words新单词
hunt
读音：[hʌnt]
释义：打猎；追捕，捕杀
eyes
读音：['aɪz]
释义：眼睛（eye的名词复数）；视力
thirty
读音：[ˈθɜ:ti]
释义：三十
kill
读音：[kɪl]
释义：杀死
about(about = approximately)
读音：[əˈbaʊt]
释义：大约；几乎
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Like dogs, cats live in nearly all places in the world. Many people think that cats make the best pets. They think cats make better pets and are more interesting than dogs. Cats can be more interesting, but it is difficult to teach a cat things. They do not learn as quickly as dogs.
和狗一样，猫生活在世界上几乎所有地方。很多人认为猫是最好的宠物。他们认为猫是更好的宠物，比狗更有趣。猫或许更有趣，可是教育猫很困难。它们不如狗学得快。
All cats have very good eyes and can even see at night. Cats’ eyes open for the first time when they are about eight to twelve days old. The eyes of all baby cats are blue.
所有猫的视力都很敏锐，它们甚至能在夜晚看得见。猫生下来大约8到12天才第一次睁开眼睛。所有小猫的眼睛都是蓝色的。
House cats like to go out at night so they can be with other cats, or so they can hunt for small animals. They can hunt and kill small animals like rats and snakes. If they kill an animal like a rat, they will sometimes take it into the house so people can see it.
家猫喜欢夜晚外出，这样它们就能和其他猫在一起，或者它们可以猎捕小动物。它们能捕杀小动物，比如老鼠和蛇。如果它们捕杀一只动物，比如老鼠，它们有时会把它带回家，这样人们就能看见它。
Cats also have very good teeth. At first, a very young cat has only twenty-six teeth. They get these when they are about two or three weeks old. Later, when they are about twenty-four weeks old, they will have thirty teeth.
猫的牙齿也很锋利。非常幼小的猫起初只有26颗牙齿，当它们大约两三周大时它们就长出了这些牙齿。后来，当它们大约24周大时，它们将会有30颗牙齿。
Cats live to be much older than dogs.Most cats live to be about thirty years old. If we have a cat, we do not need to wash it. Cats know how to stay clean. We do not need to wash cats, but we do need to brush their hair. We should try to brush their hair every day.
猫比狗长寿。大多数猫可以活到30岁左右。如果我们有一只猫，我们不必给它洗澡。猫知道如何保持清洁。我们不必给猫洗澡，可是我们的确需要给它们梳理毛发。我们应该试着每天给它们梳理毛发。
Young cats are usually more friendly than older cats. They can be friendly with other animals like rabbits, chickens and even dogs. But they are never friendly with birds or fish.
年幼的猫比年长的猫通常更友好。它们可以对其他动物友好，比如兔子、鸡、甚至狗，但是它们从不对鸟和鱼友好。
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Lee and Pat are talking about cats
李和佩特正在谈论猫
Lee
I don’t want to have a cat. I like our dog. A cat would not be as friendly as our dog.
Pat
I like our dog too, but it would be nice to have a cat. I would like to look after a really young cat – one that is only one or two weeks old.
Lee
People don’t look after cats that are that young.
Pat
Yes, they do. They give them milk to drink and fish to eat. Cats like to drink milk and eat fish.
Lee
Very young cats don’t eat – they only drink. Their eyes aren’t open yet and they don’t have any teeth.
Pat
Well, I would still like to have a cat. I think cats are so nice – much nicer than dogs.
Lee
What about our dog, Kim? Maybe Kim would go after your cat and kill it.
Pat
No, he wouldn’t. You’re just saying that! I could protect my cat. I could protect it until it’s old enough to go outside with the other cats.
Lee
Well, I think you just like cats because you’re a girl. Girls usually like cats. Boys always think dogs are better.
Pat
No, they don’t!
Lee
Yes, they do!
Pat
No, they don’t! Not all boys are the same as you. Some boys like the same things as girls.
李
我不想要一只猫。我喜欢我们的狗。猫不如我们的狗友好。
佩特
我也喜欢我们的狗，不过有只猫也不错。我想要照顾一只很小的猫——只有一两周大的猫。
李
没有人养那么幼小的猫。
佩特
不，有人养。他们给小猫喝牛奶并给小猫吃鱼。猫喜欢喝牛奶和吃鱼。
李
很小的猫不吃东西——它们只能喝东西。它们的眼睛还没有睁开，它们的牙齿没有长出来。
佩特
好吧，我还是想要一只猫。我觉得猫很可爱——比狗可爱得多。
李
我们的小狗金呢？也许金会追赶你的猫并捕杀它。
佩特
不，它不会的。你只是说说而已！我会保护我的猫。我会保护它，直到它长大到可以和其他猫一起出去。
李
好吧，我觉得因为你是女生你才喜欢猫。女生通常喜欢猫。男生总是觉得狗更好。
佩特
不，不是的。
李
是的，就是的！
佩特
不，不是的！不是所有男生都和你一样。有些男生和女生喜欢一样的事物。
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Questions
1. Where can we find cats?
2. When do cats like to go outside?
3. What do cats do then they are outside?
4. How many teeth do twenty-four-week-old cats have?
5. How long do cats usually live?
6. Why don’t we need to wash our own pet cats?
7. What do cats like to eat and drink?
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