新概念英语第三册第19课:AverydearcatLesson19Averydearcat一只贵重的宝贝猫Listentothetapethenanswerthequestionbelow.听录音，然后回答以下问题。WhywasRastus'verydear'inmorewaysthanone?Kidnappersarerarelyinterestedinanimals,buttheyrecentlytookconsiderableinterestinMrs.EleanorRamsay'scat.Mrs.EleanorRamsay,averywealthyoldlady,hassharedaflatwithhercat,Rastus,foragreatmanyyears.Rastusleadsanorderlylife.Heusuallytakesashortwalkintheeveningsandisalwayshomebyseveno'clock.Oneevening,however,hefailedtoarrive.Mrs.Ramsaygotveryworried.Shelookedeverywhereforhimbutcouldnotfindhim.TheredaysafterRastus'disappearance,Mrs.Ramsayreceivedananonymousletter.ThewriterstatedthatRastuswasinsafehandsandwouldbereturnedimmediatelyifMrs.Ramsaypaidaransomof$1,000.Mrs.Ramsaywasinstructedtoplacethemoneyinacardboardboxandtoleaveitoutsideherdoor.Atfirstshedecidedtogotothepolice,butfearingthatshewouldneverseeRastusagain--theletterhadmadethatquiteclear--shechangedhermind.Shewithdrew$1000fromherbankandfollowedthekidnapper'sinstructions.Thenextmorning,theboxhaddisappearedbutMrs.Ramsaywassurethatthekidnapperwouldkeephisword.Sureenough,Rastusarrivedpunctuallyatseveno'clockthatevening.Helookedverywellthoughhewasratherthirsty,forhedrankhalfabottleofmilk.ThepolicewereastoundedwhenMrs.Ramsaytoldthemwhatshehaddone.SheexplainedthatRastuswasverydeartoher.Consideringtheamountshepaid,hewasdearinmorewaysthanone!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。Newwordsandexpressions生词和短语dearadj.亲爱的，珍贵的；昂贵的kidnappern.绑架者，拐骗者considerableadj.相当大的wealthyadj.富的，有钱的orderlyadj.有规律的disappearancen.失踪anonymousadj.匿名的ransomn.赎金cardboardn.硬纸板wi