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波士顿图书馆的猫咪计划
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丢失了或损坏了书籍或其他借阅物品的人，可以携带猫咪的照片、图画或杂志剪报，重新激活他们的借书卡。
双语精读
Well, finally, there is something that cats can do for humans.
终于，猫咪可以为人类做一些事了。
The Worcester Public Library in Worcester, Mass., announced that through the end of March, people who have lost or damaged a book or other borrowed items can bring a photograph, drawing, or magazine clipping of a cat, and get their library cards reactivated.
马萨诸塞州伍斯特市的伍斯特公共图书馆宣布，到3月底，丢失了或损坏了书籍或其他借阅物品的人，可以携带猫咪的照片、图画或杂志剪报，重新激活他们的借书卡。
The library calls the program March Meowness, a way for the system of seven branches to forgive (or is that fur-give?) members of the community who misplaced a book or damaged a borrowed item, and then never went back to avoid paying for it.
伍斯特图书馆称这个项目为“三月喵喵”，七个分馆用这种方式原谅那些找不到所借图书或损坏了借阅物品，而且为了避免赔偿，再也没有来过图书馆的社区成员。（注：fur表示皮毛，fur-give谐音forgive。）
In just a few days, the program has already generated hundreds of returns, multiple postings of random cat photographs on the library's Facebook page, and photographs and drawings pinned on a growing "cat wall" in the main building.
在短短几天内，该项目已经让人们归还了数百件借阅物品，图书馆的Facebook主页发布了许多各种猫咪的照片，图书馆主楼的“猫咪墙”上也钉着各种照片和图画，而且猫咪墙在不断扩大。
The local NPR affiliate, WBUR, described it as a "never be-fur tried initiative," and urged patrons to hurry and "act meow." So far the response, WBUR said, has Jason Homer, the executive director of the library, "feline good."
当地的WBUR广播电台（NPR广播电台的分支机构）将其描述为一项“从未尝试过的新举措”，并敦促读者们抓紧时间“立刻行动”。（注：be-fur谐音before，meow表示喵喵叫，谐音now。）WBUR说，目前，人们的反响让图书馆的执行主任杰森·荷马“感觉很好”。（注：feline表示猫科动物，谐音feeling。）
Mr. Homer said in an interview on Monday that about 400 people have had their library accounts unblocked and borrowing privileges restored after bringing in their pictures or drawings of cats.
荷马在周一的采访中说，大约400人带来了猫咪的照片或图画，然后解封了他们的图书馆账号，并恢复了借阅权。
Any cat will do, or even, for that matter, any creature will do. "We take a lot of honorary cats," Mr. Homer said. "Any ungovernable animal."
什么猫都可以，甚至，什么动物都可以。“我们收了很多名誉猫咪（的图片），”荷马说，“任何管不住的动物都可以。”
If you don't have a cat? No problem. One cat-less 7-year-old boy, who never returned a "Captain Underpants" book, had his library card reactivated after the staff gave him paper and crayons to sketch one.
要是你没有猫呢？那也没问题。一个没有猫的7岁男孩从来没有归还过一本《内裤超人》系列图书，工作人员给了他纸和蜡笔，他画了一只猫咪后，他的借书证就重新激活了。
Like many public libraries in the United States, the libraries in Worcester, a city of about 200,000 people (and their cats) southwest of Boston, are trying to encourage people to re-emerge from the sparse, solitary days of the pandemic.
位于波士顿西南部的伍斯特市是一座有20万人口(以及他们的猫咪)的城市，与美国的许多公共图书馆一样，该市的图书馆正鼓励人们从疫情时期活动稀少且孤独的日子中重新走出来。
Used as vaccine sites through the coronavirus pandemic, the city's libraries have returned to become vibrant community spaces, offering crafts, wellness courses, and seminars about avoiding fraud.
在疫情期间，该市的图书馆被用作疫苗接种地点，现在图书馆重新成为充满活力的社区空间，提供手工艺和健康课程，以及关于防诈骗的讨论会。
词汇预习
response [高考]
美[rɪˈspɑːns] | 英[rɪˈspɒns]
n. 反应；回答；响应；答复
executive [高考]
美[ɪɡˈzekjətɪv] | 英[ɪɡˈzekjətɪv]
adj. 行政的；决策的；经营的；[计算机]执行指令 n. 行政主管；行政部门；决策者
multiple [高考]
美[ˈmʌltɪpl] | 英[ˈmʌltɪpl]
adj. 多种多样的；许多的 n. 倍数；并联
emerge [高考]
美[iˈmɜːrdʒ] | 英[iˈmɜːdʒ]
vi. 浮现；(由某种状态)脱出；(事实)显现出来
random [高考]
美[ˈrændəm] | 英[ˈrændəm]
adj. 任意的；随机的；随意的 n. 随意；任意 adv. 随机地
fur [高考]
美[fɜːr] | 英[fɜː(r)]
n.毛皮; 软毛; 毛皮衣服; 人造毛 adj.含羊毛的 vt.用毛皮覆盖; 除去（锅上的）水垢
southwest [高考]
美[ˌsaʊˈθwɛst] | 英[ˌsaʊθˈwɛst]
n. 西南；西南风；西南地区 adj. 西南的；来自西南方的 adv. 往西南；来自西南
initiative [高考]
美[ɪˈnɪʃətɪv] | 英[ɪˈnɪʃətɪv]
n. 倡议，新方案；主动权；主动性 adj. 创始的，初步的，自发的
sketch [四级]
美[sketʃ] | 英[sketʃ]
n. 速写；素描；草图；概述 v. 草拟；速写；(简略地)描绘
fraud [四级]
美[frɔːd] | 英[frɔːd]
n. 欺骗；诈欺；骗子
vaccine [四级]
美[vækˈsiːn] | 英[ˈvæksiːn]
n. 疫苗
do for [四级]
美[dʊ fɔːr] | 英[duː fɔː]
毁坏； 使完蛋
offering [四级]
美[ˈɔːfərɪŋ] | 英[ˈɒfərɪŋ]
n. 供品；作品；出售物
honorary [六级]
美[ˈɑnəreri] | 英[ˈɒnərəri]
adj. 荣誉的；名誉的；道义上的
vibrant [专四]
美[ˈvaɪbrənt] | 英[ˈvaɪbrənt]
adj. 震颤的；响亮的；充满活力的；精力充沛的；(色彩)鲜明的
affiliate [专四]
美[əˈfɪlieɪt] | 英[əˈfɪlieɪt]
n. 分公司；附属机构 vt. 使隶属于；接纳；追溯 vi. 发生联系
sparse [专八]
美[spɑrs] | 英[spɑ:s]
adj. 稀少的；稀疏的
trying [专八]
美[ˈtraɪɪŋ] | 英[ˈtraɪɪŋ]
adj. 难受的；令人厌烦的
solitary [考研]
美[ˈsɑːləteri] | 英[ˈsɒlətri]
adj. 孤独的；独立的；单个的；唯一的；荒凉的 n. 隐士；单独禁闭
don [托福]
美[dɑn] | 英[dɒn]
n. 先生（西班牙用语）；(牛津、剑桥大学的)指导教师 v. 穿上
重点讲解
Well, finally, there is something that cats can do for humans.
终于，猫咪可以为人类做一些事了。
activate v. 激活；使开始起作用
【例】Cooking fumes may activate the alarm.
油烟可能会让烟雾报警器开始响。
【近义词】set off/start up/switch on 启动；发动
The Worcester Public Library in Worcester, Mass., announced that through the end of March, people who have lost or damaged a book or other borrowed items can bring a photograph, drawing, or magazine clipping of a cat, and get their library cards reactivated.
马萨诸塞州伍斯特市的伍斯特公共图书馆宣布，到3月底，丢失了或损坏了书籍或其他借阅物品的人，可以携带猫咪的照片、图画或杂志剪报，重新激活他们的借书卡。
activate v. 激活；使开始起作用
【例】Cooking fumes may activate the alarm.
油烟可能会让烟雾报警器开始响。
【近义词】set off/start up/switch on 启动；发动
The library calls the program March Meowness, a way for the system of seven branches to forgive (or is that fur-give?) members of the community who misplaced a book or damaged a borrowed item, and then never went back to avoid paying for it.
伍斯特图书馆称这个项目为“三月喵喵”，七个分馆用这种方式原谅那些找不到所借图书或损坏了借阅物品，而且为了避免赔偿，再也没有来过图书馆的社区成员。（注：fur表示皮毛，fur-give谐音forgive。）
branch n. 分支；分部
【例】the New York branch 纽约的分公司
government branches 政府各部门
【近义词】offshoot/division n. 分支机构
misplace v. 乱放而找不到
【例】It's pouring and I've misplaced my umbrella.
今天下大雨，我却一时记不起把伞放在哪里了。
【拓展】mis- prefix. 错误的
【例】mistake/misunderstand n./v. 错误/误解
In just a few days, the program has already generated hundreds of returns, multiple postings of random cat photographs on the library’s Facebook page, and photographs and drawings pinned on a growing “cat wall” in the main building.
在短短几天内，该项目已经让人们归还了数百件借阅物品，图书馆的Facebook主页发布了许多各种猫咪的照片，图书馆主楼的“猫咪墙”上也钉着各种照片和图画，而且猫咪墙在不断扩大。
random adj. 随机的；随意的
【例】He grabbed a pair of random jeans.
他随手拿了一条牛仔裤。
Some random guy gave me a hundred bucks.
有个陌生男人给了我 100 美元。
affiliate n. & v.
1. 作名词：附属机构；分支机构
【例】the national organization's local affiliates
这个全国组织的地方附属机构
2. 作动词：附属于；隶属
【例】The hospital is affiliated to the local university.
这家医院附属于当地大学。
【拓展】affiliated adj. 附属的
【例】High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
人大附中
initiative n. 倡议；新方案
【例】to launch an initiative to cut emissions
发起减排倡议
the Belt and Road initiative 一带一路倡议
【拓展】initiate v. 开始；发起
【例】to initiate a conversation 开始交谈
patron n. 艺术家的资助人；顾客
【例】the regular patrons of the restaurant
餐馆的老主顾
【拓展】patronage n. 资助；光顾
【例】thanks for your patronage 铭谢惠顾
The local NPR affiliate, WBUR, described it as a “never be-fur tried initiative,” and urged patrons to hurry and “act meow.” So far the response, WBUR said, has Jason Homer, the executive director of the library, “feline good.”
当地的WBUR广播电台（NPR广播电台的分支机构）将其描述为一项“从未尝试过的新举措”，并敦促读者们抓紧时间“立刻行动”。（注：be-fur谐音before，meow表示喵喵叫，谐音now。）WBUR说，目前，人们的反响让图书馆的执行主任杰森·荷马“感觉很好”。（注：feline表示猫科动物，谐音feeling。）
random adj. 随机的；随意的
【例】He grabbed a pair of random jeans.
他随手拿了一条牛仔裤。
Some random guy gave me a hundred bucks.
有个陌生男人给了我 100 美元。
affiliate n. & v.
1. 作名词：附属机构；分支机构
【例】the national organization's local affiliates
这个全国组织的地方附属机构
2. 作动词：附属于；隶属
【例】The hospital is affiliated to the local university.
这家医院附属于当地大学。
【拓展】affiliated adj. 附属的
【例】High School Affiliated to Renmin University of China
人大附中
initiative n. 倡议；新方案
【例】to launch an initiative to cut emissions
发起减排倡议
the Belt and Road initiative 一带一路倡议
【拓展】initiate v. 开始；发起
【例】to initiate a conversation 开始交谈
patron n. 艺术家的资助人；顾客
【例】the regular patrons of the restaurant
餐馆的老主顾
【拓展】patronage n. 资助；光顾
【例】thanks for your patronage 铭谢惠顾
Mr. Homer said in an interview on Monday that about 400 people have had their library accounts unblocked and borrowing privileges restored after bringing in their pictures or drawings of cats.
荷马在周一的采访中说，大约400人带来了猫咪的照片或图画，然后解封了他们的图书馆账号，并恢复了借阅权。
restore v. 恢复；复原
【例】to restore order 恢复秩序
The warm climate restored him to health.
温暖的天气使他恢复了健康。
for that matter 在这方面（用于补充观点）
【例】He never touched beer, or any kind of alcohol for that matter.
他从来不碰啤酒，其他酒也不喝。
honorary adj. 名誉的；无实职的
【例】an honorary doctorate degree
名誉博士学位
【辨析】honorable adj. 可敬的；光荣的
【例】an honorable soldier 光荣的军人
sketch v. 速写；概述
【例】to sketch his personality in a few sentences
用几句话简单描述一下他的性格
Any cat will do, or even, for that matter, any creature will do. “We take a lot of honorary cats,” Mr. Homer said. “Any ungovernable animal.”
什么猫都可以，甚至，什么动物都可以。“我们收了很多名誉猫咪（的图片），”荷马说，“任何管不住的动物都可以。”
restore v. 恢复；复原
【例】to restore order 恢复秩序
The warm climate restored him to health.
温暖的天气使他恢复了健康。
for that matter 在这方面（用于补充观点）
【例】He never touched beer, or any kind of alcohol for that matter.
他从来不碰啤酒，其他酒也不喝。
honorary adj. 名誉的；无实职的
【例】an honorary doctorate degree
名誉博士学位
【辨析】honorable adj. 可敬的；光荣的
【例】an honorable soldier 光荣的军人
sketch v. 速写；概述
【例】to sketch his personality in a few sentences
用几句话简单描述一下他的性格
If you don’t have a cat? No problem. One cat-less 7-year-old boy, who never returned a “Captain Underpants” book, had his library card reactivated after the staff gave him paper and crayons to sketch one.
要是你没有猫呢？那也没问题。一个没有猫的7岁男孩从来没有归还过一本《内裤超人》系列图书，工作人员给了他纸和蜡笔，他画了一只猫咪后，他的借书证就重新激活了。
restore v. 恢复；复原
【例】to restore order 恢复秩序
The warm climate restored him to health.
温暖的天气使他恢复了健康。
for that matter 在这方面（用于补充观点）
【例】He never touched beer, or any kind of alcohol for that matter.
他从来不碰啤酒，其他酒也不喝。
honorary adj. 名誉的；无实职的
【例】an honorary doctorate degree
名誉博士学位
【辨析】honorable adj. 可敬的；光荣的
【例】an honorable soldier 光荣的军人
sketch v. 速写；概述
【例】to sketch his personality in a few sentences
用几句话简单描述一下他的性格
Like many public libraries in the United States, the libraries in Worcester, a city of about 200,000 people (and their cats) southwest of Boston, are trying to encourage people to re-emerge from the sparse, solitary days of the pandemic.
位于波士顿西南部的伍斯特市是一座有20万人口(以及他们的猫咪)的城市，与美国的许多公共图书馆一样，该市的图书馆正鼓励人们从疫情时期活动稀少且孤独的日子中重新走出来。
sparse adj. 稀少的；稀疏的
【例】a sparse population 人口稀少
be in sparse use （某物）很少用
a sparse letter 没什么内容的信
vibrant adj. 充满生机的；热闹的
【例】vibrant streets 热闹的街道
【拓展】vibrate v. 震动
【近义词】lively/bustling/animated adj. 热闹的
Used as vaccine sites through the coronavirus pandemic, the city’s libraries have returned to become vibrant community spaces, offering crafts, wellness courses, and seminars about avoiding fraud.
在疫情期间，该市的图书馆被用作疫苗接种地点，现在图书馆重新成为充满活力的社区空间，提供手工艺和健康课程，以及关于防诈骗的讨论会。
sparse adj. 稀少的；稀疏的
【例】a sparse population 人口稀少
be in sparse use （某物）很少用
a sparse letter 没什么内容的信
vibrant adj. 充满生机的；热闹的
【例】vibrant streets 热闹的街道
【拓展】vibrate v. 震动
【近义词】lively/bustling/animated adj. 热闹的
课后练习
What is the purpose of the "March Meowness" program?
A. To collect books about acts from people.
B. To provide discounts on library memberships.
C. To reactivate library cards for some readers.
D. To raise funds to feed and protect street cats.
How has the "March Meowness" program been received?
A. It has led to an increase in cat adoptions.
B. It has been popular for the first few days.
C. It has not been successful and the local media helped to promote it.
D. It has resulted in a significant number of returns and cat-related activities.
What does the example of the 7-year-old boy illustrate?
A. The importance of returning library books on time.
B. The thoughtfulness of the library staff in reactivating library cards.
C. The boy’s imagination and talent for drawing.
D. The consequences of losing library books.
What can be learned about the libraries in Worcester?
A. Only a small number of people go there to read.
B. They remained closed during the pandemic.
C. They have helped facilitate and enrich people’s life.
D. They will be converted into teaching centers.