英文速読　中級-34

　　Although cats appear to perform most actions instinctively, they also seem to react to human behavior and adapt themselves to it. For instance, some cats behave as if they understood their owner`s feelings. One cat owner told of the time when she lay crying and exhausted on her bed, and her cat put its front legs around her head and comforted her. Cats also sometimes appear to be able to understand the function of many of the things human beings use. For example, some cats, when they bring a captured bird or mouse into the house, put it on a plate or in a dish. There are also cats who know how to open a door by turning the handle. Furthermore, a lot of cats seem to understand what their owners say. A writer tells a story of her cat who used to sleep on top of her word processor. At first, when the cat`s tail *got in the way of the screen, the owner would push its tail away and say, “Move your tail, please,” Eventually, she didn’t have to push the tail but only had to tell the cat to move it.

　　Although cats appear to perform most actions instinctively, they also seem to react to human behavior and adapt themselves to it. For instance, some cats behave /as if they understood their owner’s feelings. One cat owner told of the time /when she lay crying and exhausted on her bed, and her cat put its front legs /around her head and comforted her.

　　ネコはほとんどの行動を本能的に行うように見えるけれども、人間の行動に反応し、そしてそれに自分を合わせているようにも見える。例えば、ある猫はあたかも自分の飼い主の感情を理解しているかのように行動する。あるネコの飼い主は時について話した、彼女が泣きながら横たわり、ベッドに疲れ果てていて、そして彼女のネコが前脚を彼女の頭に回して慰めていた時について。

　Cats also sometimes appear to be able to understand the function of many of the things /human beings use. For example, some cats, when they bring a captured bird or mouse into the house, put it on a plate or in a dish. There are also cats /who know how to open a door by turning the handle. Furthermore, a lot of cats seem to understand /what their owners say.        

　  ネコはまた時々多くのものの機能を理解できるようにも見える、人間が使う。例えば、ある猫は捕まえた鳥やネズミを家に持ってくる時に、それを平皿や大皿に載せる。取っ手を回してドアを開ける方法を知っているネコもいる。さらに、多くのネコは理解しているようだ、飼い主が言うことを。                   

　A writer tells a story of her cat /who used to sleep on top of her word processor. At first, when the cat’s tail got in the way of the screen, the owner would push its tail away and say, “Move your tail, please.” Eventually, she didn’t have to push the tail but only had to tell the cat to move it.

　ある作家が彼女の猫の話をしている、そのネコは彼女のワープロの上でよく寝ていた。最初はネコのしっぽが画面を遮ると、飼い主はしっぽを押しのけて「しっぽをどけて」と言ったものだった、最終的には彼女はしっぽを押しのける必要がなかった、ネコにしっぽを動かすように言うだけで。