Translate the following passage into Chinese. As the world's most popular pet, cats provide us with plenty of fun and companionship. The domestication of cats began when people started settling and farming the land over 10,000 years ago. The rat populations attracted wild cats to live near human settlements, and they may have been fed and homed in order to keep rat numbers down. It's thought that these cats then moved as people moved, travelling alongside tribes and spreading throughout the world. There are many different breeds of cats, and they come in all shapes and sizes. They can communicate with us very effectively. A happy cat who wants to be stroked will arch its back under your hand and purr(发出呜呜声) , but if a cat shrinks away, it＇s not interested. Flattened ears can mean they＇ re worried or anxious， and hissing and spitting(发怒时发出咝咝呼呼的声音) means they’re ready to fight. Conversely, when your cat is relaxed and does that curious"slow-blink"at you, this is a relaxed gesture that means all is well.
【正确答案】：
猫作为世界上最受欢迎的宠物，陪伴着我们，带给我们无尽的欢笑。一万多年前人类开始定居，垦荒种田，猫的驯化便从那时开始了。鼠群把野猫吸引到人类的定居点附近，很有可能为了减少老鼠的数量，那时的人们开始给猫喂食，并将它们带回家。一般认为，后来这些猫与人类如影随形，随着部落迁徙，扩散到世界各地。
猫的种类多样，形状、大小各异。它们可以同我们有效交流。猫咪心情好，想让你抚摸时，就会钻到你的手下，弓起身体，发出鸣鸣声；但是如果它躲开，就说明它没心情。如果猫把耳朵收紧放平，表明它们不安或者焦虑；要是发出愤怒的咝咝呼呼声，就表明它们准备好要战斗了。相反，要是你的猫咪很放松，莫名其妙地朝你“慢悠悠地眨眼”，这是一种放松的姿态，意味着一切相安无事。
【题目解析】：第一句：provide us with （plenty of fun and companionship）直译提供给我们...，这里语义不同，所以意译为：陪伴着我们，带给我们无尽的欢笑。第二句：时间状语“over 10,000 years ago”应该前置，译为：一万多年前。第三句：populations：人口 settlements：移民 keep rat numbers down直译是保持老鼠数量减少，这里为了语句通顺，译为：减少老鼠的数量。第四句：spread：扩散 It's thought that：一般认为第五句：breeds：种类 come in all shapes and sizes直译为形成各种各样的形状和尺寸，这里译为大小各异。第六句：communicate with：与…联系，与…交流 effectively：有效地第七句：A happy cat直译为一只快乐的猫，根据句意可知，是猫心情好的时候 stroked：抚摸 arch：弯成弓形，这里译为，弓起身体。 shrinks away：躲开。第八句：Flattened ears：收紧的耳朵，这里可译为把耳朵收紧放平的时候。第九句：Conversely：相反 slow-blink：慢悠悠的眨眼睛 gesture：姿势，姿态 all is well ：一切都好，一切相安无事
