PetsAreGoodforyou
Thebasicmeaningofpetisananimalwekeepforemotionalratherthaneconomicreasons.(1)Apetanimaliskeptasacompanion,andweallneedcompanionstokeepusfeelinghappy.Butpetsofferusmorethanmerecompanionship;theyinviteustoloveandbeloved.Manyownersfeeltheirpetsunderstandthem,foranimalsarequicktosenseangerandsorrow.Oftenacatordogcancomfortusattimeswhenhumanwordsdonthelp(2).Wefeelloved,too,bythewaypetsdepentonusforhome,forfoodanddrink.Dogsespecially,lookuptotheirowners,whichmakesthemfeelimportantandneeded.(3)
Apetcanbesomethingdifferenttoeachmemberofthefamily,anotherbabytothemother,asisterorbrothertoanonlychild,agrandchildtotheelderly,(4)butforallofuspetsprovidepleasureandcompanionship.Ithasevenbeensuggestedthattinypetsshouldbesentascompanionstoastronautsonspaceships,tohelpreducethestressandlonelinessofspaceflights.
InthisPlasticAge,(5)whenmostofusliveinlargecities,petsareparticularlyforchildren.Apetinthefamilykeepspeopleintouchwiththemorenatural,animalworld.Seeingananimalgivebirthbringsunderstandingofthenaturalnessofchildbirthofthenaturalnessofchildbirth,andseeingapethelpsachildtocopewithsorrow.(6)Learningtocareforapethelpsachildtogrowupintoalovingadultwhofeelsresponsibletowardsthosedependentonhim.Rightlyweteachchildrentobegoodtotheirpets.Theyshouldlearn,too,thatpetsaregoodforushumanbeings.
I.Listen
Listentothetextwiththehelpofthefollowingnotes.
1.Thebasicmeaningofpetisananimalwekeepforemotionalratherthaneconomicreasons:宠物的基本含义是，我们出于感情原因，而不是经济目的而饲养的一种动物。
2.whenhumanwordsdonthelp:人的语言安抚无济于事时。
3.Dogsespecially,lookuptotheirowners,whichmakesthemfeelimportantandneeded:特别是狗对其主人的尊重使用权他们产生一种举足轻重和不可缺少的感觉。
4.Apetcanbesomethingdifferenttoeachmemberofthefamily,anotherbabytothemother,asisterorbrothertoanonlychild,agrandchildtotheelderly:对家庭的每一个成员来说，一只宠物有着不同的作用：对母亲来说，它是另一个孩子；对独生子女来说，它则成了一个妹妹或弟弟；老人面前，它又变成了孙子。
5.InthePlasticAge:在这一塑料时代（即指当今塑料制品取代了自杀的生活用品）。
6.Seeingananimalgivebirthbringsunderstandingofthenaturalnessofchildbirth,andseeingapetdiehelpsachildtocopewithsorrow:观察一只动物的分娩可以帮助人理解婴儿出生的自然过程；而看到一只宠物的死去则可以帮助孩子怎能样面对痛苦。