Donna is 19 years old and loves animals, which is why I’m always happy to leave my dog with her
when I go on holiday. Donna also helps to train hunting dogs, but recently, her boyfriend told me, she
returned home from a farm in tears after being told to hit some dogs.“She wasn’t being asked to hit them
because they didn’t behave well,” he said.
"She was told to punch these puppies with a closed fist simply to let them know who is boss." Donna
refused. Good for Donna. In my view, you hurt an animal for only two reasons: as a way to teach it an
important lesson, such as not to run into the road; or because you like hurting animals.
Last summer, I attended a horse race. I don't know much about horses, but I was alarmed when I
saw a horse with a huge ulcer(溃疡) on its leg. "Surely this horse won't race?" I asked. I was very
surprised that nobody in the crowd seemed concerned.
The horse began the race, but later it fell heavily. It had broken its leg. The next thing I saw was its
dead body in a bag, being driven past. No one seemed to care, except those who'd bet on it. I know
people care for horse racing, but do they really care for horses? I doubt it.
Oh, but it's tradition, I hear you say. Wouldn't the world be a boring place if we didn't occasionally
hit, shoot and chase animals? Traditions are made by man and can be unmade. It was once acceptable
to kill servants when their master died, to visit the mental hospitals to laugh at the patients, or to watch
public execution(执行死刑).
Nor should it be forgotten that in our progress to a more civilized world, animals have played an
important role: they have fed us, carried us, worked for us, rescued us, died for us and sometimes just
saved us from loneliness. Surely by now they deserve our kindness. At the very least, they deserve our
respect.
1. Donna was asked to hit the young dogs because __________.
A. they misbehaved
B. their owner disliked them
C. people on the farm enjoy hurting them
D. it was a way to train them to obey people
2. What does the underlined word "punch" probably mean?
A. strike
B. stroke
C. punish
D. pump
3. What's the writer's purpose in telling the readers the story about the horse?
A. To explain the traditional horse race to readers.
B. To prove that the weak horse can't win in the race.
C. To show that animals are treated unfairly by humans.
D. To say that people care more for horses than horse racing.
4. Which of the following statements is NOT true?
A. People no longer watch killing criminals in public.
B. The writer cannot accept anyone who hits the animals.
C. It was a traditional practice to kill servants for their dead master.
D. The writer thinks it possible to change the traditions made by men.
5. What's the best title of the passage?
A. No one cares for animals nowadays.
B. Let's protect the endangered animals.
C. Show animals the respect they deserve.
D. The stories between animals and people.
