The basic meaning of“pet”is an animal we keep for emotional (情感的) rather than economic reasons. A pet animal is __1__ as a companion, and we all need companions to keep as feeling happy.__2__ pets offer more than mere(only) companionship: they invite us to love and be loved. Many __3__ feel their pets understand them, for animals are __4__  to sense anger and sorrow. Often a cat or dog can comfort us __5__ when human words don't help. We feel loved, too, by the way pets __6__ us for a home, for food and drink. Dogs __7__， look up to their owners,  __8__ makes them feel important and needed.

A pet can be something __9__ to each member of the family, another baby to the mother, a sister or brother to a(n) __10__ child, a grandchild to the elderly, but for all of us pets provide __11__ and companionship. It has __12__ been suggested that tiny pets __13__  be sent as companions to astronauts  on space ships, to help reduce the stress (紧张) and __14__ of space flights.

In this Plastic Age, when most of us live in large cities, pets are particularly important for __15__. A pet in the family keeps people in __16__ with the more natural，animal world. Seeing an animal give birth brings understanding of the naturalness of childbirth, and seeing a pet __17__ helps a child to cope with sorrow. Learning to __18__ a pet helps a child to grow up into a loving adult who feels __19__ toward those dependent on them. Rightly we teach children to be good to their pets. They should learn, too, that pets are __20__ for us human beings.

1. A. known  B. looked upon  C. treated  D. kept

2. A. But     B. However  C. So  D. Otherwise

3. A. masters  B. owners  C. bosses  D. hosts

4. A. slow    B. quick  C. easy  D. difficult

5. A. in time  B. on time  C. at times  D. at no time

6. A. depend on  B. live on  C. wait on  D. look on

7. A. especially  B. hardly  C. hopefully  D. entirely

8. A. it  B. who  C. which  D. what

9. A. dangerous  B. necessary  C. the same  D. different

10. A. single    B. only  C. separate  D. alone

11. A. loss     B. love  C. trouble  D. pleasure

12. A. ever      B. even  C. never  D. probably

13. A. would   B. could  C. should  D. must

14. A. loneliness  B. distance  C. darkness  D. weight

15. A. housewives      B. children

C. grown－ups     D. relatives

16. A. connection  B. conversation

C. touch  D. love

17. A. die  B. suffer  C. cry  D. fight

18. A. pay for  B. ask for  C. call for  D. care for

19. A. comfortable     B. suitable

C. valuable        D. responsible

20. A. fit  B. good  C. expensive  D. bad