题目内容
Dogs, pulling sleds and packed burdens, once provided a single shepherd with enough “hands”to keep more sheep than be ________ able to without assistance.
A. would be B. was C. would have been D. might be
C
A morning rarely began so perfect. I took in the fresh air and felt my heart run into an enthusiastic rhythm. Though cool, the sun warmed my back as it rose over the horse from not far from my house. The slightest wind danced on my skin. Just enough to keep a runner form overheating. My ever-faithful jogging partner, a black dog named Nika pulled my leg with her mouth, mirroring my eagerness to start our run.
We raced forward with determination, ready to leap tall buildings and race against speeding trains. We pushed harder and ran faster, demonstration our skill and impressing passing motorists and neighbors.
We kept on running until we hit the Beast, a name for a very difficult, nearly two-mile long steep climb.
Only a few paces into the Beast, I gasped for air. Far short of superhero status, my enthusiasm and active steps were lost somewhere at the base of the hill. A vision of the newspaper and a cup of coffee waiting in my kitchen appeared, attracting me to turn back toward home.
With a glance I noticed Nika wasn’t doing any better. She continued to faithfully follow me, putting one paw in front of the other, but without her former eagerness. Her tiredness touched me. And in that moment, I felt a sudden spark of renewed determination to press on. I couldn’t allow this mountain to get the better of us. To improve both our spirits, I managed to shout, “Good girl, Nika! Keep going…you can do it!”
“I’m encouraging a dog, for heaven’s sake!’’ I needed to pull myself together. With a few simple words, I changed our course. One moment we were on the edge of quitting. The next, our feet picked up the pace and we continued. Though tired and discouraged myself, with a few kind words I impacted a dog’s ability to go further. I’m sure I could have completed the opposite with ill-chosen comments and an unpleasant tone. Instead, the Beast was defeated and we flew like heroes the rest of the way home.
Life is full of beasts to conquer. For some, it is the seemingly impossible climb of cancer. For others, their beast takes the shape of parenting a child or a teenager. Uphill climbs come in all shapes and sizes, common only in their ability to defeat, discourage and tempt tired travelers to quit. Sometimes all that’s needed is a few spoken, well-timed words of encouragement from a fellow runner – someone who sees the struggle, dares to jogs alongside, and cares enough to say, “Keep going! You can do it! You’re not alone. I believe in you!”
【小题1】 The writer starts the text by describing________.
| A.the beautiful scene of the morning |
| B.his or her preparations for a jogging |
| C.a lively dog named Nika |
| D.the growth of crops at the farm |
| A.liked reading newspapers while drinking coffee |
| B.had an intention to give up running |
| C.would treat himself or herself to coffee after running |
| D.might appear on the newspaper for the long running |
| A.after he or she found the dog was still energetic |
| B.because they came near the top of the hill |
| C.when he or she noticed the tired dog |
| D.before they arrived at the bottom of the hill |
| A.Words are powerful than deeds. |
| B.Beasts in life aren’t easily to conquer. |
| C.Dogs are the best friend of humans. |
| D.Try it one more time before giving up. |
Question: I have a one-year-old female bulldog, who has recently taken to biting my shoes when we are in the park and I’m on the mobile. She can be slightly aggressive and I’m starting to get worried and a bit annoyed. How do I stop her? ----Susan, London.
Answer: You need to get this problem under control before it could escalate (恶化). I always advise owners not to talk on the mobile phone when they go for a walk with their dogs, because they should be focusing on this time with their pets, but I know people have busy lives and need to make phone calls.
The behavior she is showing is either controlling or playfulness, but they both result from the same issue ---- you are not paying attention to her. If you must make phone calls while on a walk, try to still engage with your dog by speaking towards her, playing some sorts of game and so on. If that doesn’t work, you’ll have to try more of a training approach.
You will need a training line and some treats. Start your walk in the usual way, make a phone call, and when your dog starts displaying the undesired behavior, simply stop walking --- otherwise she will see it as a game. When she is calm and looking at you, or if she sits, give her a treat; then continue walking. If she starts up again, pick up the lead, gently pull it, and tell her “no”. Then ask her to sit and give her a treat if she does.
The aim of this is to try to get her to forget how much fun it is biting your shoes. Do little sessions every day --- and try not to answer the phone if you know it’s going to be a long conversation. Be patient and good luck!
Remember that if an animal shows signs of distress or discomfort, an early visit to the vet is always recommended.
【小题1】What is Susan complaining about in her question?
| A.She doesn’t know how to make phone calls while walking a dog. |
| B.She has no idea how to get along well with her dog. |
| C.She gets worried that her dog is getting annoyed. |
| D.She finds her dog is getting a little aggressive. |
| A.the owner isn’t paying attention to her |
| B.the owner often makes trouble for the dog |
| C.the owner plays some dull games with her |
| D.the owner doesn’t like the pet dog any more |
| A.talk with them regularly |
| B.take them to see the vet |
| C.play games with them |
| D.let them bite your shoes |
| A.By playing some sort of game with the pet dog. |
| B.By punishing the pet dog strictly. |
| C.By training her not to do so. |
| D.By leaving her at home. |