Contents1TextAPets—APartofAmericanFamilyLanguageinUseTextBWaltDisney:AShortBiography

Warm-upQuestions:2Warm-upQuestions:1.Whatkindofpetsdoyoulike?2.WhatistherelationshipbetweenChineseandtheirpets?

Pre-classTask13Pre-classTask1Readthetextonceforthemainidea(s).Donotrefertothenotes,theglossary,ordictionaries.

TextAPets—ApartofAmericanFamily4PassageAmericanslovepets,anditsnotjustpuppylove,either.Manypetownerstreattheirfurryfriendsaspartofthefamily.Sometimestheyspiceuptheirpetsliveswithentertainingvideosandamusingtoys.Iftheyhaveaneyeforfashion,petownerscandresstheirpetsinstylishclothes.Forspecialoccasions,theycanusecanineperfumetomaketheirdogssmell,well,lessbeastly.YoumightsayAmericanstreattheirpetsliketheytreattheirchildren—sometimesevenbetter.1

5PassageInAmerica,therearemorehouseholdswithpetsthanthosewithchildren.Atleast43percentofU.S.homeshavepetsofsomesort.Exoticcreatures,suchasmonkeys,snakesandevenwolves,findahomewithsomeAmericans.Morecommonpetsincludetropicalfish,miceandbirds.Buttheall-timefavoritesarecatsanddogs,evenattheWhiteHouse.TheClintonscat,Socks,hasbeenreplacedbytheBushesdog,Barney,asreigningFirstPet.Americanssometimeshavestrongfeelingsaboutwhetherdogsorcatsmakebetterpets.“Dogpeople”and“catpeople”oftenenjoyfriendlyrivalries.2TextAPets—ApartofAmericanFamily

6PassageLeadingadogslifeinAmericaisntsuchabadthing.Manygrocerystoressellgourmetpetfoodstoownerseagertopleasetheirpets.InHouston,Texas,dogscanhavetheirdinnerdeliveredtotheirhomes,justlikepizza.Well-to-docaninescanattenddoggydaycarecenterswhiletheirownerswork.Petscanevenaccompanytheirownersonvacation.Fancyhotelsarebeginningtoaccommodatebothmanandbeast.FurryguestsatFourSeasonsHotelscanen