You have probably heard the expression，“It’s raining cats and dogs outside．”That means 16  it’s raining very hard I not that  17  cats and dogs are falling from the  18 ．However，one day in June，1882，it really did rain  19  over Dubuque，Iowa．The frogs  20  falling along with hailstones(冰雹)during a  21  storm．
Hail is formed when drops of rainwater are  22  by heavy winds and are carried high up into the air．There the raindrops become frozen．Many drops may freeze  23  to form balls of ice；these ice balls，or hailstones，then  24  to earth．
During the storm in Dubuque，the strong winds lifted small frogs from nearby ponds(池塘) 25  the air along with raindrops．When some of these frogs became covered with ice，both hailstones and“frog-stones”fell onto the ground．

Many people like animals and keep one or more as pets—dogs, cats and some kinds of birds. If you keep a dog or a cat as a pet, you must know how to look after it. A grown-up(成年) dog needs two meals a day, not more. And it can eat meat, fish, rice and some other things. Dogs like large bones(骨头), but don’t give them chicken bones. Remember to give them much clean water.   A dog should have a clean, dry box for sleeping. Washing it once a week is good for its health. If it is ill, take it to a doctor. A healthy dog will bring you more pleasure.
Be careful when you have chosen a cat. It has two meals a day with some meat or fish. Cats drink a little milk every day. Sometimes give them vegetables to eat. Don’t forget that they need clean water to drink.
Take good care of your pets. They will be your good friends. Maybe they can give you some help when you need.
【小题1】Many people keep ____ as pets.

1 

Many people like animals and keep one or more as pets—dogs, cats and some kinds of birds. If you keep a dog or a cat as a pet, you must know how to look after it. A grown-up(成年) dog needs two meals a day, not more. And it can eat meat, fish, rice and some other things. Dogs like large bones(骨头), but don’t give them chicken bones. Remember to give them much clean water.      A dog should have a clean, dry box for sleeping. Washing it once a week is good for its health. If it is ill, take it to a doctor. A healthy dog will bring you more pleasure.

Be careful when you have chosen a cat. It has two meals a day with some meat or fish. Cats drink a little milk every day. Sometimes give them vegetables to eat. Don’t forget that they need clean water to drink.

Take good care of your pets. They will be your good friends. Maybe they can give you some help when you need.

1.Many people keep ____ as pets.

A. pandas                            B. elephants              C. chickens                          D. cats

2.What do dogs like eating?

A. All the bones.       B. Big bones.   C. Chicken bones.    D. Small bones.

3.A healthy dog can ____ you happy.

A. make                      B. give                         C. take                                 D. bring

4.Cats usually drink ____.

A. orange                            B. milk                         C. water                     D. milk and water

5.Will pets be people’s friends?

A. No, I don’t think so.                                          B. Yes, but only a little.

C. Yes, they will.                                                     D. No, they won’t.

Now lots of families keep* pets in their houses. Most pets are small animals.

Dogs are the favorite pets. The second favorite are cats and the third favorite are birds. These small animals are very cute and friendly. People usually have them as their family members. They give them nice names and let them wear beautiful clothes. They also give their pets nice food to eat. They buy food for their pets in pet shops.

Pets are all very happy. Many pets have their houses and beds. They often go out to relax and take a walk with people in the morning.

Some children like pets because they need a friend to play with at home. Many old people keep pets at home just because they often feel* lonely.  They have them as their children and they love them very much. So, pets are very important.*I think every family needs pets.

1.Most people like to keep ______ animals at home.

A．small             B．white             C．big               D．black

2.People give their pets _____and _________.

A．nice names, nice books                   B．pet shops, nice books

C．nice names， nice food                  D．pet shops, nice food

3.The pets often_________ with people in the morning.

A．take a shower      B．play soccer        C．take a walk        D．listen to music

4.The word “lonely” means(意思) _________ in Chinese.

A．孤独的           B．快乐的           C．紧张的           D．有趣的

5.The writer thinks__________ .

A．pets are dirty                          B．people don’t need pets at home

C．people don’t like animals                D．pets are very important.

小词典

building大楼,   feel 感觉 free 空闲的, important重要的,keep饲养  tutor 家教 something 某事

阅读下面短文，在表格内的空白处填入合适的答案(每空格限填一词)

It seems that a family just isn’t complete (完整的) without a pet. But if pets aren’t suitable to a family’s lifestyle or environment, they can quickly lead to problems such as stress or arguments (争执). To save yourself and your family such problems, treat this decision seriously.

When choosing a pet, people must consider the family’s health. Many people are allergic (过敏的) to cats and dogs. Perhaps a dog or cat with short hair will be fine. And a dog might not be the best choice for a child who is naughty (顽皮的) because the dog might bite him or her. Some people can also have problems with certain pets. It’s a good idea to spend a little time with the pet around each member of the family before making your decision.

Consider the quality of life of the pet, too. If a pet is used to having space to run around, it can quickly develop psychological (心理的) problems when it is kept in a small flat all day. If pets are allowed to run about in areas with lots of traffic, they can meet an early end. Cats shouldn’t be brought into homes that already have large dogs because they won’t be able to get along well with each other.

The decision as to what kind of pet to choose is very important. If you find the right one to suit (适合) everyone in the family and their lifestyle, then it’s time to choose one. Remember that your decision is important because it can have effects that last for many years.