6928 reading comprehension

ANIMAL LOVERS?
O
Over
ver half
half the
the homes
homes in
in Britain
Britain have
have pets
pets and
and as
as aa result,
result, the
the British
British spend
spend almost
almost aa thousand
thousand million
million pounds
pounds
aa year
year on
on domestic
domestic animals.
animals. In
In fact,
fact, many
many people
people treat
treat their

their pets
pets like
like members
members of
of the
the family.
family. Pets
Pets can
can actually
actually
enhance
enhance our
our lives
lives and
and health.
health. Childless
Childless couples
couples often
often keep
keep aa pet
pet because
because they
they need
need to
to play
play the
the role
role of
of parent
parent

to
to strengthen
strengthen their
their identity
identity as
as couple.
couple. Lonely,
Lonely, elderly
elderly people
people may
may keep
keep aa pet,
pet, such
such as
as aa cat
cat or
or aa dog
dog for
for
company
company or
or protection.
protection. Pets
Pets have
have also
also been
been used
used in
in therapy
therapy to

to help
help retarded
retarded youngsters
youngsters develop
develop aa sense
sense of
of
responsibility
responsibility and
and self-worth.
self-worth.
However,
However, while
while we
we treat
treat our
our own
own animals
animals with
with love
love and
and devotion,
devotion, do
do we
we care
care about
about the
the way
way the
the society

society at
at
large
large treat
treat animals?
animals? In
In 2000,
2000, almost
almost three
three million
million experiments
experiments on
on animals
animals took
took place.
place. These
These included
included warfare
warfare
experiments
experiments and
and the
the testing
testing of
of drugs,
drugs, cosmetics
cosmetics and
and cleaning
cleaning fluids.
fluids. Animals

Animals are
are also
also slaughtered
slaughtered for
for their
their
meat,
meat, skins
skins and
and fur.
fur. In
In many
many cases,
cases, these
these animals
animals are
are kept
kept in
in terrible
terrible conditions
conditions and
and are
are cruelly
cruelly treated
treated by
by
private
private companies
companies and
and governments

governments alike.
alike. However,
However, thanks
thanks to
to PETA
PETA (People
(People for
for the
the Ethical
Ethical Treatment
Treatment of
of
Animals)
Animals) and
and Uncaged
Uncaged (organisation
(organisation which
which fights
fights vivisection
vivisection in
in the
the UK),
UK), there
there is
is aa light
light at
at the
the end
end of
of the

the
tunnel.
tunnel. With
With slogans
slogans like
like “Buy
“Buy aa fur
fur and
and slip
slip into
into something
something dead”
dead” or
or brochures
brochures on
on the
the cruelty
cruelty of
of vivisection,
vivisection,
these
these organisations
organisations are
are forcing
forcing consumers,
consumers, private
private industry
industry and
and governments
governments to

to examine
examine their
their consciences.
consciences.

ARE THE FOLLOWING TRUE OR FALSE?

ANSWER THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

A) The British are a nation of animal lovers.
______

1.- Why do British spend so much money on domestic
animals?
__________________________________________

B) For some people, pets are like their own
children.
______
C) Pets are a danger for our health.
______
D) Lonely people need a cat for protection.
______
E) Pet therapy can help mentally handicapped
children.
______
F) In Britain, experiments on animals are
rare.
______

By Charo Díez

2.- What is the result of having pets for childless couples?
_________________________________________
3.- What is the result of having pets for retarded
youngsters?
_________________________________________
4.- What kind of experiments are carried out on animals?
_________________________________________
5.- Who usually keep animals in bad conditions?
________________________________________
6.- What do PETA and Uncaged want consumers to do?
________________________________________


A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.

True
True
False
False
True
False

1.

2.
3.
4.
5.
6.

The British spend so much money on domestic animals because over half the homes in Britain have pets
They play the role of parents and they strengthen their identity as couple
They can develop a sense of responsibility and self-worth.
These experiments included warfare experiments and the testing of drugs, cosmetics and cleaning fluids.
Private companies and governments usually keep animals in bad conditions
They want consumers to force consumers, private industry and governments to examine their consciences

By Charo Díez