They’re WILD animals

By Ernst-Ulrich Franzen

March 11, 2010 (3) Comments

The story about the woman who lost some fingers while feeding a bear at a zoo in Manitowoc, after she ignored warnings and barriers(柵欄), reminded me of the story I heard about a couple who put their baby on the back of a wild horse in South Dakota to get a really cute picture. We all do silly things at times — no one is immune — but treating wild animals as lovely pets has to fall into a special category. Teddy bears and Disney movies aren’t actually representative of real bears.

Comments (3) View Comments

3 Comments

Post a Comment

1. TosaLeft - Mar 11, 2010 10:46AM

Don’t you think that maybe, just maybe some alcohol was involved?

2. tk421 - Mar 11, 2010 11:09 AM

It was already approved that alcohol was involved. Stories that begin with a drunk person saying “Hey, I got an idea, watch this!” rarely end well.

3. Tristan Kloss - Mar 11, 2010 11:41 AM

Alcohol certainly isn’t involved when people decide to keep “pets” like chimpanzees, baby tigers, etc. Stupidity, definitely. Dogs are pets because of thousands of years of domestication. Even farm animals, which have been kept by humans for thousands of years as well, aren’t let in the house. So why keep animals that treat human contact with, at best, indifference(冷淡、不在乎) and, at worst, violence?

1.In Ernst-Ulrich Franzen’s opinion, the woman lost her fingers because ________.

A. the zoo keepers didn’t warn her of the danger

B. she didn’t know the bear was a wild animal

C. she was somehow influenced by cartoon characters

D. she climbed over the barriers and angered the bear

2.TosaLeft thinks the wounded woman ________.

A. may have been drunk

B. may be a little stupid

C. was addicted to wine

D. fed wine to the bear

3.tk421 means a drunk person ________.

A. should be forbidden to enter the zoo

B. usually gets himself into trouble

C. is often fond of making up stories

D. usually likes to show himself off

4.What does Tristan Kloss think of people treating wild animals as pets?

A. Kind. B. Illegal.

C. Loving. D. Stupid.

練習冊系列答案
相關(guān)習題

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學年江蘇蘇錫常鎮(zhèn)四市高三下學期教學情況調(diào)研一英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

Is gun play good or bad for children? For many years I emphasized its harmlessness. When concerned parents expressed doubt about letting their children have toy guns, because they didn’t want to encourage them in the slightest degree to become criminals, I would explain how little connection there was. In the course of growing up, children have a natural tendency to bring their aggressiveness more and more under control if their parents encourage this. One- to two-year-olds, when they are angry with another child, may bite the child’s arm without hesitation. But by 3 or 4 they have already learned that aggression is not right. However, they may pretend to shoot their mother or father, but smiling to assure them that the gun and the aggressive behaviour aren’t to be taken seriously.

In the 6- to 12-year-old period, children will play an earnest game of war, but it has lots of rules. There may be arguments, but real fights are relatively rare. At this age children don’t shoot at their mother or father, even in fun. It’s not that the parents have turned stricter; the children’s own conscience has. In adolescence aggressive feelings become much stronger, but well brought-up children can turn them into athletics and other competition or into kidding their friends.

In other words, I’d explain that playing at war is a natural step in the disciplining of the aggression of young children; that a cautious parent doesn’t really need to worry about producing a criminal.

But nowadays I’d give parents much more encouragement to guide their child away from violence. A number of incidents have convinced me of the importance of this.

One of the first things that made me change my mind, several years ago, was an observation that an experienced nursery school teacher told me about. Her children were hitting each other much more than previously, without reason. When she talked to them, they would protest, “But that’s what the Three Stooges do.” (This was a children’s TV program full of violence which immediately became very popular.)

What further shocked me into reconsidering my view was the assassination(暗殺）of the former President, and the fact that some schoolchildren cheered about this. (I didn’t so much blame the children as I blamed the kind of parents who will say about a President they dislike, “I’d shoot him if I got the chance!”）

These incidents made me think of other evidences that Americans often tolerate lawlessness and violence. We were hard on the Indians and the later waves of immigrants. At times we denied justice to groups with different religions or political views. And now a great percentage of our adult as well as our child population has been endlessly fascinated with dramas of Western violence and with cruel crime stories, in movies and on television. This doesn’t necessarily mean that we Americans on the average have more aggressiveness inside us than the people of other nations. I think rather that the aggressiveness we have is less controlled, from childhood on.

To me it seems very clear that in order to have a more stable and civilized national life we must bring up the next generation of Americans with a greater respect for law and for other people’s rights than in the past. There are many ways in which we could and should teach these attitudes. One simple opportunity we could seize in the first half of childhood is to show our disapproval of lawlessness and violence in television programs and in children’s gun play.

I also believe that the survival of the world now depends on a much greater awareness of the need to avoid war and to actively seek peaceful agreements. There are enough nuclear arms to completely destroy all civilization. This terrifying situation demands a much greater stability and self-control on the part of national leaders and citizens than they have ever shown in the past. We owe it to our children to prepare them deliberately for this awesome responsibility.

1.The underlined word “this” in Paragraph 1 refers to______.

A. controlling their aggressiveness

B. playing with toy guns

C. aggressive behavior

D. the course of growing up

2.Based on the author’s view about the relationship between children’s aggressiveness and their age, which of the following is true?

A. A 2-year old boy knows that it is not correct to behave aggressively.

B. The older children become, the less aggressive they will be.

C. 6- to 12-year-olds enjoy war games but develop them into argument and serious fights.

D. Adolescents’ aggressiveness is often displayed in the form of competition.

3.What conclusion does the author intend to draw from the story told by the nursery school teacher?

A. Watching violence can lower a child’s standard of behaviour.

B. Violent TV programs should be banned in nursery schools.

C. Children are generally lawless or violent nowadays. I

D. It is acceptable to let children have toy guns

4.What does Paragraph 7 mainly talk about?

A. Examples showing that Americans are more aggressive than other nations.

B. Evidences proving that America has a long history of lawlessness and violence.

C. The idea that children are less able to put their aggressiveness under control.

D. More reasons why the author changed his view on the main issue of the article.

5.What is a must if people intend to enjoy stability and civilized national life?

A. To show disapproval of gun play in television programs.

B. To make people aware that there are already enough nuclear arms.

C. To elect national leaders with greater stability and self-control.

D. To bring up children who show more respect for the law and others’ rights.

6.Which of the following serves best as the title of the article?

A. How Does Age Influence Aggressiveness?

B. Are American Children Becoming More Aggressive?

C. Should Children Play With Guns?

D. What Should Parents Teach Their Children

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2013-2014學年安徽合肥市高三第一次質(zhì)量檢測英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項填空

—I really thought I would pass the job interview.

— Anyway, _____.

A. better later than never

B. better luck next time

C. all is well that ends well

D. well begun is half done

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學年重慶市高三10月月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

B

If a sitcom(情景喜劇)that lasts for l0 years is considered popular，then surely one that still arouses emotions after 20 must be considered a classic．Friends first aired in the US in 1994，featuring a cast of six young men and women in New York．In the time since，it’s become one of the most famous titles in the sitcom style，aired in over 100 countries and regions in the world．

The show is typical among those who grew up in the 1990s because it explores basic yet important themes like friendship，struggling to survive in a big city，and finding independence and identity，all of which are still relevant to young audiences today．

Against the background of the Internet age，IT staff who were once marginalized(排斥)and laughed at have experienced a revival due to the popularity of hit show The Big Bang Theory，in which four talents lacking normal social skills make an attempt at living on a college campus．

At the same time，Gossip Girl，describing a young cast of New Yorkers born with silver spoons in their mouths，demonstrates the difficulties upper-class adolescents experience．The show’s fashion and mature subject matter allowed it to capture the interest of both teenagers and adults．

Although these typical TV shows span a wide timeline and feature a variety of themes，they all have a universal topic．Love，money，friendship，career aspirations and identity are things all young people struggle to understand．Why are they still fascinating? It remains to be found out．

1.Why is the sitcom Friends typical among young people in the 1990s?

A．Because it is a breakthrough in the producing style．

B．Because it is the most influential sitcom of all time．

C．Because it addresses the subjects faced by the youth．

D．Because it predicts the future of the young at that time．

2.What can we learn about The Big Bang Theory?

A．It arouses people’s enthusiasm for computers．

B．There are four talents who are good at everything．

C．It is set in the time before the Internet came into being．

D．It improves the conditions of the people in technological industry．

3.According to the passage，Gossip Girl ．

A．a(chǎn)ttracts people of all ages

B．shows eye-catching style and adult subject

C．describes the life of ordinary girl

D．describes the hardships of upper-class people

4.What will the author most probably talk about next?

A．The introduction to other hit sitcoms．

B．The further information about the plot．

C．The emotional response among audience．

D．The analysis of the reasons for the appeal．

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學年重慶市高三9月月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：完形填空

B

People always talk about what they look for in close friendships，what they from friends，what they are willing to give as the of what they have taken and how satisfied they are with the quality of their friendships．

Friendship is a(n) form of human relation．Unlike marriage or the ties between parents and children，it is not defined or by law．Unlike other roles that we are expected to play in society as citizens，employees and members of organizations，it has its own principle，which is to feelings of warmth，trust，love and affection between two people．

Findings in a recent survey that topics of trust and betrayal are central to friendship．It is also suggested that human do not look for friends only among those who are most like them；

，we find many who in race ，religion，and ethnic background．

1.A．hope B．wish C．expect D．suffer

2.A．request B．demand C．a(chǎn)ddition D．reward

3.A．special B．distant C．harmonious D．individual

4.A．created B．managed C．consumed D．solved

5.A．necessary B．valuable C．complicated D．social

6.A．benefit B．develop C．support D．influence

7.A．a(chǎn)nnounce B．indicate C．Express D．ensure

8.A．however B．consequently C．moreover D．therefore

9.A．differ B．resemble C．divide D．believe

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學年重慶市高三12月月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項填空

It is said that books on ______ popular science are in ______ short supply.

A. the; a B. /; / C. /; the D. the; the

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學年重慶巴蜀中學高三上學期第一次模擬考試英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

C

Five Things You Should Know About Adult Asthma (哮喘)

About 44 million people in Asia Pacific suffer from asthma. The numbers are on the rise especially in China and India where there is rapid industrialization and urbanization. Dr Mariko Koh, Director of the Pulmonary Function Laboratory and Asthma Programme at Singapore General Hospital, tells us more about adult asthma:

1. Chronic inflammation (炎癥) of the airways

When the airways are inflamed, mucus (粘液) forms, blocking airflow, causing breathlessness, wheezing (喘息) and tightness in the chest.

2. Common triggers

Exposure to allergens (過敏原) such as mites, cockroaches, pets and pollen can trigger asthma. Tobacco smoke, respiratory infections, exercise and some medications like aspirin and beta blockers are also possible triggers.

3. Effective treatment

Asthma can be controlled with medication. The main treatment of asthma is inhaled (吸入) corticosteroids to reduce inflammation and block of the airways. Reliever medications may be used to treat acute symptoms. Take note: it is not too late to take medication after an asthma attack.

4. Take medication daily

To ensure good control over asthma, medication must be taken daily on a long term basis to prevent attacks. Also, go to your doctor for regular checkups.

5. Quality of life

Asthma sufferers can lead normal active lives as long as the symptoms are well controlled. Taking medication as directed and avoiding triggers can make a big difference to the quality of life.

1.All of the following are possible factors causing asthma except _________.

A. aspirin B. pollen

C. polluted air D. tobacco

2.What can be inferred from the passage?

A. There is no possible cure for allergic asthma.

B. Asthma is caused by acute inflammation of the airways.

C. China and India have the largest number of asthma sufferers in the world.

D. Regular checkups and exercise can ensure you a life free from asthma symptoms.

3.The author would most likely to agree that __________.

A. asthma sufferers can lead a normal life as ordinary people

B. daily intake of medication in the long run is helpful in controlling asthma

C. rapid industrialization and urbanization are the leading causes of asthma

D. once asthma attacks, it is too late to take medication

4.What is the purpose of this passage?

A. To explain the cause of asthma

B. To stress the importance of keeping away from asthma

C. To confirm a successful research about asthma

D. To inform readers several aspects about asthma

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2014-2015學年湖北棗陽第一中學高三10月月考英語試卷（解析版） 題型：閱讀理解

One might expect that the ever-growing demands of the tourist trade would bring nothing but good for the countries that receive the holiday-makers. Indeed, a rosy picture is painted for the long-term future of the holiday industry. Every month sees the building of a new hotel somewhere, and every month another rock-bound Pacific island is advertised as the “l(fā)ast paradise(天堂) on earth”.

However, the scale and speed of this growth seem set to destroy the very things tourists want to enjoy. In those countries where there was a rush to make quick money out of sea-side holidays, over-crowded beaches and the concrete jungles of endless hotels have begun to lose their appeal.

Those countries with little experience of tourism can suffer most. In recent years, Nepal set out to attract foreign visitors to fund developments in health and education. Its forests, full of wildlife and rare flowers, were offered to tourists as one more untouched paradise. In fact, the nature all too soon felt the effects of thousands of holiday-makers traveling through the forest land. Ancient tracks became major routes for the walkers, with the consequent exploitation of precious trees and plants.

Not only the environment of a country can suffer from the sudden growth of tourism. The people as well rapidly feel its effects. Farmland makes way for hotels, roads and airports; the old way of life goes. The one-time farmer is now the servant of some multi-national organization; he is no longer his own master. Once it was his back that bore the pain ; now it is his smile that is exploited. No doubt he wonders whether he wasn't happier in his village working his own land.

Thankfully, the tourist industry is waking up to the responsibilities it has towards those countries that receive its customers. The protection of wildlife and the creation of national parks go hand in hand with tourist development and in fact obtain financial support form tourist companies. At the same time, tourists are being encouraged to respect not only the countryside they visit but also its people.

The way tourism is handled in the next ten years will decide its fate and that of the countries we all want to visit. Their needs and problems are more important than those of the tourist companies. Increased understanding in planning world-wide tourism can preserve the market for these companies. If not, in a few years’ time the very things that attract tourists now may well have been destroyed.

1.What does the author indicate in the last sentence of Paragraph 1?

A. The Pacific island is a paradise.

B. The Pacific island is worth visiting.

C. The advertisement is not convincing.

D. The advertisement is not impressive

2.The example of Nepal is used to suggest _________ .

A. its natural resources are untouched.

B. its forests are exploited for farmland

C. it develops well in health and education.

D. it suffers from the heavy flow of tourists.

3.What can we learn about the farmers from Paragraph 4 ?

A. They are happy to work their own lands.

B. They have to please the tourists for a living.

C. They have to struggle for their independence.

D. They are proud of working in multi-national organizations.

4.Which of the following determines the future of tourism ?

A. The number of tourists

B. The improvement of services.

C. The promotion of new products.

D. The management of tourism

查看答案和解析>>

科目：高中英語 來源：2015-2016學年江蘇淮安淮海中學高二上期中英語試卷（解析版） 題型：單項填空

The young member made several proposals, none of __________ considered practical or acceptable.

A. them B. which C. it D. what

查看答案和解析>>

同步練習冊答案