英语博客(A cup of English):015 A choice of puppies.

　　A choice of puppies¹.
Beginners.
We have a dog. It is a female. Her name is Rosie. We all love her very much. However, I think my children would like another dog. Actually, it would be nice for Rosie to have a playmate. The children spend quite a few hours in school and only play with Rosie later in the day and at the weekend. One good place to find a dog is the Humane² Society. This is an amazing place. Animals that have been abandoned or who are unwanted find a home here. They are fed, exercised, given medicines if they need any, and put up for adoption³. The public can go and visit the animals and buy them for a low price. I am happy that there is a place like that for the poor animals that nobody wants. Humane means treating living things well and with respect.
Grammar notes.
Related words: female, male, puppy⁴, kitten, humane, to feed, to put up for adoption, the public, abandoned, unwanted, playmate.
Verbs: to put up for adoption/ sale; to treat with respect/ disrespect; I (any person) would like.
Advanced.
My children roped me into going to the Humane Society today. It's not as though I don't like the place, it's just that my children seem to rope me into doing lots of things lately. I am actually very pleased that we have a Humane Society in our town. We have been considering getting another puppy as a playmate for our dog Rosie. So, of course, on the way there, everybody was talking with excitement about the kind of dog we should get and when. As we walked in, we saw, immediately infront of us, a set of cages for cats. Big, medium and small were laying around looking feline⁵ and soft, their kittens playing rapidly with toys and bits of paper. We were allowed to pet a few of them. They seemed so tiny and fragile⁶ compared to our dog. Next, we were off to the kennels⁸. There were three rooms with individual dogs in each. Again, the variety was huge. Some of them were lively and loud, while others had sorrowful, self pitying eyes and quiet demeanours. It made you wonder what their experiences had been. We played with a couple of puppies, sibblings, but they were too strong and boisterous⁹ for us. It was time to go, but I know that it is only a matter of time until we return.
Grammar notes.
Useful vocabulary: playmate, cages, big, medium and small, feline, kennel⁷, demeanour.
Verbs: to get roped into doing something, ex. She roped me into singing on stage!; it makes you wonder; it is just a matter of time until......

1 puppies   

n.（常指不满一岁的）小狗(puppy的复数)；小狗，幼犬( puppy的名词复数 )；浅薄自负的年轻男子

参考例句：

• a litter of puppies 一窝小狗
• The bitch bore six puppies. 母狗生了六只小狗。 来自《简明英汉词典》

2 humane   

adj.人道的，富有同情心的

参考例句：

• Is it humane to kill animals for food?宰杀牲畜来吃合乎人道吗？
• Their aim is for a more just and humane society.他们的目标是建立一个更加公正、博爱的社会。

3 adoption   

n.采用，采纳，通过；收养

参考例句：

• An adoption agency had sent the boys to two different families.一个收养机构把他们送给两个不同的家庭。
• The adoption of this policy would relieve them of a tremendous burden.采取这一政策会给他们解除一个巨大的负担。

4 puppy   

n.小狗，幼犬

参考例句：

• You must school your puppy to obey you.你要训练你的小狗服从你。
• Their lively puppy frisks all over the house.他们的小狗在屋里到处欢快地蹦跳。

5 feline   

adj.猫科的

参考例句：

• As a result,humans have learned to respect feline independence.结果是人们已经学会尊重猫的独立性。
• The awakening was almost feline in its stealthiness.这种醒觉，简直和猫的脚步一样地轻悄。

6 fragile   

adj.易碎的，脆的，易损坏的，虚弱的，脆弱的

参考例句：

• The old lady was increasingly fragile after her operation.那位老太太手术后身体越来越虚弱。
• This glass disc looks very fragile.这个玻璃盘子看起来很容易碎。

7 kennel   

n.狗舍，狗窝

参考例句：

• Sporting dogs should be kept out of doors in a kennel.猎狗应该养在户外的狗窝中。
• Rescued dogs are housed in a standard kennel block.获救的狗被装在一个标准的犬舍里。

8 kennels   

n.主人外出时的小动物寄养处，养狗场；狗窝( kennel的名词复数 )；养狗场

参考例句：

• We put the dog in kennels when we go away. 我们外出时把狗寄养在养狗场。
• He left his dog in a kennels when he went on holiday. 他外出度假时把狗交给养狗场照管。 来自《简明英汉词典》

9 boisterous   

adj.喧闹的，欢闹的

参考例句：

• I don't condescend to boisterous displays of it.我并不屈就于它热热闹闹的外表。
• The children tended to gather together quietly for a while before they broke into boisterous play.孩子们经常是先静静地聚集在一起，不一会就开始吵吵嚷嚷戏耍开了。