Pets

Pets and
and Animals
Animals There are 51 questions in this paper.s
PRACTICE PAPER 9A — READING Time allowed: 1 hour
Text 1 Read the extracts from ‘Animal stories in brief’ below and then answer questions 1–13.
Answer the following questions using information from the ‘Animal stories in brief’. (21 marks)

Animal stories in brief

Year of the Dog

The Year of the Dog is having a dramatic effect on the sales of dogs in pet shops. Chan Chin-tak,
of Top One pet store, expected a 10 to 20 per cent growth in business, with more people buying
dogs in the coming year, despite a rise of at least 20 per cent in prices. She said the most popular
dog was the toy poodle, which reminded people of a teddy bear. It cost between $10,000 and
$20,000, depending on the colour.

Few homes for abandoned pets

With abandoned dogs and cats being destroyed faster than they can be found new homes, people
are being urged to think twice before buying pets. Government statistics show that in the last six
months 5,325 stray dogs were caught and 6,208 dogs were destroyed. In the same period, 3,007
stray cats were caught and 2,514 destroyed. 394 lucky dogs and 129 cats were found new homes
by the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals.

Puppies found at alleged dog meat factory

Police rescued eight puppies, a rabbit and a bird from a hut alleged to be an illegal dog meat
factory on a hillside opposite Hang Yee House, Cheung Hang Estate, Tsing Yi, at about 11am. No
one was inside at the time. The raid was prompted by a Chinese-language newspaper report. The
animals have been saved and given to the Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department.

Fears Mid-Levels dog poisoner has resurfaced

Several pieces of raw chicken coated with poison were found along a popular walking trail near
Central yesterday, raising fears that the Mid-Levels dog poisoner has reappeared. A woman found
the meat at about 8am and informed police, but fortunately no dogs have been poisoned this time.
At least 20 dogs have been killed in the area since 1989 and up to 200 sickened after eating meat
containing poison.

Don’t kiss your parrot

The Agriculture, Fisheries and Conservation Department has some new advice for the public
about avoiding bird flu: ‘Don’t kiss your pet parrot’. People should also wash their hands after
touching birds, wear gloves while cleaning up droppings and keep pets away from human food.
Officials added that they have tested more than 200 tests on imported pet birds in the past nine
months, and none has been positive for bird flu.

Long-lived pets
Hong Kong’s pets are living longer. Dr Gray of The Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to
Animals said some 41 per cent of dogs it examined are over the age of seven – 44 to 50 human
years – and just over a fifth of cats are over seven – 54 human years. Improved health care was
prolonging the lives of pets, as well as better knowledge among pet owners.

Glowing fish
Glowing green and red zebra fish have been on sale in Hong Kong for some years now, but not
everybody is impressed. “The tank must be really dark to see them,” said Maria Hung, “and it
helps if you’ve got a fluorescent light. Also, they’re not cheap at over $100 each.” The glowing
fish have been genetically developed in Taiwan using DNA from jellyfish.

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 Answer the following questions using information from ‘Animal stories in brief’.

Write the letter(s) (A – G) next to each question. The first has been done for you as an example.
(6 marks)

Which story is about stray animals? a. B

1. Which story is about a threat to human health? 1.

2. Which story is about trends in buying pets? 2.

3. Which story is about a scientific breakthrough? 3.

4. Which story is about pet food? 4.

5. Which is the latest episode in a long-running story? 5.

6. Which two stories are about criminal activities in relation to pets? 6. and

Decide whether these statements are True, False or the information is Not Given. Put a tick in ONE box
only for each statement. (5 marks)

True False Not Given

7. People might possibly catch bird flu from sick parrots.
8. A large proportion of abandoned dogs and cats find new homes.
9. The price of dogs went up during the Year of the Dog.
10. The glowing fish do not glow very brightly.
11. Dogs, cats and rabbits are all living longer in Hong Kong.

12. Which stories contain positive information about pets? Fill in the table below. One has been done for
you as an example. (8 marks)

Few homes for abandoned pets 394 lucky dogs and 129 cats were found new homes…

13. You want to buy a dog. Which organisation or shop mentioned in these stories would you go to, and
why? (2 marks)

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 Text 2 Read these two passages. The first is a newspaper article, and the second is a reader’s response to the
article. Then answer questions 14-32. (23 marks)

Pet Park for West Kowloon?

An animal welfare agency wants a pet park to be established near the proposed
West Kowloon cultural hub, and it also says it will urge the government to make more parks
open to pets.

5 The Society for Abandoned Animals chief executive officer Chan Suk-kuen said
yesterday the West Kowloon reclamation area would make a perfect site – as it was easily
accessible but away from residential areas, which would prevent complaints from residents.

Ms Chan said the society would appeal to the government through the Democratic
Alliance for the Betterment and Progress of Hong Kong. “Facilities for pets are not up to date in
10 Hong Kong. We hope that the government can provide better facilities for pets here,” she said.

“As people are having fewer children, they are keeping pets. The number of dogs is
probably greater than the population of toddlers. But the government has failed to meet the
needs of pets and their owners.” There are an estimated 150,000 cats and 120,000 dogs in
Hong Kong.

15 The society will stage a signature campaign next month to appeal to the government to
open more parks for pets. Ms Chan complained that there were only six public parks open to
pets at present. “We are asking the government to designate a small area in each park for
animals. We don’t want to open the whole area to them, as we understand that some people
may not like animals,” Ms Chan said.

20 “Most families here live in small flats and there are not enough facilities for their pets.
This gives many pet owners a serious headache when they try to take their pets out for exercise.
Other people complain about dogs, and it can also be dangerous to take them outside because
of the traffic. Many dogs have been hit by cars. So pets are often kept in small flats all day,
which is not good for them.”

25 The Home Affairs Bureau said last night that it would welcome any public ideas about
developing West Kowloon.

Pet Park talk-back

I am not a pet lover and I have no need personally for a pet park. But whether I need
one or not, I can see that pets and pet-owners certainly do. At the moment there are pets on the
30 streets, and on the upper podium of the private estate where I live. The foul smell of their toilet
is everywhere.

I hate it when I am playing with my children and our ball or shuttlecock falls where these
pets have just been to the toilet. But there is really nothing we can do about it. All I can do is say
‘hi’ to these dog owners, secretly hoping that they will take their dogs farther away from us.

35 How nice it would be if there was a large open space where dog owners could take their
dogs for a stroll and to do their toilet. It would not only do them good, it would be good for the
rest of us. It would improve the hygiene of where we live and there would be less chance of us
getting allergies from dog hair.

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 We must not be miserly and think only of the money we will have to pay to build these
40 pet parks, or the land that could be used for other more useful purposes. We must understand
that money spent on building pet parks will also benefit us non-pet-owners. If the pet parks are
convenient, beautiful and user-friendly, pet owners will love to take their pets there to meet
other pet-owners and other pets. This will leave the estates clean and clear for the rest of us.

Pet lovers will then have no excuse for selfishly letting their dogs foul the street or the
45 estate. Cleaning-up will be easier and cheaper, as the problem will be concentrated in one
place instead of being spread around.

There will be fewer pet-related arguments between tenants from the same estate. And
best of all, the children’s play area will really belong to the children again!

14. According to paragraph 1, you cannot take your dog into any park in Hong Kong.
True False Not stated

15. According to paragraph 2, the West Kowloon site would be a good place for a pet park because

16. In line 10, ‘We’ refers to

17. Ms Chan’s main point in paragraph 4 is people are keeping pets instead of having children.
True False Not stated

18. In line 12, ‘toddlers’ are ....

A. parents.
B. puppies.
C. cats.
D. young children. 18.

19. Look at the word ‘stage’ in line 15. Now look at the dictionary entry for ‘stage’ below. Which
meaning corresponds to the meaning in line 15? Write the correct number in the box provided.
stage n 1 a platform or area, usu in a theatre, on which plays are performed,
e.g. He was on stage for most of the play. 2 a step in the development of sth,
e.g. At this stage, it is difficult to know whether our plan will succeed.
stage v 3 to present a play on a stage, e.g. We are staging a new production
of ‘Cats’. 4 to arrange and take part in an event, e.g. The farmers staged a
noisy protest.
19.

20. According to paragraph 5, Ms Chan wants ....

A. every park to be completely open for pets.
B. every park to have a section for pets.
C. six parks to be open for pets.
D. everybody to be kind to animals. 20.

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21. In paragraph 5, which word means ‘identify’?

22. In line 21, ‘This’ refers to

23. According to paragraph 6, it is difficult for owners to exercise their pets because (two reasons):
(2 marks)
a)

b)

24. In line 22, ‘them’ refers to

25. In line 29, ‘do’ is short for

26. According to paragraph 9, the writer does not complain to the dog owners.
True False Not stated

27. Which word in paragraph 10 means ‘walk in a relaxed way’?

28. In line 43, ‘This’ refers to

29. Which word in paragraph 11 means ‘ungenerous’?

30. According to paragraphs 10, 12 and 13, three benefits of pet parks might be .... (3 marks)
a)

b)

c)

31. What does the writer think of dog-owners? Give a reason for your answer. (2 marks)

32. Does the writer of the second passage agree with the writer of the first passage about the need to set
up more pet parks? Give a reason for your answer.

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 Text 3 Read the following account and then answer questions 33 – 51. (20 marks)

Japanese pets

To be a dog or cat in a Japanese household today is to have won the pet lottery of
life. Cuddly kittens and playful pups have always been regarded as extremely kawaii (cute).
But with people’s salaries rising again after a long economic downturn, pet stores are
doing a roaring trade. The industry is now estimated to be worth US$9 billion a year.

5 Entire industries are cropping up to cater to this outbreak of animal love. Along with
the more traditional chew toys and balls, full ranges of fashionable outfits are available
for everything from a Great Dane to a Chihuahua in the pet sections of department stores.
The most trendy pets are even getting manicures and having their claws painted to match
the fingernails of their owners. Unbelievably, one company has set up an urban onsen (hot
10 spring bath) for pets of every shape and size.

Late last year, a luxury hotel opened at Tokyo’s Narita Airport, charging up to
20,000 yen ($1,320) per night for the top-of-the-range pet penthouse suite. Pet owners
can fly off on their holidays safe in the knowledge that the Pet Inn Royal is catering to
their loved one’s needs 24 hours a day in an air-conditioned room.

15 Japan is currently home to about 19 million pets, which is more than the number of
children under the age of 15 in the country. People seem happier to spend their money on
pets — which they treat almost as lovingly as children — than taking the plunge of having
a baby. Perhaps this explains why Japan has a population crisis, with fewer Japanese
being born every year.

20 In Japan, the choice between having a baby and buying a pet is not completely
straightforward. A baby, after all, will grow up into a child who needs to be fed and
expensively schooled. It will then become a teenager who eats even more and will probably
be rude and badly-behaved for at least five years. After that, the teenager will then
possibly turn into a university student, with endless costs. When all these costs are
25 totted up, Mr and Mrs Suzuki often choose to splash out on an expensive pet, which won’t
live as long and will definitely provide them with plenty of loyalty and affection.

Even Japan’s ever-adaptable criminals have seen the business opportunities

presented by so many valuable and much-loved pets being treated as if they were children.
Instead of stealing money or jewellery from people’s houses, burglars are now walking off
30 with prized pets such as dachshunds and miniature poodles. These can cost up to 1 million
yen when sold over the internet or to pet shops that close their eyes to where these
pedigree dogs came from.

An alternative criminal approach is to demand a ransom from the owners of the

kidnapped pet. Owners generally tend to pay up. They are reluctant to go to the police,
35 because they know that the criminals would immediately kill the animal if they found out
that the police were involved.

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33. In lines 1 – 2, ‘to have won the pet lottery of life’ means ....
A. to be the first prize in a lottery.
B. to be a very lucky pet.
C. to have a very uncertain future.
D. to live a long time. 33.

34. According to paragraph 1, pet shops are doing good business again because

35. In paragraph 2, the writer lists some examples of how the Japanese are spending money on pets. He
chooses these examples mainly because he thinks they are:
A. expensive.
B. sensible.
C. fashionable.
D. ridiculous. 35.

36. In paragraph 2, which word means ‘smart clothes’?

37. In paragraphs 1 and 2 ‘kawaii’ and ‘onsen’ are written in italics because

38. According to paragraph 3, the purpose of the new hotel at Narita Airport is to

39. The writer’s main point in paragraph 4 is that ....

A there are more pets than children under 15 in Japan.
B. the Japanese seem to prefer children to pets.
C. the Japanese seem to prefer pets to children.
D. the Japanese spend more money on children than pets. 39.

40. In line 18, ‘this’ refers to

41. According to paragraph 5, many Japanese couples choose to keep a pet rather than have a child
because .... (2 marks)
a)

b)

42. In line 25, ‘Mr and Mrs Suzuki’ are ....

A. a famous show-business couple.
B. the owners of a well-known pet shop.
C. well-known pet-owners in Japan.
D. the name given to a typical Japanese couple. 42.

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 43. Look at the word ‘splash’ in line 25. Now look at the dictionary entry for ‘splash’ below. Which
meaning corresponds to the meaning in line 25? Write the correct number in the box provided.
splash v 1 to make a liquid fly through the air in drops, e.g. Stop splashing
me! 2 ~ sth to decorate sth with patches of colour, paint, etc. e.g. a towel
splashed with blue and green patterns. PHV 3 splash sth across sth
to display a news story or photograph prominently in a newspaper,
etc. e.g. The story was splashed across the front page of the paper. 4 splash
out (on sth) to spend money freely on sth, e.g. She splashed out on a new
pair of shoes. 5 splash down (esp of space-craft) to land in water, e.g. The
astronauts splashed down in the Pacific.
43.

44. According to paragraph 6, Japanese criminals have been stealing other people’s pets to keep them for
themselves.
True False Not stated

45. In line 30, ‘These’ refers to

Below is a summary of how Japanese criminals are exploiting the trend to keep expensive pets. However,
there are some missing words. Read paragraphs 6 and 7 of the article and then fill in each blank with
ONE word only which best completes the sentence, keeping the meaning of the original text. Note that the
most suitable word may or may not appear in the article. You should also make sure that your answers
are grammatically correct. The first two have been done for you as examples. (5 marks)

Japanese criminals have realised that there is money to be (a) . a) made

from the latest fashion (b) keeping expensive pets. Some b) for

burglars are choosing to steal pedigree dogs (46) than 46.

jewellery when they break into people’s houses. They can obtain

a good (47) for the animals on the internet or by selling them 47.

to pet shops who are not concerned about (48) the animals 48.

came from. Another effective plan is to kidnap a pet and demand a

(49) . The owners generally pay up (50) they know that 49.

otherwise their precious pet will be killed. 50.

51. The writer’s main purpose in this piece is to ....

A. inform.
B. give advice.
C. complain.
D. entertain. 51.

END OF PAPER
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PRACTICE PAPER 9B — WRITING

Complete both tasks. Time allowed: 11/2 hours

Task 1 (100 words)

When you last visited a park, you were given the questionnaire below, about allowing pets in city parks.
Complete the feedback form. Write in complete sentences where instructed, about 100 words in total.

Pets in City Parks — Questionnaire

1. Do you own a pet?

2. If so, what sort of pet?

3. Do you think that pets such as dogs should be allowed into all city parks? (Please
write in complete sentences and give reasons)

4. Do you think every city park should have a separate area for pets and their owners?
(Please write in complete sentences and give reasons)

5. Do you think it would be a good idea to build a ‘pet park’ (a park only for pets and
their owners) in West Kowloon? (Please write in complete sentences and give reasons)

6. Do you have any other suggestions about how to deal with the problem of exercising
pets in Hong Kong? (Please write in complete sentences and give reasons)

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 Task 2

Write about 250 words on ONE of the following topics.

1. What are the advantages and disadvantages of owning a pet? Give examples from your own experience
or of people that you know.

2. Write a story using this picture as a starting point.

END OF PAPER

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