Many people like to keep cats, dogs or birds for fun, for the love of it or out of sympathy. For those who love animals, it is comparatively impossible to stay in a bad mood when a pair of loving puppy eyes meets yours or when a super-soft cat rubs against you and purrs with contentment. More and more research supports the mood-enhancing benefits of pets.
mài kè: lì li, nǐ yăng chǒng wù ma?
麦克：丽丽，你养宠物吗？
Mike: Do you have any pets, Lili?
lì li: yǎng. wǒ jiā lǐ yǎng le yī zhī māo. tā yòu ān jìng yòu kě ài.
丽丽：养。我家里养了一只猫。它又安静又可爱。
Lili: Yes, I do. I have a cat at home. It is quiet and lovely.
mài kè: wǒ xǐ huān gǒu, dàn wǒ zài běi jīng méi fār yǎng.
麦克：我喜欢狗，但我在北京没法儿养。
Mike: I love dogs, but I can't keep one here in Beijing.
lì li: wèi shén me? běi jīng yǒu hěn duō chǒng wù shì chǎng, nǐ zài nàr kě yǐ mǎi dào yòu quǎn.
丽丽：为什么？北京有很多宠物市场，你在那儿可以买到幼犬。
Lili: Why? There are lots of pet markets in Beijing. You can get a puppy there.
mài kè: wǒ jīng cháng wǎng fǎn yú niǔ yuē hé běi jīng, wǒ zǒng bù néng suí shēn dài zhe chǒng wù ba.
麦克：我经常往返于纽约和北京，我总不能随身带着宠物吧。
Mike: I often fly between New York and Beijing and I cannot take a pet with me.
lì li: bié fā chóu. nǐ bú zài shí kě yǐ bǎ tā jì yǎng zài běi jīng de péng yǒu jiā lǐ.
丽丽：别发愁。你不在时可以把它寄养在北京的朋友家里。
Lili: Take it easy. You may leave it in the care of your friends in Beijing when you are outside the capital.
mài kè: hǎo zhǔ yi! nà xià cì wǒ chū chāi shí nǐ néng bāng wǒ kān guǎn yī xià wǒ de chǒng wù ma?
麦克：好主意！那下次我出差时你能帮我看管一下我的宠物吗？
Mike: Good idea! Would you mind taking care of the pet for me next time when I am on a business trip?
lì li: méi wèn tí! wǒ jīng cháng tì péng yǒu kān guǎn chǒng wù.
丽丽：没问题！我经常替朋友看管宠物。
Lili: No problem! I often take care of pets for my friends.
mài kè: xiè xie! wǒ de jiā ná dà péng yǒu hǎi lún yǎng le liǎng zhī niǎo, měi tiān jiào gè bù tíng.
麦克：谢谢！我的加拿大朋友海伦养了两只鸟，每天叫个不停。
Mike: Thanks! My Canadian friend Helen has two birds who sing everyday.
lì li: tā bú zài shí, nǐ xiǎng ràng wǒ yě bāng tā kān guǎn yī xià niǎo, duì ma?
丽丽：她不在时，你想让我也帮她看管一下鸟，对吗？
Lili: You want me to take care of her birds when she is outside Beijing, don't you?
mài kè: zhēn shì gè cōng ming de gū niang!. wǒ zhèng shì zhè gè yì si.
麦克：真是个聪明的姑娘！我正是这个意思。
Mike: What a clever girl! That's what I mean.
lì li: zhè xià kě rè nao le. wǒ jiā kuài chénge dòng wù yuán le.
丽丽：这下可热闹了。我家快成动物园了。
Lili: It would be very bustling. My home would be like a zoo then.
mài kè: nà zhè gè zhōu mò nǐ néng péi wǒ qù tàng chǒng wù shì chǎng ma?
麦克：那这个周末你能陪我去趟宠物市场吗？
Mike: Could you go with me to the pet market this weekend?
lì li: hǎo de. wǒ yě shùn biàn qù cǎi gòu diǎnr māo liáng.
丽丽：好的。我也顺便去采购点猫粮。
Lili: Okay. I will be going to buy some food for my cat.
New Words
生词
养 yăng: keep, raise
宠物 chǒng wù: pet
猫 māo: cat
狗 gǒu: dog
幼犬 yòu quǎn: puppy
鸟 niǎo: bird
安静 ān jìng: quiet
可爱 kě ài: lovely, cute
市场 shì chǎng: market
寄养,寄存 jì yǎng, jì cún: leave something in the care of somebody
出差 chū chāi: be on a business trip
看管 kān guǎn: take care of
聪明 cōng ming: clever
意思 yì si: mean, meaning
热闹 rè nao: bustling
动物园 dòng wù yuán: zoo
采购 cǎi gòu: buy, purchase
猫粮 māo liáng: food for cats
Source: China Internet Information Center
