Pets provide an unconditional love that requires very little on the part of the human.
Animals are so special to those of us who love them. We miss them when they are no longer with us. We grieve (哀悼) for them in ways which are just the same as grieving for a human loved one.
Whether the end comes through old age, illness, or sudden death, the death of a pet can cause enormous feelings of sorrow, guilt, and loneliness for children and adults alike, as the animal was considered a family member, a child’s favoured playmate, or an older person’s loyal and faithful companion.
Some people don’t want a pet because they do die! It’s understandable to be unwilling to expose yourself to death but, at the same time, we become immeasurably more human because our animals die. When we live with animals we’re more in step with the rhythms of the planet from day to night and from season to season because our companions make us more aware of the changes around us. Our companion animals teach us about the simple gifts of a beautiful day, a good meal and a gentle touch.
The death of a pet can make us struggle with our belief structure－a natural part of the grieving period. Whether grieving an animal or human, we question our beliefs and many people find their belief structure becomes stronger when they ask themselves hard questions. Others find a new way of acceptance.
And we learn from our animals. Animals aren’t afraid to die; they show us that the end of life can be faced without fear. They can teach us to accept death as an opening for love and wonder.
Allow yourself to grieve in whatever way is appropriate for you. The loss of a pet is real grief and causes us to travel through the stages of grief－denial, anger, depression, guilt, and acceptance. These stages must be lived through for the mourning to allow full healing.
小题1: According to the passage, the reason why some people don’t want a pet may be that .
A．animals may change our belief structure
B．animals are so special for those who love them
C．pets can never escape from death which makes people sad
D．pets only provide people with love but never ask for return小题2:The underlined sentence in paragraph 4 probably means .
A．the animals’ death is unacceptable for their owners
B．the animals’ death may arouse their true feelings inside
C．the animals’ death may expose people to the changes in life
D．the animals’ death is more understandable than human’s death小题3:According to the passage, we can infer that .
A．pets can give us some gifts when they have a good meal
B．pets are so selfless and brave that all the people love them
C．people can never accept the death of pets or the one they love
D．people may go through several stages before they can accept the death of a pet小题4:What’s the attitude of the author towards grieving a pet?
A．Neutral.
B．Negative.
C．Positive.
D．Critical.