【正确答案】
A
【答案解析】[听力原文]
Is your family interested in buying a dog? A dog can be a happy addition to your family, but if you choose the wrong kind of dog, the consequences can cause you a lot of trouble. Families should sit down and thoroughly discuss the problems involved before buying a dog. Even if the children in your family are the ones who want the dogs, the parents are the ones who are really responsible for seeing that the animal is properly cared for. If you don't know much about dogs, it's a good idea to go to the library or the ASPCA for books about various kinds of dogs, as well as books about how to train a puppy. When a book describes a dog as an ideal hunting dog, it probably means that the dog won't be happy living in a small apartment. Dog breeds vary in popularity as the years go by.
One of the most popular dogs these days is the German shepherd. This is because it provides protection as well as companionship. The family should be warned that these dogs grow up to be very big, and may be too powerful for children to handle. If space is limited, a toy dog may be a good choice. These dogs are very small and easy to train. They don't need to be walked daily, since they can exercise in the space available in the home.
What is the passage mainly about?
[解析] 选项概括性强表明，本题可能考查短文的主题。短文一开始就提到，小狗可以给家庭带来快乐，但如果选择不慎的话，就会带来许多问题，接下来详细说明了选择宠物狗应做的相关准备，结尾以牧羊犬为例指出如何根据家庭居住环境选择宠物狗，由此可知，短文主要讲述了如何选择宠物狗，故答案为A。
【正确答案】
B
【答案解析】[听力原文]
Why is the German shepherd a popular dog according to the passage?
[解析] 选项中的They, big and aggressive和easy to train表明，本题与They的特点有关，听音时注意听明白They指代什么。短文中提到，德国牧羊犬是现在最受欢迎的狗之一，这是因为他们能起到陪伴和保护的作用(This is because it provides protection as well as companionship)。故答案为B。
举例处和because原因处为常考点，听音时应注意。