新概念阅读：养宠物的9大益处

Everyone is in search for friendship all through their lives and the best  form of companionship comes in the form of animals, that is, pets. Cats and dogs  are the most preferred of the lot. However, nowadays people have birds and other  animals as their pets too.

If you have pets, you must have realized by now that they become an  indispensable part of your lives and you treasure every moment spent with them.  But if you don’t own one, then this article will give you enough reasons to do  the same.

1. Are great companions

As said earlier, a pet can give you utmost companionship at all times. Your  pet, though silent, takes you to another level of friendship. Its just being  there seems enough for you. For someone who lives alone, pets can be a solace.  Children and old people who are often alone at home can have a good time with  their pets.

2. Keep you active

Whether you are jogging or going for a stroll in the park, your pet can  always keep you company. If you like to work out, you can take them running with  you. Simply put, your pet will help you in being active.

3. Help build character

A pet needs to be taken care of. It needs to be bathed, groomed, fed and  there are other such responsibilities that you need to look after. All this will  help you in character building, as you will not only learn to do these lovely  things for your pets, but in the long run also learn to take up responsibilities  on your own. Children can be taught discipline, responsibilities and  organizational skills by handling pets.

4. Teach you patience

Handling all these responsibilities also makes adults and old people  cultivate patience. Bathing your pet, grooming it, feeding it, all require lots  of patience. Thus, having a pet makes you responsible as well as a calm and  patient person.

5. Improve health

For old people, having a pet is a relief as sometimes they pour their  hearts out to these silent souls. Pets can help to relieve the boredom,  loneliness and stress that is common among aged people and be wonderful  companions. Pets reduce the chances of old people going into depression. They  even help to improve their health if they are going through any emotional  trauma.

6. Help in making friends

Owning a pet makes you do activities such as taking it to the vet, going  for a walk, etc. Thus, you get to meet other pet owners and end up asking  queries to each other about your pets. In this way, you make acquaintances who  then gradually become your friends.

7. Improve family bonds

A pet can quickly and easily become a member of the family and when  tensions rise, pets, especially dogs, are known to intervene. Thus, they also  can be great stress busters in stressful situations.

8. Improve your mood

Whether you are sulking or unhappy, your pet will always make you happy. If  your bird sweetly chirps at you or your cat rubs its paws against your hands as  you enter home, won’t it instantly cheer you up?

9. Pets for the disabled and aged

For old and disabled people, pets are great companions as well as modes to  relax their tension. For the aged, pets can provide them company and play with  them. For the disabled, pets cultivate a sense of self-esteem in them.

So if you were still unsure about keeping a pet, this article should surely  have helped you to think otherwise

众所周知，在新概念英语中有些课文内容都是五花八门包罗万象，而新东方在线新概念组的小编也是秉承着这一理念为同学们搜罗各种新奇、新鲜事和大家一起分享学习。上文没有中文翻译，培养同学们英语阅读习惯，如遇不会的单词自己动手查询吧。