When I was
preparing for my two-week vacation in southern Africa, I Line realized
that the continent would be like nothing I had ever seen. I wanted to
explore the urban streets as well as the savannah; it’s always been
my goal to have experiences on vacation that most other
tourists fail to find. When my plans (5) were finalized, I left for
Africa. The cultural differences were stunning, and made
for plenty of laughter and confusion, but always ended up bringing smiles
to our faces. What’s funny now, though, more than ever,
is how ridiculous I must have seemed to the people of one
village when I played with their dog. Apparently, the
role of dogs in America is nothing like it is in the third world. (10)
When I walk the streets of my hometown now, I often find myself
staring at all of the dogs and dog owners on the
sidewalk. The way I see it, the American dog lives for
the thrill: a hug, a scratch behind the ears, a new chew toy, another
chance to fight against the leash it knows is only six feet long.
Dog owners love to believe their animal is smart, while
people who’ve never owned a dog tend to (15) believe the opposite. With a
little training, the dogs don’t bark, bite, or use the
sofa as a toilet, but they do provide years of unconditional affection and
loyalty, plus the occasional lame-brained escapade at
which human onlookers can laugh. I am
convinced African dogs could clobber their American counterparts. The
relationship between a typical African and his dog is one of
tangible mutualism. (20) I say tangible because the African sees himself as
the dominant creature not to be bothered by the dog, but
nevertheless responsible for providing for it. Hence, no
attempts at behavioral training are ever made on African dogs. Instead,
the African seizes power with a chunk of scrap meat and a
bowl of water. The dog soon learns to quit yapping and
biting at the hand that feeds him. Never does (25) the African speak to the
animal. I’m not even sure such dogs get names. Their
behavior becomes interestingly balanced, however, much to the surprise of
the compassionate American dog
lover. The author of the passage is primarily concerned with presenting
A． a description of cultural differences B． an overview of animal behavior C． a history of international tourism D． evidence to refute a global theory E． an account of animal cruelty