养宠物的责任 The Responsibility of Having a Pet — HSK 4 Reading

去年qùnián我wǒ在zài朋友péngyou家jiā看到kàndào一只yì zhī小狗xiǎogǒu，它tā又yòu可爱kě'ài又yòu聪明cōngming，我wǒ马上mǎshàng决定juédìng自己zìjǐ也yě要yào养yǎng一只yì zhī。

Last year I saw a puppy at a friend's house; it was so cute and clever that I decided on the spot I wanted one too.

可是kěshì把bǎ小狗xiǎogǒu带回dàihuí家jiā以后yǐhòu，我wǒ才cái发现fāxiàn养yǎng宠物chǒngwù没有méiyǒu想xiǎng的de那么nàme简单jiǎndān。

But only after bringing the puppy home did I discover that keeping a pet is not as simple as I had imagined.

每天měitiān早上zǎoshang六点liù diǎn，它tā就jiù把bǎ我wǒ叫醒jiàoxǐng，不管bùguǎn刮风guāfēng下雨xiàyǔ，我wǒ都dōu得děi带dài它tā出去chūqù散步sànbù。

Every morning at six it wakes me up, and no matter whether it is windy or raining, I have to take it out for a walk.

它tā生病shēngbìng的de时候shíhou，我wǒ要yào带dài它tā去qù看kàn医生yīshēng，有yǒu一次yí cì就jiù花huā了le一千yìqiān多duō块kuài。

When it gets sick I have to take it to the vet — one visit once cost more than a thousand yuan.

想xiǎng出去chūqù旅行lǚxíng的de时候shíhou，我wǒ也yě得děi先xiān找到zhǎodào愿意yuànyì照顾zhàogù它tā的de朋友péngyou，否则fǒuzé就jiù只能zhǐ néng放弃fàngqì计划jìhuà。

When I want to go traveling, I first have to find a friend willing to look after it; otherwise I can only give up the plan.

有yǒu一段yí duàn时间shíjiān我wǒ真的zhēnde很hěn累lèi，甚至shènzhì有点儿yǒudiǎnr后悔hòuhuǐ养yǎng了le它tā。

For a while I was genuinely exhausted, and I even slightly regretted getting it.

但是dànshì每天měitiān回家huí jiā，它tā都dōu会huì高兴gāoxìng地de跑过来pǎo guòlai欢迎huānyíng我wǒ，那时候nà shíhou所有suǒyǒu的de辛苦xīnkǔ都dōu变得biànde值得zhíde了le。

But every day when I come home, it runs over happily to greet me, and in that moment all the hard work becomes worth it.

现在xiànzài我wǒ常cháng对duì想xiǎng养yǎng宠物chǒngwù的de朋友péngyou说shuō：“宠物chǒngwù不是bú shì玩具wánjù，而是érshì一条yì tiáo生命shēngmìng，只有zhǐyǒu你nǐ能néng对duì它tā负责fùzé，才cái应该yīnggāi把bǎ它tā带回dàihuí家jiā。”

Now I often tell friends who want a pet: a pet is not a toy but a life, and only if you can take responsibility for it should you bring one home.

🔊 Audio uses your device's Chinese voice for now — teacher recordings are coming. Tap any word to see its meaning.

Key words 生词

宠物chǒngwùpet

照顾zhàogùto look after; to take care of

后悔hòuhuǐto regret

生命shēngmìnglife (a living thing)

值得zhídeto be worth it

负责fùzéto be responsible (for)

Grammar note 语法点

不管……都……

"No matter A, B still holds." 不管 introduces a condition that makes no difference, and 都 stresses that the result never changes, as in 不管刮风下雨，我都得带它出去散步.

不管刮风下雨，我都得带它出去散步。 — No matter whether it's windy or raining, I have to take it out for a walk.

甚至

甚至 means "even" and introduces the most extreme or surprising case in a list or statement, as in 我很累，甚至有点儿后悔养了它.

有一段时间我真的很累，甚至有点儿后悔养了它。 — For a while I was really exhausted; I even slightly regretted getting it.

只有……才……

"Only if A can B happen." 只有 states the one necessary condition, and 才 marks the result that follows only from it, as in 只有你能对它负责，才应该把它带回家.

只有你能对它负责，才应该把它带回家。 — Only if you can take responsibility for it should you bring it home.

Check yourself 小测验

1. What wakes the author up at six every morning?

2. What must the author do before going on a trip?

3. What does the author tell friends who want a pet?

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