Question

Tom goes everywhere with Catherine Green, a 54-year-old secretary. He moves around her office at work and goes shopping with her. "Most people don't seem to mind Tom," says Catherine, who thinks he is wonderful. "He's my fourth child," she says. She may think of him and treat him that way as her son. He moves around buying his food, paying his health bills and his taxes, but in fact Tom is a dog.

Catherine and Tom live in Sweden, a country where everyone is expected to lead an orderly life according to rules laid down by the government, which also provides a high level of care for its people. This level of care costs money.

People in Sweden pay taxes on everything, so aren't surprised to find that owning a dog means more taxes. Some people are paying as much as 500 Swedish kronor in taxes a year for the right to keep their dog, which is spent by the government on dog hospitals and sometimes medical treatment for a dog that falls ill. However, most such treatment is expensive, so owners often decide to offer health and even life premium for their dog.

In Sweden dog owners must pay for any damage their dog does. A Swedish Kennel Club official explains what this means: if your dog runs out on the road and gets hit by a passing car, you, as the owner, have to pay for any damage done to the car, even if your dog has been killed in the accident.

1.Catherine pays taxes for Tom because ________.

A. Tom follows her everywhere

B. Tom is her child

C. Tom is her dog

D. Tom often falls ill

2.The money paid as dog taxes is used to ________.

A. keep a high level of care for the people

B. pay for damage done by dogs

C. provide medical care for dogs

D. buy insurance for dog owners

3.The underlined world "premium" possibly means ________.

A. payment for risks                   B. medical check

C. entertainment expense               D. protection fee

4.If a dog causes a car accident and gets killed, who should pay for the damage done to the car?

A. The owner of the car.

B. The owner of the dog.

C. The insurance company.

D. The government.

Answer

1.C

2.C

3.A

4.B

【解析】

试题分析:本文主要讲述了在瑞士，每一件东西都要上税，包括养宠物狗，甚至需要给狗上保险，因为如果狗和车撞上，狗主人需要给赔偿车主人。

1.C 细节理解题。根据文中倒数第二段的People in Sweden pay taxes on everything, so aren't surprised to find that owning a dog means more taxes. 可知，狗是需要上税的，故选C。

2.C 细节理解题。根据第三段中Some people are paying as much as 500 Swedish kronor in taxes a year for the right to keep their dog, which is spent by the government on dog hospitals and sometimes medical treatment for a dog that falls ill.可知，所交的税金用来给狗提供医疗服务，故选C。

3.3】A 词义猜测题。根据文中health and even life premium for their dog及最后一段可知，有时候要给狗上保险税，因为狗和车撞上，狗主人需要赔偿车主人，所以这里应该是风险的支付，故选A。

4.4】B 推理判断题。根据文中最后一段if your dog runs out on the road and gets hit by a passing car，you, as the owner, have to pay for any damage done to the car, even if your dog has been killed in the accident.可知，狗和车撞上，狗主人需要赔偿车主人，故选B。

考点：考查政治经济文化类短文阅读。