I never wanted a dog, but now I'm so glad I have one.
      About two years ago, my wife, Cathy, got a little dog with a face only a mother could love. We named her
Gertie.
      Gertie is the kind of dog that has to grow on you. So I decided that the dog would be trained. This didn't
quite go as planned. At 15 weeks old, she was nearly made to leave the Petsmart Training School. She spent
every night lying in our bed-snoring (打鼾) so loudly that I hardly got a good night's sleep.
      Then, about six months after she arrived, I felt that something in my heart was taking place, and I was
unable to stop it. My behavior (行為方式) began to change. I began to smile at people when passing them in a
street. I returned from neighbors. I started calling my kids and, to my surprise, they started calling me. I even
tried to speak to my grandchildren over the phone once. I even was glad to listen to laughter from a
10-month-old granddaughter. The point is that I was changing.
      My wife and I both agree that it is Gertie who has changed my behavior.
      Gertie is now nearly two years old and almost fully grown. I have come to like the pet little by little, though
she is my wife's dog.

1. What did the man think of the dog at the beginning?

A. It wasn't very lovely.
B. It looked very beautiful.
C. It wasn't necessary to be trained.
D. It could change his life.

2. When did the man's behavior begin to change?

A. About two years ago.
B. When Gertie was nearly two years old.
C. When Gertie was 15 weeks old.
D. About six months after Gertie arrived.

3. Which of the following is NOT mentioned about the man's change?

A. He began to smile at people
B. He liked helping his neighbors.
C. He started calling his kids.
D. He spoke to his grandchildren over the phone.

4. What can we learn from this passage?

A. The dog has been trained very well.
B. The man has become more confident (自信的).
C. The man has become more friendly.
D. The man likes the dog better than his wife.