Read the extract: "I would like a pair like yours," said the horse—"only green. They'll keep the Sun out of my eyes while I'm ploughing the field." "Certainly," said the Doctor. "Green ones you shall have." "You know, the trouble is, Sir," said the plough horse as the Doctor opened the front door to let him out—"the trouble is that anybody thinks he can doctor animals—just because the animals don't complain. As a matter of fact, it takes a much cleverer man to be a really good animal doctor than it does to be a good people's doctor."
Choose a word from the extract to complete the analogy. digging: flower bed:: _____: field
ploughing
Choose the correct word to complete the sentence. Doctor Dolittle's attitude in the extract is _____.
C. understanding
Complete the sentence with an appropriate reason. Based on the extract, we can conclude that doctors take animals for granted because _____.
animals cannot complain or express their pain in human language, so doctors assume they can treat them without fully understanding their condition.
Do you agree with the concluding sentence of the extract? Why/why not?
Yes, I agree with the plough horse's statement that it takes a cleverer person to be a good animal doctor than a people's doctor. Animals cannot communicate their symptoms verbally in human language, so an animal doctor must rely on observation, knowledge of animal behavior, and diagnostic skills without the benefit of patient feedback. This requires greater skill, patience, and understanding. Dr. Dolittle's success came only after he learned to understand animal language, demonstrating that treating animals effectively requires additional abilities beyond those needed for human patients.
Explanation
((i)) The relationship is: action performed on an object. Just as 'digging' is the action performed on a 'flower bed', 'ploughing' is the action performed on a 'field'. The word 'ploughing' appears in the extract in the phrase 'while I'm ploughing the field.' ((ii)) Dr. Dolittle listens patiently to the horse's specific request for green spectacles and immediately agrees, saying 'Certainly' and 'Green ones you shall have.' He shows understanding by acknowledging the horse's needs and fulfilling them without question, demonstrating his compassionate and accommodating nature. ((iii)) The plough horse states, 'anybody thinks he can doctor animals—just because the animals don't complain.' Animals cannot verbally communicate their symptoms in human language, which leads some doctors to make assumptions rather than properly diagnosing their ailments. ((iv)) The horse's observation highlights that treating animals is challenging because they cannot describe their symptoms. A good animal doctor must be observant, knowledgeable, and skilled at interpreting non-verbal communication—qualities that require exceptional intelligence and dedication.