Improving your skills (imprúvin llor skíls)

Part A (part éi)

Read the following persuasive text and fill in the blanks with the correct option.

Gerbils are great house pets.

The common saying may contain some truth “a dog is a man’s best friend”, but dogs are not the only animal friend whose companionship people enjoy. Despite what dog-lovers may believe, gerbils make excellent house pets as they are good companions, they are civilized members of the household.

In the first place, people enjoy the 1. of gerbils. Many of them are affectionate. They will snuggle up and ask to be 2.

. If they are feeling affectionate, gerbils are generally quite 3.

. They love to chase balls and feathers or playing with a string. Gerbils can be civilized members of the 4.

 because they will even fetch.

In the second place, most gerbils don’t make sounds; they generally lead a quiet existence. Referring to playing, stray gerbils usually understand the concept when shown the box and will use it regularly. They don’t have claws, and owners must make provision for this. A tall spinning wheel in a favorite gerbil area of the house will keep the gerbil content.

Lastly, gerbils take care of their own grooming. Bathing a gerbil is almost never necessary because under ordinary circumstances, gerbils clean themselves. Many 5.

 who have 6.

of space and time will opt to have a 7.

 because they love the gerbil’s 8.

. In many ways, gerbils are the ideal house pet.

1. A. companion	B. companionship
2. A. petted	B. pet
3. A. play	B. playful
4. A. household	B. house
5. A. people	B. person
6. A. many	B. plenty
7. A. gerbils	B. gerbil
8. A. person	B. personality