Now I’m not so sure. Somewhere along the way my noble ideals crashed into reality, as all noble ideals eventually do. After three years of struggling to balance math, physics and engineering courses with liberal-arts courses, I have learned there are reasons why few engineering students try to reconcile (協(xié)調(diào)) engineering with liberal-arts courses in college.

　　The reality that has blocked my path to become the typical successful student is that engineering and the liberal arts simply don’t’ mix as easily as I assumed in high school. Individually they shape a person in very different ways; together they threaten to confuse. The struggle to reconcile the two fields of study is difficult.

　　配套練習(xí)：

　　1. The author chose to study engineering at a small liberal-arts university because he ________.

　　A) wanted to be an example of practicality and rationality

　　B) intended to be a combination of engineer and humanist

　　C) wanted to coordinate engineering with liberal-arts courses in college

　　D) intended to be a sensible student with noble ideals

　　2. According to the author, by interacting with people who study liberal arts, engineering students can ________.

　　A) balance engineering and the liberal arts

　　B) receive guidance in their careers

　　C) become noble idealists

　　D) broaden their horizons

　　3. In the eyes of the author, a successful engineering student is expected ________.

　　A) to have an excellent academic record

　　B) to be wise and mature

　　C) to be imaginative with a value system to guide him

　　D) to be a technical genius with a wide vision

　　4. The author’s experience shows that he was ________.

　　A) creative

　　B) ambitious

　　C) unrealistic

　　D) irrational

　　5. The word “they” in “...together they threaten to confuse.” (Line 3, Para. 5) refers to ________.

　　A) engineering and the liberal arts

　　B) reality and noble ideals

　　C) flexibility and a value system

　　D) practicality and rationality

　　Dogs are social animals and without proper training, they will behave like wild animals. They will soil your house, destroy your belongings, bark excessively, fight other dogs and even bite you. Nearly all behavior problems are perfectly normal dog activities that occur at the wrong time or place or are directed at the wrong thing. The key to preventing or treating behavior problems is learning to teach the dog to redirect its normal behavior to outlets that are acceptable in the domestic setting.

　　One of the best things you can do for your dog and yourself is to obedience train it. Obedience training doesn’t solve all behavior problems, but it is the foundation for solving just about any problem. Training pens up a line of communication between you and your dog. Effective communication is necessary to instruct your dog about what you want it to do.

　　Training is also an easy way to establish the social rank order. When your dog obeys a simple request of “come here, sit,” it is showing obedience and respect for you. It is not necessary to establish yourself as top dog or leader of the pack (群) by using extreme measure. You can teach your dog its subordinate (從屬的) role by teaching it to show submission to you. Most dogs love performing tricks for you to pleasantly accept that you are in charge.

　　Training should be fun and rewarding for you and your dog. It can enrich your relationship and make living together more enjoyable. A well-trained dog is more confident and can more safely be allowed a greater amount of freedom than an untrained animal.

　　配套練習(xí)：

　　1. Behavior problems of dogs are believe to ________.

　　A) be just part of their nature

　　B) worsen in modern society

　　C) occur when they go wild

　　D) present a threat to the community

　　2. The primary purpose of obedience training is to ________.

　　A) teach the dog to perform clever tricks

　　B) make the dog aware of its owner’s authority

　　C) provide the dog with outlets for its wild behavior

　　D) enable the dog to regain its normal behavior

　　3. Effective communication between a dog and its owner is ________.

　　A) essential to solving the dog’s behavior problems

　　B) the foundation for dogs to perform tasks

　　C) a good way to teach the dog new tricks

　　D) an extreme measure in obedience training

　　4. Why do pet dogs love performing tricks for their masters?

　　A) To avoid being punished.

　　B) To show their affection for their masters.

　　C) To win leadership of the dog pack.

　　D) To show their willingness to obey.

　　5. When a dog has received effective obedience training, its owner ________.

　　A) can give the dog more rewards

　　B) will enjoy a better family life

　　C) can give the dog more freedom

　　D) will have more confidence in himself