A NEW FRIEND FOR GREENWAY HOUSE
There is a home for old people in the south of England. It is called Greenway House, and forty men and women live there. Many of them are lonely* because their families live far away. The workers at the home want to get a pet for them, because animals can make lonely people feel happy.(lines 1–4)
The idea came from Mary Lane, one of the nurses. Mary has always loved animals. Last week she went to a pet shop and came back with a soft bed and a bag of toys. One question is left: should the new pet be a dog or a cat?(lines 5–7)
Many people at the home want a dog. Dogs are friendly, and they are fun to play with. But Mary knows that a dog is a lot of work. Someone has to take it for a long walk every day, and it often barks loudly at night.(lines 8–10)
A cat is quiet and never needs a walk, but there is a problem here too. Two of the women at Greenway House cannot be near a cat. It makes them sneeze*, sometimes for hours. Mary does not want anyone to feel ill in their own home, so in the end she chooses a dog.(lines 11–13)