Four friends were arguing over whose dog was the smartest. The first man, an engineer, called to his dog, "T Square, show your stuff. " The dog trotted over to a desk, pulled out a paper and pencil, and drew a perfect triangle.

The next guy, an accountant, called to his dog, "Slide Rule, go ahead. " The dog went to the kitchen, nibbled opened a bag of cookies and divided the contents into four equal piles.

The next man, a chemist, beckoned his dog, Beaker, to show what he could do. The dog went to the fridge, took out a quart of milk and poured out exactly eighty ounces into a measuring cup.

The last man was a government worker. "Coffee Break," he hollered to his dog, "go to it. " With that, the dog jumped to his feet, soiled the paper, ate the cookies and drank the milk.

Notes:

(1) do (show) your stuff显显你的本领；露一手

(2) trot v. 疾走；快步走

(3) triangle n.三角形

(4) accountant n会计

(5) nibble v.轻咬

(6) beckon v.招手令他人走近或跟着来

(7) ounce n.盎司（重量单位，常衡为1/16磅）

(8) holler v.喊叫

(9) soil v.弄脏；弄污

Exercises:

根据短文回答问号问题：

① What were the four friends arguing about?

② What did the first man's dog do?

③ How many parts did the second man's dog divide the cookies into?

④ How much milk did the third man's dog pour into the measuring cup?

⑤ Can we find out whose dog was the smartest?

谁的狗最聪明

四个朋友在为谁的狗最聪明而争吵。第一个人是个工程师，他对自己的狗喊道：“T形角，使出你的本领来。”这只狗便跑向一个书桌，拉出一张纸和一支铅笔，画出了一个完美的三角形。

第二个人是个会计。他对他的狗说：“珠算法，上吧。”那狗直奔厨房，用嘴咬开一袋甜饼并把饼分成了四等份。

第三个人是位药剂师。他命令他的狗----量杯，表现一下。但见那狗径直走向冰箱，叼出一瓶牛奶并精确地把八盎司牛奶倒入一个量杯中。

最后一位是政府职员。“休息时间，”他对自己的狗喊叫，“去吧。”话还未落，那狗便跳将起来，踏污了那张纸，吃掉了所有的甜饼，喝光了那杯牛奶。

练习参考答案：

① They were arguing about whose dog was the smartest.

② He drew a perfect triangle.

③ Four.

④ Eight ounces.

⑤ The fourth man's dog was the smartest.