Question

Determine the author's main purpose in this passage.
A. To compare different breeds of dogs
B. To convince readers of the exceptional talent of Heisey the dog
C. To describe the sport of canine agility
D. To argue that every breed of dog is different

Answer 1

When 11-year-old Kate Moureaux shouts, "Table!" her dog jumps onto the first table he sees. Kate's mom doesn't mind though. It's all part of their sport, canine agility, and the table is in their backyard. To compete, Kate trained Heisey, a Shetland sheepdog, to jump through tires, race through tunnels, and even how to operate a teeter-totter.

Canine agility is an exciting, fast-paced team sport. Each team consists of one person, called a handler, and one dog. The handler runs beside the dog using voice commands and hand signals to direct the animal over a series of obstacles. Obstacles include a variety of jumps, a narrow dog-walk similar to a balance beam, an A-frame, a series of poles that the dogs must weave between, and many others. To win, the dog must perform the entire course correctly and faster than any other dog in his class.

"I started with my grandma's springer spaniel Alex," recalls Kate. "He was eight, and I was seven. He's 13 now."

As Alex got older, Kate realized she wanted a dog of her own. "I wanted a sheltie when I was little, forever and ever. I don't know why, I just did. I kept trying to find people to say positive things about them so I could get one for Christmas. They'd say, 'Oh, they bark a lot.' That didn't help at all. Then my grandma saw some at a dog show, and I finally got her to say she'd think about it. One day, at an agility trial, we ran into a breeder who had a six-month-old puppy for sale. Now my grandma and I own him together."

Kate is lucky. Her mother is training director for Contact Point Agility, a club in Woodland Hills, California. They have agility equipment in their own backyard. Kate was able to work with Heisey after school each day to get him ready to compete. "It took about six months, and we still practice all the time."

Their hard work paid off. Together, Kate and Heisey have won three American Kennel Club (AKC) titles and dozens of ribbons and prizes in local and national competitions. They need just one more clean run, with no mistakes, to win their Masters Excellent, the highest agility title offered by the AKC.

Kate's family is supportive. Her dad enjoys the sport, especially when she wins. Her mom and her younger sister Meagan also compete in agility. Kate's number one fan, her grandmother, is actually her sponsor.

Kate laughs as she says, "She's not like an official sponsor, but she sometimes pays for my entries." That's helpful because there are costs involved. Agility training clubs charge money to help pay for the equipment and the trainer. Entry fees range from about $5 for fun matches up to about $20, depending on the show. Kate raises wingspanatiels and sells them to pet stores to help with the expenses.

She recommends agility to anyone who wants a fun sport. "Any dog can do it--any dog, any breed, any size, any type. Mixed breeds are equal to purebreds in agility."

The first step is to find an agility club. They have the equipment, and they can teach you how to train your dog. "They're not hard to find. Try the phone book or the Internet."

Don't worry if you don't have a dog. Agility is fun to watch too. The courses are colorful. Dogs of all sizes compete. On the same day, you can see a prancing three-pound Pomeranian sail over an eight-inch jump and a 190-pound St. Bernard hunker down low to creep through a tunnel. You might even see Kate and Heisey.

They would be happy to see you. Kate is hoping agility will grow in popularity. She has a special dream involving the sport. Her eyes sparkle as she explains, "I'd like it to be--I know this won't happen--one of the Olympic sports. I would love to be a contender in that! That would really be fun, don't you think?"

Answer 2

story is here up