There is no denying the fact that keeping pets is a hotly debated topic today. Some people claim that keeping pets is a good thing to do. They believe that pets, like cats and dogs, can help relieve the loneliness suffered by senior citizens and other social members who are confined to their homes for this reason or that. They also argue that keeping pets helps mankind understand animals' world and develop positive feelings toward them.

有一个不可否认的事实，即养宠物是当今一个被热烈讨论的话题。有的人认为养宠物是一件好事。他们认为宠物，比如猫和狗，有助于缓解年长者和那些由于这样那样的家庭原因限制的社会成员的孤独感。他们还认为，养宠物有助于人类了解动物世界，培养对它们的积极态度。

Others, however, hold the opposite view. They regard keeping pets as a useless but harmful thing to do. Firstly, pets can transmit diseases. Secondly, the noises and dung of pets are sources of pollution. Last but not least, as many rare birds and animals are kept as pets, they will surely be hunted on a large scale, which means a threat to the balance of the ecosystem.

然而，其他人持相反观点。他把养宠物当做是无用而且有害的事。首先，宠物可以传播疾病。其次，噪音和宠物粪便是污染的来源。最后，许多珍禽异兽作为宠物饲养，他们一定会被大规模猎杀，这意味着威胁到生态系统的平衡。

Weighing the arguments of both sides, I am inclined to agree with the latter. Anyway, we can lessen our loneliness and express our love toward animals in other ways. And it is my beliefs that only by placing man and other species on an equal basis can us expect to have a lively and colorful world.

权衡双方的论据，我更倾向于同意后者。不管怎么样，我们可以通过其他方式来减少我们的孤独和向动物表达我们的爱心。我相信，只有在人类和其他物种平等的基础上，我们才能期待有一个生动多彩的世界。