新概念阅读：适合养在宿舍的萌宠

Dogs and cats are best friends for many people, but not for students who live in a tiny dormitory room. Just think about the noise, the smell and all that reckless behavior ― chewing on whatever they can get their teeth on, or knocking over the trash can and scattering the contents all over the floor.
尽管猫狗是人们的好朋友、作为宠物也是非常好的选择，但是对于住在小小宿舍里的学生们来说，就并非是最佳选择了——它们总是爱乱咬东西，翻垃圾桶并把垃圾弄得满地都是。
But don’t fret. There are smaller and less destructive pets to brighten up your dormitory life, just make sure you’re allowed to keep one.
但是不要烦恼。现在有一些更小，更不容易惹麻烦的宠物可丰富你的宿舍生活，你只需要确定宿舍允许你饲养动物就行啦。

Betta fish
泰国斗鱼
Originally from Southeast Asia, betta fish were introduced to aquariums in the early 1900s. They make great pets with their big personality and stunning colors, ranging from vibrant bright red, dark blue to lemon yellow.
这种源自东南亚的斗鱼最早是在1900年初被引进到水族馆中。它们以独特的个性、惊艳的色彩而著称，斗鱼身体的颜色包括亮红色、深蓝色和柠檬黄等。
Unlike many fish, most bettas react to their owner’s presence and become more active when they are nearby, which is unusual in the fish world.
和大多数鱼不同的是，大多数斗鱼可以与它们的主人很好的互动，当主人们接近时，鱼儿们会非常活跃，这在鱼的世界里可是不多见的。
Bettas can be your best friend for up to four years as long as you take good care of them. Although part of their appeal is that they can be kept in a small container without complicated filtration systems, taking care of betta fish does require some effort.
只要你好好的照顾斗鱼，它们就能成为陪伴你4年的好朋友。可以将斗鱼养在小鱼缸里，并不需要那些复杂的过滤系统，但是照顾斗鱼还是要多用点心的。

Chinchillas
龙猫
Odorless, about the size of a rabbit and with fur so dense that they can’t get pests such as fleas, the friendly creature originally from the Andes Mountains in South America makes an ideal indoor pet. Chinchillas are very social animals, so if you only have one, you will become its family.
这种没什么异味，跟兔子大小差不多，而且皮毛浓密，连寄生虫都很难滋长，性情温和的来自南美安第斯山脉的小家伙成为室内宠物的首选。龙猫是群居动物，所以如果你只养了一只，那么你就是它唯一的家人了。

Land hermit crabs
陆地寄居蟹
In a society where owners are often asked “Are they tasty?”, land hermit crabs are among the most unlucky animals commonly kept as pets. But they are easy to care for, inexpensive and fascinating to watch. And the fact that they don’t smell or cause any allergic reactions makes them perfect for college dormitories.
因为主人们经常会被问到“这个好吃吗？”，所以陆地寄居蟹大概是宠物里最悲惨的一类了。但是它们真的非常好养，价格不贵并且很具观赏性。而且没什么异味，也不会引起过敏，实在是大学宿舍里最完美的宠物啦。

Red-eared sliders
巴西龟
If you’re interested in a lifelong friend, a red-eared slider makes a wonderful pet. If well cared for, they can live for around 40 years.
如果你希望你的宠物朋友能长寿的话，那么巴西龟绝对最好的宠物选择。如果你照顾的好，它们能活40年左右。
But before you decide to get a turtle, there are a couple of things you should know. Red-eared sliders can get big. Don’t be fooled by those tiny, cute hatchlings – they can grow to an adult size of up to 30 cm! And you should never release it into the wild, even if you get tired of it, because the exotic species can damage local ecosystems.
不过，当你决定饲养一只巴西龟之前，你必须明白几件事情。巴西龟会越长越大，不要被那些刚出生的可爱的小乌龟所迷惑——当它们成年以后，大概长到30厘米！而且即便你厌恶饲养巴西龟了，也决不能将它们随便放生，因为这种外来物种会破坏当地的生态系统。