1992年高考英语全国卷 - 阅读理解D

The basenji is a central African hunting dog. It comes from a country called Chad, which is north of the Central African Republic. The basenji was well-known as the “silent dog” because for centuries no basenjis has ever been known to bark. Then at a dog show in London in 1953, a basenji actually barked.
巴辛吉犬是一种中非猎犬，来自中非共和国北部一个叫乍得的国家。巴辛吉犬被称为“沉默的狗”，因为几个世纪以来，没有人知道巴辛吉狗会吠叫。1953年，在伦敦的一场狗展上，一只巴辛吉犬居然吠叫了起来。

As well as being clever, basenjis are known for their natural courage and are still popular hunting dogs in Africa. But in America people keep them mainly because they are gentle and full of fun. The basenji has an unusual habit, it washes itself all over like a cat. It is a middle-sized dog, 16 or 17 inches high from the shoulder. It weighs about 20 pounds. A basenji’s coat is short and silky. It may be brown, white, or gold, or a mixture of these three colours.
巴辛吉犬除了聪明之外，还以其天生的勇气而闻名，在非洲是很受欢迎的猎犬。但在美国，人们养它们主要是因为它们性情温和，充满乐趣。巴辛吉犬有一个少见的习惯，它会像猫一样洗全身。体型中等，以肩膀为距身高16或17英寸，重约20磅。巴辛吉犬皮毛短而丝滑，可能是棕色、白色或金色，也可能是这三种颜色的混合。