Animals are important in Indian culture and are treated in a special way. For example, a lot of elephants aren't {#blank#}1{#/blank#} . they are domesticated(驯养). They aren't kept as pets, but as working animals. Every working elephant {#blank#}2{#/blank#} its own keeper. An elephant and its keep meet for the first time when they are both young, and they grow up together. In fact, their relationship continues for the rest of the elephant's {#blank#}3{#/blank#} perhaps 40 years. Lots of elephants work in the forest, moving heavy {#blank#}4{#/blank#} when they are cut down. Some give rides to tourists, or {#blank#}5{#/blank#} people during celebrations and festivals. Keepers take excellent care of their elephants , feeding them {#blank#}6{#/blank#} and giving them a bath at the end of the working day.

{#blank#}7{#/blank#} special animal in India is the cow. Cows are protected animals, {#blank#}8{#/blank#}    they aren't kept on farms or killed for food, although people do use their milk. So in India you can often see cows walking around towns and cities, and nobody tries  {#blank#}9{#/blank#}   them. If they sit down in the middle of the road, people  {#blank#}10{#/blank#}  drive around them! Do you think it's interesting?

    When I was waiting for a bus at a station. I saw a young man get into a telephone box near the station. After a short time, he came out and {#blank#}1{#/blank#}very sad. As he saw me, he came over".

    "Good afternoon, sir," he said. "When was Abraham Lincoln born, do you know?"

    I felt a little{#blank#}2{#/blank#}at his words. "Something may be wrong with him," I thought. Then he asked{#blank#}3{#/blank#}and I could see that he was not joking. So I thought for a minute and{#blank#}4{#/blank#}him that Abraham Lincoln was born in 1809.

    The young man walked into the telephone box again. A few minutes later, he came out{#blank#}5{#/blank#}. He thanked me and told me that he wanted to make a telephone call to his friend but he{#blank#}6{#/blank#}his telephone number.

    "You{#blank#}7{#/blank#}me remember it," he said. "His telephone number is '180909', and you can remember it easily if you know when the great man was born."