Here is a proposal that is sure to anger some people: Everyone— yes, everyone—should have a pet. I think we should require that everyone get a pet or else present a convincing reason why they can’t have one. There are almost too many arguments in favor of companion animals to list them all. The few arguments against pet ownership scarcely need to be mentioned.

First of all, a pet is good for your health. Many studies have shown the health-related benefits of pets. For example, people with heart problems have lower blood pressure when they’re petting a cat or dog. Seniors in long-term care facilities who feel sad and lonely find their spirits lifted by the arrival of pets.

Additionally, pets teach us important lessons about kindness and responsibility. When you have a pet, one fact cannot be avoided: That animal depends on you. It needs your love and care. It depends on you for its very life—for its food, its medical care, its shelter. Once you’ve cared for a loving animal, you are likely to treat human beings better as well. Every person who has a pet must care for it. Thus, all pet owners are caring people.
What’s more, countless animals need homes. It is an act of kindness to take in a homeless cat or dog.
But most important of all, pets teach us about love. They give love without reservation. They accept our love with gladness. They ask only for your attention. Imagine your pet patiently waiting at the window, its eyes glued on your front walk, its whole being focused on your arrival.

Think of the parrot that bobs its head and sings as you walk through the door, craning its neck for the touch of your fingers. Picture the cat that arches its back and rubs madly against your shins as it meows for its dinner, then climbs into your lap and fills the room with soft purring as you gently pet its head. Consider the sight of a dog, so devoted to you that it would give its life to help you, its tail wagging madly to see you, so overjoyed at the sound of your voice that it dances and barks.

And in the end, our pets have one final lesson to teach us—a lesson about loss. The pain of losing the beloved pet is the flip side of the coin of joy that the pet owner holds in his or her hand. We gain an acceptance and understanding of how beautiful and precious life truly is. We learn that all of our moments can be filled with joy if we only open our hearts to our pets. And we learn that love outlasts loss, which is the greatest legacy of the time we share with an animal.

13. Which of the following statements is an opinion?

A pet depends on its owner for its very life.
Everyone should have a pet.
Studies have shown the health-related benefits of pets.
Countless animals need homes.

I think B

I agree.

THX! ☺

You are correct, statement B ("Everyone should have a pet") is an opinion. An opinion is a personal view or belief that is not necessarily based on factual evidence. In this case, the statement expresses the author's belief that everyone should have a pet, but it may not be universally accepted as true. In contrast, the other statements (A, C, and D) are more objective and can be supported by empirical evidence or facts.