Domesticated animals have been a huge part of human life for many thousands of years. They serve as sources of food, help us perform certain jobs, and even __1__ us company as pets. However, it may come as a surprise that animals have also played vital roles in the relationships between nations.
Animals have been part of diplomatic 1 relations between people even before recorded history. Some of the earliest wedding gifts for newlyweds were likely livestock, __2__ farm animals are a form of wealth. However, to extremely wealthy families, chickens, pigs, or cows are just not that valuable . So, powerful people began giving gifts of exotic or exceptional animals to one another. *These might have been animals with special qualities, like a prized hunting dog or a rare breed of horse. Or they might have been animals __3__ certain places, like giraffes, which Egyptian ruler Cleopatra regularly gave to foreign leaders. A similar example was Chinese empress Wu Zetian and the pandas she gave as gifts to foreign powers, a practice __4__ recently in modern times and called “panda diplomacy.”
The various forms of animal diplomacy act as examples of “soft power.” Providing interesting creatures as gifts appeals to people’s emotions and imposes social pressure to return the favor. __5__ a practice is in contrast to “hard power” like military might or economic strength. Gifting a rare kitten to a cat lover or an extraordinary dog to a dog lover is both a thoughtful gesture and a potential favor to be repaid.
1. (A) hold (B) watch (C) keep (D) count
2. (A) if (B) once (C) as (D) lest
3. (A) free from (B) subject to (C) distinct from (D) unique to
