In their book Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, Robert and Brenda Vale say

In their book Time to Eat the Dog: The Real Guide to Sustainable Living, Robert and Brenda Vale say keeping a mediumsized dog has the same ecological impact as driving 10,000 km a year in a 4.6 liter Land Cruiser. “We’re not actually saying it is time to eat the dog. We’ re just saying that we need to think about and know the ecological impact of some of the things we do and that we take for granted.” Constructing and driving the jeep for a year requires 0.41 hectares of land, while growing and manufacturing a dog’s food takes about 0.84 hectares — or 1.1 hectares in the case of a large dog such as a German shepherd. Convincing flesheating cats and dogs to go vegetarian for the sake of the planet is a nonstarter, the Vales say. Instead they recommend keeping “greener”, smaller, and more sustainable pets, such as goldfish, chickens or rabbits. The book’s playful title, and serious suggestion that pet animals may be usefully “recycled”, by being eaten by their owners or turned into pet food when they die, may not appeal to animal fans. Annoying as the idea may be, the question is valid given the planet’s growing population and limited resources, Robert Vale said. “Issues about sustainability are increasingly becoming things that are going to require us to make choices which are as difficult as eating your dog. It’s not just about changing your light bulbs or taking a cloth bag to the supermarket,” he said. “It’s about much more challenging and difficult issues,” he added. “Once you see where cats and dogs fit in your overall balance of things, you might decide to have the cat but not also to have the two cars and the three bathrooms and be a meat eater yourself.” 56. The authors gave their book the playful title to________. A. make it amusing B. create a vivid image C. show　writing skills D. arouse people’ s concern 57. In Paragraph 3 the writer mainly wants to tell us________. A. the amount of consumed land B. the neglected ecological impact C. some familiar examples D. some actual figures 58. What does “sustainability” mean according to the passage? A. Going vegetarian. B. Raising cats and dogs. C. Using a cloth bag. D. Keeping a greener life. 59. Who may not like the idea of “recycling” pet animals? A. Manufacturers.B. Drivers. C. Animal fans. D. The authorities. 60. What do the authors think of living a sustainable life? A. Challenging. B. Inspiring. C. Inviting. D. Touching.

D
书名《Time to Eat the Dog》以夸张手法引发关注，作者强调“并非真的建议吃狗，而是希望人们思考被忽视的生态影响”。这种“玩笑式标题”的核心目的是唤起公众对宠物生态足迹的重视，而非单纯娱乐或展示写作技巧。

B
第三段通过对比吉普车（0.41公顷）与中等体型狗（0.84公顷）、大型狗（1.1公顷）的土地消耗量，揭示养宠行为对生态的隐性影响。数据仅为论据，最终指向人们对日常选择（如养宠物）生态代价的忽视。

D
文中“sustainability”（可持续性）被定义为“更环保的生活方式”，包括选择小型宠物（如金鱼、兔子）、减少高消耗行为（如少开车、控制肉类消费）。作者明确指出，可持续生活不仅是“换灯泡或用布袋”，而是更系统的绿色选择。

C
书中提到将宠物“回收”（如死后食用或制成宠物食品）的建议“可能不吸引动物爱好者”。动物粉丝因与宠物建立情感联系，更难接受此类提议。

A
作者认为可持续生活“需要做出像‘吃狗’一样艰难的选择”，强调其“挑战性”。文中多次使用“difficult”“challenging”等词，表明这一过程需突破传统习惯与情感障碍。