Fill in the gaps with the correct form of the word or with the correct form of the verb in

brackets:

     When I was a child, I used to be afraid of dogs. Now I

not remember

don't remember

am not remembering

(not remember/don’t

remember/am not remembering) who told me that dogs

were dangerous; maybe it was my grandmother or (a/the/-) 

a

the

-

neighbour. But the fact was that I really suffered from

this fear of (my/mine/mines)

my

mines

mine

. Whenever I saw a dog, I

always ran in (the other/other/others) 

the other

other

others

direction. My

parents tried very hard to help me get over the problem. They told me stories about

dogs saving (people’s/peoples’/people) 

people's

peoples'

people

lives and said

that dogs were man’s best friend, but it was no use. Once my little brother (has been

walking/walked/was walking) 

has been walking

walked

was walking

along the street, when he

found a lost puppy and my parents agreed to let him (to keep/keep/keeping) 

to keep

keep

having kept

it. It took me several months to get used (to having/to

have/have) 

to having

to have

have

a dog around the house (despite

of/though/as) 

despite of

though

as

it was only a harmless puppy. However,

it was so friendly and playful that I

can't

shouldn't

couldn't

(can’t/shouldn’t/couldn’t) help liking it. That was how I started getting over my

fear of dogs.