馴犬員出書悼念逝世的醫(yī)療犬

人們最初只是馴化犬進(jìn)行捕獵，然而在長(zhǎng)期的共處中，人們不斷根據(jù)犬的天賦，將它們派上新的用場(chǎng)。近幾年來，科學(xué)家根據(jù)犬與人強(qiáng)烈而特殊的依戀性，以及犬天賦的敏感性，訓(xùn)練醫(yī)療犬來協(xié)助醫(yī)生治療疾病。

醫(yī)療犬最突出的作用是心理治療，主要選擇那些性格隨和、外貌可愛的狗訓(xùn)練而成。自閉癥患者拒絕與他人溝通，但他們并不拒絕可愛的小狗。在與醫(yī)療犬的接觸和玩耍中，患者開始逐漸培養(yǎng)起信心。犬天生善于與人類交流，當(dāng)患者對(duì)醫(yī)療犬說話時(shí)，犬會(huì)盯著講話者的面部，它們的聽覺非常靈敏，會(huì)根據(jù)講話者細(xì)微的音調(diào)變化、語速差別做出各種表情。當(dāng)患者講到激動(dòng)開心處，醫(yī)療犬還會(huì)興奮地用力擺動(dòng)尾巴表示高興，給自閉癥患者以鼓勵(lì)，而這一切都是人類醫(yī)生很難做到的。

News Background新聞背景(Until his recent death at the age of 19, Baxter was America’s oldest working therapy dog,visiting patients in hospitals and hospices. In a new memoir, Moments with Baxter, MelissaJoseph shares stories about her trained assistance dog.)Baxter was about two years old when Melissa Joseph adopted him, and she and the goldenretriever-chow mix spent the next 17 years together.

At the time, Joseph says, she didn’t realize she was grooming and training Baxter to becomea therapy dog. (That happened eight years later.)News Item12Step by Step詞匯加油站1 To get Baxter certified as a therapy dog, Joseph had to make surein all sorts of situations, and with all sorts of people. Then, hestarted a mission that at San Diego Hospice, which cared forpeople with terminal illnesses.

2 Which statement about Baxter is right? ( )A. Baxter was America’s oldest working therapy dog.

B. Baxter was about two years old when Melissa Joseph adopted him.

C. Melissa Joseph and the golden retriever-chow mix spent the next 17 yearstogether.

D. All of the above are right.

3 In the following descriptions about Baxter, which is not right? ( )A. One little boy who is 6 years old didn’t speak with anybody but all of thesudden, he started talking to Baxter.

B. Joseph says working with her therapy dog was so boring that she did not planto continue.

C. Joseph didn’t realize that she could train Baxter to become a therapy dog atthe beginning.

D. Baxter died at the age of 19.

To get Baxter certifi ed as a therapy dog, Joseph had to make sure he was comfortablein all sorts of situations, and with all sorts of people. Then, he started a mission that lastedmore than eight years at San Diego Hospice, which cared for people with terminal illnesses.

Baxter also connected with children, including one six-year-old boy, Josephrecalls. This little boy didn’t speak with anybody but all of the sudden, he startedtalking to Baxter. “I think it’s just the magical power of that love that’s for free.”

Such unconditional love and comfort, Joseph explains, is what makes therapydogs able to connect with people regardless of how young or how old they are.

Joseph says working with her therapy dog was such a rewarding experience that she plansto continue. She is looking for another dog she can train to become her next healing hero.

therapy n.

治療，療法hospice n.

收容所，養(yǎng)老院retriever n.

尋獵犬certify v.

頒發(fā)（或授予）專業(yè)合格證書terminal a.

晚期的recall v.

回憶，回想unconditionala. 無條件的，絕對(duì)的rewarding a.

值得的，有益的Listening Comprehension聽力理解

1. he was comfortable; lasted more than eight years2. D 3. B Key