More Than Man’s Best Friend 人类的良师益友
- 详细资料
- 创建于 2003年10月24日
- 最后更新于 2024年5月25日
- 发布于 2011年6月08日
- 作者：Mike Lee
- 点击数：400
课文朗读
课文讲解
Traditionally, service dogs have been used to guide the blind. But recently, they have emerged as effective therapy animals, helping people to reach specific rehabilitation or educational goals. It has been found that dogs can assist stroke victims, children with learning disabilities and people with epilepsy.
传统上狗儿被用做导盲犬来为人类服务，不过近来牠们又成为疗效很不错的理疗师，帮忙人类达成复健理疗或教育的目的。因为最近发现狗儿对中风病人、学习障碍的小孩和癫痫病人有帮助。
Seizure-alert dogs have the uncanny ability to warn people with epilepsy of oncoming attacks anywhere from three minutes to twelve hours before a seizure occurs. They paw, bark or whine allowing their owners the opportunity to move to a safe place or call for assistance. Studies have shown that dogs’ noses can detect scents as faint as 500 parts per trillion, making it possible that dogs sense a seizure-indicating pheromone prior to an attack.
发病警示犬的神奇本事可以在癫痫病人即将发作之前三分钟到十二小时之间提出预警。牠们会用爪子扒、吠叫或哀鸣，好让狗主人有机会事先就移到安全的场所，或寻求协助。根据研究显示，狗鼻子嗅出的味道可以微弱到兆分之五百的程度，所以牠能闻出显示癫痫即将发作的费洛蒙。
As dogs can assist with physiological disorders, so also can they assist in drawing out those who have receded into their minds. The elderly, who have become withdrawn due to stroke or age-related dementia, often respond positively to the unconditional affection that dogs can offer. Studies have shown that visits with therapy dogs can lower blood pressure and heart rate. As we unravel this mysterious effect, dogs will undoubtedly come to play new roles in our lives.
就如同狗儿能协助身体有疾病的人一般，牠们也能协助让心智退缩的人变得开朗。老年人由于中风或老年痴呆而致生活行为退缩者，对于狗儿所提供的无条件情感常常能积极响应。研究显示，使用理疗狗可以让他们的血压和心跳次数降低。当我们解开这些神秘疗效时，毫无疑问地狗儿会在我们生活中扮演新角色。
Vocabulary
单词发音
rehabilitation [͵rihə͵bɪləˋteʃən] n.（病残人的）康复
stroke [strok] n.（病）突然发作；中风
epilepsy [ˋɛpəlɛpsɪ] n.【医】癫痫；羊痫风
seizure [ˋsiʒɚ] n.（病的）发作
uncanny [ʌnˋkænɪ] adj. 不可思议的；不寻常的
paw [pɔ] v.（用脚爪等）抓；扒
whine [hwaɪn] v.（狗等）发哀鸣声
scent [sɛnt] n. 气味，香味
faint [fent] adj.（希望等）微小的
trillion [ˋtrɪljən] n.【美】万亿，兆，一千的四次幂
pheromone [ˋfɛrə͵mon] n.【生化】费洛蒙（昆虫分泌以刺激同种昆虫之化合物质）
draw out 使〔某人〕不紧张﹐使〔某人〕愿意说话
Sentence of the Day
They help make it less of a dog's life.
他们帮着让日子好过一些。
dog's life【口】悲惨的生活
课文讲解
Principal Watson is showing Ms. Sears, a parent, around an elementary school: 华生校长正带着一位家长西尔丝太太在小学校园里浏览：
S: Thank you very much for the tour. I’m more confident now about enrolling my daughter here.
谢谢你带我参观校园，现在我更放心让女儿注册进来这里读了。
W: You’re more than welcome. We’re especially proud of our innovative canine-assisted reading program here in the library.
你真是太客气了。我们图书馆创新采用了助读犬导读计划，尤其让我们引以自豪。
S: Oh my! Is this a library or a kennel? What’s with all the dogs?
喔！天哪！这是间图书馆还是狗舍？这群狗做什么用途？
W: This is a pilot reading program. Twice a week handlers bring their dogs here so that students can read to them.
这是小型试验性的导读计划，每周两次驯犬师带他们的狗过来，好让我们的学生对着牠们朗读。
S: Are the children able to stay focused or does it become a playtime?
学生能真的专注吗？或只是和狗儿玩玩而已？
W: Our expectations are quite clear and the students have been happy to live up to them. It allows them an opportunity to read to a non-threatening partner.
我们设定的预期很明确，学生真的能很快乐地达成目标，这让他们有机会读给不具威胁性的伙伴听。
S: I see. Students can read with more confidence without the scrutiny of a teacher or parent. Has it been successful so far?
我懂了。学生可以省却师长父母的监督，而更有自信地读书。到目前为止这项计划成功吗？
W: Over the past year, we’ve had students progress up to four grade levels in their reading!
去年我们就有学生在阅读方面进步四级！
S: Wow! That is a success. I know that I was always scared to death of reading in front of the class.
哇，这么成功！我知道我以前就是怕死了在全班同学前面念书。
W: Yes, the dogs have been a big hit, but …
是啊，这些狗可是一炮而红，但是…
S: But what?
但是什么？
W: But the children are always asking to take dogs home!
但是孩子们总吵着要把助读犬带回家！
－by Howie Phung
Vocabulary
单词发音
enroll [ɪnˋrol] v. 入学，注册
innovative [ˋɪno͵vetɪv] adj.〔程序﹑方法﹑计划等〕新颖的﹐有创新精神的
canine [ˋkenaɪn] adj. 犬科的
kennel [ˋkɛn!] n. 狗舍
pilot [ˋpaɪlət] adj.（小规模）试验性的，试点的
handler [ˋhændlɚ] n. 驯兽师〔尤指驯狗师〕
playtime [ˋple͵taɪm] n.〔学校里的〕游戏[娱乐]时间
live up to 实践; 遵守 to carry out; fulfill
scrutiny [ˋskrutnɪ] n. 监视，监督
hit [hɪt] n. 成功而风行一时的事物
Sentence of the Day
They help make heads or tails of reading.
他们协助大家懂得阅读。
make heads or tails of something 明白, 了解 to understand something