Every Dog Has His Day 壓力很大嗎？到圖書館借狗來舒壓！
Usually, when something goes to the dogs, it gets worse. However, this is not the case for Yale University Law School. Instead, a dog is making the campus more popular. Monty is a 21-pound border terrier1 mix, and he spends his days at the Yale Law Library. He is not there to keep the books or the staff safe. In fact, he is there to offer his services to the law students.
Monty's full name is General Montgomery, and he is a certified2 therapy3 dog. This means he is professionally4 trained to be handled by lots of strangers. Students at the law school can sign up to check out Monty for 30 minutes. Most just sit quietly on a couch in a back office of the library and pet Monty. Students are also allowed to give him a drink5 of water or a biscuit6. All this helps the students take pressure off their studies and relax even if it is only for a little while. It also increases happiness, calmness, and their emotional health. Everyone agrees that Monty is the best addition7 that the library has had in a long time.
Building Your Vocabulary
- handle vt. 觸摸，拿，碰；處理，應付
The customer service center has already handled over 300 calls this morning.
該客服中心在今天早上就已經處理了三百多通電話。
- pet vt.（表示憐愛地）輕撫，輕摸
Elizabeth gently petted her grandson's head.
伊莉莎白輕輕地摸著她孫子的頭。
- emotional a. 情緒（上）的，情感（上）的
Shirley dealt with some serious emotional problems during her teenage years.
雪莉在青少年時期面臨到一些嚴重的情緒問題。
- relieve vt. 減輕，緩解
Ed's joke helped relieve the tension in the meeting.
艾德的笑話有助於和緩會議裡的緊張氣氛。
Questions
1. What is true about Monty?
(A) He was a general in an army.
(B) He keeps the staff away from harm.
(C) He helps students feel calmer and happier.
(D) He attacks strangers that break into the library.
1. 關於蒙弟，下列何者為真？
(A) 牠以前是軍中的一位將軍。
(B) 牠會維護館員的安危。
(C) 牠會幫助學生感到更平靜、更快樂。
(D) 牠會攻擊闖入圖書館的陌生人。
2. The article is mainly about ______.
(A) a method of relieving stress
(B) Yale Law School's new pet policy
(C) how Monty became a professional therapy dog
(D) how law students are handling Monty's court case
2. 本文主要是關於______。
(A) 一種抒解壓力的方法
(B) 耶魯法學院裡與寵物有關的新措施
(C) 蒙弟如何成為一隻專業的治療犬
(D) 法學院學生如何處理蒙弟的法律案件
答案：1. (C) 2. (A)
Extra Words
- border terrier n. 邊界梗犬
- certified a. 經過認證的
- therapy n. 治療（本文中作形容詞用）
- professionally adv. 專業地
professional a. 專業的
- drink n. 一杯（水、飲品等）
- biscuit n. 餅乾
- addition n. 增添，添加
Phrases for Learning
- be the case 情況∕情形正是如此
If what the teacher says is really the case, then we need to keep an eye on our kids.
如果老師所說的話是真的，那我們就必須留心我們的孩子。
- sign up to + 原形動詞/for + 名詞 報名（做）……
In order to be more competitive, Peter decided to sign up for a computer class.
為了讓自己更具競爭力，彼得決定去報名上電腦課。
- check out.../check...out （從圖書館等）借出……（書籍等資料）
Marion checked nine books out from the library.
瑪莉安從圖書館借了九本書。
- break into... 闖入……
Someone broke into Vivian's dorm room and stole her laptop.
有人闖入薇薇安的宿舍房間，偷走了她的筆電。
中文翻譯
通常某樣東西一旦拿去給狗狗就不會有什麼好下場。不過對耶魯大學的法學院來說，情況可不是如此。有一隻狗反而讓校園變得更受歡迎。蒙弟是一隻整天都待在耶魯法學院的圖書館內、重達二十一磅的混種邊界梗犬。牠在那裡不是為了要維護館內書籍或館員的安全。事實上，牠是為了提供服務給法學院的學生。
蒙弟的全名是蒙哥馬利將軍，他是一隻經過認證的治療犬。這意味著牠受過專業訓練，專門讓許多陌生人來輕拍撫摸。法學院的學生可以登記借用蒙弟三十分鐘。大多數的人都是靜靜坐在圖書館後方辦公區的沙發上、輕輕拍撫著蒙弟。學生也獲准可以餵牠喝水或吃餅乾。雖然這僅是很短暫的一段時間，但這麼做卻可以幫助學生趕走課業壓力並放鬆心情。這同時也能讓人更加快樂平靜，並增進情緒方面的健康。所有人都同意蒙弟是圖書館很長一段時間以來所納入的最棒一件館藏了。
Tips in Use
.......something goes to the dogs...
（……某樣東西一旦拿去給狗狗……）
上述句子源自"be going to the dogs"，此片語意指某事物『每況愈下，一蹶不振』，因為人不要的東西才拿去給狗，所以才有此一說。此外，標題的"every dog has his day"也是片語，指『每個人皆有得意之時』。以下再為各位列舉幾個與 dog 有關的常見片語：
a dog's life 生活困苦
as sick as a dog 病得很重
let sleeping dogs lie 不要自找麻煩
treat + 人 + like a dog 把某人當狗看待
the tail wagging the dog 本末倒置、主次顛倒
Bill couldn't get out of the bed because he was as sick as a dog.
（比爾下不了床，因為他病得很重。）
Janet was going to say something to Greg about his dirty socks on the table, but she decided to let sleeping dogs lie.
（珍娜本來要唸葛瑞放在桌上的髒襪子，不過她後來決定還是算了。）
引用自：長春藤英語 http://www.ivy.com.tw/
留言列表
食況報導 (4)