Beastly Benefits 动物的益处
You'll be amazed at the many ways animals take care of us!
得知动物用这麽多方式看顾我们，你会大吃一惊喔！
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There's nothing like coming home after a long day at school or work and having someone greet you excitedly at the door. When the greeter happens to be your pet, you begin to forget your worries and start to unwind.
Besides providing these mental and emotional benefits, pets provide physical benefits too. Studies show that petting your dog or cat relaxes not only the animal but you as well. As you calm down, your heart beats slower. According to researchers, pet owners experience fewer heart attacks, less depression and are better able to deal with stress. In addition, a loyal, loving pet can benefit you in other ways.
Canine hero
Debbie Parkhurst never expected her golden retriever, Toby, to save her life, but that's exactly what happened. Debbie was home alone eating an apple when she began to choke and couldn't breathe. Suddenly, her dog jumped hard on her chest, forcing the apple peel from her throat. Afterward, everyone agreed that Toby had saved his owner's life.
在学校或职场度过漫长的一天後，什麽都比不上回家时有人雀跃地在门口迎接你。如果迎接你的刚好是你的宠物，你就会忘记烦恼，开始放松心情。
宠物除了带来精神与情绪上的益处，也有益人体健康。研究显示，抚摸你的猫或狗不仅能让牠们放松，也能让你自己放松。一旦你平静下来，心跳就会减缓。研究人员表示，养宠物的人较少罹患心脏病和忧郁症，也比较能够应付压力。此外，一只忠心耿耿、锺爱主人的宠物还会带给你其他益处呢。
犬类英雄
黛比?帕克赫斯特从来没想过她的黄金猎犬托比能救她一命，但托比确实救了她。黛比当时一个人在家，吃苹果时突然噎到，无法呼吸。突然，她的狗重重地往她胸口一跳，把苹果皮逼出她的喉咙。事後，大家一致同意是托比救了牠主人一命。
Word Bank
unwind (v)放松心情
After work, reading a good book and listening to soft music help me to unwind.
emotional (adj)感情的；情绪的
Children must know they are loved in order to develop good emotional health.
depression (n)沮丧；情绪低落
After the death of her father, Misty began struggling with feelings of depression.
choke (v)哽住；噎住
Don't let your baby put those small beads in his mouth because he might choke on them.
More Information
heart attack (n)心脏病发作
canine (n)犬科动物；狗
Chat Room
英文有许多名字都有nickname（简称，昵称），如William的nickname是Will/Bill，Christopher的是Chris
pet name：乳名
pet peeve：另你受不了常常抱怨的事
unwind
过去式/过去分词unwound
1 After a long, hard day, he needed some time to unwind.
漫长又辛苦的一天之后他需要一些时间来放松一下。
2 Listening to music is Emma's favorite way to unwind.
听音乐是Emma最喜欢的放松方式。
emotional
1 How parents express themselves affect their children's emotional development.
家长表达自己的方式影响孩子的情绪发展。
2 The child has a strong emotional bond with his nanny.
这个孩子和保姆有很强烈的情感上依附关系。
3 He's so emotional. He gets upset easily.
他很情绪化，动不动就生气。
choke
因为吃到某种东西呛到的话用on
1 She started choking after she swallowed a big piece of bread.
她吞下一大块面包之后就呛个不停。
2 He choked on some peanuts.
他吃花生的时候呛到了。
3 The dense smoke almost choked us to death.
浓烟几乎呛得我们快要受不了。
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Wild animals have also come to the aid of humans. Last year, California surfer Todd Endris was on his surfboard when a shark appeared. The shark attacked Todd three times, peeling away the skin on his back and biting his leg to the bone. But as the shark turned to come at Todd a fourth time, a group of dolphins swam to the surfer's rescue. They encircled Todd and beat the water with their fins and tails, scaring away the 15-foot shark. Because of their protection, Todd survived to tell about the heroes that had saved his life.
In 1996, some visitors at a Chicago zoo were watching 8-year-old gorilla Binti Jua and her daughter, Koola. Suddenly, a 3-year-old boy fell over the railing into the gorilla exhibit. Zoo officials were called immediately, but before they could reach the child, Binti Jua gently picked up the unconscious boy. Cradling him close, she walked over and carefully placed him where officials could reach him.
Through heroic acts, by soothing us or by making us healthier, animals help improve our lives.
野生动物也会救人呢。去年，加州冲浪者陶德．恩德斯站在他的冲浪板上时，一只鲨鱼竟出现了。那只鲨鱼三度攻击陶德，撕扯他背部皮肤，咬他的腿，力道深至骨头。当鲨鱼第四度准备冲向陶德，一群海豚游过来拯救这名冲浪者。牠们把陶德围在中央，用鳍与尾击起水花，吓走了那只十五英尺长的鲨鱼。由於牠们伸出援手，陶德才捡回一条命，能诉说这群救命英雄的故事。
一九九六年，在芝加哥一座动物园里，一些游客正在观看八岁大的大猩猩宾提爪娃和牠的女儿库拉。突然，一个三岁大的男孩摔落栏杆，掉进大猩猩的展示区。动物园管理人员立即收到了通报，但在他们还没能接近那个小孩之前，宾提爪娃就温柔地抱起了那个失去知觉的小男孩，紧紧地把他抱在怀里，走过来，小心地把男孩放在工作人员构得到的地方。
动物透过英勇行径，藉由抚慰我们或让我们更健康，帮我们活得更好。
Word Bank
surfer (n)冲浪者
Many surfers go to the North Shore of Oahu in the winter to surf the big waves.
encircle (v)环绕；包围
The police encircled the bank robber's car and demanded that he throw his gun out the window.
gorilla (n)大猩猩
The average male gorilla eats up to 18 kilograms of food a day.
railing (n)栏杆
Be sure all the railings in your home are fixed tightly to the walls.
More Information
surfboard (n)冲浪板
unconscious (adj)失去知觉的；不省人事的
Chat Room
group：一群
school：一群（鱼），a school of fish
pod：一群（生活在海洋中的哺乳动物），a pod of whale
altruism：利他主义；altruistic：为他人着想的；an altruistic act：利他，舍己的举动
encircle
1 The quarterback was encircled with his fans after the game.
足球赛结束之后这位四分卫身边环绕着粉丝。
2 Tall trees encircle this beautiful house.
这栋美丽的房子周围环绕着高耸的树木。
3 He encircled the little girl in his arms.
他的手臂环绕着这个小女孩。
railing
有立柱支撑的栏杆
1 They put a high railing on the balcony to keep the kids from falling.
他们将阳台装上高的栏杆免得孩子掉下去。
2 He held the railing while he walked down the stairs.
他下楼梯的时候扶着扶手。
3 The naughty boy got his head caught between the railings.
淘气的男孩把自己的头卡在栏杆中间了。
unconscious
浑然不觉的
1 She laid unconscious on the floor for hours.
她昏迷不醒躺在地上几个小时。
2 He was unconscious of the hostility around him.
他对于周遭的人所散发出来的敌意浑然不觉。
