Dogs are often referred to as man’s best friend, but they can do more than just play fetch with balls or Frisbees. Many of the dog breeds we keep as pets today were originally bred to perform specific tasks. From search-and-rescue to guarding flocks of sheep, working dogs have assisted humans in some amazing ways throughout history.
One of the most recognizable categories of working dogs is the service dog, which includes guide dogs for the blind, mobility-assistance dogs and seizure-detecting dogs. Service dogs are trained to keep their handlers safe and behave well in all kinds of situations, both in public and at home. Golden retrievers and Labrador retrievers are two breeds well-suited for this type of work.
Search-and-rescue dogs are employed to locate people who have gone missing in different situations. Whether it’s skiers buried by avalanches or hikers disappearing in natural areas, these dogs use their acute sense of smell and hearing to track down humans in need. Saint Bernards, Leonbergers and bloodhounds are several breeds whose keen noses make them excellent search-and-rescue dogs.
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Herding dogs are perfect for the job of controlling livestock. Any breed with “shepherd” or “collie” in their name, like the Australian shepherd dog or Border Collie, is bred to be alert, energetic and agile enough to keep animals like sheep and cattle safe from threats. They also work closely with their handlers to keep herds moving in an organized fashion.
These few jobs only scratch the surface of dogs’ true capabilities. There are other dogs suited for therapy jobs, hunting, military and police work or guarding homes. Whatever their job, though, one thing all dogs have in common is their unbreakable bond with humans.
狗狗往往被稱為人類最好的朋友，但牠們所能做的不只是用球或飛盤玩你丟我撿。如今被我們當成寵物的許多品種的狗狗，一開始都是被培育來執行特定任務的。從搜救行動到看守羊群，歷史上，工作犬以一些驚人的方式幫助了人類。
工作犬其中一個最為人所知的類別即是服務犬，包含專為盲人服務的導盲犬、協助行動的犬隻，以及能夠偵測癲癇的狗狗。服務犬被訓練來保護領犬員的安全，並幫助他們在所有狀況中都能恰當反應，在公共場合或是家中皆然。黃金獵犬和拉布拉多犬是兩種很適合這類工作的犬種。
搜救犬被用來尋找在不同狀況下失蹤的人。不管是被雪崩所掩埋的滑雪者，或是在自然區域中消失的健行者，這些狗狗用牠們敏銳的嗅覺和聽覺來追蹤需要協助的人類。聖伯納犬、蘭伯格犬和尋血獵犬這些品種靈敏的鼻子讓牠們成為優秀的搜救犬。
牧羊犬很適合控制家畜的工作。任何名字中有「牧羊（shepherd 或 collie）」的品種 —— 像是澳洲牧羊犬或邊境牧羊犬 —— 都被培育成足夠機警、有活力且敏捷，以保護像是綿羊或牛隻等動物的安全，使牠們免受威脅。牠們也與其領犬員密切合作，以讓牧群以有組織的方式移動。
這一些工作僅僅觸及狗狗真正能力的表面而已。還有其他狗狗適合治療工作、狩獵、軍警工作，或是保護家園。不過不管牠們的工作是什麼，所有狗狗都有一個共通點，那就是牠們與人類之間堅不可摧的連結。
What Did You Learn?
1. What is the main purpose of this passage?
(A) To introduce the history of how humans bred working dogs.
(B) To list which dog breeds are the best ones at doing work.
(C) To tell readers how to train dogs for certain jobs.
(D) To explain several types of working dogs.
2. According to the passage, which characteristic is most important in a search-and-rescue dog?
(A) Its speed and intelligence.
(B) Its ability to stay focused.
(C) Its highly tuned sense of smell.
(D) Its willingness to listen to humans.
3. What does the last paragraph imply about working dogs?
(A) Dogs cooperate well with people.
(B) Not all dogs are suited to do a job.
(C) Most dogs are kept as family pets.
(D) Only a few breeds can still work today.
4. The following are two posts stating their need for a working dog. What breed of dog should they get, according to the passage?
Environment: Farm
Responsibilities:
- guide and control sheep
- protect sheep from other wild animals Environment: Home
Responsibilities:
- assist my dad in walking
- help fetch objects for my dad
______(a)______ ______(b)______
(A) (a) a Golden retriever / (b) a Rough Collie
(B) (a) a bloodhound / (b) a Labrador retriever
(C) (a) a German shepherd / (b) a Saint Bernard
(D) (a) a Smooth Collie / (b) a Golden retriever
答案：1. D 2. C 3. A 4. D
Word in Use
1. guard vt. 看守，守衛
Robert’s house is guarded by two dogs.
羅伯特的家有兩隻狗看守著。
2. assist vt. 協助
assist sb in... 在……方面協助某人
Please assist me in cleaning the living room.
請協助我打掃客廳。
3. recognizable a. 可辨認的，可識別的
Wearing dark sunglasses and a wig, the famous actress was barely recognizable.
那位戴著深色墨鏡與假髮的人氣女演員讓人幾乎認不出來。
4. detect vt. 偵測出；察覺
Financial experts detected signs that the economy was beginning to improve.
財金專家察覺到經濟正要開始好轉的跡象。
5. behave vi.（以某種方式）行事∕表現
Jim is behaving rather oddly today. Did anything happen to him?
吉姆今天的舉止挺奇怪的。他發生什麼事了嗎？
Practical Phrases
1. be referred to as... 被稱為……
New York City is often referred to as the Big Apple.
紐約市常被稱為大蘋果。
2. be well-suited for... 相當適合……
be suted for... 適……
The flexible scheduling options of online courses are well-suited for individuals with busy lifestyles.
線上課程彈性的日程選擇相當適合生活忙碌的人。
Are these boots suited for mountain climbing?
這雙靴子適合爬山嗎？
3. track down... / track... down 追蹤到……
The police tracked the killer down after he used his victim’s credit card at a gas station.
那個殺人犯在加油站使用了受害者的信用卡之後，警方便追查到他的下落。
4. in a / an... fashion 以……的方式
All the students left their classrooms in an orderly fashion during the fire drill.
所有學生在消防演習時都很有秩序地離開他們的教室。
5. scratch the surface 僅觸及事物表面With only one week in Mexico, Nick merely scratched the surface of all it has to offer.
尼克僅在墨西哥停留一個星期，因此很難了解這座城市的全貌。
聽文章朗讀及講解: https://ivy.pse.is/455bfu
本文出自常春藤解析英語雜誌: www.ivy.com.tw
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