世界节假日博览 第145期: 国家忠犬日

 　　There is a well-known expression that says a dog is a man’s best friend. It is right, therefore, that there is a special day to celebrate dogs. This day is National Dog Day. It takes place on the 26th of August. On this day you should let your dog know just how important he or she is. Dogs are very important in our society. Of course, many of us keep a dog as a pet. However, working dogs help many people every day. Our world would not be the same without police dogs, sniffer dogs (who find drugs and bombs), rescue dogs and guide dogs for the blind. National Dog Day's founder¹, Colleen Paige, said we need “to show deep appreciation² for…their endearing patience, unquestioning loyalty³, for their work and their capacity for love.”Humans have kept dogs as pets for over 15,000 years. It’s amazing how quickly word spread around the world that dogs were so intelligent and helpful.The fact that people could tame dogs meant they interacted easily with humans. This led to dogs helping⁴ humans hunt, herd⁵ animals and protect people. It’s also amazing how dogs migrated around the world. Historians believe it is because of sled dogs that the species moved from Russia to Alaska, across the Bering Strait. Today there are about 400 million dogs in the world. Dogsare now big business. Breeders sell pedigree dogs for big money. Unfortunately, many dogs are abused or abandoned and end up in shelters.

　　有一条著名的格言：狗是人类最好的朋友。确实是，所以人们专门设立了国家忠犬日来赞美狗狗。忠犬日在8月26日。这天你应该让你的狗狗知道它对你多么重要。狗在人类社会中非常重要。当然，狗被很多人养着当宠物。然而，工作犬每天都帮助很多人。我们的世界离开了警犬、嗅探犬（寻找毒品和炸弹），搜救犬和导盲犬会很不一样。国家忠犬日的始创人——柯林佩奇说我们需要“对狗狗可敬的耐心，无可置疑的忠诚，它们的工作和爱的能力表达感激之情。”人类养狗的历史已有一万五千多年。关于狗聪明有用的言论在世界传播的如此之快令人惊讶。人们能驯养狗说明它们容易与人接触。这就使得狗能帮人们搜救，放牧和保护人类。狗在世界的迁徙也令人惊讶。历史学家相信拉雪橇狗从俄国横跨白令海峡迁徙到了阿拉斯加。世界上如今有4亿条狗。狗现在是大产业。育种者靠出售纯种狗赚大钱。不幸的是，许多狗被虐待、遗弃或在避难所结束生命。

1 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

2 appreciation   

n.评价；欣赏；感谢；领会，理解；价格上涨

参考例句：

• I would like to express my appreciation and thanks to you all.我想对你们所有人表达我的感激和谢意。
• I'll be sending them a donation in appreciation of their help.我将送给他们一笔捐款以感谢他们的帮助。

3 loyalty   

n.忠诚，忠心

参考例句：

• She told him the truth from a sense of loyalty.她告诉他真相是出于忠诚。
• His loyalty to his friends was never in doubt.他对朋友的一片忠心从来没受到怀疑。

4 helping   

n.食物的一份&adj.帮助人的，辅助的

参考例句：

• The poor children regularly pony up for a second helping of my hamburger. 那些可怜的孩子们总是要求我把我的汉堡包再给他们一份。
• By doing this, they may at times be helping to restore competition. 这样一来, 他在某些时候,有助于竞争的加强。

5 herd   

n.兽群，牧群；vt.使集中，把…赶在一起

参考例句：

• She drove the herd of cattle through the wilderness.她赶着牛群穿过荒野。
• He had no opinions of his own but simply follow the herd.他从无主见，只是人云亦云。