英语课程计划-National Dog Day

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. Dogs are now big business. Breeders sell pedigree dogs for big money. Unfortunately, many dogs are abused or abandoned and end up in shelters.

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。