Is owning a dog good for your health?

陕西西安外国语大学 孟 洁

海词积累

1.cholesterol n.胆固醇

2.epidemiologist n.流行病学家

3.substitute n.代替物

4.retriever n.寻回犬

Dogs really are our best friends,according to a Swedish study that says canine（犬）ownership could reduce heart disease.A study of 3.4 million people between the ages of 40 and 80 found that having a dog was associated with a 23%reduction in death from heart disease and a 20%lower risk of dying from any cause over the 12 years of the study.Previous studies have suggested dogs relieve social iso-lation and depression—both linked to an increased risk of heart disease and early death.

Dog owners show better responses to stress（their blood pressure and pulse rates don't soar）,have higher levels of physical activity and slightly lowercholesterollevels.

Tove Fall,anepidemiologist and the lead author of this latest study,says they tried their best to allow for any differences in education,existing ill health and lifestyles between those with and without dogs.The study found the biggest positive impact of having a dog was on people living alone.“It seems that a dog can be a substitute for living with other people in terms of reducing the risk of dying,” says Fall. “Dogs encourage you to walk,they provide social support and they make life more meaningful.If you

Reading Check

1.Which of the following is the benefit the dog can bring to us?

A.Eliminating heart disease.

B.Helping you find the way home.

C.Promoting education and lifestyles.

D.Relieving social isolation and depression.

2.How should you live with the dog if you want to be healthier?

A.Run with dogs.

B.Buy a lot of cute toys for dogs.

C.Communicate more with dogs.

D.Watch dogs from sofa with fatty food.

Language Study

Ⅰ.Match the words and expressions in thehave a dog,you interact more with other people.If you do get ill and go into hospital and you have a dog,there's a huge motivation to try to get back home.”

Of course,getting a dog and watching it from your sofa while you eat fatty food is not going to reduce your risk of heart disease.And a toy dog may look cute,but won't have any effect either.Fall's study showed the most health benefits came from having retrievers or pointers（指示犬）.Until her German short-haired pointer died last year,she ran 10 km with her most days. “In Sweden,we have one of the lowest rates of dog ownership in Europe,”says Fall,who has recently got a new puppy.“Maybe this will increase the acceptance that dogs are important to people.”test with proper meanings.

（ ）1.isolation

（ ）2.depression

（ ）3.response

（ ）4.motivation

（ ）5.allow for

A.make a possibility or provide opportunity for B.the act of separating sb/sth

C.the state of feeling very sad

D.a spoken or written answer

E.eagerness and willingness to do something

Ⅱ.Fill in the following blanks according to the text.

1.与……有关系 be _______with

2.尽某人最大的努力 ________one's best

3.考虑到；顾及 __________for

4.巨大的动力 a huge_________