Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills （读写能力）With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence （自信心） , according to Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ).
The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea. “Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower self-respect, and regard reading as a headache,” said Lisa Myron, manager of the children’s department.
Last November the two groups started “Dog Day Afternoon” in the children’s department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday-afternoon classes, reading for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a “pawgraphed” book at the last class.
The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager.
【小题1】What is mainly discussed in the text?

Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills （读写能力）With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence （自信心） , according to Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ).

The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea. “Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower self-respect, and regard reading as a headache,” said Lisa Myron, manager of the children’s department.

Last November the two groups started “Dog Day Afternoon” in the children’s department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday-afternoon classes, reading for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a “pawgraphed” book at the last class.

The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager.

What is mainly discussed in the text?

A. Children’s reading difficulties.               B. Advantages of raising dogs.

C. Service in a public library.                    D. A special reading program.

Specialists use dogs to listen to children reading because they think _______.

A. dogs are young children’s best friends

B. children can play with dogs while reading

C. dogs can provide encouragement for shy children

D. children and dogs understand each other

By saying “The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea”, the writer means the library_______.

A. uses dogs to attract children           B. accepts the idea put forward by ITA

C. has opened a children's department    D. has decided to train some dogs

A “pawgraphed” book is most probably _______.

A. a book used in Saturday classes         B. a book written by the children

C. a prize for the children                    D. a gift from parent

Talking to Teachers—Teachers are just people．Behind that desk, is a living, breathing human being．And just like any human being, they will probably be friendly to people who talk nicely to them．Teachers also seem to get along better with children who take schoolwork seriously and are prepared for class．And, just like any other human being, teachers like to be appreciated．The next time your teacher helps you solve a math problem or figure out a science project, say thank you with a smile.

Talking to Parents—Parents can be very supportive if their children ask for help．If you think there’s something your parents can do to help you socialize more or feel more comfortable around people, then ask them．Very often, parents want very much to help, but really don’t know what to do．Pick a quiet time of the day and ask to talk．Tell them how you feel．Maybe they had the same trouble when they were kids.

This Stranger Thing—This is always a tough one．How do you deal with a neighbor, the mail carrier, or someone walking down your street—situations that often seem to cause arguments between kids and parents．The answer to these questions will vary from kid to kid, from parent to parent because all cultures are different．Some folks live in small towns where a hello to everyone is “what’s done”．Then there are kids who live in the city who may have been taught not to speak to anyone they don’t know．If you’re having trouble with this and always feel awkward in these kinds of situations, you might want to talk to your parents or a teacher about it．Where do they think you should draw the line? When is silence rude and when is it wise?

1.From the first paragraph we may learn that teachers dislike____ .

2.If your parents are not supportive and you are not getting along quite well with your parents, who or what is to blame?

3.The underlined word in the third paragraph is close in meaning to____.

4.The passage doesn’t say but it implies that in daily communication____.

Reading to dogs is an unusual way to help children improve their literacy skills （读写能力）With their shining brown eyes, wagging tails, and unconditional love, dogs can provide the nonjudgmental listeners needed for a beginning reader to gain confidence （自信心） , according to Intermountain Therapy Animals (ITA) in Salt Lake City. The group says it is the first program in the country to use dogs to help develop literacy in children, with the introduction of Reading Education Assistance Dogs (READ).

The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea. “Literacy specialists admit that children who read below the level of their fellow pupils are often afraid of reading aloud in a group, often have lower self-respect, and regard reading as a headache,” said Lisa Myron, manager of the children’s department.

Last November the two groups started “Dog Day Afternoon” in the children’s department of the main library. About 25 children attended each of the four Saturday-afternoon classes, reading for half an hour. Those who attended three of the four classes received a “pawgraphed” book at the last class.

The program was so successful that the library plans to repeat it in April, according to Dana Thumpowsky, public relations manager.

1.What is mainly discussed in the text?

A．Children’s reading difficulties.            B．Advantages of raising dogs.

C．Service in a public library.                 D．A special reading program.

2.Specialists use dogs to listen to children reading because they think _______.

A．dogs are young children’s best friends

B．children can play with dogs while reading

C．dogs can provide encouragement for shy children

D．children and dogs understand each other

3.By saying “The Salt Lake City Public Library is sold on the idea”, the writer means the library_______.

A．uses dogs to attract children

B．accepts the idea put forward by ITA

C．has opened a children's department

D．has decided to train some dogs

4.A “pawgraphed” book is most probably _______.

A．a book used in Saturday classes             B．a book written by the children

C．a prize for the children                   D．a gift from parent

Animals are more like us than we ever imagined．They feel pain, they experience stress, they show affection, excitement and love．All these findings have been made by scientists in recent years---and such results are beginning to change how we view animals.
Strangely enough, some of this research was sponsored by fast food companies like McDonald’s and KFC．Pressured by animal rights groups , these companies felt they had to fund scientists researching the emotional and mental states of animals.
McDonald’s, for instance, funded studies on pig behavior at Purdue University, Indiana．This research found that pigs seek affection and easily become depressed if left alone or prevented from playing with each other．If they become depressed, they soon become physically ill．Because of this, and other similar studies, the European Union has banned the use of isolating pig stalls from 2010．In Germany, the government is encouraging pig farmers to give each pig 20 seconds of human contact a day, and to provide them with toys to prevent them from fighting
Other scientists have shown that animals think and behave like humans．Koko, the 300-pound gorilla at the Gorilla Foundation in Northern California, for instance, has been taught sign language．Koko can now understand several thousand English words, more than many humans who speak English as a second language．On human IQ tests, she scores between 70 and 95.
Before such experiments, humans thought language skills were absent from the animal kingdom．Other myths are also being overturned, like the belief that animals lack self-awareness．Studies have also shown that animals mourn their dead, and that they play for pleasure.
These striking similarities between animal and human behavior have led some to ask a question: “If you believe in evolution, how can’t you believe that animals have feelings that human  beings have?”
Until recently, scientists believed that animals behaved by instinct and that what appeared to be learned behavior was merely genetically-programmed activity．But as Koko the Gorilla shows, this is not the case．In fact, learning is passed from parent to offspring far more often than not in the animal kingdom.
So what implications does this knowledge have for humans? Because of this, should we ban hunting and animal testing? Should we close zoos? Such questions are being raised by many academics and politicians．Harvard and 25 other American law schools have introduced courses on animal rights．Germany meanwhile, recently guaranteed animal rights in its constitution---the first country to do so.
【小题1】McDonald’s and KFC give money to support scientist to do research on animals, because_____