Dogs Help Children Become Better Readers

Dogs are a very popular pet in the Unites States. Most dogs just live with their families, but some dogs have very special jobs to do. Some dogs help police find criminals. Other dogs are trained to sniff out drugs or explosives. Some dogs assist people who are blind, deaf, or have trouble getting around. Amazingly, some dogs can tell when their owner is about to have a seizure. They signal their owner to lie down and be calm. Dogs that help their owners are called "Assistance Dogs."

A very special group of dogs are known as “Therapy Dogs.” These dogs are family pets with special training. The training allows them to go into public buildings and comfort people in need. The dogs are trained to be calm and quiet. Loud noises and unfamiliar places don’t frighten them. They enjoy spending time with people.

Some therapy dogs go into places such as hospitals and nursing homes. When the patients visit with the dogs, the patients are cheered up. They enjoy petting the dogs, and look forward to their visits. The dogs help to brighten their day. Therapy dogs can improve people’s health, as well. Studies show that when people pet animals, their blood pressure and heart rates go down. They are calmer, and their mood improves.

Other therapy dogs work in schools and libraries. The serve as warm and caring friends to children, but they also do more. In one town in California, therapy dogs have become children’s reading buddies.

The dogs belong to a therapy dog group called PAWS for Healing. Eight of these special dogs have been trained to be listening companions for young readers.

The local library is trying to encourage kids to enjoy reading more. The children are invited to meet at the library. They are paired up with a PAWS therapy dog and can read to the dog.

The dogs make a great audience. They don’t judge a child who cannot read well, they just listen calmly. The children can read at their own pace. The kids find it less intimidating than reading in front of their class. Sometimes, reading in front of their peers makes kids nervous. The dogs are quiet and attentive. They listen very well.

These therapy dogs are making a difference in the life of the children they visit. The children look forward to reading to the dogs, and the dogs love the attention. The library and the teachers are very happy with the program.

1. What do children do with their PAWS dog partner?

a. They read to the dog.

b. They throw a ball for the dog.

c. They take the dog home.

d. They take the dog to a hospital.

2. Why do nursing home patients look forward to therapy dog visits?

a. The dogs make them nervous.

b. The patients don't look forward to the therapy visits.

c. They like to pet them and remember their own dogs.

d. The dogs help the doctors and nurses.

3. Why are some children intimidated by reading to their classmates?

a. They don't like their teacher.

b. They worry that their reading ability isn't good enough.

c. They are afraid of their classmates.

d. All children are shy.

4. Why do the children like to read to the dogs?

a. They can read at their own pace.

b. They can teach the dog to read.

c. They are frightened of dogs.

d. The dogs don't listen well.

5. What kind of special training to the PAWS dogs recieve?

a. They are taught to be calm and listen attentively.

b. They are taught to find the library.

c. They are taught to do tricks for the children.

d. They are taught to read short words.

6. Why are therapy dogs helpful to hospital patients?

a. They read to the patients.

b. Petting dogs can help lower heart rates and blood pressure.

c. They get in the way of the nurses.

d. They help doctors with treatments.

7. What do most American dogs do?

a. Herd sheep and other animals.

b. Visit nursing homes.

c. Help police officers.

d. Live with families as pets.

8. What do therapy dogs do?

a. They sniff out explosives.

b. They help police find criminals.

c. They provide comfort and help people feel better.

d. They help their owners know when a seizure is coming.

9. What makes reading to a dog easier for children?

a. The dogs don't judge the child's reading ability.

b. The dogs do tricks when the kids finish reading.

c. The dog helps with words they don't know.

d. The dogs are good teachers.

10. What makes PAWS dogs so good at their jobs?

a. They already know how to read.

b. They have children of their own.

c. They love libraries.

d. They listen quietly and attentively.

Kids' Cafe

Every morning, kids from a local high school are working hard. They are making and selling special coffee at a coffee cafe. They are also making a lot of money

These students can make up to twelve hundred dollars a day. They are selling their special coffee to airplane passengers. After the students get paid, the rest of the money goes to helping a local youth project.

These high school students use a space in the Oakland airport. It is usually very crowded. Many people who fly on the planes like to drink the special coffee.

One customer thinks that the coffee costs a lot but it is good and worth it. Most customers are pleasant but some are unhappy. They do not like it if the coffee cafe is not open for business.

The students earn $6.10 an hour plus tips. They also get school credit while they learn how to run a business. Many of the students enjoy the work although it took some time to learn how to do it.

They have to learn how to steam milk, load the pots, and add flavor. It takes some skill and sometimes mistakes are made. The most common mistake is forgetting to add the coffee.

1. Many people who fly on the planes like to _____ the special coffee.

a. skip

b. drink

c. spill

2. By selling special coffee at a coffee cafe, the students are making a lot of _____.

a. trouble

b. business

c. money

d. noise

3. These students can make up to _____ hundred dollars a day selling their special coffee.

a. one

b. five

c. twelve

4. Many of the students enjoy the _____ although it took some time to learn how to do it.

a. customers

b. airport

c. work

d. money

5. The Oakland airport is usually very _____.

a. crowded

b. slow

c. quiet

d. empty

6. All of the money that the students make goes to helping a local _____ project.

a. sports

b. youth

c. adult

d. store

7. Students have to learn how to steam milk, load the pots, and add _____.

a. flavor

b. sugar

c. cream

8. Every morning, kids from a local high school are hard at work making and selling _____ coffee.

a. special

b. black

c. hot

9. Most customers are _____ but some are unhappy.

a. sad

b. pleasant

c. angry

10. It takes some _____ to make the coffee and sometimes mistakes are made.

a. drinking

b. sugar

c. money

d. skill

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