1.The different kinds of dogs are so unlike each other，that it is hard to believe that they all belong to the same family.What a difference there is in their coats！Dogs like the greyhound，which have been brought to Britain from warm countries，have thin skins covered with short，fine hair.Inwinter，the masters of these dogs often make a kind of greatcoat of cloth for them to wear，to protect them from the cold.
2.Most dogs，however，have a thick enough coat of hair to keep them quite warm.Some of these long-haired dogs，like the Newfoundland①，have rough，shaggy coats；others have hairalmost as fine as silk.
3.How many different kinds or breeds of dogs have you seen？Do you know the dogs which are called hounds？They can run very fast.Perhaps you have seen the greyhound，which runs so fast that it can easily catch hares and rabbits.
①Newfoundland，a large island of North America.
4.The fox-hound，which is used to chase foxes，is a smaller dog，with a smooth coat.The deer-hound is a very big dog，with shaggy hair.Big dogs called blood-hounds are sometimes usedto track robbers.Many dogs can follow people by scent①，but thescent of the blood-hound is specially keen.
5.The biggest of all our dogs is the St.Bernard.It has a curly coat of a yellow and white colour.Among the high mountains called the Alps②，St.Bernard dogs are kept to find people who have been lost in the snow.
6.The Newfoundland dog is a big dog，generally black and white incolour，with a curlyST.BERNARD（圣伯纳犬）coat.These dogs swim very well，and have often saved the lives of children who have fallen into the water.
7.Spaniels are rather small dogs，with curly hair and long ears.The mastiff is a big dog with a smooth coat.He is the best kind of dog for watching the house and frightening away robbers.
①Scent，sense of smell.
②Alps，the highest mountains of Europe.
8.Collie dogs are a great help to shepherds in looking after their flocks of sheep.These sheep-dogs，as they are often called，seem to understand every word their masters say to them.
9.The dog is the most knowing and clever of all four-footed animals.When he is pleased and happy，COLLIE（柯利犬）his eyes are bright，and look straight up at yours，and his tail is lifted high in the air.
10.But when you scold the dog，or when he knows that he has done wrong，his tail drops between his legs，and he hardly dares to look at you.A dog loves kind words and smiles just as you do，and he feels shame when he has done wrong.He feels pain very keenly，too，and a kick or a blow hurts him as much as it would hurt you.
11.If we do not take care of our dogs by giving them proper food and drink，and a clean，warm kennel or house to live in，they will soon begin to look ill.Dogs which are starved and badly treated often go mad，and bite people；and the people who are bitten by a mad dog soon become mad，and die.
12.Boys and girls who are cruel to dogs are almost certain to grow up to be bad men and women.We should be kind，not only to our own pets，but to any stray①dogs that we may find.In eachlarge town there ought to be a “dogs’home “--a place to which stray dogs can be sent to be taken care of.
①Stray，wandering；straggling.
SUMMARY
There are many kinds or breeds of dogs.The greyhound，the fox-hound，the deer-hound，and the blood-hound run very fast，and are used for hunting.The biggest of our dogs is the St.Bernard.It is kept to find people who have been lost in the snow on the high mountains called the Alps.The Newfoundland dog swims very well.Spaniels are small dogs.The mastiff，a big dog，is a good watch-dog.Collie dogs are a great help to shepherds.The dog is very clever and knowing.It should be treated kindly.
【中文阅读】
1．不同种类的狗，彼此实在太不一样了，难以置信都是同一个家族的成员。它们的毛皮多么不同啊！像”灰狗“，是从气候温暖的国家带到英国来的，皮肤比较薄，覆盖着纤细的短毛。冬天，这些狗的主人，经常给它们做一种”布大衣“穿，不让它们冻着。①2．但是大多数的狗，毛皮很厚，足够为自己保暖。这些长毛狗，其中有一些如”纽芬兰犬“，皮毛很粗糙，乱蓬蓬的；其余的种类，毛皮却像丝绸一般光滑。②3．小朋友，你见过多少种类的狗？你知道叫做”猎犬“的狗吗？猎犬的英语是hound，能跑得飞快，很容易就能抓住兔子。③4.”猎狐犬“（fox-hound），是用来抓狐狸的，个头儿比较小，有着光滑的毛皮。”猎鹿犬“（deer-hound），身材非常高大，毛也很乱。还有一种大狗叫”寻血犬“（blood-hound），有时候用来追踪盗贼。很多种狗都可以凭着气味跟踪人类，但寻血犬的嗅觉格外敏锐。
5.”圣伯纳犬“（St.Bernard），是个头最大的狗，长着黄色和白色的卷毛。高高的阿尔卑斯山中的居民，就养着圣伯纳犬，来搜救暴风雪中迷路的人。④6．纽芬兰犬也是一种大狗，也长着卷毛，一般是黑色和白色的。纽芬兰犬很擅长游泳，救了很多落水儿童的性命。
7.”西班牙猎犬“也叫”狗“（Spaniel），个头很小，卷毛，长长的耳朵。”獒犬“（mastiff），是毛皮光滑的大狗，最适合看家，可以把盗贼吓跑。
8.”柯利犬“英语是collie，是牧羊人的好帮手，可以帮他们看守羊群。这些狗一般叫做”牧羊犬“，似乎主人说什么都听得懂。
9．四足动物当中，狗是最善解人意、最聪明的动物。狗在舒服、高兴的时候，眼睛是明亮的，会直直地看着你的眼睛，尾巴高高地举在空中。
10．但是当你责骂它，或者它知道自己做错事的时候，狗的尾巴就夹在两腿中间，几乎不敢正眼看你。狗和你一样，也喜欢温和的话语和微笑，做错了事也会觉得羞愧。狗对疼痛的感觉也很敏锐，挨了踢，挨了打，感到的疼痛，都跟你一样厉害。
11．我们要是不好好照顾自己的狗，不给它适当的食物、饮水、干净温暖的狗窝居住，狗很快就会看上去病怏怏的。挨饿、受虐待的狗经常发疯咬人，被疯狗咬的人也会很快发疯死去。⑤12．对狗残忍的男孩女孩，长大了也几乎肯定会变成坏男人坏女人。我们不仅要好好照顾自己的宠物，也要好好对待可能找到的流浪狗。每个大城镇都应该有一个”流浪狗中心“--也就是人们可以把流浪狗送去照料的地方。⑥译注①灰狗的英语叫greyhound，其他中文名有”灵缇“、”格雷犬“等，体型细长，经常用于猎兔和赛跑。
②纽芬兰犬，英语叫Newfoundland，最早来自加拿大东部的纽芬兰省，体型巨大，性情温和，善于游泳，曾是出色的水上救援犬。
③原文的”兔子“用了两个词，hare和rabbit。Hare是一种不打洞、不群居的兔子，耳朵和腿比较长，尾巴比较小。Rabbit是兔子的统称，可以指野兔，也包括家兔。
④圣伯纳犬身高61-71厘米，体重50-91公斤，毛色除了黄色、白色，还有红色、棕色、黑色，经常有斑点。最有名的圣伯纳犬名叫”巴利“（Barry），一生曾经救过40多人，现在它的标本还保存在瑞士伯尔尼（Bern）的自然历史博物馆。
⑤这是一种很不准确的古老说法。实际情况是：第一，”发疯“的术语是“狂犬病”，英语叫rabies。这是一种影响脑神经的疾病，是通过狂犬病毒传播的。狗受虐待并不会得狂犬病，但受虐待的狗，或者流浪狗，经常会跟别的狗接触，就可能被得了狂犬病的狗咬伤，从而有得病的危险。第二，狂犬病发作的狗，主要症状是怕水、怕风、痉挛、行为异常、六亲不认、乱咬人，最多在10天之内就会死去。第三，只有狂犬病发作期的狗咬了人，人才会有30%左右的可能得狂犬病，不过一旦得了病，病死率就是100%！现在中国的一些农村地区，还有很多人没有接种狂犬疫苗，存在得狂犬病的风险。
⑥近年来，中国很多城市出现了“狗满为患”的现象。因为管理不当，以及少数主人的不负责任，有一些狗，特别是流浪狗，对人们造成了困扰和威胁，也给小动物救助中心带来了很大压力。2012年5月，有一只北京的流浪小黄狗连续咬伤了30名路人，最后终于被捕获，受伤的人都接种了狂犬疫苗。所以一定不要去招惹、挑逗不熟悉的狗，不要激发狗的防御本能。如果万一被咬伤，要马上彻底清洗伤口，给伤口消毒，并且尽快去当地的医院或防疫部门接种狂犬疫苗；对于你希望照料的流浪狗，如果没有条件收留，应该与当地的小动物救助中心联系。
CHESTNUTS