Difficulty Level ★★☆

1. 2. 3.

4. 5. 6.

1. Do you understand dogs? Match each picture with what you think the
dog is saying.
A. You’re the boss. B. I’m happy.
C. I am afraid. D. Play with me, please.
E. Back off, or I’ll bite. F. Oh, I’m so hot.

2. Do you think dogs can understand what people say? Can you give some
examples?
118
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Can you understand

your dog? Can your dog

understand you? Some

people say the answer is

“yes” to both questions. In 5

1 1
Germany , researchers

studied a dog that could

6
understand more than
2
200 words. In Tokyo , a
2
co mp a ny invented a 10

3
device called the Bow-
3
Lingual . This device can
4
translate a dog’s bark

into words. The Bow-Lingual is becoming very popular. In fact,

now you can get one in different languages all over the world! 15

1. Germany [1dZ^m@nI] 2. invented [In1vEntId] 3. Bow-Lingual

1. researchers [rI1s^t?_z] 3. device [dI1vaIs] [ba¨1lIµ©w@l]
2. Tokyo [1tokI%o] 4. translate [tr{ns1let]

119
 Rico, a nine-year-old dog in Germany, knew the names of
5
over 200 toys. In an experiment , the researchers put a new toy

together with seven of Rico’s old toys in a room. Then they told

Rico to get the new toy, calling that toy by its new name. Rico
6 7
20 understood the order and finished the task 7 out of 10 times.

One month later, they did the experiment again, and Rico still

remembered the name of the new toy. Thus, according to the

researchers, a dog can hear and learn new words just like a child.

6 25
Dogs can listen to and understand their owners, but can

their owners understand them? The Bow-Lingual Dog Translator

may be able to help. The Bow-Lingual is a small device with a

4 8
microphone . You can attach the microphone to your dog’s
5
collar . When your dog barks, the Bow-Lingual records the
9
sound. Then it translates the sound into six emotions : happy,
10 11 12 13
30 sad, watchful , frustrated , needy , and confident . After it

5. experiment [Ik1spEr@m@nt] 8. attach [@1t{tS] 11. frustrated [1frystretId]

6. order [1Ord_] 5. collar [1kAl_] 12. needy [1nidI]
7. task [t{sk] 9. emotions [I1mo?@nz] 13. confident [1kAnf@d@nt]
4. microphone [1maIkr@%fon] 10. watchful [1wAt?f@l]

120
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

translates the sound into an emotion, it matches the emotion with

14 15 16
common phrases which fit your dog’s emotional state . These
17
include “This bone is delicious,” “I feel great,” and “Let’s go,” etc.

This device helps everyone understand dogs. Understanding dogs’

language is a great help in knowing what is wrong with a dog if he 35

18
has a health problem, and also in dog training .
6
With the help of the Bow-Lingual Translator, Dr. Dolittle’s
19
dream of talking with animals is no longer a fantasy . As long as

6
20
there is a need for pet-owner communication , there will

probably be more new inventions. 40

Critical Thinkin
The Bow-Lingual is so popular that g
What kind of inve
ntion
soon there may be one for cats, too. do you think wil
l be in
Of course, it will be the Meow -
7 need? Why?

Lingual.

— from Read on 3, by Nancy Nici Mare, reprinted with

permission of The McGraw-Hill Companies

14. phrases [1frezIz] 18. training [1trenIµ] 20. communication

15. fit [fIt] 6. Dr. Dolittle’s [k@%mjun@1ke?@n]
16. state [stet] [1dAkt_ d¨1lIt¬z] 7. meow [mI1a¨]
17. include [In1klud] 19. fantasy [1f{nt@sI]

121
 I Choose the main idea of this reading.
(A) Dogs are the smartest animals, for they can understand people
very well.
(B) With a special translation device, dogs and their owners can
communicate better.
(C) Translating devices are necessary for pet-owner communication.

II According to the reading, choose the best answer to

each question below.

6
1. Rico, a dog, was years old when the experiment
was done.
(A) seven (B) nine (C) ten (D) nineteen
2. Rico was a special dog because .
(A) he had two hundred toys
(B) he lived in Germany
(C) he could learn the names of his new toys
(D) he invented a new toy
3. The Bow-Lingual is .
(A) a microphone (B) a toy
(C) a dog’s collar (D) a translator
4. The Bow-Lingual can detect all of a dog’s emotions except
.
(A) surprise (B) sadness (C) need (D) joy
5. The Meow-Lingual would be .
(A) a device to help everyone understand pets
(B) a translating device for cats
(C) an experiment designed for animals
(D) a toy that dogs and cats could play with
122
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

To get a better picture of this reading, go through it again and fill in the blanks
with the words selected from the text.

Paragraph 1: Introduction

Some people believe that understand each other.

Paragraph 2: Example 1 Paragraph 3: Example 2 6

An Experiment A Translation Device

Location: in Location: in
Name of the subject: a dog named Name of the device:

Function: It helps humans

Findings: The dog can learn new understand dogs better.
words.

Paragraph 4: Conclusion

The need for communication will give rise to new

inventions.

123
 1 Dogs seem to have a certain degree of intelligence. What
other animals are also smart? Give examples.

6 2 What animal do you think makes the best pet? Why?

3 What is the tone of the reading passage? Here are some

sentences to help you make a judgment. Mark each with “O”
for objective or “S” for subjective.

Tone Sentence
(A) In Germany, researchers studied a dog that could
O
understand more than 200 words.
(B) Rico understood the order and finished the task 7 out
of 10 times.
(C) The Bow-Lingual may be able to help.
(D) When your dog barks, the Bow-Lingual records the
sound.
(E) After it translates the sound into an emotion, it matches
the emotion with common phrases which fit your dog’s
emotional state.
(F) The Bow-Lingual is so popular that soon there may be
one for cats, too. Of course, it will be the Meow-Lingual.
Conclusion The tone of this reading passage is mainly .
124
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Words for Production

1. researcher a person who does a detailed study of a subject

[rI1s^t?_] n. [C] 研究人員
A group of medical researchers in Taiwan have discovered
new treatments for lung cancer.
research v. [I, T] 研究；調查
[rI1s^t? ] He spent most of his life researching into the life and
works of Shakespeare.
The police researched the case thoroughly, hoping to find
some new evidence.
research n. [U] 研究；調查

6
[1ris^t? ] Allan enjoys doing biochemical research.
2. invent to make something new
[In1vEnt] v. [T] 發明
Since Alexander Bell invented the telephone in 1876, the
exchange of information has become much easier.
invention n. [C] 發明物；創作品
[In1vEn?@n] The computer is a very useful and convenient invention.
3. device something made for a special use
[dI1vaIs] n. [C] 裝置；設備
A smoke detector is a device for detecting smoke.
4. translate to change from one language into another
[tr{ns1let] v. [T, I] 翻譯
This novel has been translated into seventeen languages.
Mary works at an airport and translates for foreign visitors.
translation n. [U, C] 翻譯；譯文
[tr{ns1le?@n] She is doing a Chinese translation of the article.
5. experiment a test to find out how something works or to prove an idea
[Ik1spEr@m@nt] n. [C] 實驗
The scientist carried out several experiments to test her
theory.
experiment v. [I] 進行實驗；試驗
[Ik1spEr@m@nt] They protested against the practice of experimenting on 125
animals.
 6. order a command; sequence
[1Ord_] n. [C] 指令；[U] 順序
Soldiers must obey all orders given by their superiors.
These books are arranged in alphabetical order.
7. task a piece of work that must be done
[t{sk] n. [C] 任務；職務
The newcomer was given the thankless task of organizing
a party.
8. attach to connect or fasten
[@1t{tS] v. [T] 繫上；附加上
The salesperson attached a price tag to the bag.
9. emotion a strong feeling
[I1mo?@n] n. [C, U] 感情；情緒
Love, hate, anger, grief, and fear are all human emotions.
6 The audience listened to the president’s speech with great
emotion.
emotional adj. 感情的
[I1mo?@n¬] Parents should fulfill their children’s emotional needs.
10. watchful watching carefully
[1wAt?f@l] adj. 小心警覺的
The police kept a watchful eye on the group of protesters
outside the courthouse.
watch v. [T] 注意
[wAt? ] Watch your step. The floor is slippery.
11. frustrated feeling upset because you fail to achieve something
[1frystretId] adj. 感到沮喪挫敗的
She felt frustrated by her failure.
frustrate v. [T] 使挫敗；使沮喪
[1frystret] Don’t let one low test score frustrate your efforts to learn
French. Keep trying!
12. needy wanting too much love and attention
[1nidI] adj. 渴望（愛與關注）的
My last girlfriend was too needy; she couldn’t do anything
by herself.
126
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

need n. [C, U] 需要
[nid] Parents do everything they can to fulfill their children’s
needs.
A friend in need is a friend indeed.
13. confident sure or certain
[1kAnf@d@nt] adj. 有信心的
The team is confident it will win the game today.
confidence n. [U] 信心
[1kAnf@d@ns] I have much confidence in your ability.
14. phrase a brief remark of spoken words
[frez] n. [C] 語句
My teacher often uses phrases like “I know you can do it,”
and “I have confidence in you,” to encourage her students.
15. fit to suit
[fIt] v. [T] (fit, fit, fit) 適合
I’m going to buy this car—it fits my need perfectly. 6
fit adj. 適合的
[fIt] The new employee is fit for the job.
16. state a condition
[stet] n. [C] 狀態
Since retirement, he has been in a poor state of health.
17. include to contain or take in as a part
[In1klud] v. [T] 包含；包括
The territory of the United States includes Alaska.
18. training instruction or a course of exercise
[1trenIµ] n. [U] 訓練
The athletes are undergoing strict training for the Olympics.
train v. [T] 訓練
[tren] The soldiers were trained to fight before they went into
battle.
19. fantasy fancy; something imagined or unreal
[1f{nt@sI] n. [C] 空想；幻想
What you said is a fantasy, not a reality.
fantasize v. [T] 幻想
[1f{nt@%saIz] He likes to fantasize that he is a famous singer.
127
 20. communication exchange of information
[k@%mjun@1ke?@n] n. [U] 傳達；溝通；通訊
The Internet and telephone are important means of
communication.
communicate v. [I] 傳達；溝通
[k@1mjun@%ket] Many parents have difficulty communicating with their
teenage children.
Words for Recognition
1. Germany [1dZ^m@nI] n. a country in Europe 德國
2. Tokyo [1tokI%o] n. the capital of Japan 東京
3. Bow-Lingual [ ba¨1lIµ©w@l] n. a translation device invented by a Japanese
company, which translates dogs’ barks into human language 狗吠翻譯機
4. microphone [ 1maIkr@%fon] n. [C] a device for converting sound waves into
electrical energy 麥克風

6 5. collar [1kAl_] n. [C] a band that fits around the neck 項圈； the piece of a shirt,
jacket, etc., that is around the neck 衣領
6. Dr. Dolittle [1dAkt_ d¨1lIt¬] n. a fictional character who can talk with animals,
from children’s books by Hugh Lofting 杜立德醫師
7. meow [mI1a¨] n. [C] the sound a cat makes 貓叫聲

1. together with along with; in conjunction with 連同

Drink the cough syrup together with this pill. It should help.
2. 7 out of 10 times seven times out of ten; 70 percent of the time 十次中有七次
The child could solve a puzzle seven out of ten times.
3. with the help of because of the help of ...; as there is the help of ... 有了……
的幫助
With the help of the Internet, the exchange of information has become easier.
4. no longer not ... anymore; not ... any longer 不再
This book is no longer available; it went out of print twenty years ago.
5. so ... that ... to such a degree that ... 如此……以致於……
J. K. Rowling’s novels were so popular that they quickly became best sellers.

128
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Animal Sounds

Birds chirp. 鳥啾啾叫 Frogs croak. 蛙鳴

Cats meow. 貓喵喵叫 Horses neigh. 馬嘶

Cows moo. 牛哞 Lions roar. 獅吼

Dogs bark. 狗吠 Pigs oink. 豬叫

Ducks quack. 鴨呱呱叫 Roosters crow. 雞啼

6
Change the underlined words in the song “Old Macdonald Had a Farm”
by using the words given in parentheses.

Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

And on his farm he had a cow, E-I-E-I-O
With a “moo-moo” here and a “moo-moo” there
Here a “moo” there a “moo”
Everywhere a “moo-moo”
Old Macdonald had a farm, E-I-E-I-O

(pig, oink) (duck, quack) (cat, meow)

(horse, neigh)

129
 I N which/who/that ...

Examples
1. It matches the emotion with common phrases which/that fit your dog’s
emotional state. (S)
2. I liked the woman who(m)/that I met at the Christmas party. (O)

Practice A
Combine the following sentences using the pattern above.

6
1.
{ The student sits in front of me.
He comes from the U.S.
→ The student who comes from the U.S. sits in front of me.
2.
{ The salesperson is friendly.
He sold me a suit.
→
3.
{ I went to see the movie.
The movie won an Academy Award.
→
4.
{ I like the song.
Hayley sang the song on her latest album.
→
5.
{ Do you know the girl?
My brother is talking with her.
→
6.
{ The report was written by John.
Everyone is interested in the report.
→
130
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Practice B

Charlotte’s Web is a classic children’s book about

the sincerest friendship between two animals.
Here is a short description of the plot. Please
incorporate each sentence in parentheses using
the “N which/who/that ...” pattern.
1
A little girl who was called Fern (the girl
was called Fern) saved a little pig from being killed.
She named the pig Wilbur. As Wilbur got bigger, he was sold to a farm. Fern
2
often visited Wilbur in the barn
(the barn belonged to Fern’s uncle). In this new place, Wilbur felt sad and started
to cry. Then a soft voice
3
6
(the voice came from a spider named Charlotte) comforted him. Wilbur and
4
Charlotte became friends. Summer came. The news
(other animals brought him the news) frightened
him. Wilbur was going to be killed at Christmas. Charlotte told him that she
5
would save him. She wrote SOME PIG in her web. People
6
(people saw the words) were surprised. Other words
(Charlotte spun the words in her web) also made
them believe that Wilbur was a smart pig. Fern’s uncle decided not to kill Wilbur.
7
After making an egg sac (the egg sac had 514
eggs inside), Charlotte died. Wilbur tried to save her but he couldn’t, so he saved
her eggs. The eggs hatched and most baby spiders left except three. Then, Wilbur
lived happily on the farm with them but he never forgot the friendship
8
(Charlotte and he shared the friendship).
131
 II As long as S + V, S + V ...

Examples

1. As long as there is a need for pet-owner communication, there will be

new inventions.
2. I will stand by him as long as I live.

Practice

Using the following clauses, complete each sentence with the “as long as”
pattern.

6 ★ You

★ You
don’t give up.
stick to your goal.
★ You exercise every day.
★ You behave well.
★ You observe carefully.
★ You practice it every day.

1. You will make it someday as long as you stick to your goal .

2. you will notice the differences

between the twins.

3. You can master the language .

4. You will overcome the difficulty .

5. I will take you to the play.

6. You will lose weight .

132
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

1 2
V ocabulary
● idiom [1IdI@m] n. 慣用語
● concern [k@n1s^n] v. 關於
● human [ 1hjum@n] n. 人類

● consider [ k@n1sId_] v.

3
4 認為
● loyal [1lOI@l] adj. 忠誠的
seem [sim] v. 似乎

6
Ben and Joe are talking after class about idioms
●

● negative [ 1nE©@tIv] adj.

concerned with dogs and cats. 負面的

Ben : I have been thinking that we humans are not doing ● notice [1notIs] v. 注意
● treatment [1tritm@nt] n.
dogs justice. 對待；待遇
Joe : That’s an interesting idea. How is that? U seful Expressions

Ben : Dogs have been considered man’s best and most loyal ● do somebody/something
justice 公平對待
friend, but every phrase related to dogs seems to have ● You can’t teach an old

a negative meaning. dog new tricks.

Joe : I haven’t noticed that. 老狗學不會新把戲
● live a dog’s life
Ben : You see, we often say “You can’t teach an old dog new 悲慘的生活
tricks.” What’s more, one may be living “a dog’s life.” ● on the other hand
另一方面
Joe : That’s really bad. ● A cat has nine lives.
Ben : Cats, on the other hand, get better treatment. 貓有九條命

Joe : How? ● a dog’s chance

機會極有限
Ben : Well, at least “A cat has nine lives.” It has a better ● make sense 有道理；合理
chance than “a dog’s chance.” ● Has the cat got your
tongue?
Joe : That makes sense ... (Silent for a while)
（貓吞了你的舌頭嗎）怎麼
Ben : Has the cat got your tongue? 不說話？

Joe : No, I was just thinking. What will you say when it ● rain cats and dogs
下傾盆大雨
starts to “rain cats and dogs?” 133
 Charlie wanted to buy a puppy for his daughter. Listen to the four parts of
the following dialogue and check the correct answers.

Dog Breed T (True) or F (False) statements Charlie thinks the

about dogs dog is ...

T1
PAR
Labradors are very popular □ cute
T F with Americans. □ funny

6
T2
PAR
□ too active
T F Dalmatians play a lot.
□ too noisy

RT3
PA
□ friendly
T F Poodles come in one size.
□ troublesome

RT4
PA
Chihuahuas are brave □ small
T F when facing a stranger. □ shy

134
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Pet Products
I More and more pet products are invented to meet the needs of pet
owners. Here are some introductions of pet products. Match each
product with the correct information.

6
product A
This is a safe, fast, and effective way to kill bugs on puppies and dogs. It’s gentle
for pets, but deadly for bugs. Gently rub it onto your pet’s skin, and it not only kills
bugs but also leaves your pets smelling nice.

product B

Here is a safe and quick way to remove odors caused by your pets. Simply spray it
on a smelly spot and it will break down the odors. It is 100% natural, free from any
harmful chemicals.
product C

As a treat that dogs love best, it is a great help in dog training. It is made of real
meat and contains vitamins which will make your dog smarter. With it, even the
naughtiest dog will obey orders in no time.
product D

This product saves you the trouble of dealing with the dirty droppings of your pet.
Just drip a drop or two, and the droppings break down and then sink into the
ground. It also fertilizes the ground and makes the soil richer.

135
 product E

This is a useful tool for birth control. Spray it on your dog and it will leave a bad
smell. Other dogs naturally lose their sexual interest in your puppy, saving you
much trouble during the mating season. The smell also keeps bugs away.
product F

This rubbery bone helps prevent tooth problems in your puppy. As your puppy
chews it, it brushes his teeth at the same time. It also gives your puppy good
breath.

Product Purpose Usage Another Advantage

A odor-removal eat It gives good breath.

6 B

C
tooth problem prevention

birth control
chew

drip
It is natural.

It keeps bugs away.

D bug-killing spray It leaves a nice smell.

E breaking down droppings rub It makes dogs smarter.

F dog-training treat It enriches the soil.

II Work in a group of five and think of a catchy name for each product.
Explain why the names you chose are good. Share the names with
other groups and then decide which are the best ones.

product A Bug Terminator

product B

product C

product D

product E

product F
136
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Basics of writing: Verbs

Like nouns, verbs are one of the major categories in English. In writing, a verb
is usually placed after the subject. It is used to describe the state or the action
of the subject with the message of tense. Now read the summary of the
reading and see how verbs are used.

Researchers in Germany conducted an experiment. They taught a dog

6
named Rico to get a new toy. The dog was smart; it not only understood the
order but also learned the name of the new toy.

Practice

Underline the verbs in the following passage about the plot of the film Dr.
Dolittle.

One night, Dr. John Dolittle nearly hit a dog with his car. The dog scolded

him, and, amazingly, John understood what it said. In the country, an owl asked

John a favor and John helped him. The owl told other animals John’s story, and

they all came to him for help. Meanwhile, John’s colleagues thought that he was

crazy because he talked to animals. One day, John saved a circus tiger. This

unusual event taught him something. He should treasure his special ability and

help more animals.

137
 First the Bow-Lingual, a device that translates your dog’s
barks into English, was introduced, and then the Meow-Lingual
became available the following year. Both inventions are
fantastic, but what I really want is a Wife-Lingual. Most of the
time, my wife seems to speak a different language. Her short

6 and vague responses are confusing and misleading. I need to

know what my wife really means when she says “Oh yeah”
after I ask, “Can I do the dishes later?” Responses like
“whatever,” “uh-huh,” or “up to you” to such statements as “I
will come home late tonight” or “I can’t pick up the kids today”
leave me no clue as to what I should do next. Besides, my wife
is good at playing emotional hide-and-seek. She says “I am
fine” when obvious signs of anger have appeared on her face.
Yet the wrong interpretation of her emotional state might lead
to a cold war or to a later volcanic eruption. I really want to
know her present emotional state so that I can figure out when
will be the best time to talk about a raise in my allowance.
—by Amanda Sanders

138
 LESSON 6 Can Dogs Talk?

Comprehension Check

1. What is the main idea of this reading?

(A) A device was invented to aid communication.
(B) A husband has difficulty understanding his wife.
(C) The members of a couple often misunderstand each other.
(D) The Wife-Lingual is a useful invention.

2. Why does the writer want a Wife-Lingual?

(A) To let his wife know him better.
(B) To know his wife better.
(C) To save his marriage.
(D) To please his wife.
6
3. What will happen if the writer interprets his wife’s emotion in
the wrong way?
(A) His wife will be angry.
(B) They will get divorced.
(C) He will be sent to fight in the war.
(D) Nothing will happen.

Thinking More
In your opinion, is it really difficult to “know” the opposite sex? Why?

139