Ejercicio Option B - I · Inglés PAU País Vasco Ordinaria 2021

OPTION B

THE MANY WAYS THAT DOGS HELP PEOPLE

Dogs not only make great companions, but also improve the quality of life of their owners and can promote psychological and physical health benefits.

Dog walking can stimulate social interactions, encouraging dog owners to be friendlier and chat to each other. Decreased feelings of loneliness and hopelessness are scientifically documented benefits of having a dog.

People who own dogs have a lower risk of developing heart problems. Researchers have discovered that dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol levels, partly because dog walking makes them more active for about 30 extra minutes a day on average, compared to people without dogs.

Spending time with an animal has proved to help those battling an illness. A study showed that patients who had recently undergone surgery responded better to treatment and had faster recovery rates if they had contact with dogs and other therapy animals.

Other studies have shown that dogs can be trained to sniff out diseases like cancer or malaria. For instance, dogs can show a strong reaction to low blood sugar levels, which helps their diabetic owners stay healthy and safe by signalling when they should get medical assistance.

Apart from the traditional help given by guide dogs for the blind or hearing dogs, assistance dogs can help their owners in other ways. For example, these dogs can help to pick things up, open and close doors, pull wheelchairs, and dozens of other tasks.

Dogs are naturally patient and they don’t judge humans by their disabilities. This unconditional acceptance can be fundamental in the life of a child with special needs. These children may have difficulties with social interactions, which is why the total love and acceptance of their companion dogs is so important for them. Interacting with their dogs helps children to open up emotionally, which improves their overall performance, social skills and self-confidence.

Those who choose to open their homes to a dog should know that they will have to change their daily lives and routines. Just as children depend on their parents, dogs are completely dependent on their owners for all their needs. However, unlike children, dogs will never grow to be self-sufficient. Nevertheless, for a lot of people, the years of companionship, unconditional love and many other benefits they receive from their dogs are worth the daily responsibilities.

I.- Answer 4 out of the following 6 questions according to the information given in the text. WRITE COMPLETE SENTENCES USING YOUR OWN WORDS WHENEVER POSSIBLE. DO NOT COPY FROM THE TEXT. (Choose 4 out of the 6 questions) (4 marks)

1.

Why does having a dog encourage social interactions?

2.

What is one of the reasons why dog owners have lower blood pressure and cholesterol?

3.

How can dogs help people with diabetes?

4.

Apart from guide and hearing dogs, how can other assistance dogs help their owners?

5.

What characteristics do dogs have that make them important in helping children with special needs?

6.

What do people need to know when they choose to get a dog?