因为深爱动物，我才从事现在的工作。学校教育以及自身的责任感教会我要挽救它们的生命，减缓它们的痛苦与折磨，然而现在我却要终止这个无辜的小生命。我痛恨工作的这部分，但我必须这样做。我克制住自己，准备开始执行这个我训练过的程序。
我把它抱到桌上，安慰了它几句，又轻轻地拍了拍它的脑袋，它高兴地扭动起那瘦骨嶙峋的身子。它抬起头，望着我，尾巴摇摆得越来越快，眼神中透露出完全的信任、无条件的爱和绝对的忠诚。我感到自己正在做一件残忍的事。上帝把生命赋予这些生灵，它们有着世间最善良的品德，但因为无家可归而被残杀。它把腿伸出让我打针，又舔了舔我的手。它已经准备好了，而我却没有。
我的精神彻底崩溃了，我扑过去紧紧地抱着它，我哭了，泪水打湿了它的身体。永远，我永远不会再给这些动物实施安乐死了。我再也不会因为它们没有主人的关心而对它们实行安乐死，除非它们正遭受病痛的折磨，或是得了不治之症。
我将小狗带回兽医站，给它起了个名字叫G.H.——美好的家(Good Home)的缩写。多年来，我发现小狗小猫的主人经常说：“我只想给它们找一个美好的家。”
很快，我把G.H.送给了一个善良的主人，他很仁慈，家里很宽敞，因此作为这个家四条腿的成员，它很受欢迎。
救助G.H.也使得一条新的道路出现在我的兽医生涯中。尽管我仍然执掌着“生杀”大权，但我没有那种念头。现在，只要一看到它们那充满爱意和神采飞扬的眼睛，我就懂得，眼神能够拯救一个人，而它们用自己的眼神拯救了我。
心灵小语
今天它要告别这个世界了，而我却要减缓它们的痛苦与折磨，终止这个无辜的小生命。不过，当然，你们知道最后的结局，它们用自己的眼神拯救了我。
记忆填空
1. I was inspired to this profession because of a deep love of animals. I had been trained and entrusted to lives and prevent pain and suffering.
2. God’s precious creatures， embodying the virtues on the planet， being killed for the of not being wanted. She held out her leg for me to and licked my hand. She was ready. I wasn’t.
3. I took the dog to my veterinary practice and named her G. H. short for Good Home. I’d observed over the that people who raised litters of puppies or kittens said， “ I just want to find them a good home. ”
佳句翻译
1. 上帝把生命赋予这些生灵，它们有着世间最善良的品德。
译
2. 因为深爱动物，我才从事现在的工作。
译
3. 救助G.H.也使得一条新的道路出现在我的兽医生涯中。
译
短语应用
1. The kind rancher who found her brought her to the local shelter where she joined dozens of other cutiest.
dozens of：很多；几十
造__________________
2. ... brimming with love， I realize that looks can save.
brim with：洋溢着；充满着
造__________________
父亲与狗的温情故事
The Old Man and the Dog
佚名 / Anonymous
Saying goodbye to Meg was the hardest thing I’ve ever done. She’d been part of my life for so long， always there when I needed her.
Throughout the last fifteen years， she’d been my closest friend， sharing my joy and sadness.
She’d seen me marry and divorce， have two children， lose my mother and nurse my father through a long illness. So much in one lifetime.
We buried her in her favourite corner of the garden， beneath the flowering cherry tree. Matthew made a little cross out of wood and Laura carefully printed her name in red crayon.
Friends are always full of good advice at times like that. Get another dog is one of the favourites—but you can’t replace a friend like that.
My father had been left almost helpless after a stroke. I’d nursed him back to health， but I was beginning to feel that we’d taken a step backwards.
A month after Meg’s passing， I took a tray into the garden for Dad. He liked to sit on the bench in the sunshine.
“Tea and biscuits， Dad.” I said cheerfully.
He turned away， startled， but not before I’d seen the tear on his cheek.
“What a lovely day.” I burbled， giving him time to compose himself.
“Yes Jill，” he said at last， “It’s beautiful.”
“Try to eat something， Dad.”
He sighed and looked up at the sky.
“The children will be home from school soon.” I smiled. “Then you’ll have a fight on your hands if you want a biscuit.”
He chuckled softly and I had to swallow the lump which had risen in my throat.
“I love you， Dad.” I rested my hand on his shoulder. “Please， don’t give up. ”
“I don’t know what you mean.” He shrugged.
“Yes， you do. You’ve fought every inch of the way， you were winning， too， but lately， it’s as if you’ve just given up.”
He heaved a sigh and picked up a biscuit， nibbling at it before grinning at me.
Dad’s decline puzzled the doctor， too.
“I’ m sorry. There’s nothing physically wrong with your father， apart from what’s left over from the stroke. And mentally， well， I really don’t think there’s anything to worry about there.”
The doctor was right. Dad’s blood tests came back clear， and further tests showed nothing wrong. He should have been continuing to get better—but he wasn’t.
I tried all kinds of new meals to tempt his failing appetite. I ever persuaded him to come for a drive in the car， but as soon as we got home， he’d sink back into apathy and I’d think， I’m losing him again.
What made it so much harder to bear was the fact that I remembered him so well as a young man. He’d been so full of energy and life， carrying me on his shoulders， chasing me around the park and catching me up in his arms.
He’s set off for a walk and always， always， I’d run out of the house behind him. He’d had such a zest for life that it broke my heart to see him now， sitting out in the garden， a blanket over his knees， gazing miserably into space.
When he first came to live with us after the stroke， he’d been bed-ridden. I smiled as I remembered how Meg had finally got him up.
Dear Meg. She’d brought in a stick from the garden and trotted straight upstairs with it！
I followed her， wondering what on earth she was up to. She deposited the stick on Dad’s bed， then stepped back， wagging her tail like mad.
Dad lifted his head from the pillow.
“What’s this？”
She barked ever so softly and nudged the stick with her nose.
“For me？” Dad chuckled， reaching for it， but Meg was too quick and snatched the stick back.
It turned into a game. Every time Dad tried to touch her stick， she whipped it away. At last， she dropped it on the floor. This time， Meg let him pick it up.
“Jill！” Dad shouted. “Jill！”
When I got to him he was laughing. “Would you help me down the stairs？” he asked. “I’d like to sit out in the garden. I can throw the stick for Meg.”
“Of course， Dad.” I’d been thrilled and from that moment on， he’d progressed in leaps and bounds.
Meg had been a friend to me， a playmate to the children， but she’d been so much more to Dad. She’d been with him all the time， keeping him company for the hours he had to spend alone. No wonder he’d declined. He had time to sit and brood and think， and sadness had settled all around him.
The following day， I settled Dad in the garden and left the children playing under his watchful eye.
“I won’t be long，” I promised. “You’ll be all right， Dad？ If you want anything， Matthew can get it for you.”
“Thanks， love.” Dad smiled. “Don’t worry. I’ll keep an eye on things.”
