Research says having a pet dog helps to reduce children's stress(压力). A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention(疾病防控中心) shows that keeping a dog is a great way to help kids who are stressful. Researchers looked at 643 young children over an 18-month time. They found that children who have a pet dog have less stress than children without a dog. Just twelve per cent of children with pets had signs of stress. It is 21 per cent of children who have no dogs. This will not surprise parents of children who have a dog. They know dogs are great for helping children to develop.
There are many things about the research that are still unclear. Researchers do not know if less anxious children have pet dogs, or if pet dogs make children less anxious. The research just showed a link between pet dogs and children's stress. Pet dogs help children start talking to others. This is often difficult for children and can cause them stress. A pet dog can make children feel good. The dog can also be a friend to a small child, who tells the pet all his or her secrets and stories. Sometimes a pet dog is so important that its name can be the first word the child speaks.
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1.A _____ could help reduce children's stress.
A cell phone
B pet dog
C computer game
D book
解析：选B。细节理解题。根据第一段第一句Research says having a pet dog helps to reduce children's stress.可知，故选B。
2.The research lasted ______.
A half a year
B six months
C a year
D a year and a half
解析：选D。细节理解题。根据第一段第三句Researchers looked at 643 young children over an 18-month time.可知，故选D。
3.Children without pet dogs in stress are _______ per cent more than those have pet dogs.
A 9
B 12
C 18
D 21
解析：选A。数字计算题。根据第一段倒数第三、四句Just twelve per cent of children with pets had signs of stress. It is 21 per cent of children who have no dogs.可知，故选A。
4.The underlined word "link" means _______ in Chinese.
A 联合
B 关联
C 连接
D 结合
解析：选B。词义猜测题。根据上文语境可知压力与养宠物狗之间存在“关联”，但不确定是哪者是因，哪者是果，故选B。
5.What's the best title for this passage?
A Dogs and human.
B Animals help children a lot.
C How to help children reduce stress.
D Pet dogs help reduce children's stress.
解析：选D。文章标题题。根据文中第一句可看出该句为本文主题句，而D项为该句总结，故选D。
