一只牧羊犬在失去了聽力，無法在農場工作后，被農場主棄養并送給了英國皇家防止虐待動物協會（RSPCA），她經過訓練，可以理解一系列的手勢，從而得以 “回到她熱愛的工作崗位上”。

Peggy, an eight-year-old collie, was taken in by the charity's Mid Norfolk and North Suffolk branch in 2018, where she was adopted by their animal welfare manager Chloe Shorten, whose husband also happens to be a shepherd.

2018年，當時八歲的柯利牧羊犬佩吉被送到這家慈善機構的中諾福克和北薩福克分部，并被那里的動物福利經理克洛伊·肖頓收養，她的丈夫恰好是一位牧羊人。

Chloe said they knew Peggy wanted to be working, so they started the long process of teaching her how to herd without relying on voice commands.

克洛伊說，他們知道佩吉想工作，因而對她開展了漫長的訓練，教她如何不依靠語音命令放牧。

With the help of a sheepdog trainer, Peggy learned to understand hand signals and body language. A thumbs up, for example, means 'good girl'. 

在一位牧羊犬訓練師的幫助下，佩吉學會了理解手勢和肢體語言。例如，豎起大拇指的意思是 “好姑娘”。

Now aged ten, Peggy's still proving that you can teach an old dog new tricks and works part-time with the couples' two other sheepdogs. 

現已十歲的佩吉印證了那句老話：活到老學到老，同時，她還在 “兼職” 和克洛伊夫婦的另外兩只牧羊犬一起放牧。

詞匯表

collie 柯利牧羊犬
adopted 被收養
welfare 福利，安康
shepherd 牧羊人
herd 放牧
voice commands 語音指令
sheepdog 牧羊犬
hand signals 手勢
body language 肢體語言
thumbs up 豎起大拇指
can teach an old dog new tricks 活到老學到老，來自英語諺語 “you can’t teach an old dog new tricks（年老難學藝）”

閱讀理解：請在讀完上文后，回答下列問題。

1. True or false? Chloe and her husband taught Peggy how to herd by following voice commands.

2. What breed is Peggy?

3. What did the sheepdog trainer help Peggy learn?

4. If you want to say 'good girl' to Peggy, what hand signal should you use?

答案  

1. True or false? Chloe and her husband taught Peggy how to herd by following voice commands.
False. Chloe and her husband taught Peggy how to herd without relying on voice commands.

2. What breed is Peggy?
Peggy is a collie.

3. What did the sheepdog trainer help Peggy learn?
The sheepdog trainer helped Peggy learn to understand hand signals and body language. 

4. If you want to say 'good girl' to Peggy, what hand signal should you use?
A thumbs up.