Think of a situation that makes you nervous. Maybe you’re taking a test. Or maybe you’re at the doctor’s office, about to get a shot. Your mind races. Your heart pounds. Just then, a source of comfort walks in on furry legs: a dog. As you give it pats and belly rubs, your nerves melt away.

People who love them know that dogs can brighten any situation. This is the logic behind therapy-dog programs, which pair trained dogs with people who need to be comforted. With their calm personalities, therapy dogs can stay relaxed in high-stress environments.

Dr. Jeffrey Kline is associate chair of research in the Department of Emergency Medicine at Wayne State University. He knew that therapy dogs have been proven to reduce stress for adult patients in hospital emergency rooms. He wondered if the dogs would help kids. The results of his study, released in JAMA Network Open, are positive.

Kline conducted the study at Riley Children’s Hospital. It included 80 kids, ages 5 to 17. The participants were emergency-room patients. All received care from a specialist trained to help patients handle stress. Half the group also received a visit from a therapy dog and its handler.

According to the study results, patients who spent 10 minutes with a dog saw their anxiety level drop by nearly half. The effects lasted for up to two hours. “Both the children and their parents...had faster and more resolution of anxiety,” Kline said. “These findings...support the role of therapy dogs in pediatric (小儿科的) emergency departments.”

Kline’s study shows that therapy dogs are a powerful tool for easing anxiety in patients and their families. He hopes to take the idea further. “We are working toward a plan to provide ‘dog on demand’ to hospitalized patients,” he says. He expects demand to grow for therapy dogs in more and more hospitals.

1.1. What is the main purpose of therapy-dog programs?

A To train dogs for shows.

B To keep dogs busy.

C To help doctors treat patients.

D To comfort people in need.

解析：选D。D 细节理解题。第二段提到“This is the logic behind therapy-dog programs, which pair trained dogs with people who need to be comforted.”治疗犬项目将训练过的狗与需要安慰的人配对，且“therapy dogs can stay relaxed in high-stress environments”，说明其目的是缓解压力，而非训练狗、治疗疾病或研究动物。故选D。

2.2. Why did Dr. Kline conduct the study?

A To prove dogs help adults.

B To test dogs’ effect on kids.

C To find new sources of stress.

D To study animal behavior.

解析：选B。B 细节理解题。第三段明确说明Kline已知治疗犬对成年患者有效，“wondered if the dogs would help kids”，因此研究目的是测试治疗犬对儿童的影响。故选B。

3.3.How did Dr. Kline design his study on therapy dogs?

A By comparing two groups of children.

B By studying only adult patients.

C By using untrained dogs.

D By focusing on dog handlers.

解析：选A。A 细节理解题。第四段明确指出研究将80名儿童分为两组：一组仅接受专业护理，另一组额外接受治疗犬探访，通过对比两组效果展开研究。故选A。

4.4.What’s a result of the study?

A Short interactions had lasting effects.

B Longer visits were necessary.

C Effects disappeared quickly.

D Parents needed more comfort than kids.

解析：选A。A 推理判断题。第五段指出，仅10分钟与治疗犬的互动就使焦虑水平下降近一半（drop by nearly half），且效果持续长达两小时（lasted for up to two hours），该研究表明，短暂互动能带来持续效果。故选A。