©(AP Photo/Sakchai Lalit)
Pre-reading questions:
- Do you think dogs can be heroes? Why or why not?
- What does “hope” mean to you? Can you think of a time you felt hopeful?
Vocabulary:
- shelter /SHEL-ter/
- grief /greef/
- anxiously /ANGK-shuhs-lee/
- non-profit /non–PRO–fit/
- relief /ri-LEEF/
[noun] – a place that provides protection from danger, bad weather, or other difficult situations
After the hurricane, a temporary shelter was set up at the school gym for evacuated residents.
[noun] – deep sorrow, especially caused by someone’s death
The town was filled with grief after the sudden passing of their beloved mayor.
[adverb] – in a way that shows worry, fear, or nervousness
Parents waited anxiously outside the school during the unexpected lockdown.
[adjective] – an organization that does not aim to make money but serves a public or social cause
The non-profit organization provides art classes to children in rural areas.
[noun] – help given to people in need, especially in times of disaster or difficulty
International relief arrived quickly after the flooding in the coastal villages.
Article reading:
This non-profit group works with the Thai government on disaster and relief missions. They brought trained golden retrievers to help find people trapped under the debris. While their main job is search and rescue, the dogs also provide emotional support. Alongkot Chukaew, the group’s deputy director, shared that dogs like Sahara and Safari help calm families, especially children. Their gentle nature brings moments of peace to those in pain. The team chose dogs with kind, friendly temperaments to give a sense of hope and care. Despite the tough conditions, these dogs offer comfort and symbolize strength, compassion, and a deep commitment to helping others in times of need.
Comprehension questions
- How far was the earthquake’s center from Bangkok?
- What feeling did most families have while waiting at the shelter?
- What brought a moment of hope to the families?
- What is the main job of the golden retrievers in the rescue team?
- What is the temporary shelter near the building for?
Discussion questions
- Have you ever seen a rescue dog or service dog in real life or on TV? If so, where did you see it? What was it doing? If not, would you like to meet one? Why or why not?
- Have you ever felt scared or worried during a strong storm or natural disaster? If so, what did you do? If not, what do you think you would do in that situation?
- Do you agree that choosing friendly and calm dogs is important for rescue missions?
- Why do you think the dogs were able to make the families feel calmer?
- If you were part of a rescue team, what would be the most important thing to remember when helping people?