典范英語搜救犬凱利

KellytheRescueDog

Introduction

EarthquakeRockWesternTurkey

ManyfearedBuriedAlive

thOn17August1999,at3o’clockinthemorning,aterribleearthquakeshookwesternTurkey.It

thwasoneofthebiggestearthquakesofthe20century,measuring

7.4ontheRichterscale.

Itbeganwithalowrumblingsoundlikethunder.Soontherumblinggrewintoaroar.The

groundshookanddeepcracksopenedupinthestreets.Huge

buildingscollapsed,sendingcloudsofdustintotheair.WithinsecondsthetownofIzmitlayinruins.Somepeoplemanagedtoescapeandranfromtheirhomes.Otherswerenotsolucky.

Duringthenextfewhoursrescueteamsarrivedfromallovertheworldtohelpsearchforsurvivorsoftheearthquake.ThisstoryisaboutonesuchteamfromBritainandofaveryspecialdogcalledKelly.

BuriedAlive

“Dad.”whisperedTariq.“Areyouawake?”

Omargroanedandopenedhiseyes.“What’sthematter,son?”

“Ican’tsleep,”saidTariq.“It’stoohot,.Ithinkthere’sastormcoming.”

“Youcouldberight,“saidOmar.“Alldaylongit’sfeltlikesomethingisabouttohappen.Gobacktobed,there’sagoodlad.”

Tariqshookhishead.“I’mgoingdownstairswhereit’scooler.

Whydon’tyoucomewithme?”

Omaryawnedsleepily.“No,IthinkI’llstayhere.”

Tariqcreptalongthelanding.Heandhisfatherwerealoneinthehouse.HismotherandsisterhadgonetovisitrelativesinAnkara.Hepaddeddownthestairstothekitchenandlayonthefloor.Thetileswerehardbutbeautifullycool.Atlasthefellasleep.

Suddenlyheawokewithastart.Inthedistancehecouldhearadeafeningroar,likethunder.Itseemedtobecomingcloserandcloser.Thestormmusthavearrived,justastheyexpected.Butthiswasnoordinarystorm.Withinsecondsthewholehousebegantoshake.Thechinarattledandfellofftheshelveswithacrash.Tariqcouldfeelthefloormovingbeneathhim.Whatonearthwashappening?”

Hejumpedtohisfeetandtriedtoswitchonthelight.Itdidn’twork.Hestartedtowardsthebackdoor,butjustashereachedittherecamealoudcrackingnoise.Nextmomentapileofbrickscametumblingdownaroundhim.Aterriblechokingsmellfilledtheair.Atlastthedustcleared.Tariqwasamazedtofindthathewasstillalive.Theframeworkofthedoorwaymusthavesavedhim.Hecalledout.”Dad?Dad,areyouallright?”

Noanswer.

Tariqstumbledbacktowardsthestairs-orrather,towherethestairsusedtobe.

Therewasnothingleftofthemnowbutapileofrubble.Aterriblefeartookholdofhim.”Dad?Dad,whereareyou?”hecalledagain.

Astrange,emptysilencehungintheair.

Newsoftheearthquakespreadquickly.InEnglandSimonGillamheardaboutitandstartedtopack.Hepackedatent,asleeping-bag,acookingstove-andlotsofdogfood.BecauseSimon

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wouldnotbetravellingalone.

“Kelly!Kelly!”hecalled,“Comehere,oldgirl.We’vegotworktodo.”

Kelly,asix-year-oldBorderCollie,cameboundinguptohim.Simonbentdowntostrokeherglossyhead.

“Thiswon’tbeaneasyjob.”Hewarnedher.“Butwe’lldoourbest—won’twe,oldgirl?’Kellygrinnedupathim,eagerlywagginghertail.Shewasatrainedsearchandrescuedog.Herjobwastofindpeopleburiedbeneathrubbleormud.Together,sheandSimonmadeabrilliantteam.

Butitwouldbedifficult,exhaustingwork.AndwhoknewwhatdangersawaitedthemintheruinsoftheTurkishtown?

TheMagicWord

Thepick-uptrucklurcheddowntherough,uneventrackandontoasmootherroad.Kellygazedoutofthewindow.Theyhadbeentravellingforoursandmustbealongwayfromhome.

Butshewasn’tscared.ShewasneverscaredaslongasshewaswithSimon.

KellyturnedtolookatSimon,squashedbesideherinthebackofthetruck.Hegaveherareassuringgrin.“Won’tbelongnow,oldgirl.Soonbethere.”

Soonbewhere?

Kellycouldtellfromhisvoicetheirjourneywasimportant.Thiswasn’tgoingtobeaholiday:theywereheretowork.Butthatsuitedherfine.TherewasnothingKellyenjoyedmorethanworking.Wherevertheyweregoingshecouldn’twaittogetthere.

Shehadstartedhertrainingwhenshewasonlyapuppy.Toherjustwasjustagameof

hide-and-seek.Simonwouldtakehertoaquarryorabuildingsiteandsendoneofhisfriendstohide.Thisfriendtookasqueakytoywithhim.AssoonasKellyhearditgo“Squeak,squeak!”shewouldrushoffinsearchofthetoy.WhenshehadfounditshebarkedtotellSimonhowclevershewas.Oh,itwasagreatgame!Kellylovedplayinghide-and-seek.

ButnowtheyhadcometowesternTurkeyanditwasnolongeragame.Shewouldn’tbesearchingforasqueakytoy.Shewouldbelookingforreallivepeopleinneedofrescue.

Thepick-upcametoasuddenstop.“We’rehere,”saidSimon.

Heopenedthedoorandjumpedout.Kellyfollowedhimtogethertheystood,lookingattheruinedtown.Alltheycouldseewasatwistedmassofconcreteandmetal.Itwashardtobelievethatpeoplehadoncelivedandworkedinthisplace.Nowitlookedasifithadbeenflattenedbyagiganticbomb.

Thefirstthingtheynoticedwastheheat.Althoughitwasearlymorningitfeltasiftheyweresteppingintoawarmoven.Andtherewasaterriblesmellintheair.Simonquicklygrabbedhismaskandpulleditoverhisface.

Kellygazedupathim,wagginghertail.Shewasimpatienttogetstarted.Butwhatdidhewanthertodo?

“Firstwe’vegottofindoutwherewe’reneeded,”hetoldher.

Alreadypeoplewereclamberingtowardsthemacrosstherubble.Theyhadseenthepick-up

truckarrive.Coulditbesomeonewhowouldhelpthemfindtheirmissingfriendsorrelations?

Thefirsttoreachthemwasayoungboy.HegrabbedSimon’sarm,repeatingthesamewordoverandoveragain.

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“Baba,baba,baba.”

“Sorry,Ican’tunderstandwhatyou’resaying.”Simonlookedoverhisshoulderatamanjustgettingoutofthetruck.“Ali,Overher—quick.”

Aliwastheirinterpreter.AssoonastheboyrealizedAlicouldspeakTurkishhebegantotalkfastandurgently.Alilistened,sometimesnodding,sometimesshakinghishead.

“What’shesaying?”askedSimon.

“BabaistheTurkishwordfor”father””,saidAli.“Itseemstheboywenttosleepdownstairs,buthisfatherstayedupstairs.Nowhecan’tfindhim.”

“Where’sthehouse?”askedSimon.

Alispoketotheboy,whopointedinthedirectionoftherubble.Therewasnothingleftthatlookedlikeahouse—oranyotherbuilding.Wasitpossiblethatsomeonecouldstillbealiveunderallthemess?

TheboygrabbedSimon’sarmagain.“Bab,”hesaidagain.“Baba.”

SimonturnedtoAli.“What’stheboy’sname.”

“Tariq,.Hesayshisfather’scalledOmar.”

Simonnoddedreassuringlyattheboy.”Don’tworry,Tariq.Ifyourfather’salivewe’llfindhim.”

SimonpulledabrightyellowjacketoverKelly’shead.Ithadlargelettersoneachsidesaying“RESCUE”.ThejackettoldeveryonethatKellywasatrainedsearchandrescuedogwithanimportantjobtodo.Finallyheputlittlebootsonherfeettoprotectthemfromthehotstones.

AllthistoldKellythatthetimehadcomeforhertostartwork.

ShegazedupatSimon,waitingforhimtosaythemagicword.

AGameofHide-andSeek

“Find!”saidSimon.

Thatwasit!Thatwasthemagicword.Kellysetoffquicklyacrosstherubble.Lightandsure-footedshecouldsearchbuildingsthatmightcollapseundertheweightofaman.Andshehadawonderfulsenseofsmell.Ifalivingpersonwasburiedbeneaththerubble,Kellywouldsoonpickupthescent.

Simonfollowedher,holdingontoalonglineattachedtoherharness.”Careful,girl”hewarned,givingthelineatug.”Nottoofast.”

Kellysloweddown.AfterashortdistanceshestoppedandlookedbackatSimon,“Goon,girl,”hesaid.“Find!”

Kellyraisedherheadandsniffedtheair.Whatdidhewanthertofind?Aperson,ofcourse.That'swhatthisgameofhide-and-seekswasallabout.Butwhereshouldshelook?

Shesniffedagain.Thisplacewasfullofsmell,mostofthemhorrible.Buttherewasonlyonesmellshewantedtofind-thescentofhumanbreath.Thatwouldtellhertherewassomeonestillalivebeneaththeruins.Butitwouldn’tbeeasy.Itwasnevereasy.

Simonwatchedherclosely.Hewaswaitingforhertostartbarking.Thatwasthesignalshewastrainedtogivehimifshefoundsomething.ButKelly7didnotbark.Insteadshebackedawayfromtheplacewhere

shehadbeenstanding.Nousewastingtimethere.Noscentofhumanbreath.Sheturnedtotherightandbeganagain.

Fortwentyminutesshekeptonsearching.Itwasveryhot.Soonhernoseandeyeswere

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coatedwithdustandshewaspantinghard.Butshedidn’tgiveup.Shenevergaveupuntilthegamewasover.

“Kelly,stop!”calledSimon.“Timeforabreak.Comehere.”

WearilyshelimpedtowardshimSimonshoutedtotheinterpreter.

“Ali!Canyoufindusavehiclewithair-conditioning?Kellyneedstocooldown.”

AlifoundaRangeRoverandtoldthedrivertostartuptheengine.Fortenminutestheysatinside,enjoyingthechilledair.SoonKellybegantorecover.Buttheycouldn’taffordtorestfortoolong.Outside,theboyTariqwatchedthemwithanxiouseyes.Hewaswaitingforthemtocontinuethesearch.Theyclimbedoutofthevehicleandwentbacktotheruins.

AgainKellysetoffacrosstherubble.Shekeptsniffinghersharpnoseseekingthefaintestsmellofalivingbody.Hertailneverstoppedwaggingforaninstant.Simoncouldseeitwavinglikeaflag.Ittoldhimshewasstillworking-thatshehadn’tgivenup.

Suddenlyshestopped,balancedonapileofrooftiles.Hernosequivered.

Whatwasthatsmell?

Itwasveryfaint…butyes,thereitwasagain!Therewasdefinitelysomethingthere…Shepeereddownintothedarkness,butshecouldseenothing.Nonethelesshernosetoldherthatshewasright.Something-no,someone一waslyinginthetangledmassofconcretebelowher.Andtheywerebreathing,whoevertheywere.

Thegameofhide-and-seekwasover.Shehadfoundwhatshewaslookingfor-alivingperson.Oh,shecouldn'twaittotellSimon!Shemustgivehimthesignalstraightaway.Kellyraisedherheadandbarked.

Rescue!

Lyingbeneaththerubble,Omarheardthebarking.Heopenedhiseyesandlistened.Itmustbeastraydog,lookingforfoodintheruins.OnceortwicehethoughtheheardTariq’svoice,buthehadn’tthestrengthtoreply.Aheavyweightlayacrosshislegs,makingitimpossibletomove.Hedidn’tknowhowlonghehadbeenlyinghere.Itseemedlikedays.Hehadalmostgivenuphope.

Thedogbarkedagain.Omarmoistenedhislips.Heshoutedinacrackedvoce,“Help!Help,I’mdownhere!”

Aman’svoicecalledoutsomethinginalanguagehedidn’tunderstand.Soonafterwardsheheardnoisesabovehishead-alarmingnoisesofearthandMasonrybeingshifted.Itsoundedasiftheywereusingsomekindofheavyliftinggear.Omarclosedhiseyes,afraidthatmorerubblewouldfallontopofhim.

Then,suddenly,hesawdaylight.Facespeeredinathim.SomeonespokeinTurkish:”Keepstill.We’llsoonhaveyououtofthere.”

Atlasttheheavyweightwasliftedoffhislegs.Buthecouldn’tmovethem.Heseemedtohavelostallfeeling.

Slowly,carefully,Omarwasliftedoutandlaidonastretcher.Thepainwassogreatthathealmostfainted,butthenheheardhisson’svoice:"Dad!Dad,don'tworry-you'resafenow.They'retakingyoutothehospital.”

Heopenedhiseyes.“Hello,Tariq,”hesaidweakly.

“Itwasthedogwhofoundyou,”Tariqtoldhim.“Itsavedyourlife.”

Omarcouldmakenosenseofit.Hefelttiredandconfused.“Yourmotherwillbeworri

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ed…”

“I'llletherknowwe'reokay.I'llsendamessagebyradio”Tariqpromised.

“Goodboy.”O(jiān)margrippedhisson'shand.

Astheyliftedhimintotheambulance