تمرین مکالمه

Man’s Best Friend… And Counselor

Like many people in Uganda, Charles Watmon has difficulty living with the things he saw and did as a soldier.

Who has difficulty living with the things he saw and did? Charles Watmon has difficulty living with the things he saw and did. What was his job? He was a soldier.

An unexpected friend now helps him shoulder the burden.

What kind of friend now helps him shoulder the burden? An unexpected friend now helps him shoulder the burden.

That friend’s name is Ogen Rwot and she is a cute, friendly, caramel-colored dog.

What is his friend’s name? His friend’s name is Ogen Rwot. Is Ogen Rwot a cute, friendly, caramel-colored cat? No, Ogen Rwot is not a cute, friendly, caramel-colored cat. Ogen Rwot is a cute, friendly, caramel-colored dog.

For a decade, Watmon fought on both sides of Uganda’s civil wars, first for the Lord’s Resistance Army, then for the Ugandan government.

Did Watmon fight for both sides of Uganda’s civil wars? Yes, Watmon fought for both sides of Uganda’s civil wars. How long did he fight for? He fought for a decade.

The experience was traumatic.

Was the experience exciting? No, the experience wasn’t exciting. The experience was traumatic.

To make matters worse, he learned that he was HIV positive toward the end of his time in the military, and soon lost his wife and his two children to AIDS.

When did he learn that he was HIV positive? He learned that he was HIV positive toward the end of his time in the military. Who did he lose to AIDS?

He lost his wife and his two children to AIDS.

After the war ended, he suffered flashbacks and panic attacks.

What did he suffer? He suffered flashbacks and panic attacks.

He even thought about suicide.

What did he think about? He thought about suicide.

Then he met Ogen Rwot, whose name means “Trust in the Lord.” What does Ogen Rwot’s name mean? Ogen Rwot’s name means “Trust in the Lord.”

She is a therapy dog but Watmon sees her as more of a sister.

What is she? She is a therapy dog. What does Watmon see her as? Watmon sees her as more of a sister.

She came to him from the Comfort Dog Project in northern Uganda where 7 out of every 10 people have been traumatically affected by war.

Where did she come to him from? She came to him from the Comfort Dog Project. Where have 7 out of every 10 people been traumatically affected by war? In northern Uganda, 7 out of every 10 people have been traumatically affected by war.

The project is the brainchild of Francis Okello Oloya.

Is the project the brainchild of Tom Cruise? No, the project isn’t the brainchild of Tom Cruise. The project is the brainchild of Francis Okello Oloya.

Oloya was blinded for life when, at 12 years of age, he hit an unexploded bomb with his garden hoe, sending pieces of wood and metal into his eyes.

How old was Oloya when he was blinded for life? Oloya was 12 years old when he was blinded for life. What did he hit with his garden hoe? He hit an unexploded bomb with his garden hoe.

He attended a boarding school where he had difficulty with many things.

What did he attend? He attended a boarding school. Did he have any difficulty at school? Yes, he had difficulty with many things at school.

He especially hated having to ask his peers for help doing simple things like visiting the bathroom.

Did he especially hate asking his peers for help doing difficult things? No, he didn’t especially hate asking his peers for help doing difficult things. He especially hated having to ask his peers for help doing simple things.

That’s why he was so grateful when in a miraculous turn of events, the school’s guard dogs began leading him to the bathroom instead.

Who began leading him to the bathroom? The school’s guard dogs began leading him to the bathroom. How did he feel? He felt grateful.

He formed a strong bond with them and now wants to help others in the wartorn area to do the same.

Did he form a weak bond with them? No, he didn’t form a weak bond with them. He formed a strong bond with them. Who does he want to help to do the same? He wants to help others in the war-torn area to do the same.

Service dogs are common in many countries, but in Uganda, the animals are primarily used as guards.

What are common in many countries? Service dogs are common in many countries. Where are the animals primarily used as guards? In Uganda, the animals are primarily used as guards.

Most people fear dogs and would never invite a dog to sleep in their bed like Watmon does.

Do most people like dogs in Uganda? No, most people do not like dogs in Uganda. Most people fear dogs in Uganda. Would most people invite a dog to sleep in their bed? No, most people would never invite a dog to sleep in their bed.

They are seldom kept as pets, and almost never used for therapy.

Are they used for therapy? No, they are almost never used for therapy.

Watmon is one of a small but growing number of Ugandans who are being healed by these therapy dogs.

What are a small but growing number of Ugandans being healed by? A small but growing number of Ugandans are being healed by these therapy dogs.

According to research, dogs are good for our health.

What is good for our health? Dogs are good for our health.

One study found that people over 65 who have a dog as a pet visit the doctor 30 percent less often than those who do not.

Did the dog owners visit the doctor 30% more or 30% less? The dog owners visited the doctor 30% less.

Dogs have also been shown to reduce depression, PTSD symptoms, and anxiety.

Do dogs reduce depression and PTSD symptoms? Yes, dogs reduce depression and PTSD symptoms. What else do dogs reduce? Dogs also reduce anxiety.

Another study found that dogs and humans merely looking into each other’s eyes caused the level of oxytocin, the “feel-good hormone” to rise.

What caused the level of oxytocin to rise? Merely looking into each other’s eyes caused the level of oxytocin to rise. What is oxytocin? Oxytocin is the “feel-good hormone.”

And it didn’t just rise in the human research subjects.

Did it just rise in the human research subjects? No, it didn’t just rise in the human research subjects.

The dogs also showed higher levels of oxytocin, which suggests the healing relationship between dogs and humans is a two-way street.

Is the healing relationship between dogs and humans a one-way street? No, the healing relationship between dogs and humans isn’t a one-way street.

The healing relationship between dogs and humans is a two-way street.