SLO Reading Assessment Level 6

Read the article. Then choose the correct answer. You have 15 minutes.

For questions 6-10, look at the words in bold.

Big Health Benefits for Single Dog Owners

Having a dog in the home decreases the risk of heart attacks and other serious health problems. Scientists in Sweden studied more than 3.4 million dog owners and non-dog owners. The people in the study were 40 to 80 years old and were followed for up to 12 years. The researchers found that owning a dog made people who live alone healthier. Having a dog cut their risk of death from heart disease by 36 percent. Dog owners who didn’t live alone also benefited from having a dog. Their deaths from heart disease were 15 percent lower, the study shows.

A study in Britain found that loneliness had a negative effect on health that was similar to diabetes.  Researchers found that lonely people were more likely to die earlier than those with strong social support. However, those who had dogs fared better. The researchers found that people who lived alone but had dogs were one-third less likely to die during the study.

Active Dogs Lead to More Active Dog Owners

The study cannot explain how dogs improve the health of their owners. However, the company of a dog may reduce stress. They may also help people live healthier lives. One of the researchers, Dr. Tove Fall, found that owners of hunting dogs had the lowest risk of heart disease. Energetic hunting dogs might encourage their owners to have a more active lifestyle. However, Dr. Fall does not believe that getting more exercise explains all, or even most, of the health benefits of owning a dog. “In my opinion, this has to do with social support,” she said.

Good Friends and Good Microbes

 In other research, Dr. Fall found that having a pet dog lowered a child’s risk of asthma by 15 percent. She suggests that dogs carry microbes and bacteria which may make us more resistant to allergies.  Dr. Fall believes that living in a very clean home may actually raise the risk of allergies. She hopes to know more when scientists do more studies.

Adapted from https://newsela.com