Animals & Environment
Switzerlands Famous Saint Bernard Dog's New Mission
5 Jul 2026
NEW
Select
a Level
Warm-up → Read & Listen → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
WARM UP
Think Ahead:
Which detail do you think appears in this story?
a) Saint Bernard dogs are learning to fly rescue helicopters.
b) Saint Bernard dogs are visiting hospitals and schools to help people.
c) Saint Bernard dogs are moving to dynamic new homes in the desert.
Ask:
(1) Have you ever seen a very large dog breed?
(2) What kinds of jobs can dogs do to help humans?
VOCABULARY
famous
(adj)
rescue
(verb)
mountain
(noun)
gentle
(adj)
hospital
(noun)
history
(noun)
known by many people
Example: The Eiffel Tower is a very famous monument in Paris.
to save someone from danger
Example: Firefighters rescue people and animals from burning buildings.
a very high hill
Example: We climbed up the mountain and saw the beautiful snow.
kind and calm
Example: The volunteer gave the gentle rabbit a piece of sweet carrot.
a place where sick people get well
Example: My grandfather stayed in the hospital for three days.
stories from the past
Example: Our teacher told us a fascinating story about the history of Rome.
Saint Bernard dogs are very famous in Switzerland. For hundreds of years, these large dogs lived high up in the cold mountains. They worked hard to rescue people who were lost in the snow. Today, helicopters do this dangerous job instead of the dogs. But the gentle Saint Bernards still have an important mission. An organisation called the Barry Foundation looks after them. Now, the dogs travel to schools and hospitals to help people. Spending time with these friendly dogs makes sick children and lonely older people feel very happy. Visitors can also see them at a special museum called Barryland. The museum is getting bigger so more people can learn about the history of these wonderful animals. The Saint Bernard is still a national symbol of Switzerland, but now it rescues people with love and kindness.
Listen
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
1. Would you like to visit the Barryland museum to see the puppies?
2. Why do you think large dogs can make people feel happy and safe?
3. What other animals help humans in hospitals or schools?
4. Do you prefer big dogs or small dogs, and why?
5. How do you think dogs feel when they help people?
6. Why is it important to learn about the history of animals?
FILL IN THE GAPS
Section 1: Fill in the Gaps
Word Bank: famous, rescue, gentle, history
Saint Bernard dogs are very _______(1) in Switzerland. For hundreds of years, these large dogs lived high up in the cold mountains. They worked hard to _______(2) people who were lost in the snow. Today, helicopters do this dangerous job instead of the dogs. But the _______(3) Saint Bernards still have an important mission. An organisation called the Barry Foundation looks after them. Now, the dogs travel to schools and hospitals to help people. Spending time with these friendly dogs makes sick children and lonely older people feel very happy. Visitors can also see them at a special museum called Barryland. The museum is getting bigger so more people can learn about the _______(4) of these wonderful animals. The Saint Bernard is still a national symbol of Switzerland, but now it rescues people with love and kindness.
Section 2: Main Idea
What is the main idea of this text?
a) Helicopters are better at saving people than dogs.
b) Saint Bernard dogs have a new job helping people in schools and hospitals.
c) The Barryland museum is closing down its animal exhibits.
UNDERSTANDING
Section 3: True or False
1. Saint Bernard dogs still do most of the mountain rescue work today. T/F
2. The Barry Foundation is the name of the organisation that looks after the dogs. T/F
3. The Barryland museum is getting smaller. T/F
Section 4: Put Events in Order
Put these sentences in the correct chronological order from 1 to 3:
a) Helicopters started doing dangerous rescue jobs in the Swiss mountains.
b) Saint Bernard dogs worked hard to find and save people lost in deep snow.
c) The special museum called Barryland began expanding its buildings for visitors.
LANGUAGE
Section 5: Vocab Match
1. famous
2. rescue
3. mountain
4. gentle
a) a very high hill
b) kind and calm
c) known by many people
d) to save someone from danger
USE IT
Section 6: Discussion Builder
1. I want to visit the museum because I love learning about animal _______
a) rescue b) history c) gentle d) hospital
2. The large dog was very _______ when it walked near the tiny baby.
a) famous b) mountain c) history d) gentle
Section 7: Sentence Unscramble
1. Unscramble the sentence parts: A) dogs / B) are / C) Saint Bernard / D) famous / E) very
2. Unscramble the sentence parts: A) help / B) gentle / C) people / D) dogs / E) These
ANSWER KEY
Section: Warm Up
Answer: b
Section 1:
1. famous, 2. rescue, 3. gentle, 4. history
Section 2:
Answer: b
Section 3:
1. False, 2. True, 3. False
Section 4:
1. b, 2. a, 3. c
Section 5:
1-c, 2-d, 3-a, 4-b
Section 6:
1. b, 2. d
Section 7:
1. C-B-E-D-A, 2. E-B-D-A-C
Section 8:
Student options will vary.