The elderly residents (居民) in care homes in London are being given hens to look after to stop them feeling lonely.
伦敦养老院的老年居民被赠送小母鸡来照顾，以防止他们感到孤独。

The project was dreamed up by a local charity (慈善组织) to reduce loneliness and improve elderly people’s wellbeing. It is also being used to help patients suffering dementia, a serious illness of the mind. Staff in care homes have reported a reduction in the use of medicine where hens are in use.
这个项目是由当地的慈善组织设想出来的，旨在减少孤独感，改善老年人的健康。它还被用来帮助患有老年痴呆症的患者，一种严重的精神疾病。养老院的工作人员报告说，在使用小母鸡时，药物的使用减少了。

Among those taking part in the project is 80-year-old Ruth Xavier. She said: “I used to keep hens when I was younger and had to prepare their breakfast each morning before I went to school.
参与该项目的人中包括80岁的露丝·赛维尔。她说：“我年轻时养过母鸡，每天早上在上学前都要给它们准备早餐。

“I like the project a lot. I am down there in my wheelchair in the morning letting the hens out and down there again at night to see they’ve gone to bed.
“我很喜欢这个项目。每天早上我都会坐在轮椅上放小母鸡出去，晚上再去看它们是否已经回去睡觉了。

“It’s good to have a different focus. People have been bringing their children in to see the hens and residents come and sit outside to watch them. I’m enjoying the creative activities, and it feels great to have done something useful.”
“有一个不同的重点是很好的。人们带着孩子来看母鸡，居民们也会坐在外面看它们。我喜欢这些创意活动，做有用的事情感觉很棒。”

There are now 700 elderly people looking after hens in 20 care homes in the North East, and the charity has been given financial support to roll it out countrywide.
现在有700名老年人在东北地区的20家养老院照顾母鸡，该慈善机构已经获得资金支持，计划在全国范围内推广。

Wendy Wilson, extra care manager at 60 Penfold Street, one of the first to embark on the project, said: “Residents really welcome the idea of the project and the creative sessions. We are looking forward to the benefits and fun the project can bring to people here.”
60 Penfold Street的特别护理部经理温迪·威尔逊(Wendy Wilson)是最早参与该项目的之一。她说：“居民们真的对该项目和创意课程感到欢迎。我们期待这个项目能为这里的人们带来好处和乐趣。”

Lynn Lewis, director of Notting Hill Pathways, said: “We are happy to be taking part in the project. It will really help connect our residents through a shared interest and creative activities.”
诺丁山途径的主任琳恩·刘易斯表示：“我们很高兴能参与这个项目。这将通过共同的兴趣和创意活动帮助我们的居民建立联系。”

1. What is the purpose of the project?
   A. To ensure harmony in care homes.
   B. To provide part-time jobs for the aged.
   C. To raise money for medical research.
   D. To promote the elderly people’s welfare.
   答案：D

2. How has the project affected Ruth Xavier?
   A. She has learned new life skills.
   B. She has gained a sense of achievement.
   C. She has recovered her memory.
   D. She has developed a strong personality.
   答案：B

3. What do the underlined words “embark on” mean in paragraph 7?
   A. Improve.
   B. Oppose.
   C. Begin.
   D. Evaluate.
   答案：C

4. What can we learn about the project from the last two paragraphs?
   A. It is well received.
   B. It needs to be more creative.
   C. It is highly profitable.
   D. It takes ages to see the results.
   答案：A