Answer the questions about St Bernard dogs in English.
- How big are St Bernards?
- What record does a St Bernard hold?
- What is their tail like?
- Why are they good companions for families?
- What do they need to stay healthy and happy?
- What were they originally used for?
- What did people believe about them?
- What historical evidence is there for this belief?
- Why are there some barrels at the St Bernard Hospice?
Alapfok (B1) hanganyag szövege:
St. Bernard dogs
The St. Bernard is a giant dog, a very big dog with a big head. A full-grown dog can weigh between 65 and 80 kg or more, and its height is 70 to 90 cm. The largest dog ever was a St. Bernard called Benedictine who weighed 160 kg.Their coat can be either smooth or rough. Their colour is typically a red shade with white. Their tail is long and heavy, hanging low.St. Bernards are known not only for their large size but for being gentle. They are friendly and calm dogs, which makes them good companions for families, especially households with children.
Because of their large size and energy levels, St. Bernards need a lot of exercise to stay healthy and happy, which can be a challenge for some people, especially if they have limited space in their homes.
They were originally used to rescue people who were lost in the mountains of the Swiss Alps.
Famously, people believed that they carried a small barrel of brandy around their neck to revive frozen mountaineers. There is no historical evidence that they actually carried a barrel of brandy, although the monks at the St Bernard Hospice, which is a hostel for travellers at the St Bernard Pass in Switzerland, keep some barrels around so that the tourists who visit the place can take photographs with them.
