“Your password has expired,” a message said on my screen, with instructions for changing it. Coming up with a new code doesn’t seem like a big deal, unless you work at my company, where we have to change it monthly, using at least one uppercase character, one lowercase character, one symbol, and one number. Oh, the whole password can’t be fewer than eight characters. And I can’t use any of the same passwords I’ve used in the past three months.

Careers in zoology are extremely varied and unique, and can provide incredible learning and work opportunities for anyone devoted to animal studies and welfare. Zoology, or the study of animals, is a wide field with many specialties, including research, conservation, veterinary (兽医的) medicine, and the care of animals. For people with a love of animals and some training, dreams of careers in zoology may come true.

Some careers in zoology focus on research and scientific studies. These careers may allow those with a good theoretical science background to develop and run studies that improve human understanding of the animal world. Research in zoology can help create safer and more effective products for animals or can teach humans more about animal behavior in order to aid in conservation, breeding programs, and habitat preservation.

Careers in zoology that focus on conservation attach great importance to the continued survival and increased protection of animal species. Conservationists may work with political groups or governments to help make laws to protect and preserve animals, or may work in the field gathering information on potential threats to the health of global ecosystems. Some conservationists work in educational fields, trying to improve human efforts to save animals from extinction.

Animals are subject to illness and injury, and some careers in zoology help to create a safe, stable animal population. Veterinary medicine is an important specialty field, and may take several years of intensive training to qualify as a certified veterinarian. While many veterinarians focus on the small-animal practice of domestic pets, vets in rural areas often work with large farm animals and more adventurous veterinarians may work with exotic species in zoos and wildlife preserves.

Humans love to observe animals, and modern-day zoos and wildlife preserves help meet that interest while providing facilities to assist with conservation programs. Zoology careers in zoos can range from overseeing breeding programs, to creating the proper diet for a deer, to cleaning the tiger’s cage. Many volunteer and entry-level jobs are available for people that love animals.

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The Best Medicine

As I approach the hospital wearing my white coat, I look just like any other doctor. That is until I put on my curly rainbow wig, big red nose, and add my name badge “Doctor Larry Laugh-Out-Loud”. I walk through the doors into the waiting area, where there’s a familiar atmosphere of boredom and tension. People sit uncomfortably on plastic chairs, looking through old magazines, all of which have been read hundreds of times previously. Anxious parents do what they can to comfort nervous and crying children.

In the middle of this particular scene I spot a small girl whose ankle is twice its normal size. I speak with the on-duty nurse, who tells me that Lara’s parents rushed her to the hospital after she fell off her bicycle.【小题1】.Although it’s the doctors and nurses who will treat her injury, it’s my job to make her feel better.

Scientific studies show that laughter produces chemicals to make people feel better, which means clown doctors can be helpful. We are specially trained clowns who work as part of a programme known as “hospital clowning”.【小题2】. Although the doctors and nurses did a great job, hospitals weren’t really designed for children. I spent much of the time when I was there feeling frightened and more than little bored! Being a clown doctor means I can help people by entertaining them.

Visiting hospitals and other health care facilities, we clown doctors work together with medical professionals. On a typical day, we spend our time cheering up patients, their families, and more often than not, the hospital staff, too! We do this by doing magic tricks, singing songs, telling stories and, of course, telling silly jokes. Some children, though, don’t feel like laughing, especially if they’re in pain. We have to be very sensitive and work closely with the doctors and nurses, who keep us updated on each patient.

【小题3】. While the doctor concentrates on examining Lara’s ankle, I get her attention by doing a magic trick. Although she is clearly still in some pain, her scared and anxious look has been replaced—first by a small smile, and then by loud laughter as I “magically” produce her sock from out of my pocket. Seeing their daughter so much happier has in turn made Lara’s parents more relaxed.

And as for me? Well, when I take off my wig and my red nose, I’m still wearing a big smile, as I remember all the fun and laughter of the day. While there might be more hospital visits ahead for Lara and others, I hope that clown doctors help make it a friendlier place to visit. 【小题4】.