犬狼一家親
About 85 million families in America own a pet, and it’s no surprise that man’s best friend tops the list, with 63.4 million households owning a dog.
約有8,500萬戶的美國家庭飼養寵物，而人類最好的朋友毫不意外地穩居榜首，多達6,340戶家庭養的寵物即是狗。
own(v.)擁有;飼養top the list=位居榜首
There’s no bond quite like the one between a dog and its human, but that’s not always how it was.
狗與人之間存在著獨特的感情，但並非一直都是如此。
bond(n.)(v.)聯繫;(建立)關係
A dog’s ancestry is traced back to the wolf, and evidence suggests that the split between these two canine species happened between 27,000 and 40,000 years ago.
狗的祖先可追溯回狼，不少證據推測這兩種犬科動物在27,000至40,000年前便已分家。
be traced back to=追溯回…split(n.)分開
There are several theories to explain why dogs became domesticated.
學術界有不少解釋人類馴化狗的學說，
theory(n.)學說;理論
One possibility is that hunter-gatherers may have shared extra meat with wolves, which then became their pets.
其中一個可能性是採獵者將剩餘的肉分給狼吃，狼自那之後變成了他們的寵物；
possibility(n.)可能性
It’s also possible that hunter-gatherers purposefully domesticated dogs to help with hunting.
也可能是採獵者刻意馴化狗以協助狩獵。
purposefully(adv.)有目的性地
Yet another theory suggests that wolves simply became used to people while scavenging through their waste.
另一個學說則認為狼只是因為經常在人類丟棄的廚餘中翻找食物而漸漸習慣人類的存在。
be used to=習慣…scavenge(v.)(在廢棄物中)覓食;撿破爛
Regardless of how dogs became domesticated, dogs and humans developed a close relationship which continued to evolve over time.
無論狗是如何被馴化的，牠們與人類自此之後便建立起親近的關係，而且隨著時間不斷衍變。
evolve(v.)進化;演化;發展
People began relying on dogs for hunting, protection, or simply just companionship.
人類開始仰賴狗協助狩獵、保護安全或單純只是養隻狗作伴。
rely on=仰賴;依賴companionship(n.)陪伴
Now, dogs have become an inseparable part of human society.
時至今日，狗已然成為人類社會中不可分割的一分子了。
inseparable(adj.)分不開的;形影不離的separate(v.)(使)分開;(使)分離