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Pets

Pets

Date: Mar 06 2009

Themes: Family, Pets

Grammar: Definite & Indefinite Articles

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

There’s a saying in English that dogs are “man’s best friend.” That’s because dogs usually make loyal, affectionate companions. Plus, they love to cuddle and they never talk back to you. So in that way, maybe they’re even better than a best friend.

Dogs and cats are the most popular pets, but there’s a huge variety of pets out there, from little furry animals like rabbits or gerbils to reptiles like lizards or snakes. Some people even keep rats or spiders as pets!

But not all people are pet-people, and not all countries have pet-owning cultures. Listen to Mason try to convince Ella that owning pets is a beautiful thing.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Mason

Mason

Ella

Ella

Mason:  Man, I gotta clean my rabbit’s cage. It’s been sittin’ there for like a week longer than it should have.

Ella:  That’s disgusting.

Mason:  Well, I mean, it’s one of the hazards that you go through when you’ve got an animal that you like.

Ella:  Really? Why? Why would you ever want a pet?

Mason:  Well, listen, the rabbit kind of fell into my arms. It was my sister’s and she couldn’t take care of it anymore. So I was like, yeah, alright, I’ll take your rabbit. But I mean, man, that thing has grown on me.

Ella:  I bet.

Mason:  Not like a cancer or anything, like something that blossoms in your heart.

Ella:  Well, I don’t know. I just think that animals should just be eaten. Why should we have them as pets?

Mason:  Animals should just be eaten, why should we have them as pets…I have eaten rabbit. That said, I don’t think I could anymore. You know, there’s definitely something that…Like, that caring instinct. And they’re cute.

Ella:  Have you ever had a dog or a cat growing up?

Mason:  We grew up with dogs in my family. Cats, I have no taste for cats.

Ella:  It’s a lot of responsibility?

Mason:  A lot of responsibility, no… I just don’t like their personality. They’re…They don’t need me. I like things that need me, that’s kind of the point of pets, in all honesty.

Ella:  Did you take it to the dog pound or get it euthanized?

Mason:  The dog, we did have euthanized. We had to put it down, and it was tragic.

 

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Discussion

Mason tells Ella that he needs to clean his rabbit’s cage. Cleaning up after pets is one of the many responsibilities of being a pet owner. Mason thinks it’s worth it, but Ella doesn’t understand why he would ever want to own a pet.

Mason explains that he didn’t want the rabbit at first. It belonged to his sister and she asked him to take care of it for her. Now it’s really grown on him.

When he was growing up, Mason had a dog. He likes dogs better than cats because cats aren’t as affectionate or needy as dogs. Mason was really sad when he had to take his dog to be euthanized.

Do you have any pets? Or do you think being a pet owner is too much responsibility?

 

Comments

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liusiqi

liusiqi

China

I like animals very much,the dog is the best. In the last year,I have a dog,its name is little shi, I think its is my friend and one of my family. But not long Its died, I`m so sad, because Its give me so many happiless,I love Its very much

03:11 AM Mar 06 2009 |

Benjamin Elizondo

Mexico

i have pets in my home but i never play with them , I'm more like Ella in that text.

03:11 AM Mar 06 2009 |

smartsnail

China

i have no much taste for animals, but let me select one, i think dog is best. the point of that is to keep door, haha…...

02:34 AM Mar 06 2009 |

fox1978

Taiwan

I like cats and I have a cat at my home. Though it' s from my brother. But now I'm with the cat longer than my brother. In addition, I love cats because of the personality, so independent, the same with me. My cat is always affectionate and growns on me. 

02:01 AM Mar 06 2009 |

jessicaty

jessicaty

China

in  all  kind of animals,i think dog is our  best firend .sometimes i even think they can ynderstabder my mood,happy,sad angry or excited.they're loyal  ,affectinate .

03:06 AM Mar 03 2009 |

fengxuehuanuo

China

i like dogs,especially when they are young,so lovely,so cute,they will follow you when you go outside.i like dogs very much!

02:16 AM Mar 03 2009 |

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