Unit 4. Unit 4. Your Pet : A Friend for Life. Part A. Listening (20 marks)

Transcription

1 Unit 4. Your Pet : A Friend for Life Part A. Listening (20 marks) Transcript I have got a big news to tell you, Divya. What is it? Are you dating with someone or you ve won the lottery? Not really, Divya. I ve got a cat! Really? Yea, it s a baby cat a kitten. I got him yesterday. He s gorgeous and lovely. It s a boy cat then? Where did you get him? Well, my friend Jeannie found him in the street. And Jeannie s already got three cats so I said I d take this one. What colour is he? Well, he s a small brown tabby. What s a tabby again? Is that the stripy one? That s it tabbies are the ones with sort of dark stripes like a tiger. He s really lovely. What are you going to call him? Oh dear, I just don t know. I ve got lots of ideas for names but I just can t decide. I thought perhaps you could help me. What would you call a cat? Hmm. That s a difficult question. To be honest, Tess, I m more of a dog person. I ve never really thought about names for cats. You don t like cats? Well, it s not that I don t like cats. I just prefer dogs, that s all. Anyway, I ve got an idea, why don t you call your cat Gordon. Hmm. I don t think so. I need to think of a name soon though, really. Take 1 minute to read the following questions. Listen to the conversations. Mark down useful notes and answer the following questions in complete sentences on the space provided. 1. What is Tess s big news? She got a cat. 2. How did Tess get the kitten? Her friend Jeannie found the kitten on the street. But she has already three cats, so Tess took this kitten. 3. What kind of kitten is it? What are the characteristics? It is a small brown tabby with dark stripes like a tiger. 4. Why Divya couldn t think of a name for Tess kitten? 1

2 It is because she is more of a dog person and she has never thought about names for cats. 5. Does Tess like the name Gordon for her cat? No, she doesn t. 2

3 Part B. Grammar (10 marks) If we are asked to choose our favourite pets, we are indeed making choices and stating our preference. We always use words such as prefer, would rather to state our preference. Study the differences in structure after prefer : I prefer something to something else. I prefer cats to dogs. I prefer doing something to doing something else. I prefer driving to taking a bus. I prefer to do something rather than do something else. I prefer to drive rather than travel by bus. Would prefer (I d prefer ) is also used to say what somebody wants in a specific situation (not in general): E.g. Would you prefer tea or coffee? Coffee, please. Shall we go by train? I d prefer to drive. Would rather (I d rather ) + bare infinitive (infinitive without to ) Would rather (do) = Would prefer (to do) E.g. I would rather stay at home tonight than go to the cinema. I d rather somebody did something E.g. Shall I stay here? I d rather you came with us. I ll repair you rbike tomorrow, OK? I d rather you did it today. 3

4 Exercise Write sentences using I d prefer and I d rather + the following: Eat at home get a taxi go alone stand wait a few minutes listen to some music go for a swim wait till later think about it for a while 1. Shall we walk home? (prefer) I d prefer to get a taxi. 2. Do you want to eat now? (rather) I d rather wait till later. 3. Would you like to watch V? (rather) I d rather listen to some music. 4. Do you want to go to a restaurant? (prefer) I d prefer to eat at home. 5. Let s leave now. (rather) I d rather wait a few minutes. 6. Shall we play tennis? (rather) I d rather go for a swim. 7. I think we should decide now. (prefer) I d prefer to think about it for a while. 8. Would you like to sit down? (rather) I d rather stand. 9. Do you want me to come with you? (prefer) I d prefer to go alone. 4

5 Part C. Reading (40 marks) Read the article and answer the questions in complete sentences on the space provided. (Source: BBC News, 8 February Exotic animals being kept as pets Meerkats More people are keeping exotic animals as pets according to the RSPCA. The Lincolnshire branch has voiced concerns about people who want to keep animals like meerkats, or scorpions in their homes. 5 It comes as a Government Zoo Inspector is calling for a change in the law to stop what he calls a worrying rise in exotic animals being touted as pets online. RSPCA Chief Inspector Malcom Horsman said it's an increasing problem: "We do find more and more that people are keeping exotic animals. I think before anybody does go out and buy one of these animals, I would certainly consult the Internet and local vets to make sure that they are going to look after it properly." With animals such as meerkats, who naturally live in large groups, and are becoming more and more common as household pets Malcolm Horsman went on to say some people are not aware of the needs of the animals: "Meerkats live in large social groups on the desert plain. They don't live solitary in cages or vivariums at home so they do not make good pets. It will make them extremely unsociable, they will not be able to integrate at all, and it's totally unfair to keep them." "I think you've got to be extremely careful. There's quite a lot of different species on the 5

6 market. For instance scorpions. I've known it where a scorpion has been purchased and it's actually extremely dangerous. It was sent by mistake, because a lot of these animals are imported, and if the importer hasn't got the correct species they could be importing poisonous and dangerous animals. If this scorpion had stung somebody it could have caused serious injury." Pam Mansfield is the owner of the exotic pet refuge in Deeping St James and told BBC Lincolnshire about the animals that are brought to her: "We've been getting a lot of snakes and lizards in in the past few weeks. We've got four scorpions that people bought as pets and couldn't cope with. They were little when they got them and they grow to about three inches long and they've got quite a good sting on them then. They don't make good pets." "We've got about thirty monkeys and only one of them can you get anywhere near. The rest of them are all antisocial. Most of them have been kept as pets but on their own which makes it very difficult as you can't have them in with each other." "This is something that is going to go on and on. I can see meerkats becoming a big problem. I was bitten badly a few years ago and nearly lost my thumb because of a meerkat bite, and that was a friendly one." Glossary: 1. Exotic (title) (adj) of foreign origin or character; not native; introduced from abroad, but not fully naturalized or acclimatized 2. touted (line 5) (v) to describe or advertise boastfully; publicize or promote; praise extravagantly 3. solitary (line 13) (adj) alone; without companions; unattended 4. vivariums (line 13) (n) a place, such as a laboratory, where live animals or plants are kept under conditions simulating their natural environment, as for research 5. extremely (line 14) (adv) very; exceedingly 6. integrate (line 14) (v) to make up, combine, or complete to produce a whole or a larger unit, as parts do 7. scorpions (line 17) (n) any of numerous arachnids of the order Scorpionida, widely distributed in warmer parts of the world, having a long, narrow, segmented tail that terminates in a venomous sting 8. purchased (line 17) (v) to buy 9. imported (line 19) (v) to bring in (merchandise, commodities, workers, etc.) from a foreign country for use, sale, processing, re-export, or services 6

7 1. What is the increasing problem for Chief Inspector Horsman? The problem is a worrying rise in keeping exotic animals as pet. 2. What is his suggestion for people who would like to buy exotic animals as pet? He suggests people to consult the Internet and local vets to make sure that they are going to look after it properly. 3. What is the problem with keeping meerkats as household pets? Keeping meerkats as household pets will make them extremely unsociable and not be able to integrate at all. 4. Why keeping scorpions can be dangerous? Scorpions may sting people and cause serious injury. Some species can be poisonous too. 5. How do you feel about keeping exotic animals as pet? Do you support this idea? (Students own answers) 7

8 Part D. Writing (20 marks) (Refer to Appendix A for the Marking Rubrics) Descriptive Writing My Favourite Pet Write a short composition of no less than 250 words for the above topic. You may hand in the writing to your ELLRC instructor for corrections. The following questions may help you to brainstorm your writing: 1) What kinds of animals do you like the best? Describe it. 2) Do you want to keep this kind of animals as pet? 3) Is this type of animals suitable to be kept as household pets? 4) Have you kept any pets before? 5) How do you take care of your pet? 6) Why it is your favourite pet? 8

9 Part E. Speaking (10 marks) (Refer to Appendix B for the Marking Rubrics) Find a partner or make an appointment with your ELLRC instructor to practise the following oral conversation: A: Hello,, do you like animals? B: Yes, I do / No, I don t. It s because A: Do you keep any pets at home? B: Yes, I do / No, I don t. I have kept / I am keeping at home. A: A lot of people think that residential buildings should not be allowed to keep pets. What do you think? B: I agree / disagree with them. I think A: You ve got your point. In the reading article, it says more people are now keeping exotic animals. Why do they do so? B: Well, I think they keep exotic animals because A: Sounds interesting. Why do you think people keep pets? B: I think they keep pets because A: I agree. Some people say it s better to keep a dog than having babies. Do you agree? B: Yes, I do. / No, I don t. It s because A: If you are / were keeping a pet, how should you take care of it? B: I should A: Yes. Do you plan to keep any pets? B: Yes, I do. / No, I don t. It s because A: I see. Thanks for your time. Goodbye! B: Many thanks to you too. Goodbye! 9