📘 Part 3: Stories with animals

This episode's vocabulary

Anthropomorphic (adj) – having human characteristics. → Paddington Bear is an anthropomorphic character because he wears a coat and talks.

Bring something to life (idiom) – to make something seem more real or exciting. → Animal characters can help bring a children's story to life.

Endangered (adj) – (of a species) seriously at risk of extinction. → Schools should teach children about endangered animals to help protect them.

Encounter (v) – to meet someone or something unexpectedly. → You might encounter a wolf or a bear in the real world.

Go extinct (phrasal verb) – to no longer exist. → If we don't protect endangered species, they might go extinct.

Practical utility (noun phrase) – the quality of being useful or having a practical application. → Having a guard dog has a practical utility, as it keeps your home secure.

Traumatic (adj) – deeply disturbing or distressing. → The death of a pet can be a very traumatic experience for a child.

Cushion the blow (idiom) – to make a bad situation less serious. → To cushion the blow of a pet's death, some parents might buy a new one.

Veterinary (adj) – relating to the diseases, injuries, and treatment of animals. → Owning a pet can be expensive because of the food and veterinary bills.

Inescapable (adj) – unable to be avoided or denied. → If a pet lives in your house, it's inescapable that it becomes part of the family.

Domesticated (adj) – (of an animal) tame and kept as a pet or on a farm. → Dogs were one of the first animals to be domesticated.

Habitat (n) – the natural home or environment of an animal, plant, or other organism. → Wild animals should be able to live in their natural habitat, not in city apartments.

Make concessions (phrase) – to allow or give up something in order to end a disagreement or to make a situation easier. → Pet owners have to make concessions, like coming home early to feed their cat.

Go to pot (idiom) – to deteriorate through neglect. → If cities aren't managed well in the future, things could completely go to pot.

Questions and Answers

Maria: Why do people always tell children stories with animals?

Rory: Well, they're quite cute, aren't they? So it might be easier to draw their attention to stories if they have animal characters, even anthropomorphic ones. And kids often have stuffed animals when they're younger, the toys. So it almost makes them come to life in a way.

Maria: Can you explain it further?

Rory: Yeah, if they show animals talking and interacting in a story like how kids might imagine or wish they would in real life when they play with their toys, it can make the fantasy seem more realistic or bring it to life. At least I think so.

Maria: Should schools teach children about animals?

Rory: I suppose so, we share a planet with them and some of them can be pretty dangerous or might even be endangered themselves. So teaching students about them can help address such issues with them before they encounter them in the real world.

Maria: Do you think that can change?

Rory: Probably not, unless all the animals go extinct. But if that happens, we'll probably have bigger problems to deal with.

Maria: What are the advantages of keeping a pet?

Rory: Well, it might have some practical utility, like having a guard dog, which can keep your home secure. And they can be pretty useful companions for the family, especially if you have young children. Even the death of a pet could be a character building thing for a young person to help prepare them for when they have to deal with the deaths of human beings in their lives.

Maria: And what could be the disadvantages?

Rory: Well, the death of a pet can be pretty traumatic, regardless of how much you might cushion the blow of it. And they're not inexpensive. You have to pay for food and vet bills.

Maria: Do many people keep pets in your country?

Rory: I suppose they must do. You see lots of people out walking their dogs and taking pictures of their cats, and you hear about people keeping loads of other pets as well.

Maria: What evidence do you have for that?

Rory: It's just an observation, really. Plus, we have a reputation as a nation of animal lovers. So it would be logical for there to be lots of pets. That kind of thing doesn't just come from nowhere.

Maria: Many people regard pets as members of their family. What do you think of that?

Rory: I think that's probably pretty inescapable, isn't it? If something lives in the house and looks after you and vice versa, then they're part of the family unit, even though they're of a different species.

Maria: Has that always been true?

Rory: For me, yes, and probably for most other people. Otherwise, animals would never keep being domesticated in the first place, would they?

Maria: Some people think that pets should not be kept in cities. Would you agree?

Rory: Well, I can see why they might think that since they're pretty far removed from their original habitats, but then the same is true for people. So unless it's something like a wild animal, a lion or a leopard, for example, I'm sure there can be various accommodations or concessions to help them cope with city life.

Maria: Do you think that will also be true in the future?

Rory: Well, assuming cities continue to be well managed and don't completely go to pot, I doubt it will be a serious issue.