Animals
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Vocabulary
  • Pet (noun) - an animal that is kept in the home as a companion and treated kindly.
  • Goldfish (noun) - a small, gold- or orange-coloured fish often kept as a pet.
  • Stick insect (noun) - a large insect with a long, thin body and legs.
  • Occasional (adj.) - not happening or done often or regularly.
  • Toss-up (noun) - if you describe a situation as a toss-up, you mean that either of two possibilities is equally likely.
  • To domesticate (verb) - to bring animals or plants under human control in order to provide food, power, or company.
  • To accessorize (verb) - to add an accessory or accessories to something.
  • Accessory (noun) - something extra that improves or completes the thing it is added to.
  • Fish tank (noun) - a glass container used for keeping fish in, especially pet tropical fish.
  • Dog dad (noun) - someone who owns a dog.
  • Never-ending (adj.) - something that is never-ending never ends or seems as if it will never end.
  • Man's best friend (phrase) - dog.
  • To project an image (phrase) - to represent yourself in a particular way through your speech, behaviour, and appearance.
  • To entertain (verb) - to hold something in your mind or to be willing to consider or accept something.
  • Capybara (noun) - a South American animal that looks like a large guinea pig.
  • Pet (noun) - a kind person who is easy to like.
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Questions and answers
M: Have you ever had a pet?

R: Not in a very long time. We used to have dogs, specifically Chow Chows. That's a Chinese breed. And we've had goldfish and we even had stick insects at one point. But now the closest thing we get is the occasional dog on holiday or the birds in the garden.

M: What are* the most popular pets in your country?

R: I think it's a toss-up between dogs and cats, really. They're just easier to domesticate. And there's a range of toys and foods to choose from. So if you'd like to accessorize, then that would be the pets for you. And people do. I also think fish are supposed to be quite common these days, because, well, in most of the houses I've been in, people have had a fish tank.

M: What animal would you like to keep as a pet?

R: I think I'd quite enjoy being a dog dad. They're very loyal, and they have seemingly never-ending reserves of energy, which would be fun. Unfortunately, I just don't have the time right now. Though hopefully one day I will.

M: Where do you prefer to keep your pets, indoors or outdoors?

R: Well, why not both? Especially if it's a dog, it needs to be familiar with being outside for going on walks and comfortable inside for being around people. If you mean where it would sleep, then I think it's best to be indoors since it's safer. I also think it's illegal to keep certain animals outdoors or outside all the time, isn't it?

M: What's your favourite animal?

R: Well, in terms of domesticated animals, I like dogs the best with, well, with them being a man's best friend and all. In terms of wild animals, I'd like large predators like tigers and sharks. I'm not really sure what that says about me. But I do think they look cool and they sort of project an image of controlled power.

M: Would you like to have a pet in the future?
R: Yeah, like I said, I'm a major fan of dogs. So if I can get one, then that would be nice. Or that would be great even. Otherwise, having a goldfish would also be quite calming. I even entertained the idea of having a capybara once, but I'm pretty sure that's illegal. And even if it wasn't they're animals from tropical areas, so it might be a little bit cruel to keep one in Scotland.

M: Rory, thank you so much for your answers!

R: Thank you pet!
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