Dear participants of our weekly English club. During our next session we are going to talk about “Animals & Pets”. So prepare your answers to the following questions as well as check out the vocabulary, useful links and read all the information on the subject.
Questions:
- Are cats better pets than dogs or are dogs better pets than cats? Why?
- Do you have any pets? If so, tell about them. Who takes care of it? What do you feed it? Does it know any tricks or understand any words? If you don’t have a pet, why not?
- How much does it cost to keep your pet?
- What are the pros and cons of keeping a pet?
- What can children learn by having a pet?
- What animals are symbols of your country? Do you know about animals that are symbols of a country?
- Do you help homeless animals? Do you feed them?
- What do you like most about going to the zoo? What about least? Can pets become part of a human family?
- Do you think it’s morally acceptable for scientists to do genetic experiments on animals? Why or why not? What about other types of medical research?
- Do you think it is okay to eat meat? Do you know any vegetarians?
- What do you think of hunting? Would you eat an animal that you killed yourself?
- Have you ever been bitten by a dog? Have you been stung by a bee?
- Would you like to go on an African safari? Why or why not?
- Is it morally right to spend a lot of money on pets, rather than helping people in need?
- What pets are most popular in your country?
- How are humans like other animals? How are they different?
- How can pets help people emotionally? Do you know any examples?
Interesting facts about animals:
- An amazing species of frog named Panamanian Golden Frog don’t have ears and they listen with the help of their lungs, yes guys, with the help of lungs.
- A group of cats is called a “clowder.”
- A species of snails named as Garden Snail have about 14,175 teeth that are located on its tongue. Another cool and interesting facts about snails is that they can sleep up to 3 years without any break.
- The largest eggs in the world are laid by a shark.
- A group of fishes is called a school while a group of owls is called a parliament.
- A single cow releases vast amount of methane gas (One of the most harmful gas) on daily basis. The gas passed by cow can fill about 400 litre bottles.
- Dolphins sleep with one half of the brain at a time, and one eye open.
- Black Widow, one of the most poisonous spiders’ web’s silk is the strongest of all other types of silks in the world. Another interesting fact about them is if a bird eats black widow can face a problem in stomach due to its poison.
- The common goldfish is the only animal that can see both infra-red and ultra-violet light.
- A shrimp’s heart is in their head.
- Every year, nearly four million cats are eaten in Asia.
- Sharks, one of the largest species of fishes, don’t have bones in their bodies. Their skeleton is made of cartilage (men have similar flexible bones in their ears and nose). An amazing thing about sharks’ skeleton is that it can easy be crushed under their own weight while on dry land.
- A group of jelly fish is called a smack.
- A scallop has 35 blue eyes.
- A starfish can turn its stomach inside out.
- Cats make about 100 different sounds. Dogs make only about 10.
Animal films we recommend for you to watch:
Jaws (1975) about the Great White Shark. To watch Jaws online go to: http://watch32.com/movies-online/jaws-53
Seabiscuit — (2003) about the Race Horse. To watch Seabiscuit online go to: http://divxhosted.com/video/focj1fnh3gx0
Dr. Doolittle — (1998) featuring various animals. To watch Dr. Doolittle online go to: http://watch32.com/movies-online/doctor-dolittle-538
ESL English exercises about animals:
Sharks documentary and English exercises: http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2060
Pet airways and listening comprehension exercises: http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=2078
Fearsome creatures (vocabulary exercises): http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3589 and http://www.englishexercises.org/makeagame/viewgame.asp?id=3602
Words and expressions that can be used during Lingvistov English club discussion:
Collective terms:
a colony of ants, an army of ants
a sleuth of bears, a sloth of bears
a hive of bees, a swarm of bees
a flock of birds, a flight of birds (in the air)
a brood of chickens, a flock of chickens
a herd of cattle
a pack of dogs
a troop of foxes, an earth of foxes
a herd of horses, a team of horses (in harness), a string of horses (for racing)
a pride of lions
a parliament of owls (this is so cool!)
a colony of penguins
a streak of tigers, an ambush of tigers (a fanciful term)
a pack of wolves, a herd of wolves
Adjectives to describe animals:
furry — пушистый
ferocious — свирепый
dangerous — опасный
poisonous – ядовитый
venomous – ядовитый
tame – прирученный, укрощенный
agile – подвижный, проворный
clever — умный
aggressive — агрессивный
tiny – маленький, крошечный
domestic — домашний
wild — дикий
herbivorous — травоядный
carnivorous – хищный, плотоядный
Animal idioms:
a fat cat – денежный мешок, богач
He’s just another fat cat — a corporate tycoon from Boston.
If it was a snake it woulda bit you - что-то лежит очень близко к кому-либо
Jane: Where’s the phone book? Tom: Right there! If it was a snake it woulda bit you.
a grin like a Cheshire cat – улыбка как у Чеширского кота
I just presumed he’d got the job because he walked in here with a grin like a Cheshire cat.
a lion’s share of something - большая часть чего-либо
The lion’s share of the surplus cheese goes to school cafeterias.
not to have a cat in hell’s chance of doing something – не иметь никакого шанса сделать что-либо
They haven’t got a cat in hell’s chance of getting over the mountain in weather like this.
a lucky dog – счастливчик
You won the lottery? You are a lucky dog!
Cat got your tongue? – Язык проглотил?
After she finished the story, I kept silent. «What’s the matter, cat got your tongue?» she asked.
to call the dogs off — перестать угрожать, травить кого-либо или гнаться за кем-либо
Tell the sheriff to call off the dogs. We caught the robber.
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