CLASSROOM ACTIVITIES

I

continued from No. continued from No. 1, 3, 4, 11/2007

Daily Life

Texts for Oral Practice in the 3rd–4th Forms

OUR PETS

Part I

The animals we keep at home are our pets. They can be dogs, cats, hamsters, fish, guinea-pigs, tortoises and birds. These animals are usually tame and gentle. People are fond of pets and pets are often treated as real members of the family. It is very interesting to watch them and they say that pets also have character. Dogs and cats are our favourite pets.

I know that the dog is very clever. He is the only animal who always knows his master, the members of the family and even the friends of the family. A dog understands words and feels the mood of the master. A dog is a true and devoted friend. I know that all dogs were wild once. They belonged to the same family as the wolf and the fox. But people tamed them. Most dogs eat a lot. They need meat and vegetables. Dogs must have plenty of clean, cool water. It is necessary to take a dog for a walk two or three times a day.

Part II

Speaking of cats, I want to tell you that cats were first tamed in Egypt. They are very wise and can find their way anywhere. You can make great friends with cats but they are more independent than dogs. Cats are clean and pretty. Their coat is made of fur. The cat’s feet have sharp claws. Cats can see in the dark and can feel danger. It is interesting to play with cats. Cats eat meat and fish, and they like to drink milk.

Some people keep parakeets as pets. They can be very tame. It is a very interesting pet, because it can learn to talk and imitate sounds. They can be of different colours. Parakeets eat fruit and nuts. Their beak is so sharp that it can crack nuts. They also like to bathe. I have learned that parakeets live very long, usually about 75 years and sometimes 100 years.

Another interesting pet is a hamster. It is clean and friendly. It usually sleeps in the day and eats and plays at night. It likes to eat lettuce, carrots, apples and nuts. It lives in a cage and the cage must be big and kept clean.

By Yelena Zubets