Practice Listening English Exercises for A2 – Amazing animals

1   three – feeding pets, keeping pets clean, treating them as living things, not toys

2  

Food: They feed the pet. They can do it every day and learn that animals get hungry and thirsty just like them.

Keeping them clean: Brushing the animal. Animals don’t like to be dirty. Cleaning the cage once a week.

Animals are not toys: They are living things. Learning to be kind, playing with them nicely and not hurting them.

Audioscript

Interviewer:   Hello, Jim Townes here. Welcome to today’s Pet Spot. We have Sue Green in the studio. Good morning Sue. So what’s in the news about pets?

Sue:   Good morning, Jim. Thank you for inviting me on the show. This article says that children can learn a lot from looking after a pet. The things they learn can help them in other parts of their lives.

Interviewer:   Is this news? Children love dogs, cats and small animals. We know that.

Sue:   Ah yes, but what do they learn? I’d like to talk about that.

Interviewer:   OK. So what’s the first thing they learn?

Sue:   Perhaps the most important is food. Children often feed the pet, even young children can do this. Usually they do it because an adult tells them to. But when children do it every day, they learn that the pet feels hungry and thirsty just like they do.

Interviewer:   OK, I can understand that. I remember when I was a boy, we had a dog and I brushed its coat.

Sue:   Well that’s my next point about looking after animals – keeping animals clean. Animals don’t like to be dirty. With small animals like rats or mice, we clean their cages once a week. Older children can do that and younger children can help their older brothers and sisters or their parents.

Interviewer:   Yes, true. So, is there anything else children learn from looking after pets?

Sue:   Just one more thing … animals are not toys. They’re living things like you and me. When children have animals around them, they learn to be kind to them, to play with them nicely and not to hurt them.

Interviewer:   Well, that’s very interesting, Sue. Thanks for coming on today’s programme. Bye.

Sue:   Thanks Jim. Bye.

1   1 (her) rat   2 (an) elephant(s)

2   1 c   2 d   3 e   4 b   5 a

3   1 ✗   2 ✓   3 ✓   4 ✗   5 ✓   6 ✓

Audioscript

Donny:   Good morning and welcome to Animal World. I’m Donny Forrest. Today on Animal World, we’re talking to Kirsty Smith. Welcome to the programme, Kirsty.

Kirsty:   Hello, Donny. Thank you for inviting me.

Donny:   Now, Kirsty, you’re twelve years old. Is that right?

Kirsty:   I’m thirteen.

Donny:   Ah, right. Now tell us how many animals you’ve got, Kirsty.

Kirsty:   I’ve got 34.

Donny:   34! That’s amazing. How many dogs and cats have you got?

Kirsty:   Well, I’ve got five dogs and twelve cats.

Donny:   What other animals have you got?

Kirsty:   I’ve also got nine rabbits and three birds.

Donny:   Is that it?

Kirsty:   No! I’ve got a rat, a fish and a sheep. Oh, and two horses.

Donny:   Why have you got so many animals?

Kirsty:   I love animals! I really enjoy looking after them.

Donny:   Do you have a favourite?

Kirsty:   Of course not. I love all my animals. Well, perhaps I love Jolly a bit more than the others.

Donny:   Who’s Jolly?

Kirsty:   He’s my rat. Some people think rats are horrible, but I think they are beautiful and intelligent animals.

Donny:   Do you have a very big garden, Kirsty?

Kirsty:   No, we don’t. Our garden is quite small. But we live next to some fields. The animals run around and play there.

Donny:   Is it true that you had seven monkeys a few years ago?

Kirsty:   Yes, it is true! But we only had them for a few months. Then they went to live in a zoo. Do you know what animal I would like to have?

Donny:   Oh, let me guess … a lion?

Kirsty:   No, not a lion. I’d like to have elephants. But we’d need a much bigger garden!

Donny:   How many elephants would you like to have?

Kirsty:   I’d be very happy with two.

Donny:   Well, thanks for coming on the show today, Kirsty. Next time you must bring one of the animals, but not an elephant!

1   c

2   1 Alice   2 Jayden   3 Alice   4 Alice   5 Jayden   6 Alice

Audioscript

Jayden:   Hello, Alice! What are you doing?

Alice:   Hey, Jayden. I’m reading a website about a girl from Texas. She has her own company and she donates money to protecting bees.

Jayden:   She protects bees? I’m afraid of bees, they’re horrible!

Alice:   Bees are not horrible, Jayden. Thanks to bees, we have fruit, vegetables and flowers. We get honey and wax from them too.

Jayden:   OK. I believe you, but I’m still afraid of them.

Alice:   If you don’t like bees, there are other animals you can protect. For example, here’s an animal rescue centre that needs volunteers on Saturday mornings.

Jayden:   What animals do they care for?

Alice:   Let’s see. They have dogs, cats, ducks, chickens, rabbits – and two rats at the centre. They live in cages. No bees.

Jayden:   What do they need?

Alice:   Well, they need people to give food and water to the animals and to clean their cages.

Jayden:   That sounds interesting – there’s only one problem.

Alice:   What?

Jayden:   I can’t volunteer on Saturdays, I have guitar lessons.

Alice:   Well, you can help in different ways on other days. People can donate money or things for the animals, too. There’s a list of things they need here. Look, here’s another option. This centre protects dogs and cats, and it’s in our neighbourhood. They organise events on Sundays, and they sometimes need volunteers.

Jayden:   That sounds perfect! I love animals and I want to help protect them.

Alice:   Me too! I’m going to call for more information.

Jayden:   Great. Thanks Alice!

1 H   2 C   3 D   4 E   5 A

Audioscript

Listen to Tessa talking to her father about her friends. What problem does each person have?

Dad:   What time is Eva’s party, Tessa?

Tessa:   The party’s not happening, Dad. Eva’s got a temperature, and our other friends aren’t well either.

Dad:   Oh no! What’s wrong with Leon? Is he OK? I know he hurt his leg skiing last month.

Tessa:   Yes – but that’s all better now. At the moment, he’s got toothache. He needs to see the dentist on Monday.

Dad:   And what about Nat?

Tessa:   He ate something bad yesterday and feels really sick. It’s the same problem Maddie had a few days ago.

Dad:   So what’s wrong with Maddie now?

Tessa:   She’s got a terrible cold. She stayed in bed all day yesterday and most of today, but she still feels ill.

Dad:   Oh dear – I hope you don’t get it.

Tessa:   Me too. I’m OK at the moment. Not like Ilsa. She phoned me earlier to say her head hurts and she doesn’t want to go out.

Dad:   Poor Ilsa! And what about Greg? His broken arm’s better, isn’t it?

Tessa:   Yes, but now he’s hurt his foot. He plays too much rugby!

Dad:   I agree! Well, I hope they all feel better soon!

Tessa:   That’s nice of you, Dad!