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Weird Pets

Date: Nov 27 2009

Themes: Pets

Grammar: Past Progressive Tense

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Intro

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Frogs don’t cuddle, and fish aren’t much fun to play with. But some people still keep them as pets. Cats and dogs may win the cuteness contest, but if you prefer rough scales and creepy claws to soft fur and wagging tails, then maybe a gecko or iguana would make a better companion for you.

Mason had dogs and cats when he was a kid, but Devan’s taste in pets was less conventional. Find out what kind of animal she had growing up, and listen to her and Mason talk about weird pets.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Devan

Mason

Devan: Did you have normal pets growing up Mason, like a cat and a dog?

Mason: I had cats and dogs. I’ve got a bunny now, which is a little out of the ordinary, but not that far.

Devan: At least a bunny’s still huggable though. When I was growing up the only pet I ever had was pet turtles.

Mason: Really? Why did you have a turtle?

Devan: I just really liked turtles, and I thought they were really interesting. But it’s funny, I kept buying turtles and they kept crawling out of my garden and escaping to freedom, and I realized that turtles aren’t exactly a loving pet. It’s kind of a weird pet to have, you know?

Mason: Yeah, I mean, there’s just plenty of things that you keep in like cages and cases and whatnot that don’t do anything, like a spider. Why would you have a pet spider?

Devan: People have all sorts of scaly, creepy pets in tanks and aquariums, and it’s like, is that really a pet or is that decoration?

Mason: It’s more decoration. I think that’s an excellent way of putting it.

Devan: Even just having a fish in a fish bowl, I feel like that’s more to suit the feng shui of your house than something that you’re gonna love and play with.

Grammar Point

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Discussion

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When he was a kid, Mason had conventional pets, dogs and cats. Now he has a bunny, which is less common. But as Devan points out, you can still hug and pet a bunny. So it’s not really a weird pet.

Devan had turtles when she was growing up. She couldn’t cuddle with them, but she thought they were interesting. The turtles kept running away, though, so Devan thinks they weren’t really suited to be kept as pets.

Some people like to keep weird animals, like spiders, lizards, or snakes, as pets. Devan thinks that the point of having pets like these is just to look at them. So they’re more like decoration than pets.

What’s the weirdest pet you’ve ever had? Do you know anyone with a weird pet? Why do you think people like to keep animals like spiders and snakes?

Comments

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robloxaz

United States

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Vita5

Portugal

I love dog but I don’t have any pet at my home because my home is not space for them to running and go around.implantes dentarios All on 4 Implants

05:56 PM Nov 26 2009 |

ShakdoowW223

Åland Islands

I have seen many weired pets arround the world. This the best of them all. It has all the abilities and habits to be called the Helvetic Clinics and dental care in Budapest most Weird Pets of the world.

Howles1988

Albania

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La Princesse de la vie

Egypt

i don’t like keeping animals at all and so are my friends

for those weird pets , i think they are only kept for decoration but it depends on the people who are keeping them , i mean that maybe there’re just eager of them , that’s why they keep them at their homes .

julito

Argentina

Talking about turtles, is commonly known that turtles are slow. I used to had that idea also. While living in my cousing´s house, I had to share it with two permanent residents, a dog and a turtle. For one reason, the turtle hated dogs so much that was willing to bite the leg out of the dog. I saw the turtle running so fast after him that covered the distance of 10 meters in seconds. My God, that turtle was really a bully

Marcelolic

Brazil

I would never have such pet as a spider or snake…For instance,I have a big phobia of spiders and I think snakes are pretty disgusting :P So I'm as Mason,I prefer normal and cute pets who we can play…I have a comedic cat called Juca,he is much like me hehe

Tviksa

Russian Federation

Well, my friend had a big frog… She was awful and fulsome. Brrr..

personally, i think that traditional pets have much more advantages. playing with them is a perfect way of relaxing. besides, dog or cat can replace you a friend if you are lonely. they are the best pets for eldery people ahd kids

however its up to you to desade to buy weird animal or not

WhiteOrchid

Ukraine

Well, I personally think that people who keep weird pets like snakes, spiders, lions just lack self-confidence and want to look cool and extraordinary. Those who have fish aquariums definetely want to decorate their apartments and maybe to have the way of relaxation by watching fishes. This have nothing to do with pets, actually. For me, pets are those animals that can share with us our "joys and sorrows", those we communicate with and receive their understanding, those we exchange our affection and love with, those who are called a member of the family!

cutebaby1

Russian Federation

As for me the only pet I've ever had it's my cat! I love her very much. She is so huggable and I like to pet her very much. I don't really know why some people like to keep animals like spiders and snakes and I think these kinds of animals are not pets at all. They should live in the forest, deserts or whatnot. but not ot HOME!!

mozheh

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

to be honest ,regrdless the kinds of animals , i prefer not to keep animals at home especially for those who live in appartment moreover animals should be in nature no body like being in prison

kukuka

Ukraine

Judging by the lesson the weirdest pets i've ever had were fishes. I am pretty much surprised with the fact that fishes are considered unconventional pets. I personaly think they are the easiest to care for and thus they are prefered as pets. That's maybe because I don't need to hug pets, I have real persons for that stuff. Spiders and snakes are much different though. People who have spiders as pets are probably sick in the head.They need more medical care than the rest of us.

coralie2.0

Poland

I think that dogs are the best pets in the world

zoebaby

China

it caught on me when i watched the movie<hangover>,someone has the Lion as pet,i wonder how he gets long with that huge lion,which weired me out..but i gonna say everyone has their taste,we gotta respect…even though i never had a pet.