Unit 4. The pets

Task 1. Memorize the following words.

pet – кімнатна тварина

dog – собака

cat – кішка

parrot – папуга

gold fishes – золоті рибки

tortoise – черепаха

rabbit – кролик

hamster – хом’як

wolf – вовк

fox – лисиця

companion – товариш

bone – кістка

song – пісня

cage – клітка

ground – майданчик

to belong – належати

to enjoy – отримувати насолоду

to walk the dog – вигулювати собаку

to keep indoors – пускати в дім

to pat – гладити, пестити

to teach – вчити

to need – потребувати

to cover – покривати

to run about –

to hold – тримати

friendly – дружний

true – вірний

wild – дикий

proper – належний

soapy – мильний

tame – ручний

once – колись

it is necessary – необхідно

Task 2. Read and translate the word combinations.

the animals that are kept in the house to play with; keep as pets; such animals as; the most friendly of all pets; a gold companion; the dogs were wild once; the same family as; to take a proper care; give two good meals to the dog; enjoy bones; with warm soapy water; keep the cat indoors at night; eat out of the hand; when they are held by the ears.

Task 3. Read and translate the text.

The Pets

The pets are the animals that are kept in the house to play with; in England people keep as pets such animals as dogs, cats, parrots, gold fishes. The English children like to have tortoises, rabbits, hamsters and other animals as their pets.

The dog is the most friendly of all pets; it is a gold companion and true friend. All the dogs were wild once; they belonged to the same family as the wolf and the fox. People tamed the dogs; now they are very useful to man. It is necessary to take a proper care of the dog: to walk it every day and give it two good meals every day – the dogs enjoy bones very much. It is necessary to clean the dog and sometimes wash it with warm soapy water.

The cat enjoys milk and fish; it is necessary to give the cat a warm place at home and keep it indoors at night. Cats like when people pat them. The parrot is an interesting pet, too; people can teach it to talk and to sing songs.

The parrot is very tame; it can sit on the hand and eat out of it. The parrot needs a clean cage; at night it is necessary to cover the cage with a cloth.

The rabbit needs a good clean home and must have a little ground in which it can run about; rabbits like to eat vegetables. Rabbits do not like when they are held by the ears.

Task 4. Read the text and answer the questions.

The Sheep-Dog

There are many kinds of dogs, but the sheep-dog is the best friend that man has among the animals. It is called a sheep-dog because it can take care of the sheep.

The sheep-dog is very clever and can do many things that other dogs cannot. A sheep-dog lives with the shepherds who go out with the flocks. Often they live in the cabin with their master.

The sheep-dogs learn to know each of the sheep in the flock, though there are hundreds of them. In some parts of England the sheep graze on the hill sides where there are no walls or hedges around the pasture. If any of them run away from the flock, the dog starts off after them and soon brings them back. It is also clever enough to count sheep. If one is missing, the dog runs after it, looks everywhere until it finds the sheep. Some dogs learn to open and shut gates.

In winter when the snow lies deep on the ground the sheep-dog has a very hard life. Sometimes it saves the life of the sheep. It scratches away the snow and if it finds a sheep too cold and weak to walk, it runs to the shepherd and brings him to the sheep. Sometimes at night wolves attack the sheep and then the sheep-dog has to fight the wolves till the shepherd comes to his help.

The sheep-dog cannot talk, but it understands what his master says when he speaks.

Answer the questions:

1. What is the best friend of man among the animals?

2. Why is it called so?

3. Where do the sheep-dog live?

4. Is a sheep-dog clever? Prove it.

5. Where do the sheep graze in some parts of England?

6. What does a sheep-dog do if any of the sheep run away?

7. Can a sheep-dog count sheep?

8. What else can a sheep-dog do?

9. How do the sheep-dog save the life?

10. Can a sheep-dog understand its master when he speaks?

Task 5. Read the text and answer the questions.

The Cat

The cats were first tamed in Egypt. There are many kinds of cats today. People can make great friends with cats but they are never so loving as dogs. They are always a little more shy, and much more independent.

The cat has a coat of fur. It is very thick and warm. The cat has claws. It can pull the claws in or out. The claws are sharp.

The cat has whiskers. Its eyes are green and yellow. They can see in the dark and in the light. The light of the day is too strong for the cat’s eyes, and it often shuts them. But at night when there is only a little light, it opens its eyes very wide. When it is dark, mice come out of the holes to look for food, and the cat can see them and hunts for them. The cat wags its tail to show that it is angry.

A baby cat is called a kitten. In England children call their cats “kitty”.

Answer the questions:

1. Where were the cats first tamed?

2. Can people make friends with cats?

3. What are the cats like?

4. What is the cat’s fur like?

5. What are the cat’s claws like?

6. What are the cat’s eyes like?

7. What does the cat hunt for at night?

8. How is a baby cat called?

9. How do children call their cats in England?

Task 6. Read the text and answer the questions.