节目资讯
刊物:空中英语教室
日期:2012-12-11
难易度:Medium
关键字:chore, take something in account, confine, adoption, shed, animal shelter,
vet [veterinarian]
Hi, everybody.
Welcome to Studio Classroom Worldwide.
My name is Steve.
Thanks for taking time out of your busy schedule to study with us.
We appreciate that.
Now our VIEWPOINTS question this month is: Do you want a dog?
Now if you already own a dog, you might say:
That's an easy question.
Of course you want a dog.
Dogs are great animals.
Indeed, dogs are great animals, but that doesn't mean everyone is cut out to be
a dog owner.
In fact, there are dog owners today who will admit it was a mistake to get a
dog.
They saw the fun side of owning a dog but didn't consider all the time and work
involved.
Let's pick up Hannah and Carrie's conversation as they talk about this - the
responsibility of owning a dog - on page 23.
Do You Want a Dog?
But dogs are a lot of work, too.
Yes. Owning a dog isn't all fun and games.
Cleaning up after them - and keeping them clean - can be a chore.
I've heard some dogs shed a lot.
And some bark a lot and chew on your things.
True. They can really get into trouble.
I'll need to train my dog well!
I know it will take time and commitment.
And you need to take the dog's happiness into account.
You're not planning to get a big dog, are you?
(Music).
Hi, friends. Thank you for joining us.
My name is Ryan.
And my name is Kaylah.
Now we're back looking at our VIEWPOINTS article about owning a dog or not
owning a dog.
Now Ryan, yesterday we kind of agreed both Hannah and Carrie that there's a lot
of great things about having a dog.
Yeah. We saw really all of the wonderful reasons to own a dog.
They are fun, they make great companions or friends, and they can protect you if
you need to be defensive.
That's right.
They need to... they can defend you, and they help you not be so lonely.
But even more than that, dogs give you motivation to get outside, to work out to
be healthy people.
And they just make life happier when you see a cute, cuddly puppy.
Yeah, they are tons of fun.
And both Hannah and Carrie kind of agreed dogs are wonderful.
Today, though, we're going to see the other side of owning a dog.
Now Carrie is looking at getting at dog.
And she and Hannah are talking about the good and the bad.
Now Hannah is going to bring up our first point of how it can be negative.
Exactly.
Hannah says: Now Carrie, I know you want to own a dog, but dogs are a lot of
work, too.
Carrie says: Yes. Owning a dog isn't all fun and games.
This is an interesting English idiom.
Yeah. We use this phrase oftentimes to say that something is exciting.
If it's all fun and games, that means there's nothing wrong with it.
It's just fun.
That's right.
Now there's not very many things that are just all fun and games because usually
there can be a problem.
There can be some sort of difficulty.
Right.
So friends, we might use this phrase, "it's not all fun and games," to say that
it might look exciting at first,
but it's really a lot of work or there might be something wrong with it in the
background.
Now it is fun, and there are games involved, but that means that there is going
to be some sort of work, something you have to do to keep it going correctly.
OK. And Kaylah, what kind of work might be required for a dog?
Well, first of all, cleaning up after them - and keeping them clean - can be a
chore.
Exactly. Now it's often easy for us to forget dogs are messy and they make
messes everywhere.
Now when I had a dog, we would just let him go to the bathroom in the backyard.
And then my mom once a week would send my sisters or I outside with a plastic
bag, we need to go pick up all the piles of poop.
It was disgusting.
Eww. Now that's a real chore, right?
Oh. It's a chore that nobody wants.
Now your chore, a "chore" is a job or a piece of work that you have to do often
and is usually unpleasant.
It's not something you would like to do but needs to be done regularly.
Chores would be cleaning up after your dog, or washing the dishes, doing your
laundry, mowing the lawn, getting a haircut.
Or shaving can even be a chore.
Right. They're just small little jobs that you have to do.
And taking care of a dog usually involves a lot of chores.
That's right.
And you know, keeping them clean is a chore too.
Have you ever had a dog?
They find the biggest messes so easily.
Exactly. Now Hannah says: I've heard that some dogs shed a lot.
This is the thing I don't like about dogs.
But I had a dog that does not shed.
You can't find them.
Now shedding is gross.
Yeah. If something "sheds," that means that either hair or skin falls off of it,
and it can make a real mess.
That's right.
It's when the dog's hair comes off.
If you've ever held a dog, and then it's... had hair all over you is because it
was shedding.
Dogs or cats do this, and it's natural.
That doesn't mean that there's something wrong with them, but it does make a
mess.
Now you shed, too.
It's just... you usually brush your hair so you don't notice.
Exactly.
Now you usually, hopefully, don't make as much mess as a dog.
But some dogs, on top of shedding and making a mess, they'll bark a lot and chew
on your things.
I hate dogs that bark a lot.
Barking, we know, is the sound that a dog makes that loud warning sound, but it
can also be just extremely annoying.
It gets... you just don't like it anymore.
It's... (Backgroud Noise).
Yeah. Some dogs can be very noisy.
And I know, Kaylah, I've had problems not only with a noisy dog, but also one of
my dogs used to chew on everything.
What does it mean to chew?
"Chew" means that they have it in their mouth and they're biting it, and they're
usually destroying it.
If you think about a dog who steals shoes, they take your shoe, and you see them
on the floor.
And they got their teeth all wrapped around it, and it's covered in slime and
ugh... It's gross.
OK, so this is not very good.
And Carrie says: True. Dogs can really get into trouble.
I'll need to train my dog well.
Now to train means to teach them to behave correctly.
OK. Training takes a lot of time and commitment.
That means you're willing to continue doing it.
That's right. They don't learn quickly.
Hannah says: And you need to take the dog's happiness into account as well.
"To take something into account" means you consider or remember that... that
piece of information.
So you need to consider: Is the dog happy?
Exactly.
It's something you have to think about and make sure you plan for, make sure the
dog is still happy.
She asks a really good question here that a lot of us if you live in a small
neighborhood or an apartment, you need to think about this.
You're not getting a big dog, are you?
OK. So if you're thinking of getting a big dog, there might be even more
challenges.
And we'll talk about those challenges.
But first, we need to visit the Chat Room.
(Music).
Hey, guys, wait!
Come back.
Oh, there they go again.
What's the matter, Bryan?
These kids come to the library every day and check out about 25 books, put them
on the table and then just leave.
Oh, that's not very nice.
No. And I always end up picking up after them.
Picking up after them?
Did you just use two prepositions together?
Yeah, I guess I did.
I know what "pick up" means.
But what does "pick up after someone" mean?
It means to tidy a mess someone else has made.
I bet you and your wife have to pick up after your son sometimes.
Sometimes? I pick up after him almost every day!
Well, that's understandable for a four-year-old.
But high school kids like those should know better to clean up and put away
their things.
Hey, speaking of clean up, what's the difference between clean and clean up?
That's a great question, Ken.
Say, why don't we have Doris explain it for us.
OK.
We generally clean things that are dirty, and clean up things that are messy.
For example, if the files on your computer are disorganized, you will clean them
up.
If your floor hasn't been mopped in a few weeks, you would clean your floor to
remove the dirt.
OK. So we clean up a mess.
That's right.
And of course, dirty and messy have a lot of overlap in their meanings.
So naturally both clean and clean up could be used in many different
circumstances.
No wonder I hear people say both "clean" your room and "clean up" your room.
That's right.
Although "clean up" your room just means to put everything away so your room
looks more organized,
whereas "clean" your room might include something like dusting as well.
Got it.
Well, I'm sorry you have to clean up after those teenagers.
Hey, can I give you a hand?
No. Thanks, Ken.
That's my job.