SBS Learn English: 에피소드 34 “반려동물 입양하기”
반려동물을 좋아하시나요? 반려동물에 대해 얘기 나누고 반려인들과 대화하는 영어표현을 배워봅니다. 또 동물을 입양하기 전에 반드시 알아야 할 세 가지 사항을 알아봅니다.
will help you speak, understand and connect in Australia –
This lesson suits intermediate learners. After listening, scroll down and test your knowledge with our quiz.
Learning notes
Language objective
Discussing pet ownership and describing pet behaviour.
Ways to talk about getting a pet
- I’m thinking about getting a furry friend.
- I’m a dog person.
- I’m a cat person.
- We’re still going back and forth on what to get.
- There are pros and cons to each pet.
- Cats are less demanding, but only affectionate up to a certain point.
- Dogs are loyal and affectionate but need more attention and exercise.
- That’s food for thought!
How to enquire about buying a pet
- I’d like to ask about the ad you posted about your new litter.
- Are the pups still available?
- He’s a cheeky little one but has a really good temperament.
Ways to talk about taking care of a pet
- He’s a very pampered pup!
- High maintenance, is he?
- Has he been demanding?
- He’s been quite clingy.
- We’re glad we took the leap!
- We’re trying to get him on a routine.
- We’re toilet training.
Vocabulary:
Pros and cons – good and bad things
Demanding – needs a lot of attention
Companion – a person or animal you can spend time with
Leash – a rope or cord for dogs
On-leash – when a dog wears a leash that is held by their owner
Off-leash – when a dog is not held by their owner with a leash can run freely
Breeder – a person who helps animals or plants reproduce
Litter – a group of young animals born at the same time to the same mother
Cheeky – someone who is playful or amusing
Temperament – a person’s or animal’s nature
Pampered – to be given too much attention
High maintenance – to be demanding a lot of attention
Clingy – emotionally dependent
Routine – a sequence of actions regularly followed
Rescue – a pet that has been placed in a new home after being abused, neglected, or abandoned by its previous owner
Forever home – the home that an adopted animal goes to live for the rest of its life
Colloquial expressions:
A furry friend is a pet that has fur, typically a dog or cat.
A cat person is a person who prefers cats over dogs.
A dog person is a person who prefers dogs over cats.
To mull something over means to think about it.
Something is food for thought if it makes you think.
To take the leap means to make a big change or make a big decision to do something.
Cultural information:
Many Australians treat their pets like members of the family. While they bring a lot of happiness to their owners, they also are a big commitment.
If you decide to get a pet, two common ways of getting one is through a registered breeder or through adoption.
Adoption agencies such as
can connect people to pets who need new homes and can often provide useful information about pets to their new owners.
