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ANIMALS (NEW TOPIC)

1. What wild animal do you like most?

Model Answer 1:

My favourite wild animal is the Bengal tiger, one of the species of big cats. I like it a lot not only because of its exquisite stripes fur, but also because of its extraordinary stamina.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ exquisite - very beautiful and delicate

§ stripes - a strip on the surface of something that is a different color from the surrounding surface

§ stamina - the physical and/or mental strength to do something that might be difficult and will take a long time

Model Answer 2:

I love Pandas the most because they’re so cute. You know, I find their gestures similar to ours. When they eat, they handle their food with considerable dexterity and they resemble the way we sit on the floor. These really make them adorable.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ gesture - a movement of the hands, arms, or head, etc. to express an idea or feeling

§ considerable - large or of noticeable importance

§ dexterity - the ability to perform a difficult action quickly and skillfully with the hands

§ resemble - to look like or be like someone or something

§ adorable - used to describe someone or something that makes you love or like them, usually because they are attractive and often small

2. Have you ever seen any wild animals before?

Model Answer 1:

Well, yes I have. I’ve already seen the Golden snub-nosed monkey when my friends and I went to a mountainous forest in Southwestern China. It has long golden-brown guard hair on its back and its nose is unique because it doesn’t have protruding nasal bones.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ Golden snub-nosed monkey - an Old World monkey that’s endemic to a small area in temperate, mountainous forests of central and Southwest China

§ protrude - to stick out from or through something

§ nasal - related to the nose

Model Answer 2:

Honestly, no, but I really want to see the Clouded leopard because I heard that they can do unimaginable things. People say they’re very good at swimming and can even safely down climb in a headfirst posture, much like a common squirrel. Well, I want to see them all for myself.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ Clouded leopard - a wild cat occurring from the Himalayan foothills through mainland Southeast Asia into China

§ unimaginable - difficult to imagine, especially because of being very unlikely or very undesirable

§ headfirst - with your head in front of the rest of your body while you move forward

§ posture - a position of the body, or the way in which someone holds the body when standing, sitting, or walking

3. Do you like to go to the zoo?

Model Answer 1:

Of course! I love going to the zoo because it’s a living museum. You know, I have an inherent desire to explore and the zoo is a perfect place to satisfy my curiosity. There are exotic animals there and I can learn about their physical features and characteristics as well as their habitat.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ inherent - existing as a natural or basic part of something

§ exotic - unusual and specially interesting because of coming from a country that is far away

§ habitat - the natural environment in which an animal or plant usually lives

Model Answer 2:

Quite frankly, I don’t. I hate that animals are caged when they should live freely in a jungle. They deserve to be with their own families and in their respective homes. Zoos only serve as entertainment for humans, which comes at the cost of keeping innocent animals. And that doesn’t entertain me at all.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ caged - to put or keep birds or animals in a cage

§ jungle - a tropical forest in which trees and plants grow very closely together

§ respective - relating or belonging to each of the separate people or things you have just mentioned

§ innocent - free from guilt or sin especially through lack of knowledge of evil

4. Have you ever kept pets?

Model Answer 1:

Yes, I had a pet dog when I was a child. The breed was Shih Tzu and her name was Choco, but she died early. She was affectionate, gentle, and loyal. I just miss how she tottered at my heels and slept on my lap before.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ breed - a particular type of animal or plant

§ affectionate - showing feelings of liking or love

§ tottered - to move unsteadily

Model Answer 2:

No, I haven’t had a pet before because my mom is allergic to animal fur. However, now that I’m living alone in an apartment, I’m planning to have a Pekingese dog because I love its golden coat of fur and its trait being as brave as a lion and cheerful as a bright summer day.

Useful Vocabulary:

§ allergic - having an allergy

§ Pekingese - is a breed of toy dog, originating in China

§ trait - a particular characteristic that can produce a particular type of behaviour