General Listening Quiz

Listen to the recording on pet care and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Norman: Hey, neighbor. How’s it going?

Shawn: Fine. How about you?

Norman: Okay. Uh, by the way, my wife and I are going out of town this weekend, and I was wondering if you could take care of some of our animals while we’re gone. You know our dog, Jaws, don’t you?

Shawn: Yeah. My leg still hurts from the last incident.

Norman: Hey, he’s just a playful little beast.

Shawn: Right.

Norman: Hey, he likes to bark a little, and his bark is worse than his bite.

Shawn: Oh yeah.

Norman: Just feed him a can of dog food a day, and make sure he has plenty of water in his dish. [Oh] And then, take him for a walk around the block.

Shawn: Well, how about if I just throw a Frisbee over the fence to give him some exercise? Wouldn’t that work?

Norman: Ah, and then, he likes to watch the 3:00 soap opera on Channel 4 [What?] . . . and brush his teeth after you give him some doggie treats around 4:00.

Shawn: Man, you really pamper your dog.

Norman: And, then brush his fur [And?] for about twenty minutes. He tends to shed this time of year. [Ah, what?] And then scratch him around the ears. Otherwise, he feels neglected.

Shawn: Is that it?

Norman: Well, then there’s Claws.

Shawn: Claws? Who’s Claws.

Norman: Oh, he’s the cat we adopted from the animal shelter, but he’s a little temperamental.

Shawn: What do you mean “temperamental”?

Norman: Well, he has mood swings [Mood swings?], but he’s been doing better since he’s been going to the animal therapist.

Shawn: A therapist?

Norman: So, be sure to feed him a half cup of cat food two times a day [What? A therapist . . .], and don’t forget to put out (on) some soft classical [Classical?] music during his nap time at 2:40 p.m. But don’t let him out of the house because he might run away and chase the neighbor’s dog.

Shawn: You have some high-maintenance animals.

Norman: Not really. And, don’t forget to change the cat litter daily, or he might have an accident on the carpet. [Oh, great.] And finally, there’s Buttercup.

Shawn: Buttercup? Who’s Buttercu . . . ? I’m afraid to ask.

Norman: Ah, she’s a sweetie [What?] . . . if you know how to handle her right. [Oh, great.] Wait. Let me get her for you. Here you are.

Shawn: That’s . . . That’s a snake . . .[Hold her.] That’s a big snake with big fangs. Does the snake go to a therapist, too?

Norman: Of course not . . . just an anger-management class.

Shawn: Oh! What?

Norman: I’m joking. [Oh . . . ] Buttercup is a very [No, I don’t think . . .] docile creature, and she never bites anyone she likes. If she doesn’t, you’ll know because she’ll start hissing and staring at you . . . . kind of like what she’s doing now.

Shawn: Well, I’m leaving. You must be going out of your mind to think I’m going to watch a zoo full of misunderstood animals. You’d better hire some professional help ’cause I wouldn’t watch them even if you paid me a million dollars.

• incident (noun): a situation that occurs, sometimes serious 
  – There was an incident today involving a dog biting a young boy.
• bark (verb; also noun): making the sound of a dog 
  – The neighbor’s dog barked all night, and I couldn’t get any sleep.
• pamper (verb): treat a person or an animal in a special way 
  – My parents really pamper their dog by allowing it to sleep on their bed and watch TV.
• adopt (verb): take into one’s family 
  – Adopting a dog from an animal shelter is one way to save the lives of unwanted pets.
• temperamental (adjective): changing feelings or moods 
  – My brother can be a little temperamental at times, so try to be understanding.
• handle (verb): take care of, hold or touch with your hands 
  – Please handle the lizard with care. It is a very delicate creature.
• fangs (noun): long sharp teeth from an animal such as a snake 
  – If a rattlesnake bites you, and its fangs break your skin, you should seek medical attention immediately.
• docile (adjective): easy to work with or handle 
  – Although a rat looks like a scary creature, it is a very docile animal.
• go out of your mind: go crazy 
  – She’s been going out of her mind ever since her cat was hit by a car.