Learn to talk about the secrets of animal life

Unit 6 Nature Araund Us

6.4 Learn to talk about the secrets of animal life

1. Look and say what animals you can see in the school nature corner.

E x a m p l e: I can see goldfish in the school nature corner.

2. Listen and repeat. Say what animal(s) you have at home.

MY PARENTS SENT ME TO THE STORE

My parents sent me to the store

To buy a loaf of bread.

I came home with

And a parrot instead.

I came home with a guinea pig,

A hamster and a cat,

A turtle and a lizard

And a friendly little rat.

They barked and yelped and hissed

And chased my family out the door.

My parents never let me

Do the shopping anymore.

(By Kenn Nesbitt)

/e/ bread, instead, when, went, yelped, never, let, anymore.

/p/ parents, puppy, parrot, pig

3. Look, match and say where these animals live.

A wild animal/the jungle;

A domestic animal/a farm.

A pet/home;

Goldfish/a fishbowl;

E x a m p l e: The boy has a pet at home. It is a puppy.

4. Think and say:

– what animals you have seen in the zoo;

– what animal is your perfect pet;

– where to get information about wild and domestic animals.

E x a m p l e: I have been to the zoo many times. I have seen many wild animals there, for example, elephants, lions, tigers

5. Listen and role-play.

NATURE THROUGH A MAGNIFYING GLASS

Taras: I say, Oksana, you’ve got a cat at home if I’m not mistaken, right?

Oksana: Right. It’s Kitty, my perfect pet. Why do you ask?

Taras: I am wondering if you have ever seen her tongue.

Oksana: Sure, I have.

Taras: But have you seen it through a magnifying glass?

Oksana: No, I haven’t. Why?

Taras: Here in this picture you can see a cat’s tongue through a magnifying glass. It is rough and has many spikes*. The spikes look like the teeth of a comb.

Oksana: Ah, now I understand. Kitty uses her tongue to brush and comb her fur. That is one of her little secrets. Where did you get the picture, I wonder?

Taras: On the National Geographic Kids website. You can see a lot about wild and domestic animals there as if through a magnifying glass. I was exploring the Tropical Rain Forest the whole evening yesterday.

Oksana: What is a Tropical Rain Forest? Where is it? What animals live there?

Taras: Not so many questions at once, please, Oksana. Firstly, A Tropical Rain Forest is the same as the jungle. Do you remember Mowgli?

Oksana: Sure. I’ve read “The Jungle Book” by Kipling.

Taras: That’s right. Now, let’s look at the map…

Remember!

The spikes Look like the teeth of a comb.

You can see a lot about wild and domestic animals there As if through a magnifying glass.

6. Let’s play the ‘grammar comparison’ game. Use the box.

E x a m p l e: A: dog/puppy

B: Look at this dog. It is so small!

C: It looks like a puppy.

7. Complete the sentences as in the pattern.

Pattern: _______________ as if through a magnifying glass. → You can see a lot about animals as if through a magnifying glass.

1._____________as___ if with a comb. →

2. ____________as___ if in the jungle. →

3. ____________as___ if in the zoo. →

4. __________as___ if in the river. →

5. __________as___ if in the forest. →

6.__________as____ if in a fairytale. →

8. Talk with your friend about the secrets of animal life.

On Your Own. Draw an animal you know and write something special about it.

E x a m p l e: This is a cat. A cat’s tongue is rough and has many spikes. The spikes look like the teeth of a comb. The cat uses its tongue to brush and comb its fur. That is one of its little secrets.

9. Read and say who is a perfect pet for the boy.

A PERFECT PET FOR HARRY

Harry longed for a pet of his own, a perfect pet. But he wanted something a little different from the usual pet. Hamsters, goldfish and guinea pigs were all very well, but lots of people had those.

Harry’s mum said she didn’t want him to have one of those hairy spiders or a horrible lizard. The boy didn’t want them either. His dad thought that a dog was a good option. But Harry didn’t want a dog.

While he was playing in the garden one morning, he saw something brown and prickly* among the leaves. It was moving towards the boy. “Hello,” said Harry to the little hedgehog. “Have you come to play?” He felt the hedgehog would make the perfect pet. He called him Spike.

Spike wasn’t a very exciting pet at all. The little hedgehog didn’t want to play with balls of wool like kittens do and run inside little wheels like hamsters. Harry was a little upset.

Then one evening, Harry’s dad brought home a wonderful surprise. “This is Spike-2,” he said. And from under his jacket, a puppy’s head appeared. Harry hugged him and somehow he knew that Spike-2 was the perfect pet at last.

(After Maureen Vincent-Northam)

10. Read and choose the correct answer.

1. What pet did Harry want to have?

A) a usual pet; b) an unusual pet; c) no pet at all.

2. Where did the boy find his first pet?

A) in the garden; b) in the pet shop; c) in the zoo.

4. What animal was it?

A) a lizard; b) a spider; c) a hedgehog.

5. What did Harry’s pet NOT want to do? a) to eat; b) to play; c) to sleep.

6. Who brought Harry his pet-2?

A) his dad; b) his mum; c) his neighbour.

7. How did Harry feel about the puppy?

A) He was upset. b) He was indifferent. c) He was happy.

11. Act as Harry and describe your perfect pet. Use:

To long for a perfect pet;

To want something different;

To be a very exciting pet;

To bring a wonderful surprise;

To hug somebody.

12. Tell your friends about your perfect pet. Use:

I have always longed for… . I wanted something a little different from… .

My mum said… . My dad thought… . One day… brought home… .

It was… . I called… . Somehow I knew… . We often… .

13. Write questions about the secrets of animal life to the National Geographic Kids website. Begin with:

My name is… . I am interested in… . I wonder…

Do it Yourself! Draw a picture for “The Jungle Book” by R. Kipling and label the animals.