COURSE: CONVERSATION

CLASS 20

QUESTIONS:

 Are there animal rights groups where you live?

 Can you name some endangered species?
 Do you consider yourself an animal lover?
 Do you ever go bird watching?
 Do you ever talk to your pet? If so, what do you say?
 Do you have any pets?
o If not, would you like to have a pet?
o Have you ever had a pet?
 Do you know anyone who has a horse?
 Do you know someone who owns an unusual pet?
 Do you prefer dogs or cats?
 Do you think it is acceptable to test cosmetics on animals?
o How do you feel about the use of animals for medical research?
 Do you think it is okay to eat meat?
o Is there any kind of meat you would not eat?
 Do you think it is right to keep wild animals in a zoo?
 Do you think it's okay to free animals that have been in captivity all their lives? Why or why
not?
 Do you think people should buy and wear fur coats?
 Do you think that animals dream?
 Do your pets have special behavior problems?
o How do you deal with those problems?
 Have you ever been to a farm? What animals did you see there?
 Have you ever been to a horse race? Have you ever gambled on a horse race?
 Have you ever eaten rabbit meat?
 Have you ever ridden a horse? How about a camel?
 Have you ever seen a dog race?
 Have you ever seen a dog that helps people, such as one to help a blind person?
o If so, what did you notice about the dog?
o How do you think that dog was trained?
o Have you ever seen a "therapy dog?"
 If you could be an animal, what would you (choose to) be? Why?
 What are some popular pets?
 What are the most popular pets in your country?
 What are the pros and cons of keeping a pet?
 What can children learn by having a pet?
 What kind of pet would you like to have in the future?
 Do you think animals have souls?
 Would you want to see aggressive dogs muzzled or banned?

IDIOMS WITH ANIMALS: BIRD

 as free as a bird = free, without worries

 a bird in the hand is worth two in the bush = más vale pájaro en mano que cien volando
 the early bird catches the worm = al que madruga Dios lo ayuda
 birds of a feather flock together = Dios los cría y ellos se juntan
 to kill two birds with one stone = matar dos pájaros de un tiro
 to eat like a bird = eat very little
  an early bird = a person who arrives or gets up early
 a bird of ill omen = un pájaro de mal agüero
 a little bird told me something = expression used to say that you know something but you
will not say how you found out  = me contó un pajarito

Complete:
1.. Thomas is never late at work. He always arrives at 9 o'clock, I guess he really is
-
.

2. I need to go to the bank. I think I will also go to the post office on my way. I want to 
-
.

3. Sheila was offered a better salary at a new company, but she's afraid of changing. She said to me,
-
.

-
4. You are really ! Yesterday you said Paul was going to have an accident and
he was hit by a car! Unbelievable!

5. Tina and Mary are all the time together chatting about other people. You know the saying, 
-
.

-
6. Now that I retired, I feel .

 BULL

 a cock and bull story = an absurd and improbable story, used as an excuse or explanation =
un cuento chino
 to take the bull by the horns = face a difficulty boldly
 like a bull in a china shop = a rough and clumsy person
 like a red tag to a bull = likely to cause anger
 don't mess with the bull, you'll get the horns! = if you look for trouble, you'll find it

Complete
-
1. This is a difficult situation, be we will have to  .

-
2. She broke three glasses while she was washing them up. She's .

3. I don't believe you are late because you the bus driver forgot the way. That is
-
.
CAT

 curiosity killed the cat = it may be dangerous to be too curious

 to fight like cat and dog = to fight a lot
 has a cat got your tongue?
 to let the cat out of the bag = to reveal a secret carelessly
 like a cat on hot bricks = very nervous
 when the cat's away, the mice will play

 it's raining cats and dogs = it's raining a lot

 
Complete

-
1. The thief went away with all the money but he was   because
the police was after him.

-
2. Shh! This is a surprise, don't  .

-
3. Charles decided to go to work by car today because  .

4. You always want to know everything about other people. Be careful, 

-
.

5. When the boss isn't at his office, everyone stops working. It's true,
-
.
 

CHICKEN - HEN - STAG - COCK

 never count your chickens before they are hatched = no cantes victoria antes de tiempo
(lit. nunca cuentes tus pollos antes de que nazcan)
 to chicken out = to decide at the last moment not to do something because you are
afraid
 chicken pox = illness which causes fever and spots on your skin = varicela
 to behave like a hen mother = to be very protective
 a hen party = party for women only, usually the night before one of them gets married
 a stag party/night = party for men only, usually the night before one of them gets married

 Complete
-
1. As Louise is getting married, the girls are having on Saturday.
-
2. You didn't get that job yet, .

3. Come on, you said you wanted to go bungee jumping. Don't

-
now!
DOG

 a dog's life = constantly worried, troubled or miserable

 every dog has his day = everyone can succeed sooner or later
 to be like a dog with two tails = to be very happy
 to go to the dog = (an organization) become less eficient
 to work like a dog = to work a lot
 to treat somebody like a dog = to treat somebody with no respect at all
 barking dogs seldom bite = people who look aggressive are not really too bad
 you can't teach an old dog new tricks = it's difficult for an old person to change or do new
things

   Complete
-
1. I think you are very tired because you . Your shouldn't worry so much.
2. Grandpa doesn't like computers, he's not very interested in them either. You know what they say...
-

.
-

3. I'm poor and I have no job, but I don't care. I know that  .

4. Ellen works hard everyday and at weekends she has to take care of her family. She never goes
-

out, I think she has .

DUCK

 an ugly duckling = a person who at first seems unpromising but later becomes
admired
 like a duck to water = without fear, naturally
 a lame duck = a person/organization in trouble that needs help
 to duck a subject/question = to avoid a difficult or unpleasant subject/question

-
 1. He wasn't afraid at all, he jumped from the plane 

2. Tamara looks very pretty now! She wasn't that pretty some time ago. She's like
-
.

3. When the issue  was mentioned, and everyone wanted to know, Norbert 
-
.

 FISH

 like a fish out of water = strange, different to the rest = como sapo de otro pozo
 a big fish (in a little pond) = an important person (in a small comunity or a restricted
situation)
 an odd fish = an eccentric person
 to drink like a fish = to drink a lot of alcohol
 there are (plenty of) other fish in the sea = there are (many) other

Complete
-

1. John's brother is a bit of . He's never gone out of his house for years.
-

2. Being the only man here, I feel .

3. I know you love him, but he doesn't love you! Come on, don't worry,
-

 GOOSE

 not to say boo to a goose = to be very timid or gentle

 to get goose pimples/flesh = to get small raised spots on your skin when you are cold or
frightened
 HORSE

 to eat like a horse = to eat a lot

 to be/get on one's high horse = to act proudly, be arrogant
 to hold your horses = to do something more slowly
 never look a gift horse in the mouth = a caballo regalado no se le miran los dientes
 straight from the horse's mouth = from a reliable source = de buena fuente
 you can take a horse to water, but you can't make him drink = you can give a person the
chance to do something, but he may still refuse to do it
 a dark horse = someone mysterious, who doesn't tell others about himself, but has surprising
abilites or qualities

Complete
1. I know that he will not accept your suggestion. You know, 
-

2. If you don't like what Aunt Mollie gave you, don't say it. 
-

3. Did you know that Isabelle is going to be fired next week? I know it
-

.
PIG

 to make a pig of oneself = to eat a lot = comer en gran cantidad, darse un atracón
 a guinea pig = somebody used in a scientific test = un conejillo de las Indias
 to pig out = to eat a lot all at once 
 to sweat like a pig = to sweat a lot

RAT

 to smell a rat = to guess that something wrong is happening = oler a gato encerrado
 the rat race = competition to keep one's position in work/life
 like rats leaving/deserting the sinking ship = expression used to describe
people who leave a place when it is in trouble
 like a drowned rat = soaking wet and miserable

 Complete
1. Now that the company is about to go bankrupt all the shareholders are leaving, just
-
.

-
2. It was raining so hard that when Lisa arrived home, she looked .

3. Nobody wanted to tell me the news, but as soon as I entered the room I looked at their faces and I
-
said: 'I here'.
 SHEEP - LAMB - MUTTON
  a wolf in sheep's clothing = somebody who appears friendly or harmless but is really an
enemy
 the black sheep (of the family) = somebody regarded as a failure or embarrassment
 like a lamb (to the slaughter) = without realising that something dangerous is going to
happen
 as meek as a lamb = humble, obedient

 Complete
-
1.. Don't trust Rob. He looks good but I think he's .

2. Sharon and Carol are about to graduate, but Bob, our youngest son, isn't. He is
-
……………... studying for the moment. I think he is .
-
3. Ron is very good and obedient, he's really .

 OTHERS

 donkey's years = a very long time

 donkey-work = the hard part of a job
 to talk the hind legs off a donkey = to talk a lot
 a scapegoat = chivo expiatorio
 a red herring = something that attracts people's attention
 a white elephant = possession that is useless and expensive to maintain
 to have a frog in one's throat = to have a phlem
 to come out of one's shell = to become less shy
 to learn/say something parrot-fashion = to learn/say sth by heart, from memory
 to be a busy bee = to enjoy being busy or active
 to have a bee in one's bonnet (about something) = to be obsessed, mad with
something
 monkey business/tricks = dishonest or bad behaviour
 to have ants in one's pants = to be very restless
 to be packed like sardines = estar como sardinas enlatadas
 to shed crocodile tears = llorar lágrimas de cocodrilo
 to be like a bear with a sore head = be rude, in a bad mood