Hi, I'm Georgiana, your English teacher.
Thanks for joining me for a new episode of the Speak English Now podcast.
If you want to help, please share the podcast on social media.
That would mean a lot.
Thanks.
Before we start, visit my website, speakenglishpodcast.com and subscribe to my free mini course.
In the next five days, you will discover how to enhance your English fluency.
Okay, let's start.
In today's lesson, you'll learn how to talk about pets.
And if you're a dog or cat owner, you'll find out what to do before bringing them to the vet.
And right after that, you'll practice your English speaking with a funny mini-story.
Before I start, I'd like to thank everyone who follows me on iTunes, YouTube, Facebook, Spotify.
Thank you very much for your support and for all your positive reviews.
Every time you share your honest opinion, you're in fact helping others to discover a more effective and enjoyable way of learning English.
Do you have a pet?
I'm proud to own a beautiful white female dog.
When she was younger, she used to be incredibly active and playful, but now sadly, she's getting older, so she needs to see a vet more often than before.
Whenever we want to know more about pets, we usually ask about their breed.
The word breed has several meanings.
For example, if I say that my dog is a white Swiss Shepherd, then I'm talking about her breed, which reveals the type of dog she is and her origins.
The breed of an animal indicates its average height, its type of coat and can even give us a little insight into its personality.
We also use the word breed differently.
For instance, people who raise animals are called breeders.
Since we're talking about pets, I want to point something out.
Many students have asked me if they had to use the pronoun it when talking about animals.
I just wanted to say that it's not always a rule you have to follow.
If you already know the gender of the animal, you can use she or he, just like when you're talking about people.
The connection between you and your pet is usually a special one, and the more time you spend with them, the stronger the bond between the two becomes.
You rejoice when you see them playing and running, but you also suffer when their health is at risk.
Taking our pets to the vet for a routine checkup or health problem can be a very hard time because of how much we love them.
To make it easier, every time I take my dog to the vet, I usually prepare things in advance.
In these stressful circumstances, it's really vital that your animal remains as relaxed and stress-free as possible.
Every time I take my dog to the vet, I try to stay relaxed, otherwise she'll feel like she's in trouble.
Most pets, and especially dogs and cats, have all the time in the world to observe us.
They establish certain routines.
Therefore, it's easy for them to sense when something different is going on.
And since my dog can anticipate my actions, I had to learn to trick her over the years.
Therefore, before going to the vet, I take her for a long walk, and after that I give her some treats.
I've noticed that she can cope much better with stressful situations after getting some exercise.
I also learned that it's essential to schedule an appointment with the vet as soon as possible and, above all, to get there on time.
Whenever I arrive at the clinic, I take my dog directly to the examination room.
If she has to spend too much time in the waiting room, she can get nervous or anxious.
When you get to the vet, remember to bring a copy of your pet's medical records, especially if it's your first visit.
The veterinarian will need to learn a little more about your pet and like that, you won't have to remember every detail about your pet's medical history and vaccines.
I know it's easier said than done, especially if your pet is sick and you're worried about it.
But, as I said before, your pet may sense your fear or anxiety.
So unless you want him or her to get agitated, try to stay calm during your visit and act as natural as possible.
On the other hand, sometimes you may feel completely overwhelmed with the visit and may not be able to pay attention to all the details or remember everything the vet told you.
My advice is to call the vet right after you get home to make sure you haven't missed any critical piece of information.
I assure you that you'll feel much better after making that call.
At times, going to the vet can be traumatic and unfortunately I'm speaking from experience.
I've had another dog not too long ago and in one occasion he's had an infection near his brain.
In those critical circumstances, it was impossible for me to stay calm.
I remember calling the vet in the middle of the night and not being able to say anything for more than two minutes.
I panicked because in only a few hours his head became swollen and he was lying on the floor with a high fever.
That night I took him to the animal hospital, where he was immediately hospitalized.
He stayed in the hospital for several days.
The first day he was prepared for surgery, and after the procedure he needed intensive care.
When he was finally discharged, i took him home and gave him the necessary medicines to help him get well.
The good news is that he became healthy again, but I'll never forget this horrible moment that seemed to last for all eternity.
It goes without saying that owning a pet makes us vulnerable.
They are just like children, but sometimes even more fragile.
Going to the vet with our pets isn't always easy, but fortunately, most of the time it's just for a routine checkup.
I truly hope that you're enjoying yourself.
Let's move on to the next section.
Since today it's all about pets, I wanted to share with you a fragment of the unit Nona included in the Speak English Now fluency course.
By the way, Nona is a very special dog.
You'll see.
But first of all, let's see how a mini story works.
I'll start by giving you some information, a phrase or two, and then I'll ask simple questions.
After each question, there will be some seconds of silence.
Now it's your turn to answer the question.
Just try to give an easy and a short answer, not a complex one.
And after you answer, I'll give you a correct answer.
This process will continue, and I'll gradually tell you a story with questions and answers.
Let's get started.
There's a dog called Nona.
Is there a dog or a cat?
A dog.
There's a dog.
Is there a cat?
No, there isn't a cat.
There's a dog.
Is there a bird?
No, there isn't a bird.
There's a dog.
A very special dog.
The dog's name is Nona and she's four years old.
What's the name of the dog?
Nona.
Her name's Nona.
How old is Nona?
4.
Nona is 4 years old.
Not 3 or 5.
4 years old.
Is Nona male or female?
Female.
She's a female dog.
Nona is special because she can speak 23 languages.
Is Nona normal?
No.
Nona isn't a normal dog.
She's definitely special.
Why is Nona special?
Because she can speak 23 languages.
Whoa!
What an amazing dog!
How many languages does Nona know?
23.
She can speak 23 languages.
Can Nona speak 24 languages?
Almost.
She can speak 23 languages.
Nona's learning two new foreign languages.
How many new languages is Nona learning?
2.
Nona is currently learning two new foreign languages.
She wakes up very early to do yoga.
Does Nona wake up late?
No, she doesn't wake up late.
She wakes up very early.
What does Nona wake up early for?
What for?
Nona wakes up early to do yoga, a special type of yoga called yoga for dogs.
What type of yoga does Nona practice?
Yoga for dogs.
She practices yoga for dogs.
It's a special type of yoga designed by dogs for dogs.
Nona really likes yoga in the mornings.
Does Nona hate yoga in the mornings?
No, no.
Nona really likes yoga in the mornings.
In fact, she loves it.
What does Nona like doing in the mornings?
Yoga.
Nona, our friend, likes doing yoga in the mornings.
By the way, do you know what's Nona's favorite yoga pose?
The dog pose.
Nona's favorite pose is the dog pose, of course.
Nona says that yoga is good for calming your mind.
Does Nona say it's good for sleeping better?
No, she doesn't say that.
Nona says that yoga is good to calm your mind.
When Nona finishes a yoga session, she always says, I feel fantastic and energetic.
Using the dog's language, of course.
What does Nona say when she finishes a yoga session?
She says, I feel fantastic and energetic.
In which language does Nona say that?
In the dog's language.
She's using the language of dogs, although she could say it in 22 other languages.
Great!
This is the end of this short exercise.
As you can see, answering many simple questions can improve your speaking, just like in a real-life conversation.
Today, you've only seen a small example of how the question and answer technique works.
Do you want to unlock this full potential?
I have a huge announcement.
A new course is now available to help you with your pronunciation.
And it's for all levels.
Visit pronunciation course dot com and get it now for a special price.
I repeat pronunciation course dot com.
