Views #825 | Low-Intermediate 4

Stray Cats Part 1

Fred, Katia and Todd discuss what should be done about the stray cats in their area.
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Todd: So, we're here... first of all, how about everybody introduce themselves.

Fred: OK. I'm Fred from Canada and it's a pleasure to be here.

Katia: Hello. I am Katerina. I'm from Mexico and I'm also very glad to be here.

Todd: Thanks guys. And then, I'm Todd. I'm from the U.S. Now for the listeners, we all live really close to each other and we live in a neighborhood, where I guess, all of our houses are probably within two or three minutes of each other.

Katia: Very close.

Todd: So, we thought we would talk about the neighborhood, and the first topic would be the stray cats.

Katia: Which are also are neighbors.

Todd: Right. First of all, how many stray cats do you think there are in the neighborhood?

Katia: At least at night, you see them all together, especially in one corner, and I see at least about six cats, at least, all together.

Fred: I would say much more than that.

Todd: Yeah, I would too actually. How many do you think?

Fred: I would go for maybe twenty of those around the neighborhood.

Katia: But this is just one corner.

Fred: OK, just one corner, so multiplied by four or five corners, yeah, twenty, twenty-five cats.

Todd: OK, so then, what do you guys think about the cats? Like should something be done about the cats? Should the people feed the cats?

Katia: I think especially for a lot of the elderly people that live here, I think for them it's very nice to have the cats around and they feed them and I think as long as they don't go into the trash, I think it's OK, but for me, I haven't seen any trash, and I don't think it would be a problem.

Todd: Well, you know, they break into my house. I don't know if they break into yours, but they're amazing. If I don't lock the windows, the sliding glass doors they pull the door open with their paw and they come in and they look through my trash and then they leave.

Fred: Those are very clever cats.

Todd: Yeah, I thought it was a raccoon. I thought I had a raccoon, and I went to talk to my landlady, and she's like, "No, that's just the cats."

Katia: I think you were just not feeding them.

Todd: Well, yeah, I guess that's it. Like, they're so hungry that they break into people's houses for food.

Katia: OK, I don't have that problem. I live on the third floor.

Todd: Oh, really.

Katia: So, maybe that's why.

Todd: Right.

Fred: I don't have that problem either, although I do live in a house similar to yours, Todd, where we live on the first floor and there is a lot of stray cats around the neighborhood but I've never had any problems of them breaking into the house.

Todd: Yeah, I don't know. They're pretty amazing. Like, I did not even know that cat's could break into a house, but they can.

Katia: Very smart cats.

Todd: Yeah. Or very hungry cats, as you said.

Katia: Or friendly cats. They want to visit.

Todd: Yeah, right.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

stray cats

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The first topic is stray cats

A 'stray' animal or pet has no home and lives on the street.  Notice the following:

  1. Stray dogs are a big problem in my city.
  2. There's a center for stray animals in my town.

this is just one corner

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This is just one corner multiplied by twenty-five.

When we talk about only one of many, we use the term 'this is just one'.  Notice the following:

  1. This is just one cat of hundreds.
  2. This is just one of many possible solutions.

nice to have around

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It's nice to have cats around.

When people or pets are 'nice to have around,' that means we enjoy being together with them.  Notice the following:

  1. I like having you around.
  2. It's nice to have the family around for special holidays.

landlady

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I talked to my landlady.

A 'landlady' is a woman who owns the house, condo or apartment we rent.  Notice the following:

  1. She's been a landlady for over 50 years.
  2. My landlady is very strict about the late payments.

I've never had any problems

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I've never had any problems of them.

We use the phrase 'I've never had any problems' with someone or something when our experience has always been positive.  Notice the following:

  1. I've never had any problems with him at work.
  2. Others are unhappy, but I've never had any problems.

Vocabulary Quiz

stray • just one • a dog around
landlady • any problems
  1. I will have to ask my if i can have a dog here for a few weeks.
  2. She gives food to the dogs.
  3. It makes her feel safer to have .
  4. This is of the millions of small streets in the city.
  5. I will allow you to do this, but I don't want .
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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