The relationship between humans and animals is complex. We can find our best friends in them while we can be their worst enemy. Our activities encourage students to learn about animals and care about their wellbeing and protection while they continue improving their English. Our B2 First and C1 Advanced students will read some interesting facts about cats and dogs. Our B1 Preliminary and B2 First students can practise their reading skills to find the perfect pet / owner match. The younger ones will learn some fun information about a fascinating animal. Happy teaching!

1. 1
April
The relationship between humans and animals is complex. We can find our best friends in
them while we can be their worst enemy. Our activities encourage students to learn about
animals and care about their wellbeing and protection while they continue improving their
English. Our B2 First and C1 Advanced students will read some interesting facts about cats
and dogs. Our B1 Preliminary and B2 First students can practise their reading skills to find the
perfect pet / owner match. The younger ones will learn some fun information about a
fascinating animal. Happy teaching!
1. Best friends?.....................................................................................................................................2
2. Perfect match ...................................................................................................................................7
3. Eagle-eyed learners ......................................................................................................................11
4. References......................................................................................................................................14

2. 2
1. Best friends?
Level: B2 First / C1 Advanced
Skills: speaking and reading
Interaction: whole class, paired and individual activity
Time: 35 minutes
Warm up (10’) – whole class activity
• Have you got a pet? Why (not)?
• If so, what pet do you have? Why?
• What are the advantages and disadvantages of having a pet?
• Can you complete this sentence? If a stranger harms you, your dog will…
• Can you complete this sentence? If a stranger harms you, your cat will…
• Are your answers similar or different depending on whether you are talking about a cat
or dog? Why?
• Look at these statements and decide if they are either accurate or stereotypical (or
both) representations of cats and dogs.
 Dogs are loving and loyal.
 Cats are aloof and indifferent.
 Cats are very clean.
 Dogs have learned to mimic the expressions of infants.
Reading (10’) – individual activity
You are going to read an article. Five paragraphs have been removed from the article. Choose
from the paragraphs A-E the one which fits each gap (1-4). There is one extra paragraph you
do not need to use.

3. 3
IF A STRANGER HARMS YOU, YOUR DOG WILL NOT LOOK KINDLY UPON
THEM. BUT YOUR CAT WON’T REACT THE SAME WAY. HERE’S WHY.
There’s an old stereotype about the difference
between cats and dogs. Dogs are loving and
fiercely loyal, they say, while cats are aloof and
indifferent. Most cat people probably disagree –
I certainly find it hard to believe, with my cat
purring away in my lap, that she doesn’t care
about me.
Overall, cat cognition research suggests cats
do form emotional bonds with their humans.
Cats seem to experience separation anxiety,
are more responsive to their owners’
voices than to strangers’ and look for
reassurance from their owners in scary
situations.
1.
In the experiment, a cat watched as her owner
tried to open a box to get at something inside.
Two strangers sat on either side of the owner
and the owner turned to one of them and asked
for help. In “helper” trials, the stranger helped
the owner to open the box. In “non-helper” trials,
the stranger refused. The other stranger sat
passively, doing nothing.
Then, both strangers offered the cat a treat,
and the scientists watched to see which the cat
approached first. Did she prefer to take food
from a helper over a passive bystander? This
would indicate a positivity bias, showing the
helpful interaction made the cat feel more
warmly towards the stranger. Or did she avoid
taking food from the non-helper? This negativity
bias might mean the cat felt distrustful.
2.
What should we take from this? A tempting
conclusion would be that cats are selfish and
couldn’t care less how their humans are
treated. Although this might fit with our
preconceptions about cats, it’s an example of
anthropomorphic bias. It involves interpreting
cats’ behaviour as though they were furry little
humans, rather than creatures with their own
distinctive ways of thinking.
3.
Although cats are able to pick up on some
human social cues – they can follow human
pointing and are sensitive to human emotions –
they’re probably less tuned in to our social
relationships than dogs are.
Cats were domesticated more recently, and
have been changed by domestication far less
than dogs. While dogs are descended from
social pack animals, cats’ ancestors were
largely solitary hunters. Domestication has
probably heightened dogs’ existing social skills,
but it may not have done the same for cats, who
were less socially aware to begin with. So we
shouldn’t be too quick to conclude that our cats
don’t care if people are mean to us. What’s
more likely is that they just can’t tell.
4.
But whatever studies reveal, we should avoid
letting preconceptions or anthropomorphism
drive our interpretation of cats’ behaviour.
Before we judge our feline friends to be
indifferent or selfish, we should first try to look
at the world through their eyes.

4. 4
A. When this method was used to test dogs, they showed a clear negativity bias. The
dogs preferred not to take food from a stranger who refused help to their owner. In
contrast, the cats in the new study were completely indifferent. They showed no
preference for the helpful person and no avoidance of the unhelpful person.
Apparently, as far as cats are concerned, food is food.
B. Despite their popularity, we still know relatively little about how cats think. Future
research might show cats’ understanding of humans is even more limited than we
currently realise. Alternatively, it might turn out that cats are better able to recognise
human social dynamics in different contexts.
C. To really understand cats, we have to get out of this human-centred mindset and think
of them as cats. When we do, what seems most likely isn’t that the cats in this study
were selfish, but they weren’t able to pick up on the social interactions between the
humans. They weren’t aware that some of the strangers were being unhelpful.
D. But a new study, by researchers in Japan, complicates the picture of our relationship
with cats. Adapting a method previously used to study dogs, the researchers found
cats – unlike dogs – don’t avoid strangers who refuse to help their owners.
E. “Mostly, it’s just human misunderstanding of the species,” says Karen Hiestand, a vet
and trustee of International Cat Care. “Dogs and humans are very similar and have
lived together a long time. In a way it has been co-evolution. With cats, it is way more
recent. They come from a solitary ancestor that isn’t a social species.”
Adapted from Boyle (2021) and Dowling (2020).
Follow up (15’) – in pairs
• Are your answers the same? What parts of the text helped you identify the correct
answer?
• Can you explain the following words and phrases?
o positivity / negativity bias
o tuned in to our social relationships
o look at the world through someone’s eyes
• Has your opinion of dogs and cats changed after reading this article? Why (not)?
• Were you surprised by some of the facts / information included in the article? Why
(not)?
• Do you think it is necessary to invest in this type of research? Why (not)?

5. 5
KEY
1. D
2. A
3. C
4. B
IF A STRANGER HARMS YOU, YOUR DOG WILL NOT LOOK KINDLY UPON
THEM. BUT YOUR CAT WON’T REACT THE SAME WAY. HERE’S WHY.
There’s an old stereotype about the
difference between cats and dogs. Dogs
are loving and fiercely loyal, they say, while
cats are aloof and indifferent. Most cat
people probably disagree – I certainly find
it hard to believe, with my cat purring away
in my lap, that she doesn’t care about me.
Overall, cat cognition research suggests
cats do form emotional bonds with their
humans. Cats seem to experience
separation anxiety, are more responsive to
their owners’ voices than to strangers’
and look for reassurance from their owners
in scary situations.
1. But a new study, by researchers in
Japan, complicates the picture of our
relationship with cats. Adapting a
method previously used to study dogs, the
researchers found cats – unlike dogs –
don’t avoid strangers who refuse to help
their owners.
In the experiment, a cat watched as her
owner tried to open a box to get at
something inside. Two strangers sat on
either side of the owner and the owner
turned to one of them and asked for help.
In “helper” trials, the stranger helped the
owner to open the box. In “non-helper”
trials, the stranger refused. The other
stranger sat passively, doing nothing.
Then, both strangers offered the cat a treat,
and the scientists watched to see which the
cat approached first. Did she prefer to take
food from a helper over a passive
bystander? This would indicate a positivity
bias, showing the helpful interaction made
the cat feel more warmly towards the
stranger. Or did she avoid taking food from
the non-helper? This negativity bias might
mean the cat felt distrustful.
2. When this method was used to test
dogs, they showed a clear negativity bias.
The dogs preferred not to take food from a
stranger who refused help to their owner. In
contrast, the cats in the new study were
completely indifferent. They showed no
preference for the helpful person and no
avoidance of the unhelpful person.
Apparently, as far as cats are concerned,
food is food.
What should we take from this? A
tempting conclusion would be that cats
are selfish and couldn’t care less how their
humans are treated. Although this might fit
with our preconceptions about cats, it’s an
example of anthropomorphic bias. It
involves interpreting cats’ behaviour as
though they were furry little humans, rather
than creatures with their own distinctive
ways of thinking.
3. To really understand cats, we have to
get out of this human-centred mindset and
think of them as cats. When we do, what
seems most likely isn’t that the cats in this
study were selfish, but they weren’t able to
pick up on the social interactions between
the humans. They weren’t aware that some
of the strangers were being unhelpful.
Although cats are able to pick up on some
human social cues – they can follow
human pointing and are sensitive to human
emotions – they’re probably less tuned in to
our social relationships than dogs are.

6. 6
Cats were domesticated more recently,
and have been changed by domestication
far less than dogs. While dogs are
descended from social pack animals, cats’
ancestors were largely solitary hunters.
Domestication has probably heightened
dogs’ existing social skills, but it may not
have done the same for cats, who were
less socially aware to begin with. So we
shouldn’t be too quick to conclude that our
cats don’t care if people are mean to us.
What’s more likely is that they just can’t
tell.
4. Despite their popularity, we still know
relatively little about how cats think.
Future research might show cats’
understanding of humans is even more
limited than we currently realise.
Alternatively, it might turn out that cats are
better able to recognise human social
dynamics in different contexts.
But whatever studies reveal, we should
avoid letting preconceptions or
anthropomorphism drive our interpretation
of cats’ behaviour. Before we judge our
feline friends to be indifferent or selfish, we
should first try to look at the world through
their eyes.

7. 7
2. Perfect match
Level: B1 Preliminary / B2 First
Skills: reading and speaking
Interaction: whole class, individual and paired activity
Time: 40 minutes
Warm up (15’) – whole class
• Do you have a pet? Why (not)?
• What are the main advantages and disadvantages of having a dog? Is it different to
having other pets such as a cat or a bird? Why (not)?
• Would you like to have a pet in the future? Why (not)?
Reading (15’) – individual activity / in pairs
These people are thinking of adopting a pet. Their lifestyles and interests are different.
Decide which pet would be the most suitable for the people below:
Charlotte, Tim and their seven-year-old twins are looking for a pet. The twins love dogs.
Charlotte and Tim both have demanding jobs, which together with the kids leave them little
free time. Charlotte and Tim think that the children should have some responsibilities and are
happy to adopt a pet that the twins can take care of. They live in a small flat full of glass figures
and expensive decoration.
Pamela has always had cats and dogs and is totally against having animals in cages. She
retired recently and lives on her own in a flat in Glasgow. She loves meeting up with friends
and going to museums but she would like to have a pet. She has considered adopting a dog
or a cat several times but feels it is unfair for them to be alone when she is out.
Robert lives with his partner in a terraced house near London. He works from home and when
he finishes his day he enjoys running in a big park near his place. His partner has to commute
to work every day and gets home quite late. Robert usually feels quite lonely and would like a
furry buddy to do exercise with.
Thomas is 70. He has never had a pet but since his wife died he would like to have a small
pet that is easy to take care of for an inexperienced adopter. He lives in a small flat in the city
but misses the colours and the sounds of the countryside.
Nikki and Will have a three-year-old sausage dog. Since lockdown they have worked from
home. Their dog is now used to being with them all the time and they are worried about how
she may feel when they go back to the office in September. They are looking for a young dog
who can become Sasha’s best friend.

8. 8
Nacho and Candy:
Nacho and Candy are chihuahua mixes. They are both six years old.
They were surrendered by extended family when their elderly owner died.
They are quite territorial of their space and are slightly overweight so they need
to go on a diet and do exercise.
They have low-medium energy levels, they love walks but are also happy to laze around.
Their adopter should have experience with reactive, aggressive and/or nervous dogs. S/he must live
in a house and should have a separate and secure space when there are visitors. They shouldn’t
spend more than eight hours alone a day.
Jade:
Jade is a two-year-old pit bull terrier mix. He has a healthy weight
(around 30 kg.). She was brought to our shelter when she was found as a
local stray. She cannot live in apartments or busy cities and she needs a quiet neighbourhood without
many dogs around. She shouldn’t spend more than six hours alone a day. She has medium energy,
she enjoys playing with toys, walks and running. She can pull strongly on a leash although she
typically walks well if there are no animals around. She is quite shy at first but warms up quickly and
is very cuddly and playful.
Luna:
Loving, playful, and of course mischievous; this baby is your typical happy pup!
She is looking for a home with families prepared for puppies. This means ready
to teach basic manners, socialise, and give plenty of playtime! This requires lots
of supervision and bonding time; they should not be alone more than a couple of
hours a day. At only three months old this little baby is eager to play and learn with the guidance of
their new family. Luna is mostly white. She has a lot of growing to do, physically and mentally. She
will likely weight around 10 kg. when she’s fully grown.
Eartha:
Beautiful Eartha Kitty is a black and white female domestic short hair, who came to
us from a local animal control shelter. Eartha has a cute little black mask on her face.
She has a little bit of an attitude at first, until she gets to know you, which is totally fine
because that means she's smart. But she does have anxiety which causes her to be defensive and
unpredictable. She really does require an experienced adopter, and cannot be around kids or other
cats or dogs. She needs a dedicated special friend.

9. 9
Adapted from Buddy Dog Humane Society, Inc. (2015); Adoptapet.com (2021) and RSPCA (2021).
Correction (10’) – in pairs / groups
Compare your answers with a partner / another group. If your answers are different, where in
the text did you find the information?
Scout and Sam:
Scout and Sam were born from different litters, but came to our rescue weeks
apart and have grown up together since they were just a few weeks old.
Their bond is just as deep as true sisters are. Sam is a cuddle bug and loves to nuzzle in your neck.
Scout is the class clown and always looking to be the center of attention and life of the party. These
two play, eat, cuddle and groom each other all the time and Sam looks after her little sister like any
big sister does. Both cats get along great with other cats and with dogs and kids and are litter box
and scratching post trained. If you’re looking to fill your home with lots of love, these two girls are
better than one.
Bruce:
Bruce is a 3-year-old male budgie seeking an aviary home and more budgies to
share it with. So far he has lived alone indoors so his new aviary must be indoors
or with a heated and insulated area if outdoors.
The aviary must be big enough to enable him to fly without his wings or tail touching the sides as he
moves so that he may indulge in normal bird behaviours.
Typhoo:
He is a fairly confident guinea pig who will take food from your hand. He loves chin rubs.
He enjoys throwing his plastic house around the pen, can often find it upside down.
He will certainly let you know when he's hungry even though he's got a constant
supply of hay 24/7. Anyone opening the fridge be prepared for the squeaking for food
even if he's just been given food. When we sit in his pen he will come and check us
out putting his front paws on us, probably looking for more food. He will quite happily run round and
popcorn whilst we are sat there. He should live indoors and the minimum housing requirements for
guinea pigs is 150cmx60cm on one level.

10. 10
KEY
Charlotte, Tim and their seven-year-old twins are looking for a pet. The twins love dogs.
Charlotte and Tim both have demanding jobs, which together with the kids leave them little
free time. Charlotte and Tim think that the children should have some responsibilities and are
happy to adopt a pet that the twins can take care of. They live in a small flat full of glass
figures and expensive decoration. TYPHOO
Pamela has always had cats and dogs and is totally against having animals in cages. She
retired recently and lives on her own in a flat in Glasgow. She loves meeting up with friends
and going to museums but she would like to have a pet. She has considered adopting a dog
or a cat several times but feels it is unfair for them to be alone when she is out. SCOUT AND
SAM
Robert lives with his partner in a terraced house near London. He works from home and
when he finishes his day he enjoys running in a big park near his place. His partner has to
commute to work every day and gets home quite late. Robert usually feels quite lonely and
would like a furry buddy to do exercise with. JADE
Thomas is 70. He has never had a pet but since his wife died he would like to have a small
pet that is easy to take care of for an inexperienced adopter. He lives in a small flat in
the city but misses the colours and the sounds of the countryside. BRUCE
Nikki and Will have a three-year-old sausage dog. Since lockdown they have worked from
home. Their dog is now used to being with them all the time and they are worried about how
she may feel when they go back to the office in September. They are looking for a young
dog who can become Sasha’s best friend. LUNA

11. 11
3. Eagle-eyed learners
Level: A1 Movers / A2 Flyers
Skills: speaking and reading
Interaction: whole class and paired activity
Classroom equipment: computer, Internet connection, speakers,
screen
Time: 55 minutes
Warm up (10’) – whole class activity
• Do you like animals? Why (not)?
• What is your favourite animal? Why?
• What animal types can you think of?
• Which one is your favourite type? Why (not)?
Vocabulary (10’) – in pairs / groups of 3
Look at these animal types and match them to an animal that can be included in that group.
Can you add one more example to each group?
Mammals Birds
Amphibians
Reptiles
Insects Fish
cow
swan
tortoise frog beetle
shark

12. 12
Reading (20’) – whole class activity
You are going to read a text about a particular type of eagles called Bald Eagles.
• What does ‘bald’ mean?
• Why do you think these eagles are called Bald Eagles?
• Read the short text and find out. Where does the name come from?
A bald eagle's white head can make it look bald. But the name comes from an old English
word, "balde", meaning white. These beautiful birds have been the national symbol of the
United States since 1782.
• What else have you learned about Bald Eagles?
• Look at this photograph can you write the different parts of the eagle’s body?
beak – feathers – wing – tail
• How much do you know about Bald Eagles? Can you complete this description? Do
you understand all the words? Check with your partner or your teacher.
Common name: ________ ___________
Scientific name: Haliaeetus leucocephalus
Type: __________
Diet: __________
Average life span in the wild: _____________ years
Size: Body: ____________ Wingspan: ________________
Weight: ____________

13. 13
Read the text and find the information to complete the description. Use the glossary below
to understand what some words and phrases mean.
Bald eagles were on the brink of
extinction because of hunting and
pollution. But laws created almost 40
years ago have helped protect them.
Female bald eagles are a bit bigger than
males. Their bodies can be one meter
long, and their wingspan can be 2.4
meters across. That's about the distance
from the floor to the ceiling!
Bald eagles build their nests at the very
top of tall trees so the eggs will be safe.
Some parents come back year after year
to the same nest, adding more sticks and
grass each time.
Babies, called eaglets, are born light gray
then turn brown. When they are four to
five years old, they develop their normal
white heads and tails. In the wild, they
can live to be 35 years old or more.
Bald eagles can fly over 3,048 meters
high, and they can see very well, they
can see fish around 1.6 kilometers away.
When they attack, they go down at a
maximum of 161 kilometers an hour!
Adapted from: National Geographic Society (2015).
Writing (15’) – individual activity / in pairs
Read about your favourite animal and complete its description card.
GLOSSARY
on the brink of – near
ceiling – the top part of a room
turn – become
in the wild – in their natural habitat
Common name: ________ ___________
Scientific name: ________ ___________
Type: __________
Diet: __________
Average life span in the wild: _____________ years
Size: ____________
Weight: ____________

14. 14
4. References
Adopt a Pet.com (2021). My name is Scout (bonded with Sam)! Available at:
https://www.adoptapet.com/pet/22802525-beverly-hills-california-cat [Accessed 26th
March 2021].
Akyurt, E. (2020). Selective Focus Photography of Tuxedo Cat. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/selective-focus-photography-of-tuxedo-cat-1571724/
[Accessed 27th March 2021].
Boyle, A. (2021). Why cats won’t punish a stranger who harms you. BBC Future. Available at:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20210318-why-cats-wont-punish-a-stranger-who-
harms-you [Accessed 26th March 2021].
Buddy Dog Humane Society, Inc. (2015). Adoptable Dogs. Available at:
https://www.buddydoghs.com/adoptable-dogs [Accessed 26th March 2021].
Cone, F. (2020). Black and White Eagle Flying. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-eagle-flying-3613420/ [Accessed 26th
March 2021].
Dowling, S. (2020). Why do you think cats are unfriendly? BBC Future. Available at:
https://www.bbc.com/future/article/20191024-why-do-we-think-cats-are-unfriendly
[Accessed 26th March 2021].
Fox. (2018). Two Orange and Brown Cats Reclined on Brown Rug. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/two-orange-and-brown-cats-reclined-on-brown-rug-
1386422/ [Accessed 26th March 2021].
Futalan, D. (2020). Close-up Photo of a Small Short-coated White Puppy. [image/jpeg]
Available at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/close-up-photo-of-a-small-short-coated-
white-puppy-2523934/ [Accessed 27th March 2021].
Galaxy, E. (2020). Black and White Short Coated Dogs. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/black-and-white-short-coated-dogs-3628100/
[Accessed 26th March 2021].
Ganaj, P. (2020). Bright parakeet resting on tree twig in daylight. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/bright-parakeet-resting-on-tree-twig-in-daylight-
4168356/ [Accessed 26th March 2021].
Joey (2020). Brown Short Coated Dog with Red Collar. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/animal-dog-pet-cute-4043574/ [Accessed 27th March
2021].
McCutcheon, S. (2018). Dogs on a Bed. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/dogs-on-a-bed-3987090/ [Accessed 27th March 2021].

15. 15
Mongeau, B. (2018). Photo of Person Holding Black and White Dog. [image/jpeg] Available
at: https://www.pexels.com/photo/photo-of-person-holding-black-and-white-dog-
1452717/ [Accessed 27th March 2021].
National Geographic Society. (2015). Bald Eagle. Birds. Available at:
https://kids.nationalgeographic.com/animals/birds/facts/bald-eagle [Accessed 26th
March 2021].
Pineapple Supply (2016). Guinea Pig and Pineapple Fruit. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/guinea-pig-and-pineapple-fruit-174666/ [Accessed
26th March 2021].
Pixabay. (2016). Ostrich Under White Sky. [image/jpeg] Available at:
https://www.pexels.com/photo/nature-bird-animal-eyes-60692/ [Accessed 27th March
2021].
RSPCA (2021). Find a pet. Available at: https://www.rspca.org.uk/findapet/details/-
/Animal/BRUCE/ref/BSA2101787/rehome [Accessed 26th March 2021].
Yildiz, T. (2021). Unrecognizable person holding dog paw on grassy meadow. [image/jpeg]
Available athttps://www.pexels.com/photo/unrecognizable-person-holding-dog-paw-
on-grassy-meadow-6415655/ [Accessed 26th March 2021].