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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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1

GLOSSARY

elephant – a very large mammal with grey or brown skin, very large ears, and a
long trunk (like a nose) that can be used to spray water, found in Africa and Asia
* Two elephants led the circus parade.

zoo – an outdoor park with many animals kept in cages to entertain and educate
people, and sometimes to protect animals
* Did you hear that a baby panda was born at the zoo last night?

natural habitat – where an animal normally or traditionally lives, without
interference from human beings
* The zookeepers are trying to imitate the penguins’ natural habitat by lowering
the temperature and giving them plenty of ice.

next best thing – the second-best option or situation when the top or best option
or situation is not available
* For the first few years after they were married, Wendy and Ward didn’t have
enough money to buy a house, so living in the apartment above his parents’
garage was the next best thing.

in captivity – being held in a particular place and unable to leave; caged
* Most animals live longer in captivity than in the wild, because they receive
better food and they aren’t attacked by other animals.

cage – a large box built with metal bars so that there are empty spaces between
those bars, used to keep an animal inside and prevent it from leaving
* Gerald keeps a large parrot in a cage by his kitchen window.

to gawk at – to stare at something in a stupid way, often with one’s mouth open,
because it is very surprising, interesting, or unusual
* Heather hates being very overweight and having everyone gawk at her.

predator – an animal that hunts (chases) and eats another animal
* Cats and hawks are dangerous predators for small mice.

handler – zookeeper; a person whose job is to take care of an animal in a zoo or
circus, especially for a dangerous animal
* Rick received a lot of scratches from lions while he was a working as a handler.

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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endangered species – a type of animal that is in danger because very few
animals are left and it is not likely that it will continue to be able to reproduce and
survive in future generations
* People generally want to save cute endangered species, like panda bears and
small monkeys, but they aren’t interested in ugly or less interesting endangered
species like insects, fungi, and plants.

to switch places – to exchange roles; to live or imagine living as another
person; to experience something as another person experiences it
* If you could switch places with anyone in history, who would it be and why?

lion – a very large, cat-like animal that lives in Africa, with sharp teeth and claws
(fingernails), and with males that have a lot of gold-colored hair all around their
face
* Lions are known as the King of the Jungle because they are very strong and all
other animals run from them.

monkey – a primate; a small, human-like animal that has opposable thumbs
(thumbs that can be moved separately from other fingers and used to hold
objects) and can use its long arms, legs, and tail to hold objects and swing on
tree branches
* Do you believe humans evolved from monkeys?

to rise up – to rebel; to fight against people or organizations with authority,
especially when one has been treated badly
* How often did slaves rise up against their masters in the early 1800s in the
southern United States?

to break (one’s) shackles – to escape and find freedom; to break out of
whatever is holding one and preventing one from moving freely
* The prisoner broke his shackles and escaped from the prison.

ringleader – leader; a person who leads others, especially in a rebellion or
revolution
* Charlie was the ringleader who encouraged his classmates to refuse to do the
homework assignment.

cheering section – a group of people who applaud (clap) and encourage the
actions of another person or group, but do not become involved in those actions
* When Luciana ran the marathon, she had a whole cheering section of friends
and family members along the way.

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

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Planet of the Apes – a 1968 science fiction movie where space explorers land
on a planet where primates (monkey-like animals) are intelligent and able to
communicate, and humans are very primitive (undeveloped) and not able to talk
* Do you think primates will ever be intelligent enough to create a society like the
one in Planet of the Apes?
______________


COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS

1. Why does Deborah think the animals in zoos are lucky?
a) Because they get paid a lot of money.
b) Because they don’t have to hide from other animals.
c) Because they’re never too cold or too hot.

2. What would happen if the animals broke their shackles?
a) They’d need to be treated by a veterinarian (animal doctor).
b) They’d be able to leave their cages.
c) They’d eat the other animals in the zoo.
______________


WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?

the next best thing
The phrase “the next best thing,” in this podcast, means the second-best option
or situation when the top or best option or situation is not available: “When Lillian
wasn’t accepted into medical school, she decided that becoming a nurse was the
next best thing.” The phrase “to make the best of (something)” means to deal
with a bad situation in a good way and find a way to make it positive: “Craig lost
his job, but he decided to make the best of it by spending more time with his
family and going back to school.” Finally, the phrase “with the best [of them]”
shows that someone is very good at doing something: “I may not be a very good
soccer player, but I can play tennis with the best of them.”

to rise up
In this podcast, the phrase “to rise up” means to rebel or to fight against people
or organizations with authority, especially when one has been treated badly:
“What caused the Americans to rise up against the British and start the American
Revolution?” The phrase “to rise above” means to ignore something or pretend it
is not important: “The most successful high school students are the ones who
can rise above the typical teenage arguments.” The phrase “to give rise to

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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(something)” means to yield or produce something: “The Internet gave rise to
rapid, global communication.” Finally, the phrase “to get a rise out of (someone)”
means to do something to make someone react, especially angrily: “If you knew
your memo would get a rise out of your boss, why did you write it anyway?”
______________


CULTURE NOTE

Types of Zoos

There are many different types of zoos in the United States. A “traditional”
(common; as things were done in the past) zoo has animals in many different
cages, and people walk along paths between and around those cages to view
the animals. Modern zoos try to “alter” (change) the cages to “imitate” (copy) the
animals’ natural habitat. For example, the metal bars of cages are hidden behind
“vegetation” (plants) and “concrete” (cement) “barriers” (objects separating things
from each other) are “disguised as” (made to look like something else) “boulders”
(large rocks).

“Open-range zoos” “take this a step further” (continue an idea, pushing it further)
by putting animals in large, open areas, but not in cages. The areas are “fenced
off” (with separating walls) to prevent predators from being in the same area as
their “prey” (the animals killed and eaten by predators) and to prevent them from
leaving the zoo. But within those large, fenced areas, animals of different
“species” (types of animals) can interact. Because open-range zoos are very
large, people visit them in a vehicle, either by driving their own car on paved
roads or by riding in a special type of car or bus.

“Petting zoos” are smaller collections of “domesticated animals” (animals that are
used to being around humans, especially on farms) like rabbits, goats, chickens,
and sheep. Young children are able to enter the “pen” (a cage without a ceiling)
with the animals and “pet” (touch) them or even feed them.

An “aquarium” is a type of zoo for viewing and studying “aquatic” (relating to the
water) life, often “undersea” (in the ocean) plants and animals.

______________

Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – b

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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5

COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT

Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 761: Animals in a
Zoo.

This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 761. I’m your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.

Our website is eslpod.com. Go there, become a member, download a Learning
Guide, and support ESL Podcast.

This episode is called “Animals in a Zoo.” We’re going to talk about animals in a
zoo. Let’s get started.

[start of dialogue]

Deborah: I can’t wait to see the elephants at the zoo. I wish I could see them in
their natural habitat, but a zoo is the next best thing.

Zach: I don’t want to go to a place where animals are kept in captivity. How
would you like it if you were locked in a cage and gawked at all day?

Deborah: The animals in zoos are lucky. They have a nice, safe place to live
away from predators, and their handlers make sure they never go hungry. Zoos
preserve endangered species.

Zach: If you think it’s so nice living in zoos, I’d like to see you switch places with
a lion or a monkey for a month and see how you like it.

Deborah: Animals aren’t people. They don’t have the same wants and needs.

Zach: That’s what you think. One day, the animals aren’t going to take it
anymore. They’ll rise up and break their shackles.

Deborah: And will you be their ringleader?

Zach: No, I’ll be their cheering section. It’s about time animals get some
respect.

Deborah: Have you seen Planet of the Apes?! I’ll reserve a cage for you!

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2012). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

6

[end of dialogue]

Deborah begins our dialogue by saying to Zach, “I can’t wait to see the elephants
at the zoo.” “I can’t wait” means she’s looking forward to it; she wants very much
to see the elephants at the zoo. “Elephants” are large animals – mammals,
technically. They can typically be found in Africa as well as in parts of Asia. I
can only think of one famous elephant, that would be Dumbo from the Disney
movie. Elephants are large, huge animals. They have long what we call “trunks”
that come from the front of their face, like a long nose, although I think it has
functions of both a nose and a mouth, at least some of them. Anyway, Deborah
wants to see elephants at the zoo. The “zoo” is a park where there are many
animals. The animals are usually kept in containers we would call “cages.” They
are put in cages in part so they don’t leave, and in part to protect the people who
are looking at them. Deborah says, “I wish I could see them (the elephants) in
their natural habitat, but a zoo is the next best thing.” Your “habitat” (habitat)
refers to a place where you live. “Natural habitat” for an animal would be the
places where you would find them out in the world, not inside of a man-made
cage or zoo. Deborah says, “a zoo is the next best thing.” When we say
something is “the next best thing” we mean it’s not the best option – the best
possibility, but it’s the second best.

Zach says, “I don’t want to go to a place where animals are kept in captivity.”
The expression “in captivity” (captivity) means that you are held in a certain place
and you can’t leave. If you are a prisoner you may be said to be held in captivity.
Normally we use the expression when talking about animals, however. Animals
who are put into cages could be said to be held in captivity or kept in captivity.
Zach says, “How would you like it if you were locked in a cage and gawked at all
day?” Zach doesn’t like zoos; he doesn’t like the fact that the animals are put in
cages, so he asks Deborah, “How would you like it if you were put in a cage.” A
“cage,” as we mentioned, is a large box usually with metal bars that prevent the
animal inside from leaving. He asks Deborah how she would feel if she were
being gawked at all day. “To gawk (gawk) at (someone)” is to stare at them, to
look at them for a long time, but sort of in a stupid way, often with your mouth
open because it’s so weird – it’s so unusual. It’s considered rude or impolite to
gawk at people, to look at them, and that’s what Zach is saying. To look at
someone in such a way as though they were an animal, that would be
considered rude. Sometimes we talk about tourists who come to Los Angeles
gawking at celebrities that they might see, famous people, staring at them,
looking at them, pointing at them. That’s something that people who live in Los
Angeles usually don’t do, not because they’re not excited to see famous people,
but because the general rule here is that you don’t stop a famous person and ask
them for their autograph or try to talk to them. Typically, you just leave them

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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7

alone. You pretend like you see famous people every day and it’s really not that
important that you’re seeing them.

Well, Zach doesn’t like zoo; he doesn’t want to go gawk at animals. Deborah
says, however, that the animals in zoos are lucky – they’re fortunate. “They have
a nice, safe place to live away from predators.” “Predators” (predators) here
refer to animals that hunt and eat other animals. If an animal is in a zoo, it
doesn’t have to worry about being eaten by predators. Deborah says that the
animals’ handlers make sure they never go hungry. A “handler” (handler) in this
dialogue means a zookeeper, the person whose job it is to take care of the
animals in the zoo. Deborah says the handlers make sure that the animals never
go hungry; they always have food to eat. “Zoos,” she says, “preserve
endangered species.” A “species” is a type of animal. “Endangered” means that
it’s possible that the species – the animals of that type – might not survive, that
we might kill all of them. “Endangered species” are animals that are in danger
because if we don’t protect them there may not be any of them anymore. This
happens often when animals are hunted, are caught or shot with a gun by
humans, of course. Or if something disturbs their habitat – if something changes
the place where they’re living they may go extinct. “To go extinct” (extinct)
means that they will no longer exist, that all of them will die. That’s an
endangered species, a species that is not extinct but is in danger of becoming
extinct.

Zach says, “If you think it’s so nice living in zoos, I’d like to see you (Deborah)
switch places with a lion or a monkey for a month and see how you like it.” “To
switch places” means to go in the place of someone else, to exchange your place
for his place. Zach is saying that she should switch places with a “lion,” which is
a very large, cat-like animal. And because it’s cat-like, you probably can guess I
don’t really like lions! Zach mentions monkeys. “Monkeys” are small, human-like
animals, we could say. They have long arms and legs, and they can go and hold
onto things with their hands. They can swing, we would say, jump from tree to
tree for example.

Deborah says, “Animals aren’t people. They don’t have the same wants and
needs.” Zach says, “That’s what you think.” That expression, “that’s what you
think,” means I disagree with you. You think that but you don’t know the truth,
that’s what the expression is trying to communicate here. Zach says, “One day,
the animals aren’t going to take it anymore,” meaning they’re not going to
tolerate, they’re not going to permit, they’re not going to stand being in cages.
They’re going to get mad, if you will, and they’re going to break out of their cages
– leave them. Zach says, “They’ll rise up and break their shackles.” “To rise up”
is a phrasal verb meaning to fight against the people or the organizations with

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ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

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8

authority that have been treating you badly. When you have a revolution, the
people rise up; they get rid of the government they have now. “Shackles”
(shackles) are things that you put on a prisoner’s feet so they won’t run away.
“To break your shackles” means to take these off so you can escape – you can
run away. Zach is saying that the animals are going to rise up and break their
shackles, meaning they’re going to get their freedom from the zoo.

Deborah says, “And will you be their ringleader?” She’s asking Zach if he will be
the person who leads these animals. A “ringleader” is usually someone who is
the responsible person for a revolution or a rebellion. Zach says, “No, I’ll be their
cheering section.” “To cheer” (cheer) here means to encourage, by yelling or
shouting or clapping your hands, some team, usually a sports team that you want
to win a game. But in this case, the “cheering section” refers to people who
would support a certain activity. They’re not doing it themselves, but they are
encouraging other people to do it, and that’s what Zach would do if the animals
rose up and broke their shackles, as he says. He says, “It’s about time animals
get some respect.” “It’s about time” means now is the time, it has been too long,
we should be giving animals now some respect.

Deborah says, “Have you seen Planet of the Apes?!” Planet of the Apes is a
movie – a 1968 movie with a famous actor named Charlton Heston. In the movie
the animals, specifically the apes which is a kind of animal similar to a monkey,
not exactly the same, who are ruling the planet. The apes are now in control and
the humans are the ones who are in the cages. Deborah asks if Zach has seen
this movie, because in the movie the humans don’t get very good treatment,
that’s why she says at the end, “I’ll reserve a cage for you!” “To reserve” means
to set aside, to say this person can use it at this time. But Deborah is really
saying that if the animals rise up – if the animals take over the world humans will
not be treated very well and Zach will have to be in a cage just like the animals
are now. It won’t be a very happy situation she says.

Now let’s listen to the dialogue, this time at a normal speed.

[start of dialogue]

Deborah: I can’t wait to see the elephants at the zoo. I wish I could see them in
their natural habitat, but a zoo is the next best thing.

Zach: I don’t want to go to a place where animals are kept in captivity. How
would you like it if you were locked in a cage and gawked at all day?

English as a Second Language Podcast

www.eslpod.com

ESL Podcast 761 – Animals in a Zoo

These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2012). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.

9

Deborah: The animals in zoos are lucky. They have a nice, safe place to live
away from predators, and their handlers make sure they never go hungry. Zoos
preserve endangered species.

Zach: If you think it’s so nice living in zoos, I’d like to see you switch places with
a lion or a monkey for a month and see how you like it.

Deborah: Animals aren’t people. They don’t have the same wants and needs.

Zach: That’s what you think. One day, the animals aren’t going to take it
anymore. They’ll rise up and break their shackles.

Deborah: And will you be their ringleader?

Zach: No, I’ll be their cheering section. It’s about time animals get some
respect.

Deborah: Have you seen Planet of the Apes?! I’ll reserve a cage for you!

[end of dialogue]

I hope you’re in the cheering section for our wonderful scriptwriter, Dr. Lucy Tse.
Thank you, Lucy.

From Los Angeles, California, I’m Jeff McQuillan. Thank you for listening. Come
back and listen to us again here on ESL Podcast.

English as a Second Language Podcast is written and produced by Dr. Lucy Tse,
hosted by Dr. Jeff McQuillan, copyright 2012 by the Center for Educational
Development.