Animals, Our Friends

Level: Medium to Difficult

In February of 1998, a Somerset (UK) man was trapped under a fallen van he 
had been repairing. As he cried for help and darkness fell it seemed he 
would be left there all night; his leg had been caught beneath the wheels. 
The area was rather isolated and nobody heard his cries-except a parrot 
perched on a caravan in a nearby camp site. The bird mimicked the man's 
cries, which is apparently normal behaviour for this type of animal, and 
alerted two men working in the area. These reversed the van off the injured 
man, who, in the end, only had slight injuries.

Activity A

Have you ever been in a similar situation? Has an animal ever helped you in 
some way?

Activity B

Do you think animals are necessary for humans? Why?

Examples:

Company 
Protection 
Cosmetic testing 
........... 
...........

Activity C

List the most helpful animals, and why.

Examples:

1 The elephant can transport us and pull trees 
2 Dogs keep us company 
3 Spiders eat flies 
4 Cows give us meat and leather 
5 ..................... 
6 .......................... 

Activity D

Negative points associated with animals

1 They bite humans 
2 They answer the call of nature anywhere 
3 They bark and wake us up at night 
4 ............. 
5 ................. 

Activity E

Should we use animals to test drugs and cosmetic products on? If your 
answer is "no", what way do you suggest instead? Humans? Robots?

Activity F

 

 

 

When you are at home, studying or watching TV, and you see a fly or a 

spider, what is your first reaction? Do you normally kill it? Why? 
Submitted by Gerard Counihan