Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
It’s hard enough to take care of ourselves and our loved ones and children, but what happens when a pet gets sick? When that happens, it’s time to go to the veterinarian, or vet, for short.
Unfortunately, most animals don’t enjoy going to the vet. They might run for cover when you get out their pet carrier. Or they might growl at or try to attack the vet when you get there. And even worse than the experience at the vet is the experience when you see the vet’s bill. Unfortunately, a trip to the vet can sometimes break the bank. Find out about Marni and Lily’s experiences at the vet in this pets English lesson.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Marni: My dog’s vet bills are out of control.
Lily: Oh jeez.
Marni: I have been giving him acupuncture for years now, to deal with all kinds of ailments. And it’s just crazy how much money I’m spending on him. I mean, I would like acupuncture. I can’t even afford it for me.
Lily: Do you have insurance for him?
Marni: I don’t. I always thought, man’s best friend, you just sort of wing it, and just pay the vet bills as they come, but maybe I should’ve looked into that.
Lily: Yeah. Because my mom is a veterinary technician, and so we’ve always gotten our vet bills for a lot cheaper, but now that I’m away from my family, it can be steep, that’s very true.
Marni: It’s very expensive. And, you know, you love your pets, you pay the bills, you do what you can, but really, I’m starting to rethink this whole thing.
Lily: Oh yeah.
Marni: Vaccines are important. You’ve gotta go for that. And certainly there’s things…
Lily: You want to protect against rabies…
Marni: Absolutely.
Lily: ...especially if your animal goes outside. My cats go outside all the time, and they get into who knows what. With a dog, I’m sure it’s even more.
Marni: Absolutely. And he hates going to the vet. It’s like torture for him, and then I’m spending all this money, and I just keep thinking, “Really?”
Grammar Point
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Discussion
Marni is stressed out because the veterinarian bills for her dog are very expensive. She gives her dog specialized treatment, like acupuncture, but can’t even afford those treatments for herself. She doesn’t have insurance for her dog, so she must pay all the bills herself.
Lily’s lucky, because her mom worked at a vet’s office. Their vet bills were cheaper because of that. Lily knows, though, that for most people the bills are very steep.
Because going to the vet is so expensive, Marni’s trying to figure out what medical expenses are most important for pets. She and Lily agree that vaccines, at least, are very important.
Do you have pets? Do you take them to the vet when they get sick? How do you deal with the high cost of vet bills?
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