way2go! 7. Coursebook, Schulbuch

95 Do you think teenagers should be encouraged to keep a pet at home? Discuss this question with a partner and draw up a list of reasons for and against. Now get together in small groups and compare your ideas. Collect your pros and cons in a table or a word map and present it to the class. Study the task, then read the title and the first paragraph of the essay below to find out what the author thinks about teenagers and pets. Then read the rest of the essay. SPEAKING 14 a b READING 15 Your English class is discussing whether teenagers should be encouraged to keep a pet at home or not. You have been asked to give your opinion on this question in an essay. In your essay you should: outline the impact of keeping a pet on family life consider the costs of keeping a pet discuss if teenagers are responsible enough to keep a pet Write around 400 words. Give your essay a title. Why teenagers should not have pets Many young people like animals, so they dream of having a pet of their own. Being a pet owner, however, comes with a lot of responsibilities. As animals in the home might disrupt the family, cost a lot of money and tax teenagers’ sense of responsibility, teenagers should not be given pets. Although it is often said that a pet is a member of the family, they can also cause problems in the household. There may be arguments between teenagers and their parents about whose turn it is to walk the dog or clean out the guinea pig’s cage. Unless everyone does their part in caring for the pet, stressful situations may occur. Besides, going on holiday might be a challenge as many animals are not suited to travel, and holiday destinations are often reluctant to accept pets. Disagreements about what to do with the pet will certainly have a negative effect on the family. Owning a pet will also involve costs that could exceed teenagers’ monthly allowance. Apart from the original cost of buying a pet, they need food, which can become very pricey as it has to be provided every day. No matter what type of animal it is, it will require expensive equipment or create other costs. Smaller pets need cages or tanks with plants and filters; dogs require leads and collars and might need professional training to learn to obey their owners. Additionally, owners will be faced with veterinary bills for regular check-ups and vaccinations or treatment in case the pet becomes ill. Furthermore, many young people lack maturity and are just not responsible enough to look after another living being. They are generally too busy with their own needs and responsibilities to worry about a pet, whether they are socialising with friends or studying for school. They might not be able to spend time with the pet and may forget to feed it or take it for a walk. Dogs, for instance, need to go outside several times a day and teenagers are frequently out of the house for longer periods so that the dog’s needs would not be met. Consequently, most teenagers are not suited to owning pets due to the high cost in time and money. Pets can cause family arguments, and many teenagers are not mature enough to take responsibility for animals as they are still concerned with their own needs. In the interest of teenagers and animals, pets should only be owned by responsible adults. Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv