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Black Cats
Black Cats

Learn pet English in this lesson about black cats

Date: Jun 12 2020

Themes: Pets

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

Intro

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Most people are a little superstitious about something. Maybe, you have a lucky number or believe that a certain color is bad luck. Maybe, you avoid walking under ladders. Maybe, you even get nervous when you encounter a black cat.

People have believed that black cats are unlucky for a very long time. It is an old superstition that if a black cat crosses your path, something bad will happen to you. In fact, so many people fear black cats that these animals sometimes cannot find homes. They are left behind at shelters or have to live on the street. However, other people believe that black cats are just as sweet and amazing as any other cat. Black cats’ color makes them unique, not scary. Fans of black cats may even love them more because these kitties are one of a kind!

A black cat just crossed Jessica’s path. Listen to the dialog to find out what happens.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jessica

Jessica

Gary

Gary

Jessica:  Gary?

Gary:  Yes?

Jessica:  I’m not very superstitious, but when I was on my way here, a black cat crossed my path, and now I feel really unlucky. I’m really, really nervous.

Gary:  What? Why do you feel nervous?

Jessica:  Every single time I encounter a black cat, something terrible happens!

Gary:  That’s really unfortunate. It’s a really unlucky superstition to think about black cats as bad. They’re actually really amazing, really beautiful. And oddly enough, they’re actually left alone and not adopted compared to other cats of different color, so they’re actually the saddest and loneliest cats.

Jessica:  Oh, that breaks my heart! But still, I realize they may be one of a kind, but I wouldn’t adopt one. The last time I ran into one, I tripped and almost broke my foot.

Gary:  Oh, I’m so sorry!

Jessica:  So, yeah. I need to stay far, far away from black cats.

Gary:  Well, I’ll go adopt that black cat so it has a nice, happy home, then.

Jessica:  Thank you, Gary.

 

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Discussion

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A black cat just crossed the street in front of Jessica. She feels very scared and nervous because every time she has encountered a black cat, she’s had very bad luck. Once, she even fell down and almost broke her foot!

Gary is sorry to hear that, but he does not believe that black cats are unlucky. He actually believes that they are the saddest and loneliest of all cats because no one wants to adopt them. Gary thinks it is unfortunate that people are so afraid of black cats because they are really beautiful and amazing animals. Jessica agrees that it is heart-breaking that people will not adopt black cats. However, she still does not want one as a pet! She will leave it up to Gary to give a lonely black cat a good home.

Do you have any superstitions? Would you adopt a black cat?

 

Comments

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haixi001Super Member!

China

Yes, I will adapt a black cat in the future, I like many small animals as a pet.

08:56 AM Jun 14 2020 |

klima25

Brazil

Yes, I’m a little superstition, like, I always avoid walking under ladders. But when I think of black cats … it breaks my heart that reminds me that many people can hurt them because of stupid superstitions. I love cats and they are also lives. I don’t hurt anyone when I avoid walking under stairs, but they do when in this case.

05:27 PM Jun 11 2020 |

stanek123

Poland

I have a black cat!

12:52 AM Jun 24 2016 |

1 person likes this

stanek123

Poland

I have a black cat!

12:52 AM Jun 24 2016 |

yverson

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

i don’t like a cat, but i think that a cat it is just an animal and it can’t bring the unlucky

11:48 AM Jun 01 2016 |

Thyphuong

Thyphuong

Viet Nam

Actuallly I am not  superstitiuous  so I don’t think black cat is a bad luck if I happen to encounter one. It’s just like other cats except for its colors, and although black is not my favorite color , I still feel pity for any black cat that is abandoned.

07:57 AM May 23 2016 |

1 person likes this

leain

leain

China

where did the rumor come from

03:46 AM May 23 2016 |

1 person likes this

Hamedrees

Hamedrees

Sudan

no I didn’t .


I’am an very optimism as our Prophet say that .


Abu Huraira reported Allah’s Messenger (ﷺ) as saying: “A strong believer is better and is more lovable to Allah than a weak believer, and there is good in everyone, (but) cherish that which gives you benefit (in the Hereafter) and seek help from Allah and do not lose heart, and if anything (in the form of trouble) comes to you, don’t say: If I had not done that, it would not have happened so and so, but say: Allah did that what He had ordained to do and your” if” opens the (gate) for the Satan.” Sahih Muslim 2664
In-book reference : Book 46, Hadith 52


USC-MSA web (English) reference : Book 33, Hadith 6441

12:26 PM May 19 2016 |

1 person likes this

Ditti

Ditti

Hungary

There is a simple explanation those people who afraid of cats. If a black cat crosses your path it means that the cat is just walking to somewhere.) Anyway I am not too superstitious but I have a kind of fear when one bad thing happens after the other. I have a bad thought that it will not stop until the third bad happening.

09:49 AM May 19 2016 |

julito1

julito1

Argentina

I would suggest to Jessica  that by feeling apprehension at the sight of a black cat, she is only attracting what she is fearing of. If you think of a black cat as a bad omen, the law of attraction is working here: hey ! you are thinking on me, i won´t dissapoint you, here i am. As for me, i don´t have a problem with black cats,but in case of an adoption i would prefer any other kind of color of cats. I migh say that i am not superstitious, but i usually avoid walking under a ladder :)))

08:53 PM May 18 2016 |

Seiyf_khawas

Turkey

There is no any person or society ,without superstitions..All superstitions are feed from our fears and beliefs..ı dont have strong superstitions and ı dont believe them .A black cat never been a symbol of bad luck .its the most weirdest idea,thought,belief  .. to my ideas, Numbers,colours,materials dont bring bad luck ..only other people or themselves can do it..:)

05:27 PM May 18 2016 |

StosKrewetek

Poland

I have two black cat who cross my path everyday. But I’m not superstitious so my pets are lucky.


Black cat is a symbol of witch. Mayby that is a reason this superstition.


03:10 PM May 18 2016 |

venika

India

I do have superstitions as in when accidently a book or anything it may be falls on leg or comes in contact with leg I have the habbit of touching it three times and apologising. I won’t adopt black cats as I hate pets at home

03:04 PM May 18 2016 |

NIJ321655

NIJ321655

United States

Bad luck cats I like them witch’s like them

01:41 PM May 18 2016 |

mathpham

mathpham

Viet Nam

You guys, I believe in Law of Attraction. I think the feeling unlucky when encountering a black cat is one of cases that involve to Law of Attraction. Jessica ran into being unlucky when encountering a black cat in her past. So now, everytime she encounters a black cat, This feeling comes to her. According to Law of Attraction, when she focuses on something bad luck, they will happen to her.

08:51 AM May 18 2016 |

GWTA

GWTASuper Member!

Germany

Unfortunately I can`t keep a pet because I have an allergy. But I don´t believe that black cats are unlucky.

07:55 AM May 18 2016 |

MehmetKaragul

Turkey

I don’t have any superstitions. Not to my knowledge anyway. And I would definitely adopt a black cat. I love cats. My mom used to have cats (at least two, sometimes more) so I grew up in a cat friendly environment. There cats of all colors and black cats never brought bad luck to me. 



05:32 AM May 18 2016 |

lira_

lira_

Russian Federation

I think this superstition about black cats is just rediculous. I adore cats and the black cats are as beautiful as any others. I myself have a cat, she’s not black but I would definetely adopt the black one as well.


What about other superstitions.. I guess I don’t believe in any. But maybe sometimes I still can be quite superstitious. I can’t remember any examples though.

03:53 AM May 18 2016 |

Liztomorrow

China

i think it’s rediculous that ppl think black cats are unlucky animals, it will certainly happen when it will happen, has nothing to do with the color of the cat you adopt.


i like all cats and dogs no matter what colors they have, ugly or beautiful. 

03:13 AM May 18 2016 |

hermitlady

China


I think I am not superstitious. But in some time I am a little superstitious.



I don’t adopt a black cat and I don’t adopt any animals. Because I don’t like adopting animals including fishes. I can’t bear the death or illness of the animals.



The only memory of adopting animals was when I was a child about five or six years old. It was a grey dog. I loved it very much. Every day that time, he followed me everywhere.



But one day, he ate a poisoned mouse and then he was so suffering that he run everywhere and even he didn’t know me. No matter how I made him calm, it was no use.



Seeing his pain, I was painful to cry. Finally, he died. I had seen his all death process.



Since then, I never raised animal anymore.



About superstition, I think I believe a little. For instance, if I hurt my finger when making breakfast in the morning, I could think the following time of this day would be unlucky. If I dreamt some bad thing such as snakes, I believe the next day would be unlucky. And so on..


01:46 AM May 18 2016 |

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