Graded reading: Animals in the city (level 2) – exercises

Do the preparation exercise first. Then read the text and do the exercises to check your understanding.

Preparation
Write the correct word in the box below the picture.

cupboar bi ve baboon
d n t
lorry mi be squirrel
ce ar

bear bin lorry vet

baboon cupboard mice squirrel

1. Check your understanding: grouping

Write the sentences in the correct group.

They have been They sometimes take

People help them People are not allowed
coming into the city food from people’s
survive the cold winters. to give them food.
for centuries. houses.

Some of them have learnt Sometimes, children are Some of these animals The city council has
to travel by public scared of them. were originally pets. put up fences to
transport. stop them.

The baboons in Cape Town The pigs in Berlin The dogs in Moscow
Sometimes, children are They have been Some of these animals
scared of them coming into the city for centuries. were originally pets

They sometimes take People are not allowed to give People help them
food from people’s houses them food. survive the cold winters

The city council has put up fences Some of them have learnt to
to stop them. travel by public transport.
 2. Check your understanding: true or false
Circle True or False for these sentences.

1. Human food is bad for baboons’ teeth. True False

2. The Baboon Monitors feed the baboons. True False

3. There are more pigs in Berlin now because people give them food. True False

4. The dogs in Moscow always live in packs. True False

5. Baboons and pigs sometimes cause traffic accidents. True False

6. People are more generous to big dogs. True False

Discussion

Which animals do you see in the town or city where you live? Are any of them dangerous?

In my city, I just have seen dogs and cats, some of them are alone and maybe is because they are lost
or abandoned by their owners, I have never seen a wild animal walking in the streets. Also, I have seen
rats and for me they are very disgusting, on the other hand, if we move away from the city center and
go to the suburbs, we can see cows and sheep, or even pigs but all of them are from a near farm, or
they are walking with their owners. I don´t think that any of them are dangerous, except some wild dogs
that could hurt or bite you if you disturb them.

Does your town or city have any problems with wild animals?
No, it hasn´t. My city isn´t a place where you can find wild animals, it maybe can occur in places that are
close to jungles, forests, mangroves, among others, which is not really the case in Cuenca.