Animals — Unit 35, Pre-intermediate to Intermediate English
Pets, farm and wild animals, the words for their bodies and their sounds, and the language you need to describe an animal without naming it.
Reading: The City Wildlife Project
Many people think wildlife belongs only in forests or mountains. However, a growing number of **species** live in cities too. Foxes, hedgehogs, bats and many kinds of birds find food and **shelter** in parks, gardens and quiet corners between buildings.
The City Wildlife Project began three years ago after local residents noticed fewer hedgehogs in their area. Volunteers now record where animals are seen, build small shelters and explain to neighbours how to make gardens safer. They ask people not to leave litter near streams and to check garden fires before lighting them.
Last spring, the project placed twenty small wildlife cameras in parks. The cameras showed that several foxes were using a path beside the railway after midnight. They also recorded a rare bat species near an old bridge. The information helped the council decide which areas needed more protection.
Project leader Hannah Reid says the work is practical, not dramatic. "You do not have to travel far to help wildlife," she says. "A bowl of water in hot weather, a hole in a fence for hedgehogs, or fewer chemicals in a garden can make a real difference." The group hopes to train another fifty volunteers this year.
The group also visits schools and community centres. Children learn how to identify animal tracks, why feeding wild animals can sometimes be harmful and how to report an injured creature safely. These visits have brought new volunteers to the project, including several families who now monitor the same park each month. Although the work is often quiet and slow, the records are becoming more valuable every year. Scientists can compare them with information from other cities and see which habitats are improving or disappearing.
The project has faced challenges too. Some residents worry that wildlife measures will make parks difficult to use, while others simply do not know which actions help. Hannah's team responds by sharing clear evidence and inviting people to join a guided evening walk. Seeing animals on a familiar street often changes attitudes more effectively than a poster can. The project therefore combines scientific information with practical local experience.
The project has faced challenges too. Some residents worry that wildlife measures will make parks difficult to use, while others simply do not know which actions help. Hannah's team responds by sharing clear evidence and inviting people to join a guided evening walk. Seeing animals on a familiar street often changes attitudes more effectively than a poster can. The project therefore combines scientific information with practical local experience.
Vocabulary from this unit
| Group | Animals |
|---|---|
| Pets | a dog · a cat · a rabbit · a hamster · a parrot · a goldfish |
| Farm animals | a cow · a sheep · a goat · a horse · a pig · a chicken · a duck · a donkey |
| Wild animals | a lion · a tiger · a bear · a wolf · a fox · an elephant · a monkey · a snake · an eagle |
| Sea animals | a fish · a whale · a dolphin · a shark · a turtle |
| Insects | a bee · a fly · an ant · a spider · a mosquito |
| Animal | Verb | Example |
|---|---|---|
| dog | bark | The dog barked all night. |
| cat | miaow / purr | The cat purrs when it is happy. |
| lion / tiger | roar | We heard a lion roar. |
| cow | moo | The cows were mooing in the field. |
| horse | neigh | The horse neighed loudly. |
| bird | sing / tweet | Birds sing early in the morning. |
| snake | hiss | The snake hissed at us. |
| bee | buzz | A bee was buzzing near the window. |
| wolf | howl | You can hear wolves howling at night. |
This is the free sample from this unit. The full unit adds 1 more reading passage, comprehension questions with an answer key, the listening exercises, flashcards for the vocabulary above, and a speaking task — with your progress tracked so the next unit unlocks when you are ready for it.
Common questions
What level is this unit?
Pre-intermediate to Intermediate — roughly CEFR A2–B1. If you are not sure of your level, the course places you with a short diagnostic before you start rather than making you guess.
Do I need to pay to use this?
The reading passage and vocabulary on this page are free to read. The rest of the unit — the remaining passages, the exercises, the listening, the answer key and the progress tracking — is part of the paid General English course.
Is this British or American English?
British English spelling and vocabulary, which is what most learners in Azerbaijan are taught and what IELTS expects, though both are accepted in the exam.