Unlocking Word Meanings
Read the following words/expressions found in today’s article.
- crow / kroʊ / (v) – to make the loud, high-pitched sound characteristic of a rooster
Example:The rooster usually crows at sunrise.
- stake out / steɪk aʊt / (phrasal) – to observe a place from outside, particularly because of illegal activity
Example:The police staked out the building because there was suspicious activity.
- basis / ˈbeɪ sɪs / (n) – the reason for doing something
Example:The judge made the decision on the basis of witnesses’ statements.
- hedge / hɛdʒ / (n) – a row of short plants or small trees planted close together to form a boundary between areas
Example:Gardeners are cutting the hedges at the park.
- alleged / əˈlɛdʒd / (adj) – said or believed to have happened without proof
Example:The school is investigating the alleged cheating.
Article
Read the text below.
An 83-year-old Italian man was fined after receiving complaints about his pet rooster crowing very early in the morning.
Angelo Boletti, a longtime resident of Castiraga Vidardo, kept the rooster in his garden for 10 years. Because neighbors complained about the rooster’s noise, he eventually decided to give it to a friend. Boletti took the rooster back temporarily when his friend went on a 20-day vacation.
The rooster’s return prompted new complaints from the neighborhood. When a police officer staked out Boletti’s residence, it was confirmed that the rooster was crowing around 4:30 in the morning.
Following the police surveillance, Boletti was asked to pay a fine of almost $200. According to a report, the fine was issued on the basis of a town policy requiring pets to be at least 10 meters away from neighboring residences.
After receiving the fine, Boletti explained that he was not aware of the policy and said that the police could have informed him about it first. He said he would contact the police to appeal the fine.
Boletti added that he had previously complained to local authorities about illegal parking spaces and incidents of his neighbors cutting others’ private hedges, but he did not receive any response.
Castiraga Vidardo mayor Emma Perfetti said the local police went to Boletti’s home in July when they received complaints about his alleged violation of the town policy. At that point, Boletti told the police that he would only keep the rooster for 20 days. However, the rooster ended up being around longer than expected. Perfetti believes that the rooster’s crowing was unfair to the neighbors and explained that other chicken owners in the area did not receive noise complaints.
Viewpoint Discussion
Enjoy a discussion with your tutor.
Discussion A
• Do you think the imposed fine of almost $200 was reasonable? Why or why not?
• If you were Boletti, how would you have handled the complaints? Discuss.
Discussion B
• What do you think is the best way to handle conflict with neighbors (e.g. talk with them, consult with local authorities)? Explain.
• Do you think it’s important to have a good relationship with your neighbors? Why or why not?