Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a plush toy
    • ex. The little girl hugged her favorite plush toy tightly before going to sleep.
  2. a zookeeper
    • ex. The zookeeper feeds the animals every day.
  3. groom
    • ex. The horse was carefully groomed before the show.
  4. relieved
    • ex. She felt relieved after finishing her final exam.
  5. cling
    • ex. The baby monkey is clinging to its mother as they move through the trees.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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Punch, a baby monkey at the Ichikawa City Zoo near Tokyo, is slowly leaving the plush toy that helped him feel safe after his mother rejected him. Photos of the young monkey dragging his big plush toy made him popular among people living near the zoo. When other monkeys pushed him away, Punch ran back to the toy and hugged it for comfort and safety.

Recently, however, Punch has started spending more time with other monkeys. Zookeepers saw him climbing onto another monkey’s back, sitting near adults, and sometimes getting groomed or hugged. Visitor Sanae Izumi traveled from Osaka after seeing Punch online. She said she felt relieved watching him grow stronger and more accepted among the group of monkeys at the zoo.

Punch was abandoned soon after birth, likely because his mother was tired. Zookeepers fed and cared for him and gave him the toy so he could practice clinging, a skill baby monkeys need to survive. Now the zoo hopes Punch will sleep with other monkeys soon, showing he has learned to live normally in monkey society. Zookeepers say this progress is very encouraging.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.
Photo Credits: The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Punch the Baby Monkey

  • Why do you think Punch is so popular? Discuss.
  • Punch has a plush toy that he hugs for comfort and safety. What do you usually do to give yourself a feeling of comfort and safety? Discuss.
  • Punch has started spending more time with other monkeys. In your opinion, how important is it for humans to spend time with others? Discuss.

Zookeepers

  • What do you think of the job of a zookeeper (ex. it's difficult, it's fun)? Discuss.
  • Do you think you can become a zookeeper? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Zookeepers gave Punch a plush toy when he was abandoned. If you were a zookeeper taking care of Punch, what would you do to comfort him (ex. give him more delicious food, carry him)? Discuss.