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12 All About a Dog
Warm Up
● Do you have pet dogs at home?
● Do you take them out for a walk?
● What are the things you like to do with your pets?
Reading skills
It was a bitterly cold night, and even at the far end of the bus, the east wind that raved along
the street cut like a knife. The bus stopped, and two women and a man got in together and
filled the vacant places. The younger woman was dressed in sealskin, and carried one of those
little pekinese dogs that women in sealskin like to carry in her laps. The conductor came in
and took the fares. Then his eye rested with cold malice on the beady - eyed toy dog. I saw
trouble brewing. This was the opportunity for which he had been waiting, and he intended
to make the most of it. He was a man with a general vague grievance against everything and
a particular grievance against passengers who came and sat in his bus while he shivered at
the door.
“You must take that dog out,” he said with sour venom.
“I shall certainly do nothing of the kind. You can take my name and address,” said the woman.
“You must take that dog out - that’s my order.”
“I won’t go on the top in such weather. It would kill me,” said the woman.
“Certainly not,” said her lady companion.
“You have got a cough as it is.”
“It’s nonsense,” said her male companion. The conductor pulled the bell and the bus stopped.
“This bus will not move until that dog is brought out.” And he stepped on to the pavement
and waited. It was his moment of triumph. He had the law on his side and a whole bus full of
angry people under the harrow. His embittered soul was having a real holiday.
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