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Vocabulary Quiz
stray • pound • fence
remote control • backyard
  1. During the summer we have many barbeques in the .
  2. Our cat was a before we adopted him.
  3. I saw the dog trying to dig a hole under the today.
  4. Do you have a for your stereo?
  5. The police brought her dog to the because they found it out walking around the neighborhood.
Comprehension Quiz
Answer the following questions about the interview.
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392 Thailand and America
Joel compares two countries.

  • Transcript
  • Audio Notes


First of all, in my neighborhood there are many stray dogs, dogs with no home.

When something is 'stray' it means that it does not have an owner and lives on the streets.

Notice the following:

  1. She takes in stray cats and dogs and helps to find new homes for them.
  2. I think my cat got into a fight with a stray cat.


In America, stray dogs, are sent to the pound.

A 'pound' is a place where stray animals are taken to be cared for while the authorities try to find their owners or find new homes for them.

Notice the following:

  1. I would like to volunteer at the pound.
  2. A lot of stray dogs have arrived at the pound recently.


In front of my house, in front of every house in my neighborhood, there's a fence.

A 'fence' is a structure, like a short wall, that marks the boundary of a property and can stop things from getting in and out.

Notice the following:

  1. I need to paint the fence.
  2. The dog will never get out as there is a six foot fence around the garden.

remote control

Usually there's a garage or a closed car park and when you drive up you have a remote control, and it opens, the garage door opens automatically.

When you have a 'remote control' it means that you can operated it electronically with device you hold in your hand and you do not have to do it manually. In the case of the garage door, you push a button in your car and the door opens.

Notice the following:

  1. I would like some remote control electric gates.
  2. The television is remote control.


Often there's a gate around the backyard, but nothing in the front.

The 'backyard' is the private space behind a house that belongs to the owners of the property.

Notice the following:

  1. I have planted some nice new flowers in the backyard.
  2. They have a swimming pool in their backyard.