Japanese university group extends helping hand to stray “campus cats”

admin 2020年4月8日

Intermediate

Japan News, japan news - intermediate

Pre-reading questions:

Do you like animals? If so, what is your favorite animal? If not, why?
Do you want to help stray animals? Why or why not?

Vocabulary:

stray /strey/

[adjective] (of an animal) having no home, or lost
He took a stray dog frequenting outside his home under his care.

inspection /in-SPEK-shuhn/

[noun] the act of looking at something carefully in order to discover information
The police will conduct an inspection at the crime scene.

appearance /uh-PEER-uhns/

[noun] the way a person or thing looks to other people
Her appearance got better after her operation.

welfare /WEL-fair/

[noun] help given, especially by the state or an organization, to people who need it, especially because they do not have enough money
The businessman donated his wealth for the welfare of the evacuees.

institution /in-sti-TOO-shuhn/

[noun] an organization that exists to serve a public purpose such as education or support for people who need help
My friends and I plan to form an institution to support and care for the elderly.

Students at Yamaguchi University formed a group named “Yamadai nyanko daisakusen” that aims to help stray cats that roam around the university. Veterinary students help this group in gathering statistical data and offering medical assistance for the stray felines. In addition, the group conducts location inspections where these animals gather, updates the cats’ population, and examines their appearances. These details are being discussed during group meetings as well as the animals’ living conditions and other issues including infectious diseases from cats.

The school has partnered with “Cat Circle” at Kyushu University in Fukuoka. This group has advanced knowledge about animal welfare and how to deal with stray cats. The institution is thinking of possibilities of having medical help as part of their services. For this reason, a crowdfunding campaign was held until 11 P.M. last February 14.

Comprehension Questions:

Based on the article, what is Yamadai nyanko daisakusen?
Who helps this group in gathering statistical data?
What are the things discussed during group meetings as mentioned in the article?
What organization has Yamadai nyanko daisakusen partnered with to help them deal with stray cats?
According to the article, when was the crowdfunding event held?

Discussion Questions:

What is your opinion about helping stray animals?
What do you think are the advantages and disadvantages of helping stray cats?
Do you think medical assistance is enough to help the cats? Explain your answer.
What do you think will happen if there is no one to help campus stray cats?
Aside from crowdfunding, what other ways can you suggest to earn money to support the organization?