Pre-reading questions:
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- How do you think people decide what is safe for their pets to eat?
- How would you feel if something happened to your pet because of food or drink you gave them?
Vocabulary:
I will read the words, meanings, and sample sentences. Then, repeat after me.
- hospitalize /HOS-pi-tl-ahyz/
- recall /ri-KAWL/
- cause /kawz/
- question /KWES-chuhn/
- survive /ser-VAHYV/
[verb] – to provide medical treatment or care to someone in a hospital
The patient was hospitalized after a serious car accident.
[verb] – to officially remove a product from the market due to safety concerns
The restaurant recalled the contaminated batches of meat after safety concerns arose.
[noun] – the reason or factor that lead to a particular outcome or event
Poor diet and lack of exercise are common causes of heart disease.
[verb] – to ask about or express doubt about something
She questioned whether the new policy would be effective.
[verb] – to continue to exist or live despite difficult conditions
The plant was able to survive the harsh winter weather.
Article reading:
Please read the whole article. Then, I will check your pronunciation and intonation.
A man from San Bernardino reported that two of his cats died and another was hospitalized after drinking raw milk linked to a bird flu outbreak. Health officials confirmed that the unpasteurized milk, made by Raw Farm in Fresno, contained the H5N1 virus. The milk was recalled in December after contamination reports. Joseph Journell, the owner, said he gave the milk to his cats hoping it would improve their health. His 14-year-old tabby, Alexander, and 4-year-old tuxedo cat, Tuxsie, died in late November. A third cat, Big Boy, tested positive for H5N1 and needed hospitalization. Big Boy returned home blind and paralyzed in his hind legs but is recovering. Journell mentioned that his cats had no contact with infected birds and ate regular pet food except for the raw milk.
Veterinary tests confirmed Big Boy had the H5N1 virus, done by the U.S. Agriculture Department and Cornell University. Studies published in Emerging Infectious Diseases linked similar cases to neurological issues in cats that drank contaminated raw milk. Since December, nearly a dozen cats in California have died from similar causes, health officials said. Journell is asking Raw Farm for compensation for over $12,000 in veterinary bills. Mark McAfee, Raw Farm’s owner, questioned whether the virus could survive in milk long enough to infect animals. Federal and state agencies continue to warn against unpasteurized milk for both humans and animals.
Veterinary tests confirmed Big Boy had the H5N1 virus, done by the U.S. Agriculture Department and Cornell University. Studies published in Emerging Infectious Diseases linked similar cases to neurological issues in cats that drank contaminated raw milk. Since December, nearly a dozen cats in California have died from similar causes, health officials said. Journell is asking Raw Farm for compensation for over $12,000 in veterinary bills. Mark McAfee, Raw Farm’s owner, questioned whether the virus could survive in milk long enough to infect animals. Federal and state agencies continue to warn against unpasteurized milk for both humans and animals.
Comprehension questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them based on the article.
- Where is Joseph Journell from?
- What virus was found in the raw milk?
- What happened to Big Boy after he drank the contaminated milk?
- Which institutions confirmed Big Boy had the H5N1 virus?
- What happened to Joseph Journell’s cats after they drank the raw milk?
Discussion questions
I will read each question. Then, please answer them.
- Do you know anyone who takes care of animals, like a pet sitter or veterinarian? If yes, what do they do to take care of animals? If not, what do you think is important when taking care of animals?
- Have you ever heard of a virus that affects animals or humans? If yes, what virus have you heard of, and what do you know about it? If not, do you think viruses are more dangerous to animals than to humans? Why or why not?
- Do you agree that raw milk should be avoided because it can make people or animals sick?
- Do you think the company that made the raw milk should pay for the veterinary bills? Why or why not?
- What could be done to prevent animals from getting sick from contaminated food or drink?