Choosing a New Pet at the Shelter

在收容所选择新宠物

A conversation between a prospective pet owner and an adoption counselor at an animal shelter, discussing different animals available, their temperaments, and adoption requirements.

一位潜在的宠物主人与动物收容所的领养顾问之间的对话，讨论可供领养的不同动物、它们的性格以及领养要求。

对话

聆听并跟进对话

Sarah (Female)

Hi there! I'm here to look at adopting a new pet. Could you tell me a bit about what animals you currently have available?

你好！我来这里是想领养一只新宠物。你能告诉我你们目前有哪些动物可以领养吗？

Michael (Male)

Welcome! We have a good selection right now. We've got several dogs, both puppies and adults, and quite a few cats. We also have a couple of rabbits and a guinea pig, if you're interested in something smaller.

欢迎！我们现在有很好的选择。我们有几只狗，有幼犬也有成年犬，还有不少猫。如果你对小动物感兴趣，我们还有几只兔子和一个豚鼠。

Sarah (Female)

That's great! I'm leaning towards a dog, maybe a medium-sized one. Are there any particular breeds or mixes that are known for being good family pets?

太好了！我倾向于养狗，也许是中等大小的。有没有什么特别的品种或杂交犬是出名的好家庭宠物？

Michael (Male)

Absolutely. We have a couple of Labrador mixes and a very sweet Golden Retriever mix right now that would fit that description. They tend to be very friendly and good with children. We also have a few smaller terrier mixes that are quite adaptable.

当然有。我们现在有几只拉布拉多混血犬和一只非常可爱的金毛寻回犬混血犬，它们都符合你的描述。它们通常非常友好，对孩子也很友善。我们还有几只体型较小的梗犬混血犬，它们适应性很强。

Sarah (Female)

Oh, a Golden Retriever mix sounds lovely! What's her temperament like? Does she get along with other animals, or does she prefer to be the only pet?

哦，金毛寻回犬混血听起来很可爱！她的性情怎么样？她和其他动物相处得好吗，还是更喜欢做唯一的宠物？

Michael (Male)

She's very gentle and playful. Her name is Daisy. She actually gets along quite well with most other dogs here, but we'd recommend a slow introduction if you have existing pets at home. She's also very food motivated, which is great for training.

她非常温柔淘气。她的名字叫黛西。她和这里的大多数其他狗相处得都很好，但如果你家里已经有宠物了，我们建议缓慢地进行介绍。她对食物也很感兴趣，这很适合训练。

Sarah (Female)

That's good to know. And what are the adoption requirements? Is there an application process or a home visit?

这很有用。那么领养要求是什么？有申请程序或者上门拜访吗？

Michael (Male)

Yes, we have an adoption application form for you to fill out, and once that's reviewed, we typically do a brief phone interview. For dogs, a home visit is usually part of our process to ensure the environment is safe and suitable. We also require all existing pets in the home to be spayed or neutered and up-to-date on vaccinations.

是的，我们有一个领养申请表，您需要填写。审核通过后，我们通常会进行一次简短的电话面试。对于狗，家访通常是我们流程的一部分，以确保环境安全和合适。我们还要求家中所有现有宠物都已绝育或去势，并及时接种疫苗。

Sarah (Female)

Okay, that all sounds reasonable. Could I spend some time with Daisy, and also perhaps look at some of the other dogs you mentioned?

好的，这些听起来都合理。我能和黛西待一会儿，然后也许再看看你提到的其他狗吗？

Michael (Male)

Of course! I'll take you to the dog enclosures now. Just follow me, and we can introduce you to Daisy and a few others.

当然可以！我现在带你去狗舍。跟我来，我们可以介绍你认识黛西和其他几只狗。

词汇

对话中的必备词汇和短语

adopt

To adopt means to take an animal into your home and care for it as your own, like choosing a pet from a shelter.

收养意味着将动物带回家并像自己的宠物一样照顾它，比如从收容所选择宠物。

available

Available means ready to be chosen or used; in this context, it refers to animals that are ready for adoption at the shelter.

Available 意味着准备好被选择或使用；在这种情况下，它指的是收容所中准备好领养的动物。

puppies

Puppies are young dogs, usually under one year old; they are often playful and need lots of training.

小狗是幼犬，通常不到一岁；它们通常活泼好动，需要大量的训练。

temperament

Temperament describes an animal's personality or behavior, like if it's friendly, shy, or energetic.

性情描述了动物的个性或行为，比如它是否友好、害羞或精力充沛。

breeds

Breeds are different types or varieties of dogs, like Labrador or Golden Retriever, each with unique traits.

品种是狗的不同类型或变种，如拉布拉多或金毛寻回犬，每种都有独特的特征。

mixes

Mixes refer to mixed-breed animals that are a combination of two or more breeds, often healthier and more varied.

混血指的是两种或更多品种的混合品种动物，通常更健康且多样化。

spayed

Spayed means a female animal has had surgery to prevent having babies; it's important for pet health and population control.

绝育是指雌性动物接受手术以防止生育；这对宠物健康和种群控制很重要。

neutered

Neutered means a male animal has had surgery to remove its testicles, preventing reproduction; it's a common requirement for adoption.

去势意味着雄性动物接受手术移除睾丸，防止繁殖；这是收养的常见要求。

vaccinations

Vaccinations are medical shots given to animals to protect them from diseases; pets must be up-to-date for safety.

疫苗接种是给予动物以保护它们免于疾病的医疗注射；宠物必须保持最新以确保安全。

关键句型

需要记住和练习的重要短语

Could you tell me a bit about what animals you currently have available?

This is a polite way to ask for information using 'could you' for requests and 'a bit about' to mean some details; useful when inquiring at a shelter or store.

这是使用 'could you' 来礼貌请求信息，并用 'a bit about' 表示一些细节的询问方式；在动物收容所或商店咨询时很有用。

I'm leaning towards a dog, maybe a medium-sized one.

'Leaning towards' means preferring something; this sentence shows expressing a preference, helpful for making choices in conversations about pets or purchases.

“Leaning towards”表示倾向于某物；这个句子展示了表达偏好的方式，有助于在关于宠物或购物的对话中做出选择。

What's her temperament like?

This question asks about personality using 'what's ... like?' pattern; it's practical for learning about animals or people before deciding.

这个问题使用 'what's ... like?' 模式询问性格；它在决定前了解动物或人时很实用。

She gets along quite well with most other dogs here.

'Gets along with' means has a good relationship; 'quite well' adds emphasis; useful for describing social behavior in pets or friends.

‘Gets along with’ 意思是有良好的关系；‘quite well’ 添加了强调；用于描述宠物或朋友的社交行为很有用。

What are the adoption requirements?

This is a direct question using 'what are the ...?' for rules or needs; essential when applying for something like adopting a pet or joining a program.

这是一个使用 'what are the ...?' 形式的直接问题，用于询问规则或需求；在申请领养宠物或加入程序等事项时必不可少。

Could I spend some time with Daisy?

A polite request with 'could I' and 'spend some time with' meaning interact briefly; great for asking to meet or try something in service situations.

一个礼貌的请求，使用 'could I' 和 'spend some time with' 表示短暂互动；非常适合在服务场合请求见面或尝试某事。

We require all existing pets in the home to be spayed or neutered.

This uses 'require ... to be' for mandatory actions; it explains rules clearly, useful in formal contexts like applications or policies.

这使用了'require ... to be'来表示强制性行动；它清楚地解释规则，在申请或政策等正式语境中很有用。