ESOL Extras
Did that really happen?
A Mexican man kept 98 crocodiles in his six small swimming pools. Some were two metres long.
Crocodiles do have their uses. Nobody is going to steal that Mexican guy’s pool furniture.
Food costs are a problem. You can economise by throwing a ball into the water for Rover to chase. Or encourage annoying family members to take up swimming. But you do need a big family.
A crocodile will impress your neighbours. It would keep those annoying salesmen away too. A sign in the window saying : ‘My crocodile doesn’t want new windows!’ would send the right message to most cold callers.
For most, however, it is not quite the perfect pet. You can’t stroke it while sitting on the sofa, for example - certainly not if you need the hand after. And crocodiles have a reputation for being a little grumpy.
Nor is it a practical option for a 14th floor apartment. No reptile is truly happy living behind the shower curtain.
At least crocodiles don’t lick you – they can’t move their tongues. They can move their jaws around you, though. To escape, push your thumbs down directly into his eyes.
Doesn’t sound much fun? Perhaps that bulldog is a better option.
Or a cat - they are very little trouble. Though they are fussy when it comes to food. And that’s one thing you could never accuse a crocodile of.
Crocodiles do have their uses. Nobody is going to steal that Mexican guy’s pool furniture.
Food costs are a problem. You can economise by throwing a ball into the water for Rover to chase. Or encourage annoying family members to take up swimming. But you do need a big family.
A crocodile will impress your neighbours. It would keep those annoying salesmen away too. A sign in the window saying : ‘My crocodile doesn’t want new windows!’ would send the right message to most cold callers.
For most, however, it is not quite the perfect pet. You can’t stroke it while sitting on the sofa, for example - certainly not if you need the hand after. And crocodiles have a reputation for being a little grumpy.
Nor is it a practical option for a 14th floor apartment. No reptile is truly happy living behind the shower curtain.
At least crocodiles don’t lick you – they can’t move their tongues. They can move their jaws around you, though. To escape, push your thumbs down directly into his eyes.
Doesn’t sound much fun? Perhaps that bulldog is a better option.
Or a cat - they are very little trouble. Though they are fussy when it comes to food. And that’s one thing you could never accuse a crocodile of.
Download: B1-2 Practice Pack
Reading & listening materials for English language learners. Includes graded texts, audio, worksheets, interactive activities & answers.
Reading & listening materials for English language learners. Includes graded texts, audio, worksheets, interactive activities & answers.
Kieran McGovern has been described as being 'amongst the best writers of language learner materials in English’. He has written over twenty graded readers & provides online ELT learning resources.
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This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-NoDerivatives 4.0 International License * Contact