Skip to main content

Level: A1

A New Dog

A visit to the animal shelter, a small brown dog named Max, a leash and a bowl, and a jealous cat.

CEFR A1 · 192 words · ~1 min read · US English

๐Ÿ”Š Listen to this passage

6:11 ๐ŸŽฌ Watch this lesson on YouTube A New Dog โ€” Slow English Reading Practice for Beginners (A1) ยท Lesson 19 Read the lesson below first. When you understand every line, open the YouTube link above and play this video in your earbuds โ€” while you walk, cook or ride the bus, with nothing to look up and nothing to pause. English you already understand, heard again and again, is what turns reading into listening.
๐Ÿ“– Open in interactive ESL Reader โ†’

In the reader, tap any word or sentence to hear it in English, translate it, or look up a definition.

Words to know

shelter
a place that takes care of animals without a home
volunteer
a person who works for free to help
wag
when a dog moves its tail from side to side because it is happy
fee
money you pay for a service
leash
a long strap you hold when you walk a dog
collar
a band that goes around an animal's neck
bowl
a round, deep dish for food or water
vet
a doctor for animals
treat
a small snack you give a pet

Picture words from this story

Tap ๐Ÿ”Š to hear a word, or ๏ผ‹ to save just that one to My Flashcards.

  • shelter

    shelter

    A safe home for lost pets.

  • leash

    leash

    It keeps the dog with you.

  • bowl

    bowl

    Food and water go here.

  • vet

    vet

    A doctor for animals.

  • treat

    treat

    A small snack for a good dog.

Every sentence has a โ–ถ button โ€” tap it to hear that sentence read slowly, one word at a time.

The animal shelter
The animal shelter

I want a dog.

a dog

On Saturday, I go to the animal shelter.

shelter

There are many dogs and cats.

dogs and cats
A volunteer shows me around
A volunteer shows me around

A volunteer shows me around.

a volunteer
This is Max
This is Max

A small brown dog looks at me and wags his tail.

wags his tail

His name is Max, and he is two years old.

two years old
Head on my knee
Head on my knee

I sit on the floor.

sit on the floor

He puts his head on my knee.

head on my knee
A form and a small fee
A form and a small fee

I fill out a form and pay a small fee.

a form
A leash, a collar, a bowl
A leash, a collar, a bowl

Then I buy a leash, a collar, and a bowl.

leash
Riding home
Riding home

Max rides home in the back seat.

the back seat
The cat is not happy
The cat is not happy

My cat looks at Max from the bookshelf.

the bookshelf

She is not happy.

not happy

Max drinks water from his new bowl.

bowl
In the park
In the park

Every morning, I walk Max in the park.

walk Max

He runs after a ball and brings it back.

a ball

He wants to play with every dog.

every dog
At the vet
At the vet

On Sunday, I take him to the vet.

vet

The vet checks his ears and his teeth.

ears and teeth

She says, He is a healthy dog.

a healthy dog

Max gets a treat.

treat
Bedtime
Bedtime

At night, Max sleeps on his bed next to the couch.

his bed

My cat watches him from the couch.

watches
My new friend
My new friend

After a week, she sleeps next to him.

next to him

A dog is a lot of work.

a lot of work

But I love my new friend.

my new friend

Check your understanding

  1. What is this text about?

    Show answer

    A new dog from the shelter โ€” The writer goes to the animal shelter and takes home a dog named Max.

  2. How old is Max?

    Show answer

    Two years old โ€” The text says: His name is Max, and he is two years old.

  3. What does the vet check?

    Show answer

    His ears and his teeth โ€” The text says: The vet checks his ears and his teeth.

  4. The writer's cat is happy to see Max at first

    Show answer

    False โ€” The text says: She is not happy.

โ† More Basics · All reading practice