5-minute listening: World’s oldest dog Bobi, 30, is also one of the luckiest – he cheated death as a puppy
- Practise your English with our short listening exercises: play the audio linked below; answer the questions; and check the answers at the bottom of the page
- Portuguese guard dog has broken a record previously held by Australian cattle dog who died in 1939 at the age of 29 years and five months
Bobi, who lives in a small village in Portugal called Conqueiros, has been declared the world’s oldest dog ever by Guinness World Records. Photo: AFPQuestions
1. How old is Bobi?
A. 22 months old
B. 18 years old
C. 29 weeks old
D. 30 years old
2. How long did Bluey hold the record of being the world’s oldest dog?
A. one year
B. 10 years
C. close to 100 years
D. 1,000 years
3. What did Bobi look after?
A. farm animals
B. young children
C. older dogs
D. animals in the zoo
4. An animal’s “life expectancy” refers to ...
A. how it survives in the wild.
B. its natural habitat.
C. the average period that it is likely to live.
D. how many times it will give birth during its lifespan.
5. How many puppies did Gira have according to the podcast?
A. three
B. four
C. six
D. information not given
6. Why did Leonel Costa’s parents kill the puppies?
A. They had too many animals.
B. The puppies were deformed.
C. They did not like dogs.
D. The puppies were too young.
7. How did Bobi escape the fate that his siblings faced?
A. He escaped from the shed.
B. His mother hid him from Leonel Costa’s parents.
C. He was taken in by an animal shelter.
D. none of the above
8. Which word can replace “blend in” in the podcast?
A. camouflage
B. masquerade
C. deceive
D. disguise
9. How did Leonel and his sister find out about Bobi?
A. They saw him while they were camping in the woods.
B. They realised Bobi’s mother was returning to the shed.
C. They heard a puppy’s cries coming from the shed.
D. They found him hidden in the attic.
10. How long did Leonel and his sister keep Bobi’s existence a secret?
A. until he could bark
B. until he was eight months old
C. until he opened his eyes
D. until he was too big to be kept in the shed
11. What punishment did the siblings get for hiding Bobi?
A. They were grounded for a month.
B. They were made to do extra chores.
C. They were not allowed to leave the house for a week.
D. information not given
12. If a person is “oblivious” to something, they are ...
A. not aware of it.
B. focused on it.
C. worried about doing it.
D. confident about doing it.
13. What does Bobi most likely not eat according to the podcast?
A. fish
B. kibble
C. pork
D. beef
14. Based on the podcast, which of the following is the most reasonable explanation for why Bobi has difficulty walking?
A. because he is obese
B. because of his age
C. because of his injury
D. because he cannot see well
15. Which of the following is an alternative headline for this podcast?
A. Sorry, Bluey. There’s a new oldest dog in the world record books
B. Portuguese pooch crowned world’s oldest dog ever
C. World’s oldest canine ever narrowly escaped death as a puppy, owner reveals
D. all of the above
Answers
1. D
2. C
3. A
4. C
5. B
6. A
7. D
8. A
9. B
10. C
11. D
12. A
13. B
14. B
15. D
Script
Voice 1: Bobi is a 30-year-old guard dog who cheated death in his first days. He is living out the end of his life as a celebrity in central Portugal after being declared the world’s oldest dog ever. When he was recognised by Guinness World Records as the world’s oldest dog on February 1, he broke a nearly century-old record previously held by Bluey, an Australian cattle dog who died in 1939 at the age of 29 years and five months.
Voice 2: Bobi is a purebred Rafeiro, which is a Portuguese livestock guard dog whose normal life expectancy is between 12 and 14. He was born on May 11, 1992, along with three other pups in a storage shed for wood that was owned by the Costa family in the small village of Conqueiros in central Portugal.
Voice 1: Because the family owned so many animals, the father decided they couldn’t keep the newborn puppies and took them from the shed while the mother dog Gira was out, said Leonel Costa, who was eight years old at the time. But they didn’t realise one puppy had been left behind – his colouring made him blend in with the surrounding wood.
Voice 2: Leonel and his sister were heartbroken that the puppies were being killed. But when they noticed that Gira kept returning to the shed, the siblings had a look and discovered the surviving puppy. They decided to keep his existence a secret until he could open his eyes. According to Leonel, the siblings knew their parents wouldn’t do anything to Bobi then, and that meant he would remain with them. Even though they were punished, it was worth it.
Voice 1: Bobi is now living out his twilight years oblivious to the fact that he has become a world record holder. Many of the other Costa dogs have also lived long lives. Bobi’s mother Gira lived for 18 years, and another dog lived to 22.
Voice 2: Leonel attributes Bobi’s longevity to the tranquillity of country living and his diet, which includes lots of fresh meat and fish. The world record holder has never been chained up or put on a leash, and he used to roam the woods around the village. However, walking has become difficult for him, so he spends most of his time hanging out in the yard with cats or napping after meals.