I have a son who will be entering middle school this year. It had always been on my mind that raising a pet would be good for him, but a dog or cat seemed like a big commitment. Then, a few years ago, I came across a TV program about tortoises.
We thought that raising a tortoise would be less of a burden, so we decided to adopt one. When our son was in 2nd grade, we went to a shop specializing in tortoises and adopted a 3-year-old tortoise. Since tortoises are an endangered species, we had to file papers with the Ministry of Environment.
Tortoises mostly feed on vegetables like zucchinis and chicory. They have a reputation for being slow, but that is far from the truth. People are often taken aback by how quickly they dash toward their food.
- Getting married is a big commitment. / People need to realize that raising a pet is a big commitment.
- You can file papers with the school online. / We have to file papers with the city office to make our marriage official.
- The car has a reputation for breaking down often. / He has a reputation for being difficult to work with.
1: Didn't you mentioned that you raised a tortoise as a companian animal?
2: That's right. Our son is crazy about it.
1: Turtles have along life expectancy, don't they?
2: Yes, they can outlive people.
1: Really?
2: Sure. It will probably still be alive when our child gets married and has kids of his own.