Objective Proficiency p 24. Writing: Ethical Treatment of Animals. Students' Contributions

Junie's contribution

• Humans are superior, or at least they should be but in actual fact in most cases they are not.
  

In (actual) fact:

1 used to give extra details about something that has just been mentioned. E.g. I used to live in France; in fact, not far from where you're going. 

2 used to emphasize a statement, especially one that is the opposite of what has just been mentioned. E.g. I thought the work would be difficult. In actual fact, it's very easy. 

• How anyone could possibly say that maiming or injuring an animal is a normal thing to do is completely beyond me.

Be beyond somebody

(informal) to be impossible for somebody to imagine, understand or do. E.g. It's beyond me why she wants to marry Jeff.

• I really believe that in this day and age we should not have to kill animals. 

In this day and age: now, in the modern world.

• If I had to give meat up tomorrow, it would not bother me in the slightest 

Not in the slightest: not at all. E.g. He didn't seem to mind in the slightest.I'm not in the slightest bit interested.

• I have seen children that are absolutely terrified of my incredibly tame cats.

Tame: (of animals, birds, etc.) not afraid of people, and used to living with them. Dócil. E.g. The bird became so tame that it was impossible to release it back into the wild.

• It is terrible that animals are becoming extinct because of human greed.

Extinct: /ɪkˈstɪŋkt/ no longer in existence. E.g. an extinct species. The red squirrel is in danger of becoming extinct in England.

• I detest blood sports

Blood sport: a sport in which animals or birds are killed.

• I could write pages and pages on this particular topic as I feel very strongly about it.

Feel very strongly about something: to have firm opinions about something. E.g. This is an issue I feel strongly about.

•  Animals are defenceless creatures

Defenceless: /dɪˈfensləs/ weak; not able to protect yourself; having no protection. Defenceless children. The village is defenceless against attack.

Liliana's contribution

• Speciesism: / ˈspiːʃiːzɪzəm/ the belief that humans are more important than animals, which causes people to treat animals badly.

• Speciesist: /ˈspiːʃiːzɪst/ adjective, noun

• Vivisection:  /ˌvɪvɪˈsekʃn/ the practice of doing experiments on live animals for medical or scientific research.

• Hunting and mistreating endangered species will render this planet inhabitable 
• Render somebody/something + adjective (formal) to cause somebody/something to be in a particular state or condition. Make
  E.g. to render something harmless/useless/ineffective. Hundreds of people were rendered homeless by the earthquake.