[Ep.1] Super Dog, Chase

Welcome to your daily dose of real-life English!
Today, we explore a heartwarming story about a heroic dog named Chase and the power of safety.

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1. Full Script Deep Dive 📘

Read the entire news script below. 

 

Look at the flames, two houses were on fire.
Five people were in danger and this little smooshy started barking, running all over and saved the day.

This is Chase, the hero dog. Scary stuff.

Salvator wasn't home at the time, but his 28-year-old son was upstairs.

My son had to jump out that window onto the roof and get down.

I heard the dog woke them up, you know, the people downstairs, the landlord and his wife and his uh fiance up and then they woke up my son or I think he called him on the phone or woke him up.

little two-year-old Chase, that's the dog's name, is only 12 pounds and he is a mini golden doodle.

Another fantastic reminder that dogs are awesome, but so are smoke detectors. The residents were awoken by the dog barking.

So the dog was barking, woke them up, they saw the fire.

Assistant Chief Hadrick Ray ran in to help save a couple in their 80s next door.

I asked them are they out, are they out? And then we seen that the woman was in a walker.

So me and him ran in, we grabbed him out and then the Long Beach Police Department helped with the second victim that was inside of that house.

A man and a woman? Yes.

But the big story was that the dog Chase actually beat the smoke alarm going off.

The people downstairs, the dog and homeowners didn't want to talk on camera but they tell me initially they thought there was an intruder.

Most important thing to tell people, you got to have a what? A smoke detector.

You got to have a smoke detector. Or a pet. Or both.

Every year thousands of people are saved by smoke detectors and pets. But you don't have to tell these guys.

Y'all have dogs? Yes. What kind of dog? French bulldog.

Come on. What's his name?

Storm. Storm? Yep. What about you? I got a silver lab.

You got a silver lab? Yeah. Oh. And the name? Uh, Shadow. Shadow. I actually just got him.

Dog lovers all. Good job, Chase.

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2. Real-Life Expression Focus 📝

Let's break down the expressions used by native speakers in this story. 

 

1) Idiom of the Day: Saved the Day

Idiom: Saved the Day

Imagine you and your friends are building a giant sandcastle, but the tide is coming in fast! Then, your friend quickly builds a huge sand wall just in time to stop the water. Your friend saved the day!

Meaning: To fix a very bad or difficult situation just before it becomes a disaster; to make a situation successful.

Example from News: "this little smooshy started barking... and saved the day."

Other Example: I forgot the map for our hike, but Sarah had a compass! She totally saved the day.

2) Phrasal Verbs in News: Run In & Grab Out

Phrasal Verbs: Run In & Grab Out

These verbs are like action movie words! Run in means you move quickly inside somewhere, usually because it's urgent. Grab out means to quickly take someone or something out of a place with your hand.

1. Run In (Quick Entry)

Meaning: To enter a place quickly, often to help or check something.

Example from News: "Assistant Chief Hadrick Ray ran in to help save a couple..."

Other Example: When the phone rang, I ran in from the backyard to answer it.

2. Grab Out (Quick Exit/Removal)

Meaning: To quickly take or pull someone or something from inside a place.

Example from News: "me and him ran in, we grabbed him out..."

Other Example: The teacher quickly grabbed the box out of the way before the students tripped.

3) Casual Talk: Got to / Gotta

Casual Talk: You Got to / Gotta

In formal English, you say 'You have to...' or 'You must...' when something is important. But when people talk fast, 'have to' often becomes 'got to'! And when they talk really fast, 'got to' often sounds like 'Gotta'!

Meaning: Must; have to (used to express necessity or obligation).

Example from News: "Most important thing to tell people, you got to have a what?"

Other Example: "I’m late! I gotta go now." (I have to go now.)

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3. English Pop Quiz

Test your comprehension of the script! Select your answer, then click the button to see the explanation.

Q1. (A2/B1) Chase the dog is a specific type of animal. What kind of dog is he?

A. French Bulldog B. Mini Golden Doodle C. Silver Lab

Correct Answer: B. Mini Golden Doodle. The script mentions: "...he is a mini golden doodle." The French Bulldog and Silver Lab are the dogs of the firefighters interviewed at the end.

Q2. (B1) Why did the 28-year-old son have to jump out the window onto the roof?

A. He was locked in the room by the landlord. B. The regular exit was blocked by the flames. C. He wanted to help the firefighters from the roof. D. He was afraid of the dog, Chase.

Correct Answer: B. The regular exit was blocked by the flames. The extreme action of jumping out the window ("My son had to jump out...") shows the immediate danger, implying the primary exits were unsafe due to the fire.

Q3. (B1/B2) What does the word **'beat'** mean in this context: "Chase actually beat the smoke alarm going off"?

A. He stopped the smoke alarm. B. He was faster than the smoke alarm. C. He fought with the smoke alarm.

Correct Answer: B. He was faster than the smoke alarm. In a race or contest, if you 'beat' someone, it means you won or finished before them. Chase barked and woke people up before the alarm could go off.

Q4. (A2/B1) The people downstairs initially thought there was an intruder because of the noise. What is an intruder?

A. A neighbor who needed help. B. A person who enters a place without permission. C. A firefighter who arrived early. D. The sound of the smoke alarm.

Correct Answer: B. A person who enters a place without permission. The script says they thought there was an 'intruder' (a person invading the home), suggesting the dog's urgent barking was mistaken for a warning about a break-in, not the fire.