PE 8/1 Choosing Between a Dog and a Cat

Anthony! You know I’m a cat person. I like dogs, but I don’t want all that added responsibility of walking it twice a day and giving it a bath every week.

* cat person: someone who prefers to dogs

ex> Although Judy considered herself a cat person, she really was an all-around animal lover.

You only give a cat a bath if you want to be ripped to shreds. They don’t like water.

* rip something to shreds: tear something into small pieces

ex> The lions ripped the zebra to shreds before they ate it.

… Start fights with other dogs, and chew everything up, and roll around in the dirt. I’m not backing down, Anthony.

* back down: to change one’s opinion or decision because of pressure from someone else

ex> Never back down from your dream just because others think you can’t do it.

I guess we’re at an impasse, then Let’s just call it off. I really can’t imagine enjoying having a cat. They’re so aloof and temperamental, and frankly, I’m a little scared of them.

* at an impasse [^|ɪmpӕs]: having no possible compromise

= at a dead-end; at a stalemate; in a predicament

ex> We were at an impasse over which route to take, so we flipped a coin to decide.

* call off: to cancel a plan

ex> I think we should call off our trip if it snows tonight.