Topic: Homing Pigeons and Carrier Pigeons
We talked about homing pigeons and carrier pigeons. CB was surprised that they were used during the war. Radios were not always reliable or secure, so pigeons carried messages.
How do homing pigeons work?
The pigeons do not fly to a place; they fly home. Soldiers took the pigeons with them into the field. When they released the bird, it flew back to its home at headquarters. That’s how the message was delivered.
CB asked, “How do they find home?” The answer: they just do! Scientists believe pigeons use a combination of the Earth’s magnetic field, the position of the sun, and even scent markers to navigate.
We also talked about how homing pigeons were called “carrier pigeons” when they were used for communication. The two terms are often used interchangeably, but homing pigeons are the breed capable of finding their way back, and carrier pigeons refers to those trained to deliver messages.
Pigeon racing is a sport today. People train pigeons to race home over long distances. CB thought this was very interesting but a little strange.
CB’s opinion about animals
CB said that many animals are intelligent and have personalities. She believes they have souls. We talked about how animals in slaughterhouses seem to know what is going to happen to them, and it is very sad to watch.
Vegetarian and vegan lifestyle
CB is vegetarian but does not mind if other people eat meat. However, she feels people should think about where the meat comes from. We discussed an example of a vegan neighbor who left a note saying:
“Please shut your window. We are vegan. The smell of cooking meat makes us sick.”
We both agreed this is too extreme. Still, JT said he would probably close his window to avoid more problems.
Kitchen ventilation
CB and JT talked about how kitchen fans work. CB asked the word for the device that takes smoke out of the kitchen. We learned:
- Range hood (main U.S. term)
- Oven exhaust fan
- Oven fan
JT explained that a cowl is also a word for the hood, but it is more commonly used for clothing (like a cape or hood).
Small kitchens
CB lives in a small flat in Switzerland. She said rent is very high, but her kitchen is just big enough. JT also has a medium-sized kitchen. When their children lived at home, they cooked a lot. Now that it’s just two people, they sometimes cook too much by mistake.
Open kitchens vs. closed kitchens
CB and JT both prefer closed kitchens. Open kitchens (great rooms) look nice, but the smells travel into the living area, and it feels awkward if guests arrive early.
Airports and travel problems
JT told a story about picking up his wife from the airport. Her plane was delayed by hours. The police tried to make him move, but a nice officer let him stay after JT explained. CB said Zurich airport has strict rules too.
Rent-a-cop
We learned the phrase rent-a-cop. It is a slang (and not polite) term for private security guards. CB understood because she knows the phrase “rent-a-car.”
Police uniforms
CB and JT talked about police uniforms in different countries.
- Switzerland: blue uniforms
- Italy: beautiful motorcycle police uniforms (Carabinieri)
CB joked, “I wouldn’t mind getting arrested by them!” JT laughed and agreed.
We also learned the German word for police: Polizei.
Wrap-up
This was CB’s last lesson in this course. JT invited her to check the website for dialogues and to leave comments. Both said they enjoyed the lessons.
Advanced Vocabulary from the Lesson
Headquarters (HEAD-quar-ters) – the main office or center of operations
Navigate (NAV-i-gate) – to find your way from one place to another
Magnetic (mag-NET-ic) – relating to magnets or the Earth’s magnetic field
Slaughterhouse (SLAUGHT-er-house) – a place where animals are killed for food
Exhaust (ex-HAUST) – air or gas that is pushed out from a space
Cowl (COWL) – a hood or covering; also used for kitchen ventilation
Ventilation (ven-ti-LA-tion) – the movement of fresh air into a room or building
Separation anxiety (sep-a-RA-tion anx-I-e-ty) – sadness or stress when separated from someone you love
Carabinieri (car-a-bin-I-er-i) – Italian national police force
Polizei (po-li-TSAI) – the German word for police
Pictures
