Animals & names · News English
A name for a baby red panda
A zoo asks people to choose a name for its new cub.
Your goal: talk about people and their animals with his and her.
What is his name?
Read and find the three possible names.
1A zoo in Connecticut, in the United States, has a baby red panda. He is a boy. He was born on 24 June. His mother is Ponya. His father is Pilot. He is the first red panda born at Beardsley Zoo.
2The baby is growing. People at the zoo look after him. Now the zoo wants a name for him. People can choose Ravi, Tashi or Pabu. These are the three names from the zoo team.
3On 25 September, the zoo shared the news. It asked people to vote. To vote means to choose. The baby has a mother and a father. Soon, he will have a name too.
Original teaching summary. Language examples and model answers are illustrative, not news quotations.
Word help · Three useful words
Read the meanings and examples. Choose one word to use in your own sentence.
baby
a very young person or animal
The baby is small.
choose
to decide which one you want
Choose a name.
look after
to give someone food, help and care
I look after my cat.
Check your reading · Three questions
Choose one answer for every question, then check. You can change an answer and check again.
Useful English: his and her
Use his + noun for a boy or man: His name is Ben. Use her + noun for a girl or woman: Her name is Anna.
Imagine a boy and a girl. Give each one a name.
Model and help
Model: His name is Ben. Her name is Anna.
Alone: say the sentences again with new names. Tutor: ask What is his name?
Speak: choose a name
Imagine a baby animal. Say the animal, his or her name, and one simple description. Speak for 30 seconds.
Labelled model answer
He is a cat. His name is Max. He is small.
Alone: repeat your three sentences. Tutor: ask Is he big or small?
Mastery check · Three questions
Choose one answer for every question, then check. You can change an answer and check again.
Sources and reporting date
Beardsley Zoo report: 25 September 2026, 16:41 UTC. Background photograph: 24 May 2012, Sikkim, India. It does not show this baby.
- Beardsley Zoo: the baby red panda needs a name
Original report, 25 September 2026, 16:41 UTC.