6 Minute English from BBC LearningEnglish.com.

Hello, this is 6 Minute English from BBC Learning English. I'm Neil.

And I'm Georgie. In this programme, we're discussing a controversial topic that often produces strong feelings.

Should animals be kept in zoos? What's your opinion on this debate,

Neil? Oh, it's a really difficult question, Georgie. I think there are good scientific reasons

for having animals in zoos, but also it seems to me a little bit sad and cruel for wild animals to be

locked up. For some, zoos are a good way to teach people about nature and save endangered species

from extinction. Others think separating animals from their natural habitat is cruel and

unnecessary. Either way, with an estimated 700 million visitors every year, zoos remain popular. But are they a good thing?

We'll be debating the pros and cons, as well as learning some useful new words and phrases.

And remember, you can find all the vocabulary for this programme on our website, BBClearningEnglish.com.

Now I have a question for you, Georgie.

In 2022, five animals escaped from Sydney's Taronga Zoo in Australia.

But were the escaped animals A, elephants, B, lions or C, zebras?

I can imagine zebras running away from the zoo.

Okay, we'll find out the answer at the end of the program.

Reporter William Lee Adams has been investigating the arguments for and against keeping animal in zoos

with BBC World Service Programme, What in the World?

Here, he gives two arguments in favour of zoos.

Education is the primary reason that zoos give for why they should exist. The fact is

school children all over the world are often bussed to zoos. I remember myself going to

see lowland gorillas at Zoo Atlanta every single year. And the point of this was to introduce

...