Characters: Kelsey, Plato P: Oh my! Please watch where you're going! K: My goodness! I'm very sorry. P: It's no trouble. Please don't worry about it. K: May I ask you something? I'm in the middle of a search for my cat right now. Did you happen to see one come this way? I have the feeling that she's hiding somewhere in this area. P: A cat?
K: Yes, that's right, a cat. It's a milky white cat with orange stripes. Its name's "Tiger", and I'm pretty sure she ran away just yesterday. I've been looking everywhere for her since. P: It seems to me that you have a difficult problem there. But it also seems to me that you have a much bigger problem you should be worrying about. Please tell me, boy, why are you searching so adamantly for this cat?
K: Why?...Well, for starters, she is my cat, isn't she? It's my responsibility then to take care of her, which I've clearly done a bad job of this time. P: But what I mean to say is, do you think your cat is a perfect cat?
K: Perfect? Well, no, I wouldn't say so. But there's no such thing as a perfect cat, right? My cat happens to bite people every now and then, and she's a regular trouble-maker. But this may be the worst trouble she's gotten into yet. P: Indeed, no cat in this world is perfect, I agree. That is doubtlessly true. Furthermore, nothing in this world is perfect. Even things we think are beautiful are only close to being perfect. However, there are perfect things in a greater world than this one. And the things in this greater world also have an effect on the things of this world. You see, the original ideas of the things we know are perfect. They are the only perfect things we can talk about.
K: I'm sorry, but I don't understand any of what you're saying. What do you mean by an 'original idea'? What is this 'greater world' you're talking about? P: You must understand, your cat isn't perfect because it is just a material cat, a regular cat. And it is just one cat out of millions of cats in this world. And every one of those millions of cats are imperfect because they are material and regular. But the original idea of a cat exists prior to all the cats we know in this world, and all the cats in this world are only imperfect reflections of the original idea of a perfect cat. So, the regular cats we know in this world aren't perfect because they are only reflections, or shadows, of the original perfect cat. Do you understand what I'm saying now? K: ...No, sorry, I don't think I understood a word. P: I see. That's too bad. Well, in any case, my opinion is that you shouldn't be looking so hard for your cat. As long as it is regular, it isn't perfect. You must instead search for the original idea of a cat if you want to find the perfect cat. It is the only cat you will ever find that is perfect, in fact. And of course, a perfect cat is superior to your regular cat. Only if you can find the original idea of a cat, the perfect cat, will you ever be happy.
K: Alright... I don't really understand, but I'll try to follow some of your advice. But right now I'm too worried about Tiger to think of what you're saying, so I'm going to continue looking for now. P: Do as you wish. I'm not exactly sure, but I believe I saw a cat like the one you described come this way earlier today. She appeared to be going in this direction.
K: Ah, perfect! I'm very grateful, thank you. Now listen to the questions. If you don't understand something, ask either Kelsey or your tutor for help. Send your answers to Kelsey in the Writing Section at LingQ or tell Kelsey your answers in a conversation with him in the Speaking Section. You don't have to answer all the questions. Good luck!
