Ruby/Class/Access level

#!/usr/bin/env ruby
class Names
  def initialize( given, family, nick, pet )
    @given = given
    @family = family
    @nick = nick
    @pet = pet
  end
# these methods are public by default
  def given
    @given
  end
  def family
    @family
  end
# all following methods private, until changed
  private
  def nick
    @nick
  end
# all following methods protected, until changed
  protected
  def pet
    @pet
  end
end
name = Names.new( "K", "A", "B", "T" )
puts name.given 
puts name.family

class Names
  def initialize( given, family, nick, pet )
    @given = given
    @family = family
    @nick = nick
    @pet = pet
  end
# these methods are public by default
  def given
    @given
  end
  def family
    @family
  end
# all following methods private, until changed
  private
  def nick
    @nick
  end
# all following methods protected, until changed
  protected
  def pet
    @pet
  end
end
name = Names.new( "Klyde", "Kimball", "Abner", "Teddy Bear" )
name.given # => "Klyde"
name.family # => "Kimball"
# see what happens when you call nick or pet
name.nick
name.pet

The visibility or access of methods and constants may be set with the methods public, private, or protected.
Public methods - Can be called from anywhere in your code.
Protected methods - Can be called only inside objects of the class that defines those methods, or objects of classes derived from that class.
Private methods - Can only be called inside the current object.

class Animal
  def initialize(color)
    @color = color
  end
  public
  def get_color
    return @color
  end
  private
  def get_feet
    return "four"
  end
  def get_sound
    return "Bark"
  end
end