Part IV transport

Listening

Listen to what two people are saying about how they travel in a large city.

Before you listen, study the table and predict what they will say. As you listen, write in the table the information from the conversation.

Do you agree with what they say?

	Public transport	Car
Cost
Problems
Convenience

Lynn: Well, I reckon it’s a bit ____ to have a car, if you live in the middle of London like I do. Personally, I go everywhere ___ _____ transport, buses, tubes, and I don’t have any complaints - well, not too many.

Interviewer: It’s quite expensive nowadays though, isn’t it?

Lynn: Like everything else, I’m afraid. I would say it will cost me about 5 or 6 pounds a week. Sometimes I get a Travelcard, which you can use on the ____ or on the buses, and sometimes I get the bus. It depends how organized I am feeling that week. It’s very easy to use public transport, it’s much cheaper than a car, and there’s lots of it, you can get anywhere quickly, especially on the Underground. While in a car you ___ _____ in a ______ ____.

Interviewer: So you wouldn’t consider _______ even a small car?

Lynn: It doesn’t make any sence for me. The big problem is parking, there’s simply nowhere to put it if you drive into the centre, unless you feel like paying a fortune in a ____ ____. And even then, sometimes you just can’t find a space. And the other big problem is crime - if you leave your car in the street, chances are that either the car, or _____ of it will be missing when you come back...

Interviewer: Peter, you run a car, don’t you? Is it really worth it?

Peter: Well I must admit, I’ve often asked myself that question, especially when I’m stuck in the middle of a traffic jam. I suppose that the main reason I still do it is that I can’t stand waiting for buses and trains and things - I just ____ ___ the car, and ___ I ___. It’s easier to plan your journey. And you can go any time - most public transport is fairly awful after say 12.30 at night, so if you like going out late, you know, there’s a problem. And the buses are so ______ all the time, and the tubes, so you end up feeling like a _______ in a tin ...

Interviewer: Isn’t it a bit expensive though?

Peter: Yes, it is. I’ve worked out that it costs me between 15 and 20 pounds a week, so I suppose I could save a lot of money if I went by bus. It’s just that I can’t stand all that waiting, ______ and shoving, you know? Anyway I enjoy driving...

Exercise 1

The following comments are overheard at the local truckers’ cafe. Read each comment, decide what kind of driver is talking or write what kind of truck he/she drives.

Example: Trash cans are very heavy! A sanitation worker who drives a garbage truck.

1. Delivering oil is a dangerous job!

2. You’ve moved five rooms of furniture today!

3. I am on my way to pull a broken-down car to a service station.

4. They bought a lot of hamburgers today.

5. I still have two more packages to deliver.

6. I have seen new automobiles on the truck.

7. I hope it doesn’t snow again tomorrow.

8. I’m loaded with two tons of dirt.

9. The mixer makes so much noise.

10. You wouldn’t believe how dirty city streets are.

Exercise 2

Write the word that best describes the examples listed.

directions, vehicles, speeds, signals, size, loads

1.______________________ big, small, large

2.______________________ green light, stop, red light

3.______________________ passengers, food, products,

4.______________________ north, backward, left

5.______________________ truck, car, bus

6.______________________ 5 miles an hour, fast, slow

Exercise 3

Circle the word or phrase which is different in meaning. Explain your decision.

1. to exit to leave to get off to arrive to go out of

2. driver motorist trucker vehicle pilot

3. backward to the left exit to the right forward

4. journey load trip vacation travels

5. motor train truck automobile taxi

Exercise 4

Translate into Ukrainian.

Автотранспорт

Вантажні автомобілі й автобуси – це автотранспортні засоби. На вантажівках перевозять товари і продукти, а автобуси використовують як громадський транспорт.

Вантажівки й автобуси мають багато спільного. Часто вони навіть випускаються тими самими компаніями.

Будь-яких розмірів

На відміну від автомобілів, у вантажівок і автобусів є окреме шасі, інакше кажучи, рама на колесах, на яку кріпляться корпус машини. Вантажівка може бути невеликою і розвозити товари в межах одного населеного пункту. Вона може також перевозити вантажі на середні відстані чи бути великоваговим транспортним засобом, масою до 44 т. Автобус, який служить громадським транспортом, як правило, перевозить від 20 до 100 пасажирів.

Автопоїзди

Існує два основних типи вантажівок – такі, де кабіна, кузов і всі колеса кріпляться на одному шасі, і тягачі з причепом. Причеп, призначений для перевезення великих вантажів, називається трейлером. Шасі вантажівок легко пристосувати для будь-яких потреб: на них, наприклад, можна установити цистерни, в яких перевозять рідину (молоко, пальне чи хімічні реактиви), чи бетономішалки. У деяких країнах широко використовують автопоїзди: до важких тягачів послідовно, як вагони до локомотива, чіпляють кілька трейлерів.

Перевезення пасажирів

Автобуси бувають одноповерховими та двоповерховими. Двоповерховий автобус може перевозити більше пасажирів. Одноповерхові автобуси можуть складатися з головної машини та причепа. Попри свою довжину, вони можуть розвернути на невеликому просторі. Крім міських, існують і міжнародні автобуси. Трамвай може складатися з одного або кількох вагонів. Оскільки екологічно це більш чистий вид громадського транспорту, ніж автобус, у багатьох містах відродилося трамвайне сполучення.

Exercise 5

Translate the sentences into Ukrainian.

1.Drivers should be careful of their speed in the cities. 2.They drove their cars at a high speed. 3.Speeding often leads to car accidents. 4.Drivers sometimes have trouble with their car motors in hot weather. 5.Motorists should drive carefully. 6.Cars, buses, and trains are all vehicles. 7.Special trucks are used to take new cars to where they will be sold. 8.Our car easily carries five passengers. 9.The truck lost its load in the middle of the highway. 10.The policeman signaled for us to pull to the side of the road. 11.We didn’t see the traffic signal and didn’t stop for the red light. 12.The truck got off the highway at Exit 14. 13.Parking lot had one exit. 14.The driver backed his car up without looking and hit the car behind him. 15.Back up. You’ve gone too far. 16.The numbers were written backwards, so we couldn’t understand them. 17.The car went backwards and then forward again to get into the parking space. 18.They sent their furniture to their new town via truck. 19.The holes in the road caused many problems for the motorists. 20.The load was inspected before the truck could cross into the neighboring country.

Exercise 6

What do people say in each situation? Use the verb given.

Example: Jack is running towards the bus stop, but he is too late to catch the bus. (miss) Oh bither, I’ve missed the bus!

1. Sheila is in the railway station looking worried. We can see her bag inside the train. The train is moving. (leave) (emergency handle)

2. Sue and Mark are meeting a friend at the station, but so far there is no sign of the train. (arrive)

3. Bill is at the bus stop. He is looking very worried and searching for his Travel Card in his pockets. (forget) (lose)

4. Sue is at the airport to meet friends. The light on the ‘Landed’ sign is now on. (land)

5. The driving instructor is shaking hands with George and smiling. (pass)