The Swedish car maker Volvo is about to start recruiting ordinary people to commute to work next year in a driverless car.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and answer the questions below.
1 How many members of the public are participating in the experiment?
2 What are the characteristics of the special roads where volunteers will be using the driverless cars?
3 If something unexpected happens, who will be in control, the driver or the car itself?
4 Where will driverless car be running in the UK?
5 What was to blame for the driverless car crash in US?
6 When will the driverless cars be operating?
Gothenburg in Sweden, home of Volvo, a place where drivers need to beware of the elks. On a test track, the company is showing me its unique experiment. And they will need members of the public to help.
They are going to ask a hundred ordinary people to commute in a car, but it’s not an ordinary car.
It’s an autonomous car. And then they’re going to tell those people they’re actually free to do anything else instead, so perhaps they'll want to send an e-mail.
From the track, to the evening commute. When next year Gothenburg's 100 volunteers will be driverless on specially picked roads. That's roads with no cyclists or pedestrians, and bearing in mind it’s Sweden, no snow. The computer needs to see the white lines. About as hands-free as you can get, the man in charge of the technology told me what would happen in an emergency.
If something unexpected happens, the car needs to be able to deal with it. We cannot count on a driver to immediately take over. So the car will be able to detect it and it will slow down in order to correct an accident.
So the car is going to do that, it’s not going to suddenly shove control back to the driver?
No, the driver may be sitting relaxed, reading, we cannot count on him or her to intervene immediately, so the car has to do it.
Things look a bit different in the UK. There are four major projects. In Milton Keynes, public-transport pods will eventually use the pavements to shuttle people between the shops and the station.
Would you happily share a pavement with one of those driven by a computer?
No, I wouldn’t, I wouldn’t. They’re like… Maybe the choice is… it has to decide, it has to decide in an instant whether it’s got to stop or it’s got to carry on going for the safety of who's in it or who is on the outside.
You don't worry about it bumping into you?
No, no because you can easily move out of the way.
In the US, Google is leading the way in driverless testing, a million miles and counting. But they’ve just had their first crash, where the computer was at least partly to blame. Experts describe a future straight out of a science-fiction novel.
You're going to see this technology in forklift trucks, in ports, on fields, down mines. It’s the same stuff. And that, for me, is extremely interesting, that this technology is not just about transport, it’s about all things that move.
Back on the test track, time to enjoy a drama on the telly. It could still take a decade or even two, but eventually children will marvel at the idea that people actually used to drive their own cars.
Richard Westcott, BBC News, Sweden.
Key:
1 100
2 roads with no cyclists, no pedestrians, no snow
3 the car
4 on the pavements
5 the computer partly
6 in ten or twenty years' time
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Driving. Mostrar todas las entradas
Mostrando entradas con la etiqueta Driving. Mostrar todas las entradas
jueves, 1 de diciembre de 2016
lunes, 16 de mayo de 2016
Listening test: Sicilian driving
Listen to Gerry describing his driving experience in Sicily and complete the blanks in the sentences below with up to three words. 0 is the example.
0 Example:
Gerry’s friend has a degree in law.
1 For Southern Europeans, the important thing is to work out what you can do without breaking through __________________ .
2 In Sicily and in other parts of Europe traffic signs seem to have the function of __________________ instead of regulating traffic.
3 On Italian roads there are __________________ people killed in traffic accidents than in the UK.
4 Among Northern Europeans, Sicilian drivers have the reputation of being __________________ .
5 In Gerry’s opinion, Sicilian drivers only shout when they are __________________ .
6 In Gerry’s experience, a Sicilian driver will drive on middle of the road and will just move to the side when they see __________________ .
7 In the streets of Palermo, drivers use the horn to __________________ that a car is coming.
8 Sicilian drivers get very close to the car in front when they are __________________ .
A friend of mine with a law degree once told me that different cultures understand the concept of law in different ways. For example, Northern European cultures perceive the law as being a bit like the floor of a room. It provides a sort of foundation for what we do. Everything is based on it. Southern Europeans, by contrast, view the law more like the ceiling of the room. The important thing is to work out what you can do without breaking through that legal ceiling. Like all metaphors it’s a simplification, but I couldn’t help thinking about it when I was driving my rental car around Sicily. I came to the conclusion that road signs governing speed limits, parking restrictions, overtaking, stopping, giving way and so on seem to have a different function there. In Sicily, and other parts of Italy as well for that matter, these signs seem to have more of an advisory nature rather than legal regulation. At any rate, drivers there seem to make their own decisions rather than sticking strictly to the official rules.
I met a number of other tourists in Sicily from countries like the Netherlands, Germany and Hungary, and they all thought that the Sicilians were very bad drivers. Since I got back I looked at the statistics, and it has to be said that there are something like twice as many people killed in traffic accidents in Italy than in the UK, with Switzerland and the Netherlands close to the UK figure. But it’s Hungary and other central European countries that have the worst statistics in Europe. My Northern European friends described Sicilian drivers as aggressive. It’s true that they tend to drive fast when they can and very close to other cars, and they like to use their horns. These are all behaviours that Northern Europeans associate with aggression, but I can’t say that I found Sicilian drivers personally aggressive. I have the feeling that road rage is more of a Northern European thing than Southern. Sicilians shout at each other quite a lot but they shout when they’re chatting. Shouting doesn’t mean aggression in that part of the world.
So this is how I interpret certain aspects of Sicilian driving. White lines on the road show you where the middle of the road is: where it’s best to drive. Drive in the middle of the road and then move to the side if another car comes. You can park where you like but you should try to leave enough room for the bus to get past. In the narrow streets of Palermo, when you want to join a road it’s often difficult to see. So, it’s polite to use your horn to let people know that you’re coming. In the town, it’s OK to push into the traffic, and if somebody has pushed enough it’s OK to let them go in front of you. If you don’t push, you just block the traffic behind you. And that’s not polite.
My conclusion? Sicilians are clever, flexible and pragmatic when they drive. But a lot of them treat driving like a sport – that’s why they get so close to you when they’re overtaking; their model is motor racing. That’s probably why they have so many accidents. And they drive very extravagantly: they don’t worry about fuel consumption or the wear and tear on their brakes and tyres.
KEY:
1 the legal ceiling
2 advising (drivers)
3 twice as many
4 aggressive
5 chatting
6 a/another car coming
7 let people know
8 overtaking
0 Example:
Gerry’s friend has a degree in law.
1 For Southern Europeans, the important thing is to work out what you can do without breaking through __________________ .
2 In Sicily and in other parts of Europe traffic signs seem to have the function of __________________ instead of regulating traffic.
3 On Italian roads there are __________________ people killed in traffic accidents than in the UK.
4 Among Northern Europeans, Sicilian drivers have the reputation of being __________________ .
5 In Gerry’s opinion, Sicilian drivers only shout when they are __________________ .
6 In Gerry’s experience, a Sicilian driver will drive on middle of the road and will just move to the side when they see __________________ .
7 In the streets of Palermo, drivers use the horn to __________________ that a car is coming.
8 Sicilian drivers get very close to the car in front when they are __________________ .
A friend of mine with a law degree once told me that different cultures understand the concept of law in different ways. For example, Northern European cultures perceive the law as being a bit like the floor of a room. It provides a sort of foundation for what we do. Everything is based on it. Southern Europeans, by contrast, view the law more like the ceiling of the room. The important thing is to work out what you can do without breaking through that legal ceiling. Like all metaphors it’s a simplification, but I couldn’t help thinking about it when I was driving my rental car around Sicily. I came to the conclusion that road signs governing speed limits, parking restrictions, overtaking, stopping, giving way and so on seem to have a different function there. In Sicily, and other parts of Italy as well for that matter, these signs seem to have more of an advisory nature rather than legal regulation. At any rate, drivers there seem to make their own decisions rather than sticking strictly to the official rules.
I met a number of other tourists in Sicily from countries like the Netherlands, Germany and Hungary, and they all thought that the Sicilians were very bad drivers. Since I got back I looked at the statistics, and it has to be said that there are something like twice as many people killed in traffic accidents in Italy than in the UK, with Switzerland and the Netherlands close to the UK figure. But it’s Hungary and other central European countries that have the worst statistics in Europe. My Northern European friends described Sicilian drivers as aggressive. It’s true that they tend to drive fast when they can and very close to other cars, and they like to use their horns. These are all behaviours that Northern Europeans associate with aggression, but I can’t say that I found Sicilian drivers personally aggressive. I have the feeling that road rage is more of a Northern European thing than Southern. Sicilians shout at each other quite a lot but they shout when they’re chatting. Shouting doesn’t mean aggression in that part of the world.
So this is how I interpret certain aspects of Sicilian driving. White lines on the road show you where the middle of the road is: where it’s best to drive. Drive in the middle of the road and then move to the side if another car comes. You can park where you like but you should try to leave enough room for the bus to get past. In the narrow streets of Palermo, when you want to join a road it’s often difficult to see. So, it’s polite to use your horn to let people know that you’re coming. In the town, it’s OK to push into the traffic, and if somebody has pushed enough it’s OK to let them go in front of you. If you don’t push, you just block the traffic behind you. And that’s not polite.
My conclusion? Sicilians are clever, flexible and pragmatic when they drive. But a lot of them treat driving like a sport – that’s why they get so close to you when they’re overtaking; their model is motor racing. That’s probably why they have so many accidents. And they drive very extravagantly: they don’t worry about fuel consumption or the wear and tear on their brakes and tyres.
KEY:
1 the legal ceiling
2 advising (drivers)
3 twice as many
4 aggressive
5 chatting
6 a/another car coming
7 let people know
8 overtaking
lunes, 19 de octubre de 2015
Listening test: Driving ability and age
Listen to this news report on driving and age and choose the option a, b or c which best completes the sentences below. 0 is an example.
0 Example:
In the accident the reporter talks about the driver was
a) 68 years old.
b) a young girl.
c) reversing.
1 The man interviewed
a) hardly ever has problems to stay focused when driving.
b) sometimes mistakes the car pedals.
c) thinks old age is sometimes a serious problem.
2 This man
a) doesn’t drive unless he has to.
b) drives as much as when he was younger.
c) usually drives around 20,000 km (clicks) a month.
3 The interviewer
a) says the minimum age to get a driving licence is 16.
b) says the maximum age to get a driving licence is 80.
c) wants the minimum age to get a driving licence to be 18.
4 The man interviewed
a) knows his ideas are unpopular.
b) thinks drivers in their 60’s and 70’s are really dangerous.
c) thinks older people are usually the victims of accidents.
5 The first woman interviewed
a) considers elderly people know their limits.
b) says no senior drivers are involved in accidents.
c) thinks adults who drink are the real problem.
6 The second woman interviewed knows … who voluntarily gave up driving.
a) one person
b) two people
c) three people
7 The person with the … problem was angry about having to give up driving.
a) vision
b) leg
c) heart
Hi I'm Marcy Markusa. The question of how to best monitor the abilities of senior drivers is top of mind again, after a recent accident where an 86 year old man seriously injured a young girl. He was backing up in a parking lot. It’s a touchy subject because for many seniors, being able to drive is critical to their independence. We asked reporter Christopher Read to talk to senior drivers about senior drivers. Let’s listen to what he found out.
Do you think the issue of older drivers deserves as much scrutiny as it tends to get?
In some cases, yes. I know some older drivers for some reason don’t stay focused and when they do that, they forget that the brake pedal isn’t the gas pedal and invariably they get into trouble.
Do you mind me asking, how old are you?
Seventy-seven.
How has your driving ability changed with age?
I wanna do it less. I travelled a lot in my time, sometimes 20,000 clicks a month and now, I only like to drive where I’m going if there’s a decent reason.
In our society we can’t get a licence until we’re sixteen, which you know is a kind of ageism, which is accepted, so why not do the reverse, you know, set an age at which everyone’s licence is automatically re-tested, like they do it in Ontario at 80, what do you think about that?
Well I feel a little bit like a traitor here but I do believe that when we get up around the 60’s and 70’s we should be tested because it’s not just our lives at stake here, we can do some very, very bad harm.
The attention should be on teenage drivers who are drinking or coming from parties. If you watched the news, the list of accidents, it was least with senior drivers.
Has your driving ability changed with age do you think?
No. But I recognize my age and if it’s stormy or late at night, I don’t go out. I think that older drivers have to recognize the weather and the conditions.
Do you know people in your own life who have had to get re-tested or who have had their licence taken away?
Yes, because of ill health. I have a friend who gave up her licence herself. She didn’t do it because of the doctor, because she lost her peripheral vision and so she just gave up her licence. I had another friend who had to give up her licence because her legs, they said her legs weren’t working properly for her to control a car. And I had another friend that had to give it up because of heart problems.
And how did they take that?
Two of them were fine and the other one was very angry. The person with the heart problem was the one that was angry about it.
KEY:
1C 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7C
0 Example:
In the accident the reporter talks about the driver was
a) 68 years old.
b) a young girl.
c) reversing.
1 The man interviewed
a) hardly ever has problems to stay focused when driving.
b) sometimes mistakes the car pedals.
c) thinks old age is sometimes a serious problem.
2 This man
a) doesn’t drive unless he has to.
b) drives as much as when he was younger.
c) usually drives around 20,000 km (clicks) a month.
3 The interviewer
a) says the minimum age to get a driving licence is 16.
b) says the maximum age to get a driving licence is 80.
c) wants the minimum age to get a driving licence to be 18.
4 The man interviewed
a) knows his ideas are unpopular.
b) thinks drivers in their 60’s and 70’s are really dangerous.
c) thinks older people are usually the victims of accidents.
5 The first woman interviewed
a) considers elderly people know their limits.
b) says no senior drivers are involved in accidents.
c) thinks adults who drink are the real problem.
6 The second woman interviewed knows … who voluntarily gave up driving.
a) one person
b) two people
c) three people
7 The person with the … problem was angry about having to give up driving.
a) vision
b) leg
c) heart
Hi I'm Marcy Markusa. The question of how to best monitor the abilities of senior drivers is top of mind again, after a recent accident where an 86 year old man seriously injured a young girl. He was backing up in a parking lot. It’s a touchy subject because for many seniors, being able to drive is critical to their independence. We asked reporter Christopher Read to talk to senior drivers about senior drivers. Let’s listen to what he found out.
Do you think the issue of older drivers deserves as much scrutiny as it tends to get?
In some cases, yes. I know some older drivers for some reason don’t stay focused and when they do that, they forget that the brake pedal isn’t the gas pedal and invariably they get into trouble.
Do you mind me asking, how old are you?
Seventy-seven.
How has your driving ability changed with age?
I wanna do it less. I travelled a lot in my time, sometimes 20,000 clicks a month and now, I only like to drive where I’m going if there’s a decent reason.
In our society we can’t get a licence until we’re sixteen, which you know is a kind of ageism, which is accepted, so why not do the reverse, you know, set an age at which everyone’s licence is automatically re-tested, like they do it in Ontario at 80, what do you think about that?
Well I feel a little bit like a traitor here but I do believe that when we get up around the 60’s and 70’s we should be tested because it’s not just our lives at stake here, we can do some very, very bad harm.
The attention should be on teenage drivers who are drinking or coming from parties. If you watched the news, the list of accidents, it was least with senior drivers.
Has your driving ability changed with age do you think?
No. But I recognize my age and if it’s stormy or late at night, I don’t go out. I think that older drivers have to recognize the weather and the conditions.
Do you know people in your own life who have had to get re-tested or who have had their licence taken away?
Yes, because of ill health. I have a friend who gave up her licence herself. She didn’t do it because of the doctor, because she lost her peripheral vision and so she just gave up her licence. I had another friend who had to give up her licence because her legs, they said her legs weren’t working properly for her to control a car. And I had another friend that had to give it up because of heart problems.
And how did they take that?
Two of them were fine and the other one was very angry. The person with the heart problem was the one that was angry about it.
KEY:
1C 2A 3A 4A 5A 6A 7C
jueves, 24 de septiembre de 2015
Close to home ad
The Close to Home ad is quite predictable. In it we are introduced to six characters on a perfectly average day but their lives are irrevocably changed all of a sudden.
Self-study activity:
As well as becoming aware of the dangers involved in texting and driving, we are going to use the ad to develop our listening skills. Watch the ad and answer the questions below. The activity is suitable for Intermediate 2 and advanced students.
1 How much is the man charged for the petrol at the station?
2 What does Elizabeth, the doll, want?
3 How much is the lottery jackpot?
4 What does the woman finally agree to do?
5 What did the girl forget?
6 What does the mother say everyone loves?
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44... Who loses one shoe? Hmm… no dog today.
Grace…let’s do this baby girl. Say goodbye to the gang.
Elizabeth wants to come too.
Ok, Elizabeth can come, but that’s all. Come on.
Sorry guys.
Pump 7.
Sure.
(1) That will be $36. Rewards card?
Nope. You know what, give me one of those lottery tickets too. The big one.
Hey, what’s up?
Hey, so I think I’m going to skip out early and try to catch a few innings of Danny’s game.
Oh, I’m sure he would love that.
Hey, what do you want to eat tonight?
Would you eat at Mizzoni’s?
Uhh…don’t make me.
Alright that’s ok. I’m good with whatever.
Mommy…(2) Elizabeth wants some ice cream.
Well, she’s a good girl. Maybe we can get some on the way home.
Oh, Erin called. She left a message with the other broker.
Ok…so now what?
Now we wait.
Oh. Well don’t worry because we are about to become filthy rich anyway.
Finally!
(3) Yeah, lottery is over $200 million. I got a ticket so I think we’re good.
Oh…why didn’t I think of that?
Well that’s what you have me for?
[Spanish]
Stupids.
Hey, do you want me to pick anything up?
You know what? (4) I will eat Mizzoni’s, I don’t care.
Hey! Alright!
Love you.
I love you!
Mommy…(5) I forgot my crystal bracelet.
That’s ok sweetheart, it will still be there when we get back. Ohh. (6) Everyone loves the picture I posted of you.
AT&T reminds you – It Can Wait.
Self-study activity:
As well as becoming aware of the dangers involved in texting and driving, we are going to use the ad to develop our listening skills. Watch the ad and answer the questions below. The activity is suitable for Intermediate 2 and advanced students.
1 How much is the man charged for the petrol at the station?
2 What does Elizabeth, the doll, want?
3 How much is the lottery jackpot?
4 What does the woman finally agree to do?
5 What did the girl forget?
6 What does the mother say everyone loves?
31, 32, 33, 34, 35, 36, 37, 38, 39, 40, 41, 42, 44... Who loses one shoe? Hmm… no dog today.
Grace…let’s do this baby girl. Say goodbye to the gang.
Elizabeth wants to come too.
Ok, Elizabeth can come, but that’s all. Come on.
Sorry guys.
Pump 7.
Sure.
(1) That will be $36. Rewards card?
Nope. You know what, give me one of those lottery tickets too. The big one.
Hey, what’s up?
Hey, so I think I’m going to skip out early and try to catch a few innings of Danny’s game.
Oh, I’m sure he would love that.
Hey, what do you want to eat tonight?
Would you eat at Mizzoni’s?
Uhh…don’t make me.
Alright that’s ok. I’m good with whatever.
Mommy…(2) Elizabeth wants some ice cream.
Well, she’s a good girl. Maybe we can get some on the way home.
Oh, Erin called. She left a message with the other broker.
Ok…so now what?
Now we wait.
Oh. Well don’t worry because we are about to become filthy rich anyway.
Finally!
(3) Yeah, lottery is over $200 million. I got a ticket so I think we’re good.
Oh…why didn’t I think of that?
Well that’s what you have me for?
[Spanish]
Stupids.
Hey, do you want me to pick anything up?
You know what? (4) I will eat Mizzoni’s, I don’t care.
Hey! Alright!
Love you.
I love you!
Mommy…(5) I forgot my crystal bracelet.
That’s ok sweetheart, it will still be there when we get back. Ohh. (6) Everyone loves the picture I posted of you.
AT&T reminds you – It Can Wait.
viernes, 12 de junio de 2015
I didn't know that: Airbags
Watch this National Geographic video on the way airbags work and answer the questions below about it.
1 When was the first car with airbags commercialised?
2 Where can you find the airbag in your car?
3 How long does the airbag take to inflate?
4 When will the airbag be deployed in a vehicle?
5 What advantage does the jacket have for motorbike riders?
6 What other places in the car can you find airbags?
Airbags. The idea of using a giant balloon to cushion you if you crash, has been around since the 1950's. Yet, it wasn't until (1) 1974 that General Motors offered the first commercial car, with a driver side air bag. Today, all new American cars and 91% of all new European cars are fitted with airbags.
Your driver airbag works in a very similar way to a rocket. They both use solid fuel. In your car this is found (2) in the compartment behind the steering wheel. Like this. When it's ignited it's contained and the gases released inflate the airbag. Where as with a rocket, the solid fuel is at the bottom. So when you ignite it, the uncontained release of energy propels the rocket skyward. The gas blows up the airbag pretty quickly. So were going to film this test rig to show you just how fast it inflates. That yellow weight up there simulates somebody's chest. Now, as it's dropped it will pass this sensor, which will activate the airbag, to inflate in time to cushion its fall. Well Rick, that happened so quickly. What speed was that?
The airbag's inflated in roughly (3) 35 mili seconds. Which to scale it for you... It takes you approximately 200 mili seconds to blink.
Wow.
Which is pretty quick.
Now that's why I didn't see it. You don't need to worry about suddenly being hit by an airbag, because a sensor in your car continually measures acceleration and deceleration. It will only deploy the airbag (4) when it senses a dramatic deceleration resulting from a sudden impact. And the bags themselves are getting clever. They can now alter the amount they inflate according to the weight and position of the person. Which means they're less likely to give you a hard punch in the face.
Now check this jacket out. It can surround you in airbags. It's already being used by some of the police riders in Japan, Spain and Brazil. And the idea is that if you're on your motorbike and you get thrown off, this tag gets pulled, the jacket inflates and (5) it can soften your fall. Darren if you could...
Now it improved your safety and it's pretty damn sexy too.
In today's cars airbags can be in the (6) roof, in the side, in your seat. There are even airbags to put you in the right position before you hit another airbag. But wherever they are, an airbag will always react so quickly that if you blink, you'll miss it.
1 When was the first car with airbags commercialised?
2 Where can you find the airbag in your car?
3 How long does the airbag take to inflate?
4 When will the airbag be deployed in a vehicle?
5 What advantage does the jacket have for motorbike riders?
6 What other places in the car can you find airbags?
Airbags. The idea of using a giant balloon to cushion you if you crash, has been around since the 1950's. Yet, it wasn't until (1) 1974 that General Motors offered the first commercial car, with a driver side air bag. Today, all new American cars and 91% of all new European cars are fitted with airbags.
Your driver airbag works in a very similar way to a rocket. They both use solid fuel. In your car this is found (2) in the compartment behind the steering wheel. Like this. When it's ignited it's contained and the gases released inflate the airbag. Where as with a rocket, the solid fuel is at the bottom. So when you ignite it, the uncontained release of energy propels the rocket skyward. The gas blows up the airbag pretty quickly. So were going to film this test rig to show you just how fast it inflates. That yellow weight up there simulates somebody's chest. Now, as it's dropped it will pass this sensor, which will activate the airbag, to inflate in time to cushion its fall. Well Rick, that happened so quickly. What speed was that?
The airbag's inflated in roughly (3) 35 mili seconds. Which to scale it for you... It takes you approximately 200 mili seconds to blink.
Wow.
Which is pretty quick.
Now that's why I didn't see it. You don't need to worry about suddenly being hit by an airbag, because a sensor in your car continually measures acceleration and deceleration. It will only deploy the airbag (4) when it senses a dramatic deceleration resulting from a sudden impact. And the bags themselves are getting clever. They can now alter the amount they inflate according to the weight and position of the person. Which means they're less likely to give you a hard punch in the face.
Now check this jacket out. It can surround you in airbags. It's already being used by some of the police riders in Japan, Spain and Brazil. And the idea is that if you're on your motorbike and you get thrown off, this tag gets pulled, the jacket inflates and (5) it can soften your fall. Darren if you could...
Now it improved your safety and it's pretty damn sexy too.
In today's cars airbags can be in the (6) roof, in the side, in your seat. There are even airbags to put you in the right position before you hit another airbag. But wherever they are, an airbag will always react so quickly that if you blink, you'll miss it.
lunes, 20 de octubre de 2014
The Parking Dance in New York City
Every day, drivers across New York double-park their cars as street sweepers pass by, a practice known as alternate-side parking.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
1 Cars are allowed to return to their side immediately after the streets have been cleaned.
2 Some drivers set their alarm clock to remember to move their cars back.
3 Some drivers wait in their cars until the prohibition ends.
4 Drivers complain of damages to theirs cars.
5 If drivers fail to move their cars, they risk getting a ticket or heavier penalties.
6 A new bill was passed recently allowing drivers not to move their cars while the street is being cleaned.
Every day throughout New York City, it’s the high stakes dance of alternate side parking. When parking is prohibited on one side of the street so the streets can be swept, drivers double park on the other. It doesn’t matter when the street sweeper passes, cars are not allowed to return until the prohibition is over.
How many times do you estimate you move your car back and forth?
In a week or in a…
In your lifetime.
Oh, many thousand times, easily.
In my lifetime, in my lifetime? It feels like millions.
Some drivers leave their cars and return just before the prohibition ends to re-park legally.
I leave my car and set the alarm on my phone and come, come back and move it again.
I’m home during the day generally, so I feel that’s a relatively good deal if… to get your street cleaned.
Some choose to wait in their cars until the prohibition ends.
People come by, I’ve had my mirror taken off, I’ve had dents in my car, I’ve had scratches. Sometimes I leave it and just bite the bullet and get a ticket if I don’t have the time to move it, I’ve done that too.
Time it wrong, you get a ticket. Pay your tickets late, you get the boot, or you get towed.
But this might all change. City council member, Ydanis Rodríguez has introduced a bill that will allow drivers to return to their spot directly after the street sweeper passes by.
I’ve heard about that, so after the street is cleaned, we can move back, we don’t have to stay here for the hour and a half or two hours or whatever it is.
Yeah, what do you think about that?
I think that’s great, I would love to do, I would love that.
I thought, I thought that bill is passed already.
I don’t think that’s a good idea personally, because how do you know whether it’s come and gone, you have to keep looking outside. Sometimes they never come, and that’s really annoying.
Whether or not the bill actually passes, the dance of alternate side parking will continue.
So I’d really like to move my car back right now. Yeah!
Key:
1F 2F 3T 4T 5T 6F
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
1 Cars are allowed to return to their side immediately after the streets have been cleaned.
2 Some drivers set their alarm clock to remember to move their cars back.
3 Some drivers wait in their cars until the prohibition ends.
4 Drivers complain of damages to theirs cars.
5 If drivers fail to move their cars, they risk getting a ticket or heavier penalties.
6 A new bill was passed recently allowing drivers not to move their cars while the street is being cleaned.
Every day throughout New York City, it’s the high stakes dance of alternate side parking. When parking is prohibited on one side of the street so the streets can be swept, drivers double park on the other. It doesn’t matter when the street sweeper passes, cars are not allowed to return until the prohibition is over.
How many times do you estimate you move your car back and forth?
In a week or in a…
In your lifetime.
Oh, many thousand times, easily.
In my lifetime, in my lifetime? It feels like millions.
Some drivers leave their cars and return just before the prohibition ends to re-park legally.
I leave my car and set the alarm on my phone and come, come back and move it again.
I’m home during the day generally, so I feel that’s a relatively good deal if… to get your street cleaned.
Some choose to wait in their cars until the prohibition ends.
People come by, I’ve had my mirror taken off, I’ve had dents in my car, I’ve had scratches. Sometimes I leave it and just bite the bullet and get a ticket if I don’t have the time to move it, I’ve done that too.
Time it wrong, you get a ticket. Pay your tickets late, you get the boot, or you get towed.
But this might all change. City council member, Ydanis Rodríguez has introduced a bill that will allow drivers to return to their spot directly after the street sweeper passes by.
I’ve heard about that, so after the street is cleaned, we can move back, we don’t have to stay here for the hour and a half or two hours or whatever it is.
Yeah, what do you think about that?
I think that’s great, I would love to do, I would love that.
I thought, I thought that bill is passed already.
I don’t think that’s a good idea personally, because how do you know whether it’s come and gone, you have to keep looking outside. Sometimes they never come, and that’s really annoying.
Whether or not the bill actually passes, the dance of alternate side parking will continue.
So I’d really like to move my car back right now. Yeah!
Key:
1F 2F 3T 4T 5T 6F
viernes, 10 de octubre de 2014
Self-driving car
Centraal Beheer Achmea is one of Holland’s biggest insurance companies. They have come up with this funny ad for their 2014 campaign.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and fill in the gaps in the transcript with the missing words.
The activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
Introducing the (1) ...-... self-driving car. It does the driving for you, so you (2) ... ... on the more important things in life. It automatically takes the right (3) ... , (4) ... avoid (5) ... obstacles and recognizes red lights (6) ... in advance, (7) ... you a perfectly safe journey every time. The self-driving car, technology is ready for it and so are we.
Centraal Beheer car (8) ... .
Memory test:
Watch the ad through and try to remember all the accidents in the video due to the distractions of drivers and passers-by when seeing the self-driving car.
Talking of distractions when driving, watch the Volkswagen Eyes on the road ad. Stop the video at 00:58" and try to predict what's going to happen next.
Key:
1all-new 2 catch up 3 turns 4 effortlessly 5 unexpected 6 farther 7 ensuring 8 insurance
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and fill in the gaps in the transcript with the missing words.
The activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
Introducing the (1) ...-... self-driving car. It does the driving for you, so you (2) ... ... on the more important things in life. It automatically takes the right (3) ... , (4) ... avoid (5) ... obstacles and recognizes red lights (6) ... in advance, (7) ... you a perfectly safe journey every time. The self-driving car, technology is ready for it and so are we.
Centraal Beheer car (8) ... .
Memory test:
Watch the ad through and try to remember all the accidents in the video due to the distractions of drivers and passers-by when seeing the self-driving car.
Talking of distractions when driving, watch the Volkswagen Eyes on the road ad. Stop the video at 00:58" and try to predict what's going to happen next.
Key:
1all-new 2 catch up 3 turns 4 effortlessly 5 unexpected 6 farther 7 ensuring 8 insurance
sábado, 6 de septiembre de 2014
Driving tests
The DGT (Dirección General de Tráfico) is the government department that is responsible for the Spanish transport network.
The DGT's official website gives prospective drivers the opportunity to prepare for the theoretical test they have to pass before being allowed to do the practical test. Learners can do online mock exams in preparation for the real exams. The practice questions are taken from the DGT's database and are exactly the same as those candidates will have to answer the day they sit the exam.
For us, as English students, the DGT's online tests give us the opportunity to develop our reading skills while getting acquainted with and revising everyday and traffic-related vocabulary.
To gain access to the tests, just click on the link here or on the picture below, and click on the link of 'Permiso B' "Consultar".
The DGT's official website gives prospective drivers the opportunity to prepare for the theoretical test they have to pass before being allowed to do the practical test. Learners can do online mock exams in preparation for the real exams. The practice questions are taken from the DGT's database and are exactly the same as those candidates will have to answer the day they sit the exam.
For us, as English students, the DGT's online tests give us the opportunity to develop our reading skills while getting acquainted with and revising everyday and traffic-related vocabulary.
To gain access to the tests, just click on the link here or on the picture below, and click on the link of 'Permiso B' "Consultar".
You will get to the page below. Just select the option "Inglés". It is not necessary to introduce your ID number or any other identificacion. Then click on "Entrar".
You will be redirected to a 30-question test which is pretty similar to the one candidates will have to do on the exam day. Just three mistakes are allowed. You can self-correct the test at any time.
martes, 6 de mayo de 2014
Madrid Teacher: Driving test
In our Madrid Teaher series, three teachers talk about the driving test and how difficult it was for them to pass it.
The teachers are very polite and respectful of turn-taking, so they don't really interrupt each other while they're talking. However, we can find some examples of functional language and communication strategies that can come in handy when we speak English.
- Reacting to what a person is saying: Oh! That's interesting! Oh dear! I bet. Oh no! Oh wow! Yeah, absolutely
- Fillers: Well; er
- Use of so as a linking word
- Involving listeners in the conversation: Do you think that people...
Now it's over to you. Get together with a friend and talk about your experience of getting your driving licence. What the test difficult? Did you find it difficult?
Try and use some of the functional language the Madrid teachers used.
The teachers are very polite and respectful of turn-taking, so they don't really interrupt each other while they're talking. However, we can find some examples of functional language and communication strategies that can come in handy when we speak English.
- Reacting to what a person is saying: Oh! That's interesting! Oh dear! I bet. Oh no! Oh wow! Yeah, absolutely
- Fillers: Well; er
- Use of so as a linking word
- Involving listeners in the conversation: Do you think that people...
Now it's over to you. Get together with a friend and talk about your experience of getting your driving licence. What the test difficult? Did you find it difficult?
Try and use some of the functional language the Madrid teachers used.
I’m about to move overseas.
Oh that’s interesting.
Yeah. Exciting! But I have to take my driver’s test again. OK, to get a new licence.
Oh dear.
And I’m nervous.
I bet. Do you remember taking your driving tests?
I took mine quite recently actually and it took me two years to complete.
Oh no! I hope it doesn’t take that long.
Well, just to, not to worry you too much, but I was I was living in France, and I was studying in England. And I’d started my driving test in France and so every summer or spring break or autumn break I had to go back and I had to start again. And, er, I was, I was a terrible driver and that didn’t help.
Well, and you were driving on different sides of the road?
No, I couldn’t drive in England. I was just driving in France with an instructor…
Oh, safer.
…which was very expensive and er, I stressed them out a lot.
Mm, but in the end you have your driver’s licence...
I was happier the day I got my driving licence than the day I got my degree.
Oh wow! Such an accomplishment.
Yeah. Absolutely.
For, yes, I remember a long, long time ago. A hundred years ago. We had Driver’s Ed. So, with Driver’s Ed, afterwards, of course, I passed my driver’s test, the first time. And… But it was, it was quite easy.
For me as well. But I hear overseas it’s different. And I think the driving is different than in the States.
Do you think that people are better drivers after such an intensive preparation for getting the exam?
I think the statistics don’t necessarily show that.
No.
Because in France, for instance, the driving test is notoriously difficult, but the accident rate is one of the biggest concerns, especially on motorways. Serious accidents happen a lot.
Well, the key is practice.
Practice, practice... Makes perfect!
viernes, 28 de febrero de 2014
Ford: The amazing self-parking car
Ford is developing a new automated parking technology that could enable drivers to park with only the push of a button from inside or outside of their car.
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words.
The activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
Parking in a tight (1) ... is the bugbear of every driver. And it’s not just that (2) ... spaces can make it hard to get out of the car. They can also leave you with scrapes and dents that are expensive to (3) ... . So imagine a car that does the dirty work itself.
Engineers at Ford have developed the (4) ...-... car. It first finds a parking space and then manoeuvres into it. The driver doesn’t even need to be inside.
Researchers have now (5) ... in installing the technology in a real car. The next step is to make it available to the drivers as a (6) ... on a production vehicle.
With perpendicular parking, it’s trying to help someone (7) ... into that tight space, and allow them to have some automated help within their vehicle to help them (8) ... a driving manoeuvre that they’re going to have to do frequently in their lives.
It’s estimated that there are more than 30 million off-street parking spaces in Europe. And although average car (9) ... has increased by 16% over the past 20 years, many parking spaces are still the same size. Which means the new technology is also useful when leaving a space. The motorist doesn’t have to (7) ... into the car. They just press a (10) ... and the car drives out itself.
Key:
1 spot 2 narrow 3 repair 4 self-parking 5 succeeded 6 feature 7 squeeze 8 achieve 9 width 10 button
Self-study activity:
Watch the clip and complete the blanks in the transcript with the missing words.
The activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
Parking in a tight (1) ... is the bugbear of every driver. And it’s not just that (2) ... spaces can make it hard to get out of the car. They can also leave you with scrapes and dents that are expensive to (3) ... . So imagine a car that does the dirty work itself.
Engineers at Ford have developed the (4) ...-... car. It first finds a parking space and then manoeuvres into it. The driver doesn’t even need to be inside.
Researchers have now (5) ... in installing the technology in a real car. The next step is to make it available to the drivers as a (6) ... on a production vehicle.
With perpendicular parking, it’s trying to help someone (7) ... into that tight space, and allow them to have some automated help within their vehicle to help them (8) ... a driving manoeuvre that they’re going to have to do frequently in their lives.
It’s estimated that there are more than 30 million off-street parking spaces in Europe. And although average car (9) ... has increased by 16% over the past 20 years, many parking spaces are still the same size. Which means the new technology is also useful when leaving a space. The motorist doesn’t have to (7) ... into the car. They just press a (10) ... and the car drives out itself.
Key:
1 spot 2 narrow 3 repair 4 self-parking 5 succeeded 6 feature 7 squeeze 8 achieve 9 width 10 button
lunes, 17 de febrero de 2014
Chesapeake Bay Bridge: Saving drivers too scared to cross
The BBC aired this three-minute video on Chesapeake Bay Bridge in early September last year.
Chesapeake Bay Bridge, or Bay Bridge, rises in the state of Maryland. It has a reputation for being a long and nerve-wracking bridge, ranked as one of the scariest in the world to cross, so much so that some drivers would rather pay someone else to drive them and their cars across the water.
In the clip, Brittney Manzoni, a driver with Kent Island Express, tells us what gives the bridge its reputation.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
The activity is suitable for strong intermediate 2 students.
1 The bridge is 4.3 kilometres long.
2 There's nowhere to park along the bridge.
3 Jay Gaskins finds coming down worse than going up the bridge.
4 Crossing the bridge usually takes an hour and six minutes.
5 Most of the times passengers don't talk about the bridge.
6 Some passengers travel in the trunk.
7 Chesapeake Bay Bridge is considered to be the scariest in the US and number nine in the world.
A nineteen-year-old fell asleep while driving on the Bay Bridge and a trucker had to swerve out of her way…
And a major crash on the Bay Bridge is snarling traffic both ways…
Friday night’s crash on the Bay Bridge that sent a woman’s car into the Chesapeake Bay, sparking some new fears among drivers.
It’s just scary. I feel very frightened.
This is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It’s 4.3 miles long. It’s 250 feet at its highest. There are no shoulders to pull over on, you are not allowed to stop anywhere. We escort you and your vehicle over the Bay Bridge, whether you have a fear or if you have seeing problems like depth perception, anything like that, if there’s any reason you cannot cross the bridge by yourself, we’re here for you.
I use it twice a day, you know, going to work and then coming home. I’ve been using it for probably eight years now, just the whole going up to the peak, you know, that would make me nervous, the top didn’t really bother me too bad, but coming down was a lot worse than going up. One day I might get over it, but it just seems, you know, just as easy and, you know, and a lot safer just have someone else do it.
Depending on traffic it can take anywhere from six minutes to an hour. It really depends on the weather, or what’s going on in the area, if it is a weekday or a weekend. We can drive anywhere between ten to thirty people a day. Some people are extremely nervous and we’ll talk about anything but the bridge, other people all they want to talk about is the bridge and what’s been going on with it like the maintenance and recent accidents and breakdowns. But most times we’ll just talk about what their plans are for the day to keep them calm.
They’re completely relieved once they get to the other side, there, there they’ve just got over their fear that is in the past now.
Alright, thank you.
Thank you.
Have a safe trip.
Thank you.
The trip was wonderful. I feel safe and happy.
For some people the scariest part is on the eastbound when you’re going up the upgrade, there is a bend at the top of it and you can’t, you can’t see where the bridge is going, so it looks like you’re just about to launch off the bridge. On the eastbound there’s three lanes, the sides are open like you have the barriers but they are see-through, and that doesn’t help people that have height issues.
I’ve had people request a ride in the trunk before, obviously we can’t, we cannot allow you to ride in the trunk, we’ll just have you laid down in the back seat and cover up, or just put your head down in the front, cover your face if you need to and we’ll talk you through it.
This bridge is ranked number three in the nation on the scary list. I don’t know, this part too, but I think it’s number nine in the world but there’s other scary bridges out there too, and why should we not provide a service for those ones as well, so I hope that one day we’ll be able to franchise out a little bit and branch out.
Key:
1F (miles) 2T 3T 4F 5T 6F 7F
Chesapeake Bay Bridge, or Bay Bridge, rises in the state of Maryland. It has a reputation for being a long and nerve-wracking bridge, ranked as one of the scariest in the world to cross, so much so that some drivers would rather pay someone else to drive them and their cars across the water.
In the clip, Brittney Manzoni, a driver with Kent Island Express, tells us what gives the bridge its reputation.
Self-study activity:
Watch the video and say whether the statements below are true or false.
The activity is suitable for strong intermediate 2 students.
1 The bridge is 4.3 kilometres long.
2 There's nowhere to park along the bridge.
3 Jay Gaskins finds coming down worse than going up the bridge.
4 Crossing the bridge usually takes an hour and six minutes.
5 Most of the times passengers don't talk about the bridge.
6 Some passengers travel in the trunk.
7 Chesapeake Bay Bridge is considered to be the scariest in the US and number nine in the world.
A nineteen-year-old fell asleep while driving on the Bay Bridge and a trucker had to swerve out of her way…
And a major crash on the Bay Bridge is snarling traffic both ways…
Friday night’s crash on the Bay Bridge that sent a woman’s car into the Chesapeake Bay, sparking some new fears among drivers.
It’s just scary. I feel very frightened.
This is the Chesapeake Bay Bridge. It’s 4.3 miles long. It’s 250 feet at its highest. There are no shoulders to pull over on, you are not allowed to stop anywhere. We escort you and your vehicle over the Bay Bridge, whether you have a fear or if you have seeing problems like depth perception, anything like that, if there’s any reason you cannot cross the bridge by yourself, we’re here for you.
I use it twice a day, you know, going to work and then coming home. I’ve been using it for probably eight years now, just the whole going up to the peak, you know, that would make me nervous, the top didn’t really bother me too bad, but coming down was a lot worse than going up. One day I might get over it, but it just seems, you know, just as easy and, you know, and a lot safer just have someone else do it.
Depending on traffic it can take anywhere from six minutes to an hour. It really depends on the weather, or what’s going on in the area, if it is a weekday or a weekend. We can drive anywhere between ten to thirty people a day. Some people are extremely nervous and we’ll talk about anything but the bridge, other people all they want to talk about is the bridge and what’s been going on with it like the maintenance and recent accidents and breakdowns. But most times we’ll just talk about what their plans are for the day to keep them calm.
They’re completely relieved once they get to the other side, there, there they’ve just got over their fear that is in the past now.
Alright, thank you.
Thank you.
Have a safe trip.
Thank you.
The trip was wonderful. I feel safe and happy.
For some people the scariest part is on the eastbound when you’re going up the upgrade, there is a bend at the top of it and you can’t, you can’t see where the bridge is going, so it looks like you’re just about to launch off the bridge. On the eastbound there’s three lanes, the sides are open like you have the barriers but they are see-through, and that doesn’t help people that have height issues.
I’ve had people request a ride in the trunk before, obviously we can’t, we cannot allow you to ride in the trunk, we’ll just have you laid down in the back seat and cover up, or just put your head down in the front, cover your face if you need to and we’ll talk you through it.
This bridge is ranked number three in the nation on the scary list. I don’t know, this part too, but I think it’s number nine in the world but there’s other scary bridges out there too, and why should we not provide a service for those ones as well, so I hope that one day we’ll be able to franchise out a little bit and branch out.
Key:
1F (miles) 2T 3T 4F 5T 6F 7F
martes, 8 de octubre de 2013
Madrid Teacher series: Traffic rage, pedestrian rage and airport rage
This week's our Madrid Teacher series is devoted to intermediate students, and it deals with the topic of rage, traffic rage, pedestrian rage and airport rage.
Watch the video through and find out what the four Madrid teachers understand by 'traffic rage', 'pedestrian rage' and 'airport rage'.
Now, let's pay attention to the way they discuss the topic. First of all, let me remind you of some of the strategies the speakers use and that we have already touched on in this series:
- the use of 'you know' by the speaker to gain thinking time.
- the listeners short comments ('yeah', 'that's right', 'absolutely') to sow they are paying attention to the speaker.
- checking understanding ('is that clear?', 'yeah?'), which the speaker uses to check that the audience if following him/her.
Try to spot the above-mentioned features in the video. Also, pay attention to the second girl who takes part in the conversation, the one who is from Montreal. In her short speech, she uses four times the word like. This is a word native speakers use in their colloquial speech when they want to sound vague. Like in this usage is used to introduce an idea which is just an approximation of what really happened.
If you want to fully understand everything that is being said, just activate the CC subtitles on the lower side of the video player in YouTube. They will give you a very accurate transcription of the conversation.
Now, it's over to you. What's your experience of traffic (or road) rage?
Have you ever been involved in or witnessed an episode of pedestrian rage?
And what about airport rage?
Remember to use some of the strategies native speakers use in conversation.
I was walking down the, er, down the street in London just before I came out here and, you know, London is very, very busy, there’s a lot of traffic, there’s a lot of buses, there a lot of cars, there are a lot of cyclists and there are a lot of motorbike users and I was walking down the road, and there was a girl cycling and all of a sudden a car driven by someone who was clearly in a rush, pulled out, nearly knocked her over and started beeping her horn right behind her. The poor girl on the bike got such a fright she went like this on the bike, thankfully she was OK and she didn’t fall off, and the driver continued and sped off. I was horrified. Have you ever been involved in, or experienced such acts of road rage, or travel rage you could say in general, not only, not only on the roads?
Yeah. People intimidate you. I cycle a lot around Montreal and, erm, I’ve had people, like, come up really close to me, and it’s like I’m thinking you’re, you’re closer and closer and closer to the car and you realise they’re just laughing, like they’re just trying to intimidate you… And I’ve kicked cars, and then they get really upset, but it’s like, well, sorry, you’re not giving me the space that I need so…
Yeah, I think no matter where you are cars think they own the roads… Car drivers think they own the roads…
Yeah.
And it’s, it’s not the case but I think the mentality is still changing… The acceptance of cyclists on the road is still…
I get pedestrian rage…
I nearly get knocked over about three times a day. You know, for cars that don’t stop when the green man’s there, especially taxis for some reason. Taxis are worse than your average drivers, in my opinion.
Well, they, they, they really feel like they own the road because they’re on it all day, so I think, you know, taxi drivers are special, you know, in that sense yeah.
Yeah and I think, erm, the bigger the vehicle the more important the driver thinks they are as well, so, you see people in their 4x4s and they think well, I’ve got more rights than your little car…It’s like the poor cyclist at the bottom, the bottom of the chain…
That’s right, absolutely.
Lot’s of suffering.
Have you ever had cyclist superiority because you’re being kind to the environment? Sometimes I feel very, you know, superior… I’m not burning precious, precious resources.
What about on airplanes? Have you ever seen anything…
I mean like…
difficult, any difficult situations?
I think, I think any, you’re so, you’re so powerless when you travel on airplanes and when there’s bad weather and this kind of thing, people are at their worse sometimes…
Oh, yeah.
I’ve seen lots of airport rage when it’s snowing, and, you know, everyone’s stranded and…
They’ve been at the airport for 8 hours…
8 hours…
And no one will give them a sandwich or something.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, some bad behaviour.
Yeah, it’s difficult because in an aeroplane, at an airport, the airline completely reserves the right to refuse you passage so, for example, if you’re angry with easyJet because they’ve delayed your flight for hours and hours and hours and informed you badly if you shout at the woman or the man, the attendant and you become aggressive, then they can just not let you on the flight…
Yeah.
…even when it does come.
Watch the video through and find out what the four Madrid teachers understand by 'traffic rage', 'pedestrian rage' and 'airport rage'.
Now, let's pay attention to the way they discuss the topic. First of all, let me remind you of some of the strategies the speakers use and that we have already touched on in this series:
- the use of 'you know' by the speaker to gain thinking time.
- the listeners short comments ('yeah', 'that's right', 'absolutely') to sow they are paying attention to the speaker.
- checking understanding ('is that clear?', 'yeah?'), which the speaker uses to check that the audience if following him/her.
Try to spot the above-mentioned features in the video. Also, pay attention to the second girl who takes part in the conversation, the one who is from Montreal. In her short speech, she uses four times the word like. This is a word native speakers use in their colloquial speech when they want to sound vague. Like in this usage is used to introduce an idea which is just an approximation of what really happened.
If you want to fully understand everything that is being said, just activate the CC subtitles on the lower side of the video player in YouTube. They will give you a very accurate transcription of the conversation.
Now, it's over to you. What's your experience of traffic (or road) rage?
Have you ever been involved in or witnessed an episode of pedestrian rage?
And what about airport rage?
Remember to use some of the strategies native speakers use in conversation.
I was walking down the, er, down the street in London just before I came out here and, you know, London is very, very busy, there’s a lot of traffic, there’s a lot of buses, there a lot of cars, there are a lot of cyclists and there are a lot of motorbike users and I was walking down the road, and there was a girl cycling and all of a sudden a car driven by someone who was clearly in a rush, pulled out, nearly knocked her over and started beeping her horn right behind her. The poor girl on the bike got such a fright she went like this on the bike, thankfully she was OK and she didn’t fall off, and the driver continued and sped off. I was horrified. Have you ever been involved in, or experienced such acts of road rage, or travel rage you could say in general, not only, not only on the roads?
Yeah. People intimidate you. I cycle a lot around Montreal and, erm, I’ve had people, like, come up really close to me, and it’s like I’m thinking you’re, you’re closer and closer and closer to the car and you realise they’re just laughing, like they’re just trying to intimidate you… And I’ve kicked cars, and then they get really upset, but it’s like, well, sorry, you’re not giving me the space that I need so…
Yeah, I think no matter where you are cars think they own the roads… Car drivers think they own the roads…
Yeah.
And it’s, it’s not the case but I think the mentality is still changing… The acceptance of cyclists on the road is still…
I get pedestrian rage…
I nearly get knocked over about three times a day. You know, for cars that don’t stop when the green man’s there, especially taxis for some reason. Taxis are worse than your average drivers, in my opinion.
Well, they, they, they really feel like they own the road because they’re on it all day, so I think, you know, taxi drivers are special, you know, in that sense yeah.
Yeah and I think, erm, the bigger the vehicle the more important the driver thinks they are as well, so, you see people in their 4x4s and they think well, I’ve got more rights than your little car…It’s like the poor cyclist at the bottom, the bottom of the chain…
That’s right, absolutely.
Lot’s of suffering.
Have you ever had cyclist superiority because you’re being kind to the environment? Sometimes I feel very, you know, superior… I’m not burning precious, precious resources.
What about on airplanes? Have you ever seen anything…
I mean like…
difficult, any difficult situations?
I think, I think any, you’re so, you’re so powerless when you travel on airplanes and when there’s bad weather and this kind of thing, people are at their worse sometimes…
Oh, yeah.
I’ve seen lots of airport rage when it’s snowing, and, you know, everyone’s stranded and…
They’ve been at the airport for 8 hours…
8 hours…
And no one will give them a sandwich or something.
Yeah, yeah, yeah, yeah, some bad behaviour.
Yeah, it’s difficult because in an aeroplane, at an airport, the airline completely reserves the right to refuse you passage so, for example, if you’re angry with easyJet because they’ve delayed your flight for hours and hours and hours and informed you badly if you shout at the woman or the man, the attendant and you become aggressive, then they can just not let you on the flight…
Yeah.
…even when it does come.
miércoles, 3 de julio de 2013
Talking point: Drinking and driving
This week's talking point deals with the danger alcohol poses for drivers, especially if they are teenagers, and it is based on the topic Is Drinking and Driving Still a Problem for Teenagers?, which appeared in the Student Opinion section of the Learning Network of The New York Times at the end of May.
Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that you can deal with vocabulary problems beforehand and ideas flow more easily when you get together with your friends.
Before getting together with the members of your conversation group, go over the questions below so that you can deal with vocabulary problems beforehand and ideas flow more easily when you get together with your friends.
- Do you have a driving licence?
- When did you take the test?
- Do you like driving? Why (not)?
- How often do you drive?
- What do you "do" while driving?
- What car have you got now?
- How is it different from the cars you've had before?
- What do you hate most about other drivers?
- Have you ever been involved in or witnessed an accident?
- Do you ever commit traffic infractions?
- Have you ever texted or talked on the phone while driving?
- Have you ever been given a ticket?
- Do you think drinking and driving is a general problem? And for teenagers?
- Do you know anyone who was injured or killed in a drunken driving accident?
- Why do you think teenagers who are involved in accidents are more likely to have been drinking than other age groups?
- What is your own policy about drinking and driving for you and your friends?
- A number of expert boards are recommending that the allowable blood alcohol limits for drivers should be reduced. Do you think authorities should get stricter with drunken driving?
Photo: Associação Brasileira de Medicina de Tráfego
lunes, 15 de octubre de 2012
Driving and texting
This is an ad from NRMA Insurance about the dangers of driving and texting. The listening activity is suitable for Básico 2 and Intermediate 1 students.
Self-study activity:
First watch the video through and enjoy it, trying to understand as much as possible.
When you watch the video for a second time, freeze the picture whenever a text message comes up. Can you transcribe in writing the text message?
Watch the video once again. Complete the blanks in the transcript below with the missing words.
You can read the answers and the transcript below.
This blog features a video from The New York Times about texting and walking, and another New York Times video on distracted drivers.
Now you see it.
NOW YOU DON’T
FOR EVERY TEXT YOU READ OR WRITE, YOU LOOK AT YOUR PHONE 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THAT MEANS YOU TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR 1.4 SECONDS EVERY TIME YOU LOOK.
AT 60 KILOMETRES AN HOUR, THAT'S 22 METRES OF ROAD YOU DON'T SEE.
Never, ever, text and drive.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD, NOT YOUR PHONE.
Here at NRMA Insurance we have (1) ... in our own Research Centre to uncover the facts that just might make a difference to how you (2) ... your driving.
For example the facts you just saw came from our “text and driving” study.
Texting is a distraction we all know and the facts are (3) ... time and again. Each time you touch your phone to text your eyes are off the road for an average of 1.4 seconds. At 60KM/H 1.4 seconds is the same as closing your eyes for 22 meters. That’s 5 car (4) ... .
Just writing 1 message, could take your eyes off the road for nearly 100m.
And you are 63% more likely to veer out of your (5) ... whilst driving at 60KM/H. (6) ... facts but the reality of texting and driving is even (7) ... . So how can you break this dangerous habit? What (8) ... can you take today? Actually it’s very simple.
Put your phone out of (9) ... . Not in your (10) ... .
Put your phone on (11) ... , so it can’t distract.
Assign a (12) ... (if travelling with friends).
In sharing our experience we hope to make a difference.
And remember, please keep your eyes on the road.
Not your phone.
Key:
1 invested 2 approach 3 proven 4 lengths 5 lane 6 Scary 7 scarier 8 steps 9 sight 10 lap 11 silent 12 texter
Self-study activity:
First watch the video through and enjoy it, trying to understand as much as possible.
When you watch the video for a second time, freeze the picture whenever a text message comes up. Can you transcribe in writing the text message?
Watch the video once again. Complete the blanks in the transcript below with the missing words.
You can read the answers and the transcript below.
This blog features a video from The New York Times about texting and walking, and another New York Times video on distracted drivers.
Now you see it.
NOW YOU DON’T
FOR EVERY TEXT YOU READ OR WRITE, YOU LOOK AT YOUR PHONE 5 TIMES WHILE DRIVING. THAT MEANS YOU TAKE YOUR EYES OFF THE ROAD FOR 1.4 SECONDS EVERY TIME YOU LOOK.
AT 60 KILOMETRES AN HOUR, THAT'S 22 METRES OF ROAD YOU DON'T SEE.
Never, ever, text and drive.
KEEP YOUR EYES ON THE ROAD, NOT YOUR PHONE.
Here at NRMA Insurance we have (1) ... in our own Research Centre to uncover the facts that just might make a difference to how you (2) ... your driving.
For example the facts you just saw came from our “text and driving” study.
Texting is a distraction we all know and the facts are (3) ... time and again. Each time you touch your phone to text your eyes are off the road for an average of 1.4 seconds. At 60KM/H 1.4 seconds is the same as closing your eyes for 22 meters. That’s 5 car (4) ... .
Just writing 1 message, could take your eyes off the road for nearly 100m.
And you are 63% more likely to veer out of your (5) ... whilst driving at 60KM/H. (6) ... facts but the reality of texting and driving is even (7) ... . So how can you break this dangerous habit? What (8) ... can you take today? Actually it’s very simple.
Put your phone out of (9) ... . Not in your (10) ... .
Put your phone on (11) ... , so it can’t distract.
Assign a (12) ... (if travelling with friends).
In sharing our experience we hope to make a difference.
And remember, please keep your eyes on the road.
Not your phone.
Key:
1 invested 2 approach 3 proven 4 lengths 5 lane 6 Scary 7 scarier 8 steps 9 sight 10 lap 11 silent 12 texter
miércoles, 21 de septiembre de 2011
Distracted drivers
Self-study activity:
1 List all the different activities mentioned that drivers do while behind the wheel.
2 If you use a cell phone while driving, how likely are you to cause a crash?
- Have you ever driven after having a drink?
- Have you ever talked on the phone or texted while driving?
- If so, were you in danger of having a crash?
- As well as talking on the phone or texting, what other activities do drivers do while at the wheel?
Now watch this The New York Times video and answer the quesions below.
1 List all the different activities mentioned that drivers do while behind the wheel.
2 If you use a cell phone while driving, how likely are you to cause a crash?
3 What’s the typical reaction of American people when told about this fact?
4 How much blood alcohol level does texting when driving amount to?
5 In the simulation driving test, what task were drivers given?
6 How many people failed the test?
7 If you are texting while driving, how likely are you to get involved in an accident?
7 If you are texting while driving, how likely are you to get involved in an accident?
8 Why did the last guy switch to Bluetooth?
Key:
1 Using the cell phone, lighting a cigarette, eating sandwiches, sending a text message while driving with the knee, put lipstick on, leafing through a document (a legal brief), clipping the nails, watching TV
2 Four times more than normal
3 Ignore it
4 0.08
5 Take an exit toward a rest stop while talking on a hands-free cell phone.
6 Half
7 Eight times more than usual
8 Because he was given 5 tickets for using his cell phone while driving
8 Because he was given 5 tickets for using his cell phone while driving
lunes, 18 de abril de 2011
Traffic cameras make drivers angry
Self-study activity:
Watch this video from MSNBC about the US police fining drivers for speeding with the help of cameras and say whether the sentences below are true or false.
1 The financial crisis has made authorities set traffic cameras.
2 The driving ticket for speeding is $700.
3 Up until now the traffic cameras have collected little money.
4 Traffic cameras cost more than the money they collect.
5 Drivers who have contended the fines in court have won the cases.
You can read a transcript here.
Key:
All the sentences are true.
Watch this video from MSNBC about the US police fining drivers for speeding with the help of cameras and say whether the sentences below are true or false.
1 The financial crisis has made authorities set traffic cameras.
2 The driving ticket for speeding is $700.
3 Up until now the traffic cameras have collected little money.
4 Traffic cameras cost more than the money they collect.
5 Drivers who have contended the fines in court have won the cases.
You can read a transcript here.
Key:
All the sentences are true.
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