Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
You’re cruising down the freeway when suddenly you see a long line of red lights ahead. You hit the brakes, your car stops, and you wait. And wait. And wait. You’re stuck in a traffic jam.
It’s nice to own a car, but planning trips around traffic can be tough. If you try to drive across town when everyone is leaving work, it will take twice as long. That’s why some people would rather ride bikes. They can avoid congested roads during rush hour and get exercise, too!
Find out how Amanda and Mason handle traffic in this English lesson.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Amanda: Well, it took me 90 minutes to get here to meet you. That was fun.
Mason: Seriously? How far do you drive?
Amanda: Well, it was about 18 miles away, and I sat in rush hour traffic and went about 7 miles per hour.
Mason: That is terrible. Don’t you get road rage doing that?
Amanda: If it weren’t for music, I would probably lose it.
Mason: That’s really why I ride my bike most of the time. Sometimes it takes me a little bit longer to get there, but in times like that, I’m going to get there faster than you and I’m going to feel like I did something positive along the way. I got a little exercise.
Amanda: I completely agree, and I’m open to trying it. However, I don’t own a bike, I don’t know how to ride a bike, and I don’t know any of the rules.
Mason: The big thing with the rules are you’ve got to be careful when it’s congested out, when there’s a lot of traffic. Basically never assume that you have the right of way. Always assume someone’s probably going to hit you. Not because they’re a bad person, just because they’re not paying attention.
Amanda: Now are you one of those obnoxious, pushy bike riders?
Mason: Absolutely not. Those people are the worst, and they give bike riding a bad name for all of us.
Amanda: I agree. It makes me want to flip them off.
Mason: Almost worse than being mad at other drivers because you might just do something to the poor guy on a bike.
Amanda: The only thing that I dislike about being stuck in traffic is I find myself talking to myself all the time. And then you look over, and you see that someone’s been watching you. Embarrassing.
Mason: Awesome.
Grammar Point
Go Super to learn "Second Conditional" from this lesson
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Discussion
Amanda tells Mason about the terrible traffic she was in. It seems pretty normal for her, though. She says listening to music helps keep her calm when she’s stuck in a long line of cars.
Mason likes to ride his bike everywhere. Not only does he avoid rush hour traffic, he also gets some exercise along the way.
Amanda would maybe ride a bike, too, if she had one. But she’d have to learn the rules of the road first. Mason says there are not many rules. Just watch out for all the cars!
Do you ride your bike or prefer to drive? What is traffic like where you live? Are there special rules for people on bikes?
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