Long Listening · Section 4

Cars and Driving

This is an interesting topic because in each country, people drive differently and drive different cars.

Level: A2 · 60 sentences

Transcript

  1. This is an interesting topic because in each country,
  2. people drive differently and drive different cars.
  3. Let's talk first about the different types of cars that people drive.
  4. Some of the main styles include sedans, minivans, pickup trucks, and SUVs.
  5. In the US,
  6. it's common to find all these different kinds of cars
  7. and several others as well.
  8. The most common type of car is probably the sedan,
  9. which has four doors and five seats.
  10. The most popular sedans in America include the Toyota Camry,
  11. the Honda Civic, and the Nissan Altima, among others.
  12. I used to have a Honda Civic when I was younger,
  13. and I really liked it.
  14. After that, I got an SUV.
  15. SUVs are bigger than sedans,
  16. but most of them have five seats too.
  17. I like SUVs because, in my opinion, they feel safer than sedans.
  18. It feels like you'd be more protected in case you have an accident
  19. because you're in a bigger vehicle.
  20. In the US, many parents, especially moms,
  21. drive minivans that have seven seats.
  22. These cars are perfect for families
  23. because they have a lot of space and other features for kids.
  24. I have plenty of memories of riding in the back of my parents' van
  25. when I was a kid.
  26. The other common type of car in the U.S.
  27. is the pickup truck.
  28. Americans love trucks, so if you ever travel to the U.S.,
  29. you'll definitely see a lot of them.
  30. Many foreigners are surprised to see how big the trucks are in the U.S.
  31. I've never had a truck before, but I think they're cool too.
  32. Alright, now let's talk about the way people drive in different countries.
  33. In the US,
  34. it's pretty easy to drive
  35. because most people generally follow the rules of the road.
  36. Drivers usually aren't super aggressive or crazy.
  37. However, in other countries,
  38. it's a lot harder to drive
  39. because most people don't follow the rules of the road.
  40. Do people usually follow the traffic laws in your country?
  41. One thing that's really different in the US
  42. when it comes to driving is how people honk their horns.
  43. In many countries, such as Mexico,
  44. people honk their horns all the time.
  45. When you go outside, you hear non-stop car horns all day.
  46. In the US, people rarely use their horns,
  47. except for in the really big cities like New York.
  48. In most places in the US,
  49. people only use their horns in emergency situations.
  50. I very rarely honk my horn.
  51. Okay, lastly, let's talk about tickets.
  52. In the US,
  53. if you violate a traffic law and a policeman sees you,
  54. he's probably gonna give you a ticket.
  55. For example, you can get a ticket for speeding,
  56. for running a red light,
  57. or for not stopping completely at a stop sign.
  58. I've only gotten one ticket in my life.
  59. It was for speeding, and it was an expensive ticket.
  60. Have you ever gotten a ticket before?