#0253 – Traveling by Train, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 253 – Traveling by Train
GLOSSARY
train station –
the place where trains stop in a city and passengers get on and
off the trains
* We have to take Keiko to the train station at 4:20 for her 5:00 train.
stop –
a place where a train stops to let passengers on and off
* When you take a train from Seattle, Washington, to Eugene, Oregon, there are
stops in Portland and Salem.
timetable –
a chart that shows when trains leave and arrive in different cities
* According to this timetable, a train leaves for Philadelphia every hour.
to depart –
to leave a place
* My travel agent told me that I should arrive at the airport two hours before my
plane departs.
to arrive –
to come to a place
* When Shelly arrives at the airport, we’ll be waiting for her with lots of flowers.
on-board services –
things provided while one is on a train, plane, or ship, such
as food, drinks, movies, and things to read
* I wish that this train’s on-board services included massages!
dining car –
one section of a train that has tables and chairs and is a restaurant
for the passengers
* The food in the dining car is very expensive, so I always bring a sandwich when
I travel by train.
lounge car –
one section of a train with comfortable chairs, things to read, and
drinks for the passengers
* When they got tired of sitting in their regular seats, they went to the lounge car
for a glass of wine.
coach –
the least expensive, least comfortable seats on a train or plane
* Timothy is very tall, so he doesn’t like sitting in coach because there isn’t
enough space for his long legs.
business class –
a
more expensive section of a train or plane, with comfortable
seats
* Tobias paid extra to travel in business class, where he got free drinks and was
able to sleep in a comfortable seat.
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ESL Podcast 253 – Traveling by Train
fare –
the price of a bus, train, or plane ticket
* I’m told that airline fares are less expensive if you buy your ticket online.
sleeping car –
one section of a train where passengers have beds instead of
chairs
* When my friend Aaron visited Russia, he travelled from Moscow to Vladivostok
by train in a sleeping car, because the trip lasted for an entire week.
day of the week –
one of the seven days of the week: Sunday, Monday,
Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday, Friday, or Saturday
* What days of the week is your exercise class? Mine is on Tuesday, Thursday,
and Saturday.
days of operation –
the days when a business is open or a service is available
* This store’s days of operation are Monday through Friday. It’s closed on the
weekend.
for a change –
as something different; as something unusual
* Tricia always brings her lunch to work, but today, she’s going to go to a
restaurant for a change.
to look into (something) –
to research something; to learn more about
something
* Nicole wants to look into studying in another country next semester.
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 253 – Traveling by Train
COMPREHENSION QUESTIONS
1. How will Katerina decide between coach and business class?
a) It will depend on whether there are sleeping cars.
b) It will depend on the price.
c) It will depend on the on-board services.
2. How will Katerina find out how much the train costs?
a) She will print out the timetable.
b) She will go to the train station.
c) She will look on a website.
______________
WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?
coach
The word “coach,” in this podcast, means the least expensive, least comfortable
seats on a train or plane: “If you want to save your money for the rest of your trip,
I suggest traveling coach.” A “coach” is also a box with four wheels that is pulled
by a horse and was used to carry people in the old days before we had cars:
“This coach is very noisy. Let’s try to sit in a coach with fewer people next time.”
A “coach” can be a person who trains someone or who helps someone get better
at doing something: “Benjamin is a coach for his son’s baseball team.” Or, “Gina
now has a life coach who helps her make the right decisions about her work and
her personal life.” As a verb, “to coach” means to train someone or help
someone get better at doing something: “Mr. Dubois has coached many famous
athletes, and some of them have competed in the Olympics.”
to look into (something)
In this podcast, the phrase “to look into (something)” means to research
something or to learn more about something: “The company is looking into the
costs of moving to a bigger office building.” The phrase “to look over
(something)” means to review something to see how good it is: “Can you please
look over my math homework and see if I did it correctly?” The phrase “to look
up (something)” means to search for something in a dictionary, telephone
directory, or any other kind of reference book: “I lost Cameron’s phone number,
so I have to look it up in the phone book.” Finally, the phrase “to look through
(something)” means to quickly read something: “I like to look through my notes
right before an exam.”
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 253 – Traveling by Train
CULTURE NOTE
In the United States, most people travel by car or plane. Traveling by train is not
very common. However, there is a well-known company called Amtrak that has
trains all over the country and even in Canada. Some people like to travel by
train because they can enjoy the “scenery” or the beautiful views while they
travel. The “tracks” (the pieces of metal that a train travels over) are usually far
from roads for cars, which means that the scenery is nicer than what one sees
from a car. However, traveling by train is very slow and often the tickets are
almost as expensive as plane tickets. That’s why people with a lot of money and
little time usually choose to travel by plane or car.
Sometimes Amtrak offers “special deals” or low prices on certain train “routes” or
trips from one city to another. Amtrak also offers lower prices to students,
children, and “senior citizens” (people who are more than 65 years old). People
who travel frequently can sometimes get free train tickets. For example, if they
take three “round-trips” (trips that go to a place and then come back) on a train,
they can take a fourth round-trip for free.
When you travel by train, it is important to choose the right type of seat. You can
choose between inexpensive coach seats or more expensive and more
comfortable seats in business class. You can also choose to sit in a “quiet car”
where people are not allowed to speak loudly or use cell phones or anything else
that makes noise. Sometimes you can choose to sit in a section where there is
“entertainment” such as movies, music, or lectures by “park rangers,” the people
who work in US parks, about the scenery.
______________
Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – b; 2 – c
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English as a Second Language Podcast
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ESL Podcast 253 – Traveling by Train
COMPLETE TRANSCRIPT
Welcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 253: Traveling by
Train.
This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 253. I'm your host, Dr.
Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development in
beautiful Los Angeles, California.
Take a look at our website at eslpod.com. We have several new things on the
website, including our ESL Podcast Store, which contains additional premium
courses that we think you'll be interested in.
This episode is called “Traveling by Train.” It's a conversation between two
people talking about train travel in the United States, and some of the vocabulary
you need when you take a train. Let's get going!
[start of story]
Katerina: Hey, Joel. Have you ever traveled by train?
Joel: Only once, and that was a long time ago when I lived in Orlando. I’m not
even sure where the train station is in this city. Why do you ask?
Katerina: I need to go to San Francisco at the end of May for a friend’s wedding,
and I’m thinking about taking a train instead of flying.
Joel: That’s a long trip from Chicago, with a lot of stops. How many days does it
take to get there?
Katerina: I just printed out the timetable. Let me see...It looks like it’ll take about
four-and-a-half days. I would depart, say, on Tuesday morning and arrive on
Saturday afternoon.
Joel: Can I see that? It looks like there are good on-board services, with a
dining car and a lounge car on each train.
Katerina: Yeah, I like that. I don’t know if I should go coach or business class. I
suppose that’ll depend on the fare. I’ve heard that the sleeping cars are pretty
comfortable, too, so I’m glad about that.
Joel: What day of the week do you have to leave?
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These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2007). Posting of
these materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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