Car Accidents | Randall’s ESL Cyber Listening Lab
Level: Topic: Speakers: Length: medium car accidents man – woman – teenage daughter 02:18 Pre-Listening
| Level: | Topic: | Speakers: | Length: |
| medium | car accidents | man – woman – teenage daughter | 02:18 |
Table of Contents
Pre-Listening Exercise
What are some of the major factors that lead to car accidents and what can be done to deal with these causes? What possible injuries can occur in such accidents? Who would you contact if you had to file accident claims or other request for medical assistance?
Idioms
“crash course” = a course in which you learn the material in a very short time period
“She took a driving crash course before she went on vacation.”
“black ice” = a coating of ice on the road that is nearly invisible to drivers
“Be careful as you drive home tonight because there are sure to be patches of black ice on the highways.”
Listening Exercise
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
Where did the car accident take place?
Man: Okay, I was just a little worried that . . . Man, what was that? Oh, no. The car! She drove over the mailbox and hit a tree in the front yard. Ah, the car!
The main factor that caused the accident was _____.
Daughter: Dad . . . uh, mom. It’s not like that at all. I mean, as I was pulling into the driveway, something rolled from under the seat and got stuck under the brake pedal . . . the gas pedal . . . I, I don’t know, and I couldn’t stop the car.
Why is the girl really upset?
Daughter: And mom. I was going to use the car this weekend to go camping with my friends, but now my plans are ruined. My friends are going to hate me. What am I going to do?
What is her dad’s original solution to her predicament?
Man: My fault? Hey, why don’t you just invite your friends over for pizza? I’ll buy.
How is the situation finally resolved?
Man: Wait, not my new Jeep. I don’t even have 500 miles on it.
Daughter: Four-wheeling through the mud, over big rocks and in deep ruts in the road . . . if there IS a road.
Man: Ah.
Woman: You love your daughter, don’t you?
Man: Ask me after she returns from the trip.
Vocabulary Practice
Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:
Post-Listening Exercise
What are some factors or situations that lead to car accidents (for example, texting and driving)? Are their laws in your country that prohibit certain driving behaviors? What are the penalties for violating these laws?
Online Investigation
Car accidents are often a part of life, and getting the right car insurance should be part of owning a vehicle. Choose a type of car in which you are interested. Then, select two in car insurance companies and compare insurance rates for each. Which company seems to provide the best coverage and the best price? Do the companies provide cheaper rates for good students? Do the rates go up for younger drivers?