Train Station
Pre-Listening
Do you ever ride the train? What does the process look like?
Listen and Read
Listen to the recording, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.
Listening Quiz
Select the best answer for each question, then press Check Answers.
Use arrow keys to choose between options within each question.
1. What does the man usually do while he waits for the train?
2. If the train is crowded, the man ________.
I always take the train to work. At the station, I walk up to a ticket machine, select my destination by pressing a button on the machine, insert the correct change, and press another button to purchase a ticket. When the ticket comes out, I take it and go through the gate to the train platform. At some stations, there is a ticket window where I can buy a ticket and then pass through a wicket machine.
While I’m waiting for the train, I sometimes buy a newspaper at a kiosk (news stand), and I might grab something to drink. Smoking is prohibited on the platform to protect everyone’s health. When the train approaches, people start lining up behind the yellow line. If the train is very crowded, I sometimes wait for the next train. When the train arrives, I get on and find a seat. Often, the train is packed with passengers, so I just have to stand.
Vocabulary and Expressions From the Audio
- ticket machine (noun): a self-service machine where people can purchase or collect tickets
- She used the ticket machine to buy her fare since the ticket window had a long line.
- destination (noun): the place a person is traveling to
- He selected his destination on the ticket machine and paid with his debit card.
- insert (verb): to put something into a slot or opening, such as a card or ticket into a machine
- She was asked to insert her ticket into the gate reader before entering the platform.
- gate (noun): a barrier at a train station that opens when a valid ticket is scanned, allowing passengers through to the platform
- He tapped his card on the reader and walked through the gate to reach his train.
- train platform (noun): the raised area alongside the tracks at a train station where passengers wait to board and exit trains
- She waited on the train platform until she heard the announcement that her train was arriving.
- wicket (noun): a passage or machine at a train station where a ticket is inserted or scanned to allow passengers through to the platform
- She inserted her ticket into the wicket and walked through to the platform.
- kiosk (noun): a small self-service station or booth where people can purchase items, access information, or complete transactions
- She stopped at the kiosk in the station to print out her ticket before heading to the platform.
- grab (verb): to quickly pick up, purchase, or get something in a casual or informal way
- He had just enough time to grab a coffee from the station café before his train arrived.
- prohibited (adjective): not allowed; forbidden by a rule or law
- Smoking was prohibited on the train platform and throughout the entire station.
- approach (verb): to come near or move closer to something or someone
- Passengers were asked to step back as the train began to approach the platform.
- line up (phrasal verb): to form a queue or stand in an orderly row while waiting for something
- Passengers were asked to line up behind the yellow line before the doors opened.
- crowded (adjective): filled with a large number of people, leaving little space to move
- The station was especially crowded during the morning rush hour.
- packed (adjective): extremely full of people, with very little or no room left
- By the time the train arrived, the platform was completely packed with commuters.
Discussion
Is there a train station near where you like? If so, what is it like? Are the trains that stop there convenient? Can you buy items like newspapers and food at the station? How much does a train ticket typically cost?
Online Investigation
Suppose you want to travel across the United States by train from coast to coast. What train could you take and how much would it cost? Use the internet to plan your cross-country trip. What are some of the major cities where the train stops? Does it cost extra to stop at a city to sightsee before continuing your journey?
Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com):
- Train Tickets: Listening Comprehension
- Train Travel: Listening Comprehension