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Listen and Read: Listen to the recording, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.

I leave for work about 6:30 a.m., and I walk to a bus stop not too far from my house. I catch a bus that comes by around 6:45. The bus isn’t very crowded when I get on, but it fills up by the end of the line. Then, I get off the bus and catch a train going into town. The train ride lasts about 30 minutes, and it’s usually standing-room only. People are packed in the train like sardines. There’s a train stop about two blocks from my office. The entire trip takes about an hour. I buy a monthly bus pass, and I save a lot of money by using public transportation instead of driving my own car.

Discussion

How do you travel to work and/or school? How long does it take you to get there? Are the trains and buses packed during certain times of day?

Online Investigation

Suppose someone is visiting the capital city in your country on business or as part of a study abroad program, and he or she needs to get from the airport to the downtown area. What public transportation is available? Research online for specific schedules and costs that this person would need to know to make the trip.

Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com):

• Tour of Kyoto, Japan
• Train Travel
• Train Tickets