ON THE ROAD Check your vocabulary for TOEFL

Check your vocabulary for TOEFL

ON THE ROAD

Exercise 1

Some of the words and expressions from the box below have been defined in sentences 1 – 16. In some cases, these definitions are correct, and in some they are wrong. Decide which are which.

accelerate         accident          accident risk          auto theft           back out          black spot         brake        congestion      crosswalk         cut in (in a vehicle)          cycle lane         destination        dominate           drunk driving         driver      driver's licence           driving test         expressway         fatalities          a fine        freeway          gas           highway        highway patrol          injuries          intersection         interstate         joyriding          mile        mobility          overtake        park and ride         pedestrian         pedestrian mall         pollution           public transportation         pull in         pull over       road rage         road work         rush hour        safety island         sidewalk          to speed         speed limit            subsidized (e.g., public transportation)          to tailgate           traffic light / signal           traffic calming                    traffic circle / rotary           traffic-free zone         traffic jam          traffic school            transport strategy       turnpike

1	Rush hour is the time of day when there are not many vehicles on the road because most people are at home.
2	If a service such as public transportation is subsidized, all of its running costs are paid for by the government or a local authority.
3	A traffic school is a school for people who want to learn to drive a motor vehicle.
4	An expressway is a wide road (usually in a city) where people can drive quickly, and is the U.S. equivalent of a British dual carriageway.
5	Road rage is anger or violent behavior by one driver toward another driver.
6	Traffic calming measures are fines and other penalties imposed by the police on bad or dangerous drivers.
7	In the U.S.A., the interstate is part of the national public transportation system (including trains and buses) which people use to travel around the country.
8	Someone who has been accused of joyriding has stolen a car in order to drive it for pleasure, usually in a dangerous way.
9	A turnpike is a main road in the eastern part of the U.S.A. that drivers must pay to use.
10	Someone who backs out in a vehicle drives it very quickly and dangerously, usually in a busy or built-up area.
11	A cycle lane is a part of the road that is set aside for people on bicycles, and which may not be used by drivers of motor vehicles.
12	A traffic-free zone is a main road between major towns and cities that drivers do not have to pay to use.
13	Fatalities (in this context) refers to people who are injured in accidents on the road.
14	A black spot is a place on a road where a lot of car accidents happen.
15	A mile is a measure of distance equivalent to 1.609 kilometers.
16	A sidewalk is a part of the road in a town or city where drivers can park their vehicle.

Exercise 2

Use your dictionary to check the meanings of the other words and expressions in the box.

Exercise 3

Complete this article with appropriate words and expressions from the box in Exercise 1. You may need to change the form of some of the words.

(1) _____________ and (2) _____________ on our roads are increasing from year to year: last year, 2,827 people were killed and almost 300,000 hurt in traffic-related accidents in the state. Most of these were caused by drivers (3) _____________ in built-up areas, where many seem to disregard the 30mph (4) _____________, or (5) _____________, especially around July 4th and Thanksgiving, when more alcohol is consumed than at any other time. In many cases, it is (6) _____________ who are the victims, knocked down as they are walking across the street at (7) _____________ by drivers who seem to have forgotten that a red (8) _____________ means “Stop”.. But these innocent victims, together with the help of the highway patrol and local safety groups, are fighting back. In New Stockholm, a city plagued by (9) _____________ and (10) _____________ caused by traffic, and a notorious accident (11) _____________ for pedestrians and cyclists, the city council has recently implemented its new (12) _____________, which has improved the flow of traffic to the benefit of those on foot or on two wheels. (13) _____________ measures such as speed bumps have slowed traffic down. (14) _____________ programs have helped reduce the number of cars in the city, as office workers and shoppers leave their cars outside the city and bus in instead. Harley Street, the main shopping thoroughfare, has been designated a (15) _____________, closed to all vehicles during the day. There are more (16) _____________ on main routes into the city, making it safer for the huge number of students and residents who rely on bicycles to get around. And (17) _____________ public transportation has helped to keep down the cost of using buses. Meanwhile, the police and the courts are coming down hard on drivers who misuse the roads, handing down large (18) _____________ or even jail sentences on selfish, inconsiderate drivers who believe it is their right to (19) _____________ the roads; for these people, (20) _____________ is not offered as a softer alternative.

Exercise 4

Now try this essay. Use words and expressions from the vocabulary box in Exercise 1, and any other words or expressions that you think would be relevant.

Do you agree or disagree with the following statement?: It is time we all relied less on private motor vehicles to get around, and instead used other forms of transport. Use specific examples and details to support your answer.

ANSWER KEY