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Parking Tickets
Parking Tickets

Learn English meaning of ‘parking tickets’

Date: Jul 04 2016

Themes: Time, Travel

Grammar: Present Perfect Tense

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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You’re late for an important meeting, but you’re still looking for a place to park your car. There’s an empty parking spot, but it says that parking in that zone is regulated, and you’re not supposed to park there now. What do you do? If you keep driving, you will be even later. But if you park there, you will probably get a parking ticket.

Parking tickets are very common. Almost every US driver has had at least one parking ticket. Parking enforcement can make one feel very frustrated. In fact, some people simply cannot stand it and fight tooth and nail against their parking tickets in court. However, they don’t usually win, and they still must pay because they parked in the wrong place.

Jessica just got her first parking ticket. She and Andy have strong opinions about parking enforcement. Listen to today’s English lesson to learn these opinions.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Jessica

Jessica

Andy_H

Andy_H

Jessica:  I just got my very first parking ticket.

Andy_H:  Oh no!

Jessica:  I know! It’s awful! I was so surprised. Apparently, I was parked in a very specific zone that was…

Andy_H:  Of course, you were.

Jessica:  … heavily regulated because of events. And it wasn’t that much money. It was only $30…

Andy_H:  That’s still $30 that you should not have to pay because you put your car somewhere for 20 minutes.

Jessica:  Exactly! I know! I’m a little frustrated.

Andy_H:  I have to tell you… I cannot stand parking enforcement. First of all, I know that a portion of what I’m paying in that parking ticket is going to pay for the salary of the person who is going to give me a parking ticket.

Jessica:  Exactly! And they’re intense. I see them going around, and looking at the clock, and watching for passengers to leave their vehicle, and then they slap a ticket on the dashboard.

Andy_H:  I have gone to court twice now to fight a parking ticket, and I’ve lost both times. But I will not be silenced! I will fight it tooth and nail until parking laws are gone.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Jessica recently received her first parking ticket. She accidentally parked her car in a zone that did not allow parking on that day, and she got a $30 ticket. She tells Andy about her experience, and he shares his very strong opinions about parking enforcement. In his opinion, there should be no parking enforcement.

Andy is frustrated because he knows that parking tickets help to pay the salaries of parking enforcement officers. In other words, these officers have a good reason to give many parking tickets. Jessica agrees. She has seen officers watching and waiting to give parking tickets. She and Andy would both be happier if there were no parking rules.

Did you ever get a parking ticket? Do you think parking enforcement is a good idea?

 

Comments

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englishteacher24/7

United States

I was treated to a meal at a restaurant by a high school friend and instead of paying to park in the restaurant’s parking lot, I chose to park on a neighborhood side street.


Well, after the meal we bided each other farewell and I returned to my car on the street. Wouldn’t you know it? I found a $65.00 parking ticket on my windshield.


There went my savings for deciding to park on the side street!


I understand that when there is parking limited spaces tickets may be necessary; however, I wasn’t a Happy Camper receiving one. :(

01:16 AM Jul 05 2016 |

1 person likes this

s11211s

s11211s

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I haven’t received a lot parking ticket, because I usually use public transportation. Going downtown in rush hours has a lot of problems, including lack of parking space.
Without parking enforcement, traffic jams will worse than they are. Parking enforcement is useful for smoother traffic.

03:53 PM Jul 04 2016 |

GWTA

GWTASuper Member!

Germany

I hate it but it is necessary. Otherwise would be chaos in the City.

mona2004

mona2004

Saudi Arabia

nice

10:52 AM Jul 04 2016 |

1 person likes this

Olivine

Olivine

Indonesia

A town most likely will look messy without parking enforcement and traffic will get worse. I think parking enforcement is a fair idea. It is part of our responsibilities as a citizen to take care of our place or town for ourselves, our family, friends, and other people, not because we are affraid of the parking officers. The rule is clear. If the parking enforcements get the money, i think it is not that bad and it is not their fault, they didn’t make the rules, their boss did. But it would be more fair if the money of this parking ticket is spent for town development instead of going to personal pocket. 

lizaolamaribel@yahoo.comSuper Member!

United States

I think the parking tickets is a very good because make peop,es to respect the rules

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