Intro
1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.
2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.
America is a land of open roads, and there is no better way to explore the country than by car. In addition to visiting famous landmarks, from Mount Rushmore to the Statue of Liberty, you can drive along rural highways to get a taste of true Americana.
Listen to Taylor and I talk about traveling around the U.S.
Dialog
1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.
2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.
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Dave: Do you have a car, Taylor?
Taylor: I don’t have a vehicle.
Dave: I don’t have a car anymore. A few years ago I bought a car, traveled around the U.S.
Taylor: Oh.
Dave: Because I thought, I’ve traveled everywhere overseas but I haven’t really traveled within my own country.
Taylor: Right.
Dave: So I bought a car and I drove, first along the east coast and then back toward Chicago and took Route 66 down to L.A.
Taylor: Oh, just like the, ah, the “Westward, ho!” ancestors.
Dave: Yeah, exactly. And Route 66 is a great way to explore America.
Taylor: Uh huh.
Dave: Because you come across so many small towns and little pocket communities.
Taylor: But is that really America?
Dave: Well…
Taylor: What is America? Is it middle America?
Dave: That’s a big question, “What is America?” I don’t know.
Taylor: Yeah.
Dave: I think Route 66 is a great way to, kind of, address that question.
Taylor: Right.
Dave: You pass through farm fields, small towns, industrial towns.
Taylor: You can digest it all and come to your own conclusion.
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Discussion
Route 66 is also known as “America’s Main Street” or “The Mother Road.” It was built in 1926 to connect Chicago to California. Though nowadays most people use modern freeways to travel long distances between states, if you have the time and the curiosity, you should take the Route 66 roadtrip. It’s a fun and unique way to get to know the parts of America that are not shown in movies.
Here is a link with some photos of what you’ll see on Route 66.
Route 66