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Taxis

Date: Mar 05 2010

Themes: How To, Travel

Grammar: Count and Noncount Nouns

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Intro

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In pictures of New York City, the streets are almost always crowded with taxis. But while taking a cab in New York may be convenient, it can also be expensive. Still there’s something romantic and exciting about the idea of being carried along in your own private cab…as long as you don’t end up paying just to sit in traffic.

In smaller cities, taking cabs is less common. But there are still times when they’re the best transportation option out there, like when you need a lift to the airport, or when you have so much fun at the bars you can’t drive yourself home. Find out if Marni and Beren like taking cabs.

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.

Marni

Beren

Marni: So Beren, do you take a lot of cabs in this town?

Beren: I’ve probably taken more cabs recently, in the past couple months, than I have the whole time I’ve lived here, because you have to call, you have to plan ahead. You can’t just flag them down here.

Marni: You can’t flag down a cab in this town. But in many cities you can. And I think that’s the great thing about cabs, or taxis, if you want to call them that. It seems like that’s what they’re for, right? You need a quick ride, flag one down.

Beren: Here it’s more…definitely the planning part, like if you want to get dropped off at the airport it’s way more convenient I think than taking the light rail or the bus.

Marni: Sure.

Beren: And, I don’t know, all the cabbies are really nice. I have some friends that do it, and they enjoy it, you know. It’s more…I feel like it’s more of the downtown late night crowd of people that take cabs, because definitely there have been times when I’ve tried to call and I can’t one.

Marni: Yeah absolutely. It seems like after bar close, that’s when a taxi…taxis are really essential. Yeah, you know, I don’t know. I always feel like though they’re so expensive, I mean I just sit in a cab when I’m in one and I just watch the meter run, and I’m just like “Oh my gosh, this is so expensive, I could be walking!”

Beren: Yeah. It’s nice that they do have like flat rates so it’s all…like all the cab companies it’s going to be the same price. It’s like definitely…I don’t know, I feel like in bigger cities it makes more sense. Because it’s more convenient. Here if you’re going to take the time to call a cab, you might as well just take the bus or walk.

Marni: Yep. Sometimes they’re essential though.

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Discussion

Go Super to Listen

Marni and Beren live in a smaller city where it’s not extremely common to take cabs. There are fewer cabs on the streets than in a bigger city like New York, so you can’t just walk outside and get a cab as soon as you want one. You usually have to call ahead and ask for one to come pick you up.

Another problem with taking cabs is that they can be expensive. Marni hates watching the meter run when she’s in a cab and thinking about how much she’s going to have to pay for the ride. The bus is much cheaper, and sometimes it doesn’t even take any longer. But Marni and Beren agree that there are times when taking a cab is really necessary.

Are cabs common where you live? Do you like taking cabs? What is the most common form of transportation in your country?

Comments

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mohd khaled

Malaysia

I always take a Taxi when I want to go to any place …....because in Malaysia all Transportations are inexpensive

rosendo

Mexico

here in mexico,city is commun use meter bcs is the transportation media cheapest over the country. u can go wherever u want just for one's pesos !!!

kukuka

Ukraine

Cabs are common in all place where people live, I guess. Hhere where Ilive they are popular for many reasons. First, they aren't expensive. And second, in a small town you will never pay much for a ride, because distances are quite short. I like taking cabs when I plan to hang out with friends or need to go to the railway station or any other place where I can't leave my car for a long time or for the time I'm going to be out of the town, for example. Mostly, I drive my car when I need to get somewhere. It's convenient as you can drop in at any place you need on your way to work or home. Still, public transportation in probably the most common for people way to get where they need.

LydiaJin

China

i never took a taxi in nyc since i went there lots of time///

but i like the yellow cab…

Tom-Cruise

Turkey

in Turkey we prefer metrobus or tram

s id

Saudi Arabia

in my country taxis are common . but expensive so most people have their own cars .

alfiya

Antigua and Barbuda

Depends on situation….but very seldom..

joyful1

Russian Federation

As for me, i take taxis only in winter time, when i don't drive my own car! :)

muranno

Kazakhstan

In my contry,the city where I live taxe no so expensive as in London.

in09uh

Indonesia

me (bus) too.. but cab sometimes needed when I have to hurry.

Rebeca Louise

Brazil

Very nice report! But particularly I prefer the bus.

afufu

China

I live in Nanjing of China.Nanjing is a big city in China,so cabs are very common here.We can get a cab easily here and it's not very expensive,so it's very convenient.But sometimes during the rush hour,the streets could be very congested.Then the subway is a better choice .Because it is cheaper and quicker.

songlin043@gmail.com

China

i don't like take a bus for it's always crowded. i don't usually take a cab either because it is too expensive, i prefer subway ,it is so convient and cheaper, i think that is a nice public transportation.

Shinichi Lover

Bahrain

nice topic..in my country the cabs is not common as much !

we use public transportaition, I mean buses caz they are more cheap thans caps..

the caps in my country are so expensive, so we better go by buses,

I used caps when I was child but now I didn't used anymore!

now I use bus to go to the univercity,, but most the time I go with my family car..

billionyears

Taiwan

Recently,i often take cabs with my friends. It is faster than the bus. But you need pay much money for taking a cab.

Aison

Hong Kong

so …...

Zambuka

United States

I usually take the bus when i need to get to a place . Or my uncle lift me to that place . But taxis are widely used here . I use taxi may be once in two months.

aalerta23

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

there is defferent in iran about cabs , in iran cabs patrol in the cities and pick up people throught a street .the cabs share for 4 people simultaneously .because cabs in iran is very cheap.

giulio7515

Italy

In our city (Turin) cabs isn't very popular, taxi is very expensive. I like cathing the buses or the tube.There unfortunately is only one line. The trains are very confortable if you go near turin.