Vocabulary

• (to) commute (verb) – to travel to work; the journey from one’s home to one’s place of work.
• commuter belt (noun) – the area surrounding a town or city from which many people travel to work.
• traffic jam (noun) – a line of stationary or very slow moving cars on the roads.
• congestion (noun) – too many things crowded in one place resulting in blockages.
• park and ride (noun, adjective) – facilities, usually located outside of the city centre or business

district, that offer a place to park a car as well as public transport connections from the parking space to the place of work.

• rush hour (noun, adjective) – the time in the morning or afternoon when most people are travelling or using public transport.

Using the vocabulary words above, complete the following sentences.

1. Commuters can avoid the busy city centre by using the                           located next to the motorway and taking the tram into the city centre.

2. I hate using the metro in                           ; you have to wait ages to get on and then it’s so crowded once your inside.

3. Sorry I’m going to be late; I’m stuck in a                         

4. My                          to work is a lot shorter now I moved house closer to my office.

5. The local government has planned to build two new metro lines to reduce                             in the city centre.

6. House prices in this area are a bit higher than average as they’re in the London                             .

Commuting vocabulary comprehension questions

1.  How long or how far would you consider a commute to be unacceptable?
2. Where is the commuter belt for your city?
3. Are there many traffic jams on your commute? How long do you think you spend in traffic jams each day?
4. How could your government or local government reduce congestion on the roads?
5. Does your city have a park and ride? If not, would this be a good idea? Where should it be located?
6. How is the traffic or public transport during rush hour? Do you try to avoid rush hour?

Watch the video and after, discuss the following questions:

1. Do you get stressed travelling to and from work? How could this stress be reduced?
2. How is the public transport system in your city? Is it safe? Is it reliable and comfortable?
3. Does your company offer commuter benefits, like public transport season tickets, to help with travelling to work? If not, would you be interested in this?
4. Do you have the opportunity to car share at work? Is this something you use or would consider using? Why or why not?
5. How will technology and big data change commuting in the near future?
6. How will people’s commutes be different in the future?

While you watch the video, answer the following questions:

Multiple choice:

1. How long would Nina have to walk if she took the bus to work?
2. a)  25 minutes                            b) 35 minutes                            c) 45 minutes

2. What do most Americans need to own in order to work?
3. a)  a car                              b) a bus pass                             c) sturdy walking boots

3. What made it impossible to travel from suburb to suburb without a car in many American cities?
4. a)  a lack of public transport         b) the expansion of highways    c) crime

4. What type of neighbourhood flourished as cities expanded outwards?
5. a)  isolated                                 b) upper-class                             c) residential

Sentence completion

1.    7.3 miles is a nearly impossible ____________ to walk in a reasonable amount of time.
2.   People who live in a transit-oriented development are less likely to _____________
3.  Jonathan English found that public transport was centred around ___________ in the four cities he  analysed.
4.  Buses pass suburban neighbourhoods in Toronto every ____________ minutes.

Short answer

1. Which elections are most important for public transit?
2. Joe Biden made an election pledge to invest in what?
3. In the United States, which party usually supports investing in new roads?
4. Most Americans live in places that were built for what?