BBC Learning English6 minute EnglishDhaka traffic6 minute English ?
Jackie: Hello, this is 6 minute English with bbclearningenglish.com. I'm Jackie Dalton,speaking to you from the streets of Dhaka, the Bangladeshi capital. With metoday is our producer in Bangladesh, Senjuti Masud. Hello Senjuti!
Senjuti: Hello!
Jackie: There's a reason why we're out in the streets today, if you listen to the soundsgoing on around us, you'll get a clue as to what today's programme is about.
Senjuti, today's topic was your idea… can you tell us what it is?
Senjuti: Yes, traffic.
Jackie: Right, and when I asked you… 'Let's make a programme about Dhaka - whatshall we make it about?' Why was traffic the first thing that came to your mind?
(both discuss)Jackie: Because there is so much traffic out here and it's so noisy, why don't we goinside so we can hear each other speak!
Ah, that's better. Before we continue, I have a question for you: many cities inthe world have introduced a 'congestion charge', which is when you have topay to drive your car into the city center. But which of these cities does NOThave a congestion charge?
GenevaSenjuti: I think it's SingaporeJackie: Well, we'll find out if you were correct at the end of the programme. But now,let's look at some traffic related vocabulary(词汇). I like to use bad traffic as anexcuse when I come in late to the office in the mornings. So I might saysomething like 'Ah, I'm sorry, I was stuck in traffic!'
Senjuti: Yes, and an expression we often hear related to traffic is a 'traffic jam'. Soyou could say, 'There was a really bad traffic jam!'
Jackie: Yes, a traffic jam. There are lots of traffic jams in Dhaka. You could also saythere's 'really heavy traffic' in Dhaka – heavy traffic – lots of vehicles on theroad. What other words come to mind when you think about traffic?
Senjuti: One word we might hear is chaos – when everything is crazy!
Jackie: Ah yes, chaos, everything is crazy and disorganized… it's chaos on the roads atthe moment! I think it takes me about half an hour to get to work in themornings.
Senjuti: Yes, it can quite boring…and that made me wonder: in Dhaka we spend somuch time sitting in traffic jams – what do people do so they don't get bored?
Jackie: OK, let's have a listen. As you listen try to answer this question: what kinds ofthings do people do so they don't get bored in traffic?
ClipGirl 1: I might play with my cell phone, maybe games or rechecking my inbox or maybe calling someone and chatting with them… with friends6 minute English ? Man 1: We just wait for the traffic to get clear… and… listen to some CDs that wehave in our car.
Jackie: OK, so what did we have there?
Senjuti: Well, the girl says she plays with her cell phone. For example, she might playgames. And sometimes she chats to friends on the phone.
Jackie: And the man says he just waits for the traffic to clear and maybe listens to CDsor something.
Senjuti: But one girl we spoke to just gets cross. Who does she get cross with? Listento find out.
ClipGirl 2: Well actually when I am stuck in the traffic, I don't really think of anything,just that I get mad…. I keep on thinking that… government … they are notactually taking much care to, you know, solve this problem. And that's why thetraffic is increasing every single day.
Jackie: She gets cross with the government because she thinks the government isn'tdoing enough to sort out the traffic. Senjuti, she used the word 'mad' there,which is American English for angry – to get mad. What other emotion wordsmight we associate with being stuck in traffic?
Senjuti: frustrationJackie: Frustration, to be frustrated. To be annoyed, usually because you can't achievesomething you that you want to achieve. Or things aren't going to plan.
Senjuti: I find being in traffic tedious.
Jackie: Tedious – another good word – very boring – tedious. So Senjuti what do youdo in traffic jams to try to make them a bit less tedious?
(both discuss)Jackie: Well it's nearly time for the end of the programme, let's see if you got thecorrect answer to the question at the beginning…(answer)That's all for this week, but do join us again for more 6 minute English.
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