Main Topic 14: Technical Areas Lesson 79: Land Transport (20-25 minutes) Today, you will: 1. Learn useful vocabulary related to LAND TRANSPORT. 2. Review Gerund Phrases. I. VOCABULARY Exercise 1: What s the meaning? (5-6 minutes) Choose the meaning of the underlined words from the choices that follow. Then practice using the words in your own sentences. 1. Cars cutting across each other cram road intersections. a. rotundas b. networks c. sidewalks d. crossways 2. The newly-paved road allows for faster transportation of goods from farms to city markets. a. path b. bridge c. overpass d. transport 3. Faulty stop lights disrupt the flow of vehicles along crowded highways. a. tail light b. car light c. headlight d. traffic light 4. Hundreds of passengers get on and off bus terminals every summer. a. station b. basement c. main office d. headquarters 1
5. Vehicle accidents are common along sharp-curved highways. a. agent b. mechanic c. automobile d. instrument Exercise 2: What s the word? (5-7 minutes) Read the following dialog with your tutor and try to use context clues to fill in the blanks with the most appropriate word. You can find the missing word from the pool of words at the bottom. Mr. Johnson discusses with Mr. Smith the plans to meet a client at the train station. Mr. Johnson: What are the updates on our client s arrival tomorrow? Mr. Smith: According to his secretary, he will be arriving at the train (1) at around 6pm. We will have an hour or two to get to the hotel and let him settle in. Mr. Johnson: Do you have time to (2) him on the dot? What time are you leaving the office? Mr. Smith: I have to be on the road at 4pm because I want to avoid heavy (3) on 6 th Avenue. So I plan to leave the office at 3:30 pm. Mr. Johnson: That sounds good. We have to make a good impression on him. I heard he s very particular with punctuality. Mr. Smith: Don t worry.i ll be right on the (4) when he steps out of the train. Mr. Johnson: Good. Don t forget to (5) his bags and check if they are complete. He might bring a lot of things for the two-week conference. Mr. Smith: Alright. I got it. Choices: a. fetch b. traffic c. pick up d. platform e. station f. highway 2
II. GRAMMAR REVIEW: Topic: Gerund Phrases (5-6 minutes) General Description: A Gerund Phrase consists of a gerund and its objects, modifiers or complements. A gerund is a verbal that ends with an ing. It may appear like a verb, but it functions as a noun. When combined with objects, modifiers or complements, the gerund becomes part of a phrase that also acts as a noun. Consider this sentence: Paving roads in rural areas is a sign of progress in transportation. Paving is a gerund formed using the verb pave. By adding ing, it becomes the subject of the verb is. When combined with the object road in rural areas, it becomes part of the gerund phrase acting as subject of the sentence. A gerund phrase can function as: Subject Direct Object Subject Complement Object of Preposition Picking up bags at a busy train station can be burdensome. The manager tried fetching the client on time but he failed. One of the daily crises in the metro is regulating heavy traffic. Traffic violators are fined for blocking intersections. Remember: Gerund phrases are different from present participle phrases. Although both begin with verbs ending in ing, they function differently. Gerund phrases act as nouns, while participle phrases acts as adjectives. Examples: GERUND PHRASE Picking up bags at a busy train station can be burdensome. The manager tried fetching the client on time, but he failed. One of the daily crises in the metro is regulating heavy traffic. PRESENT PARTICIPLE PHRASE Picking up bags at a busy train station, the manager forgot to fetch his client. Fetching the client on time, the manager tried to grab breakfast, but he failed. The officer regulating heavy traffic solves daily 3
crises in the metro. Traffic violators are fined for blocking intersections. Traffic violators blocking intersections are fined by officers. Comprehension Check: Answer the following question using a gerund phrase: What are the advantages of land transportation compared to air travel? Exercise 1: Incomplete Sentences (5-6 minutes) Choose the word or phrase that would best complete the following sentences. 1. intersections frees roads from car jams. a. Outlining b. Opening c. Offering d. Obstructing 2. The Department of Transportation has begun faulty stop lights. a. revising b. repairing c. repeating d. recharging 3. One of the new government initiatives involves bigger bus terminals. a. building b. blocking c. buffering d. buttering 4. Civilians have taken the task of the traffic when flashfloods hit the city. a. moving b. managing c. mimicking d. manipulating 4
5. can improve everyday transportation. a. Hiding a traffic sign b. Hanging street decors c. Hunting stray animals d. Having a network of train stations 5