IELTS SPEAKING TOPIC: TECHNOLOGY
Sample & Mock Test
Part one
Yes, surely I do... Although I don't consider myself a geek, I quite enjoy using all the new items like laptops and smartphones... All in all, we're living in the computer age and it's impossible to ignore cutting-edge technology.
I use a computer every day, mostly for my work. I’m a copywriter so my job involves a lot of word processing. In my leisure time, I love to connect with my friends and family back home on social media.
I’ve never taken a proper course like at a college but did once pay someone to teach me how to use some specific software I needed for my business. Mostly, I’ve learnt by trial and error and watching YouTube videos. I’m no computer buff but I can do everything I need to.
I’d sooner use my laptop to surf the internet as you can see so much more on the large screen than on a smaller device. If my laptop is switch off I tend to browse on my iPad to saving booting up the computer.
I find it exciting using the internet because I love to learn new things. These days you can find out almost anything online so computers have been a real game changer for people like me who enjoy discovering new information.
I use Internet every day... It helps me with my studies and it entertains me when I’m down... Surfing the Internet is my hobby... I also frequently use World Wide Web for communication purposes... Though I don't like social media like Facebook, I often use video conferencing for talking.
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I use internet frequently, but I try to limit my screen time recently due to the health issue, especially for leisure purposes. So on average, I may spend an estimated 4 hr per day online.
It's so crucial. I need internet for communication, gathering information, online shopping, and entertainment. Recently, I often use e-wallet to make purchases. And it needs internet.
Yes, I have a personal computer and a laptop... I use my laptop mainly for education... It is very light and fits in my bag easily, so I take it with me to school... Meanwhile, my PC has a large screen and convenient keyboard, so I use it for word processing and browsing websites. It is an old, but still well-oiled machine...
The items I buy most often online are books, sometimes e-books that I read on my Kindle. I also browse the internet when I need a new gadgetto help me develop my website, such as the microphone I bought the other day.
We do have a bus service in my area. It’s fine for people who live in the towns but not so regular for those living in the many small villages. There is also a train that goes to the nearest city a few times a day.
I definitely like private transport best. With my car, I can go where I want to whenever I choose to. To make a journey on public transport, you are not so independent.
In the winter, when it’s cold and wet, I drive my car to work but I always get stuck in a traffic jam. As the weather improves, I go by bike to avoid the congestion.
Most certainly, because you don’t get held up in heavy traffic. Cycling also keeps you fit and is environmentally-friendly.
I think that cycle lanes are a very good idea as they help to keep cyclists safe from vehicles. Since we introduced them in my country, more people have started cycling to work.
E.
Part Two
You should say:
what you bought
how you bought it
why you bought it
why you were (or are) happy with it.
Ok then, well firstly I’d just like to mention that I’m quite lucky because my parents have always bought stuff for me, so I seldom buy something by myself.
But one occasion that I did save up to buy something myself was when I got my iPad, which really made me happy and that’s what I’d like to talk about. And um, I think it took me about four or five months to save up for it, and I basically did it by cutting back on other things, you know, like eating out and buying clothes.
At that time, I study in a college, I mean, I don’t have a job, unfortunately, so the only money I receive is my living allowance which my parents give me every month, and that’s what I had to use to pay for it.
Anyway, regarding why I wanted an iPad, well I suppose the main reason was that I’m a big Apple fan. You know, I already had an iPhone and laptop, so the only thing I was missing was an iPad. I also watched Steve Jobs’ presentation of the iPad when it was launched, and it looked pretty cool. So I just thought it would be great to have one!
And as for how I felt after buying it, well first of all, I was really excited and happy, you know, because I couldn’t wait to start using it. And it also felt great because I’d saved up for it myself instead of simply asking my parents to buy it for me. So for that reason, it just felt a bit more special to me, if you know what I mean!
You should say:
What is it
When did you get it
How often do you use it
and say why is it so important to you
I don’t own many gadgets... I have a PC, laptop and a smartphone and I can’t imagine my life without either of those... However, my laptop is the most important piece of technology for me... I got it as a birthday present from my parents a few years ago and I use it nearly every day now. Although at first using it was like rocket science for me, after a few weeks I was able to do everything I needed... From browsing websites to reinstalling the operating system... What's more, without my laptop I wouldn’t be able to do my homework for the university... Also, I use it for surfing the Internet and finding whatever I want, whether it is a piece of code for my project or a useful tip on how to cook a steak... Generally, my laptop became an essential device for me...
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I have several electronic devices that I use on a daily basis but the one I’m going to describe is my mobile phone.
I’m never the quickest to adopt new technology and all my friends had them long before I did. I eventually bought one back in 1999 after my dad had a stroke and was rushed into hospital. I needed to be in constant contact with my family during this difficult time so I had to join them in owning a mobile.
I now have an iPhone and keep it with me at all times in case of emergencies but mainly use it for texting and keeping in touch with my rowing club friends via WhatsApp. The phone is so high tech that, not being a techie, I only understand and use a few of the functions. It’s incredible what it can do though, and every now and then I discover something new about it. In fact, this happened just the other day when I was out walking my dog.
I often get ideas for my work when I’m out and about and usually carry a notebook and pen to jot them down before I forget them. If I forget to take the notebook, I type short notes on my iPhone to remind me of my thoughts. Then last week, I notice a microphone icon and thought I’d try recording my ideas to play back later.
When I tried this, I found that my mobile actually types out the words as I say them. I was amazed and over the moon as I’d discovered a quicker and easier way to make notes. It saves me lots of time and means that I never lose a good idea. I can record as I’m walking along rather than having to stop and write things down, so my dog’s happier too as he used to get fed up with me stopping all the time.
It’s quite incredible the advances in technology since I bought that first mobile all those years ago. Back then you could just make calls and send texts. Having started as a reluctant user, I now consider my mobile an indispensable part of my life and wouldn’t be without it. My life wouldn’t actually be very different if I didn’t have it as I’m not addicted to the internet or social media like many people. However, I do feel a sense of security having one and it also gives me peace of mind knowing that any of my family can contact me if they have a problem.
You should say:
what kind of transport it is
how often you use it
where you travel using it
and explain why you enjoy using it
One form of transport that I look forward to going on is a train. This is because I only use it when I’m going away somewhere exciting, like on holiday or a weekend break.
We have quite a good rail network in my country so it’s easy to get where you want to go. However, I live in a rural area and there is just one railway station for the whole region and it only goes to the nearest city. You then have to catch another train to go everywhere else. This isn’t very convenient. Many people drive 30 miles to the nearest town on the main line and get on the train there. I sometimes do that too.
I do quite enjoy train journeys. They are more relaxing than driving and you can look at the scenery out of the window. Having said that, the last time I took the train, it was very overcrowded and I couldn’t get a seat so I had to stand up the whole way.
My last few trips have been up to London for a few days away with a friend. It takes about three hours so we can be there by late morning. While we’re in the city, we occasionally use the underground but mostly get around on foot.
I also use the train to get to the airport if I’m going abroad. You get off at a Reading and then catch the shuttle to the airport. It’s so much easier to plan a trip now that you can see train timetables online.
I sometimes travel by train when I’m visiting other countries. It can be the best way to get around and it’s great if you enjoy meeting the local people. I once went on a train in India. It was packed with people but everyone was so friendly and we all shared our snacks.
The only other time I go on a train is when I take a trip on a steam railway. There are two in my part of the country where the old trains, railway line and stations have been restored. There is something very special about them and they are a huge tourist attraction. Everyone enjoys a ride on a steam train.
E.
Part three
Well... Not too much, but there is definitely a couple of essential things everyone should know. First of all, you need to know how to enter a web address... how to navigate websites... It is very important nowadays to be able to surf the net for the information you need...
In my point of view, the Internet is the most important technological advance of our time... It gives us so many new opportunities to discover anything we want about our world! You just need to boot up your computer and go online... And with wireless networks at home and public Wi-Fi hotspots we can do it easily and almost everywhere.
In a positive way, certainly. They help with so many things, starting from writing and printing your own essay and ending with developing advanced programs and digital editing... Without computers studying would have been time-consuming and inefficient...
Hmm… in my opinion, using computers in the classroom is very effective. I think it is important for students to become competent in the use of computers to prepare them for the workplace … you know, computers are used everywhere in the workplace now. But… I also think that having computers so easily available gives teachers the opportunity to introduce students to the variety of information on the Internet.
Internet safety is a huge concern for parents these days. Computersand the internet have so many benefits for young people, for their education and for staying connected with friends and family, but there are some unpleasant people online who target children on social media and trick them into building harmful relationships.
Teenagers are particularly vulnerable because they have a lot of freedom as to who they connect with and they can be too trusting. Most own mobile devices so can go online when they’re away from home and their parents can’t see what websites or social media platforms they’re browsing. Many youngsters are pressured into posting pictures of themselves naked or lured into sexual relationships, which is just awful.
I do think that parents should monitor what internet sites their teenagers use, although this is difficult because of this freedom their kids have and how easy it is to get online. On laptops and PCs there are settings for limiting access to parts of the internet, which parents should activate. I’m not sure if you can do this on mobile devices.
Perhaps the best things parents can do is to discuss internet safety with their children and make them aware of the dangers they could face online.
For the most part, I’d say that they are once you’ve learnt how to use them. The problem for me is always getting started. I’m a bit of a technophobe and don’t find it easy to understand new technology. You rarely get a written instruction manual with a new device and the help is generally online. You often have to really search for what you need.
Also, technology advances so quickly that as soon as you’ve mastered the device, the software is upgraded and you have to learn new stuff to be able to use it.
I really envy young people today as they are natural techies. They seem to know how to operate electronic devices without even being shown. I certainly think that many people of the older generation would say that modern electronic gadgets are not user-friendly.
Many people’s whole lives are controlled by technology, especially the internet. With so many different devices available and the number of wifi hotspots increasing all the time, people can surf the internet anytime they want to. It’s easy to waste hours browsing or posting trivia on social media. This is often for no real purpose but simply because people are addicted to it. Everywhere you go you see people tapping away on their mobile phones rather than engaging with the people around them.
I think some people realise that they’re slaves to technology and have made a conscious decision to cut down on their use of the internet and their mobiles in particular. It’s hard to relax with emails, social mediaposts and texts pinging at you all the time. There’s more understanding these days of mindfulness and the need to regularly step back from our frantic, stressful lives. Reducing the use of our electronic devices can certainly help a great deal with this and I believe this is many people’s motivation for doing so.
I’d say that the car is the most popular form of transport for long journeys. My country is quite small so you can reach anywhere in a day and most places within a few hours. You are independent when you drive and you just put your luggage in the car without having to carry it anywhere.
A lot of people use the train, both for long distance pleasure trips and to commute to the cities for work. Our cities have a big problem with congestion and it costs a lot to park your car so it’s more sensible to use the rail network.
There are also shuttle flights between the major cities so a lot of businessmen use these. The only time I travel by plane within my own country is when I’m visiting relatives up in Scotland as it’s a long way away from where I live. A plane is the quickest and easiest way to get there.
That’s difficult to say because transport issues in cities are very different to those in the countryside.
The biggest problem in our cities is congestion. There are just too many vehicles and the traffic jams are terrible. There always seem to be roadworks going on which cause bottlenecks and make things even worse. What’s more, all the cars, lorries and buses sitting in the long traffic queues emit exhaust fumes which leads to air pollution, another major concern in urban areas.
In the countryside, on the other hand, the main issue is the lack of an adequate public transport system. If you live in a small village, you might not even have a bus service so it’s impossible to get around unless you have your own private transport.
There used to be an extensive rail network serving small communities but in the 1960s, hundreds of lines were closed. Now you can only get to the main towns by train.
To weigh it up, I’d say that transport problems are equally serious in both urban and rural areas. There are just different issues.
In my opinion, most people rely on their car far too much. Many are too lazy to walk places or to commute by bike and they can’t be bothered to take the bus.
Most areas have a real problem with rush hour traffic. Although this is always blamed on people driving to work, it is far less busy on the roads during the school holidays, which suggests that the real issue is parents taking their kids to school in the car. I think that many more should make the journey on foot. This would be better for the children’s fitness as well as cutting down on congestion.
Not all the parents are being lazy. Lots just don’t have time to walk as they are rushing off to work but they could at least set up carpools as this would help to reduce the heavy traffic in the mornings.
If we had better weather in my country then I think that more people would commute by bike and you certainly see more people cycling to work in the summer.
E.
Other Vocabularies
computer age: the period in modern history characterized by rapid technology development and widespread computer use.
Living in a computer age has many benefits.
Mike is a computer buff. He got an A+ on his programming exam.
computer fatigue: a syndrome of tiredness resulting from long computer usage.
About 60% of IT specialists are affected by computer fatigue.
Cutting-edge technology.
desktop PC: a personal computer that remains on a desk.
I have an old desktop PC that I use for surfing the net when I’m home.
Being good at digital editing is essential in our time.
download (podcasts): to save a copy of a file from the internet to your own device.
Yesterday I downloaded a few films that I plan to watch during the weekends.
Internet is an essential piece of technology for many people.
gadget: an advanced piece of technology, like smartphone.
Nowadays almost everybody owns a gadget.
My friend is a real geek. He owns a bunch of computers and other gadgets.
hold the line: wait a minute.
She told me to hold the line, because she had to open the door.
A few days ago I decided to renew my computer, so I bought a large screen for it.
light years ahead: very far away from.
Modern computers are light years ahead of those which people used in 90s.
Paul's new laptop is on the cutting edge of technology.
operating system: the most important program that runs the computer.
I chose to buy a laptop which is based on the Windows operating system.
Due to today's intense workday I am out of steam, so I won’t be able to work tomorrow.
rocket science: a very complicated subject for someone.
Biology is a rocket science for me. I don’t understand anything in it.
My brother sent an attachment with his homework to the professor.
silver surfer: an old person, who uses the Internet.
Uncle Bob is a silver surfer. He uses the Internet every day, although he’s almost 70.
Facebook is the biggest social media in the world.
time-consuming and inefficient: something that takes too much of your time and isn’t rational to do.
I find watching football time-consuming and inefficient.
John accessed his email today to see if he had received any letters.
to back up files: to make a copy of files in case of a computer problem.
I had to back up files on my computer, because I was going to reinstall my operating system.
to be stuck behind a computer: to use computer for a long period of time.
A lot of teenagers are stuck behind their computers all day.
I spent a few hours browsing the websites today, until I found was I was looking for.
to go online: to use the Internet.
Millions of people go online every day.
to navigate a website: to find what you need on the website.
Navigating a website is not very easy, especially if the website is poorly designed.
After being stuck behind a computer all day, I decided to pull the plug.
to push someone's buttons: to do specific thing to irritate somebody (usually intentionally).
I became so angry because he pushed my buttons by adding pepper to my ice cream!
I was surfing the web yesterday for three hours, because I had nothing else to do.
to upgrade: to renew a software or a piece hardware.
Thanks to the new program for students, I updated my computer for free.
My computer, despite being 7 years old, is still a well-oiled machine.
widespread computer use: that is to say people use computers very often.
Wi-Fi hotspots: a public place where you can access the Internet.Our university has a Wi-Fi hotspot. It is very convenient.
wireless network: a network where users can access the Internet without using any cables.
We have installed a wireless network at home.
word processing: writing, editing and producing words on a computer, using special programs.
There are tons of word processing programs
technophile – a person who is enthusiastic about new technology.
- My brother is a true technophile and can tell you about every new gadget on the market.
a techie – a person who knows a lot about technology, especially computers or other electronic equipment.
- I’m not surprised Sue Lin is working for a top computer agency as she was always a real techie at school.
tech-savvy – well informed about or proficient in the use of modern technology, especially computers.
- My kids are far more tech-savvy than I am, having grown up with computer technology.
technophobe – a person who fears or dislikes new technology, especially computers, and does not want to use it.
- I keep telling him how easy it is to send an email but he’s an ardent technophobe and refuses to even have a go.
revolutionary – involving or causing a complete or dramatic change and improvement.
- The development of personal computers has proved revolutionary for business owners.
revolutionise – to radically change something so it is much better.
- There’s no doubt that computers have revolutionised our lives.
breakthrough – important development or discovery.
Some people argue that the invention of the internal combustion engine was the most important technological breakthrough of all time.
cutting-edge – very modern.
- Our new mobile phone is still in development but it is at the cutting-edge of technology.
state-of-the-art – the latest stage of development of a product, using the most recent ideas and method and including the latest features.
- The new aircraft design was state-of-the-art and was expected to revolutionise passenger’s experience of flying.
advanced – modern and well developed.
- In the developing world, simple technologies such the mechanical water pump are often more practical solutions to everyday problems than the advanced computer technologies of the western world.
high tech – using or involving advanced technology.
- Some high tech solutions are less reliable than the basic technology they replace.
indispensable – something you could not manage without; absolutely necessary.
For many people, their mobile phone is indispensable.
outdated – out of date; old-fashioned.
Jared didn’t want to buy a new iPhone but his mobile looked so outdated compared to those of his friends that he felt pressured into updating it.
obsolete – not in use any more, having been replaced by something better.
Jerry had to close down his small printing business as his old printer had become obsolete and he couldn’t afford to replace it with the latest state-of-the-art equipment.
game changer – a new idea or factor that significantly changes an existing situation or way of doing something.
- The professor’s new theory was a game changer and if proved correct, brought the possibility of time travel one step closer.
computer literate – to have sufficient knowledge and understanding to be able to use a computer effectively.
- The application form specified that candidates must be computer literate to be considered for the job.
computer buff – someone who knows a lot about computers and might be considered an expert.
- Although I have a good understanding of the software I use at work, I certainly wouldn’t call myself a computer buff.
to boot up – to start a computer.
- Of course I’ll show you how to send an email. You boot up the computer and I’ll be with you in a minute.
to upgrade – to obtain a more powerful or feature-rich computer, electronic device or piece of software.
- My mobile phone company is always trying to persuade me to upgradeto the latest model.
software – the programmes and other operating information used by a computer and related devices.
- Bella was able to create some amazing photographic effects after installing the new software on her computer.
hardware – the physical parts of a computer and related devices.
- Computer hardware includes the monitor, keyboard, disk drive, mouse and wiring.
to crash – to suddenly stop working.
- Guti was in the middle of his online English lesson when his computer crashed.
e-commerce – commercial transactions conducted electronically on the internet.
- Their business really took off when they built an e-commerce website and started selling their products online.
e-book – a book published in digital form and read on a computer or other dedicated electronic device.
- The best thing about e-books is that you can download them instantly and start reading them immediately.
privacy – the right to keep personal information secret.
Many internet users are very concerned about the privacy of their personal information.
censorship – suppressing or stopping certain information being available to the public.
- The Chinese have their own social media channels as governmentcensorship means they can’t access Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.
internet security – computer systems implemented or actions taken by computer users to protect their data while using the internet.
- Internet security is a real concern for people making credit card purchases online.
internet safety – computer systems implemented or actions taken by computer users to stay safe while using the internet.
- I want to learn more about internet safety as I’ve heard many stories about children being befriended by paedophiles online and I want to protect my own kids
hacker – a person who illegally gains access to a computer system to steal information or tamper with the system.
- Computer hackers cause huge disruption within the organisations they target and could even pose a threat to our country’s security.
computer virus – a piece of code which is capable of copying itself and typically has a detrimental effect, such as corrupting the system or destroying data.
- Timor's computer was infected with a computer virus and many of his files were damaged.
cyber – involving, using, or relating to computers, especially the internet.
- Many business owners live in fear of a cyber attack, especially infection of their computer network with a virus.
cybersecurity – the measures taken to protect against the criminal or unauthorised access of electronic data.
- Cybersecurity has become a major industry as computer hackers have become more and more skilled at breaking into supposedly secures computer systems.
cybercrime – criminal activities carried out by means of computers or the internet.
- Identity theft, where someone steals and misuses your personal information, is one of the most common types of cybercrime.
device – a thing made or adapted for a particular purpose, especially a piece of mechanical or electronic equipment. It is usually quite small.
- A FitBit is a device that helps people improve their health by tracking their activity, exercise, food, weight and sleep.
labour-saving device – a device or piece of equipment that reduces the effort needed to do something.
- The labour-saving device I’m most grateful for is my washing machine.
gadget – a small mechanical or electronic device or tool, often ingenious, novel or fun as well as being useful.
- Paulo is always buying the latest gadget to go with his digital camera.
user-friendly – simple to understand and easy to use.
- I didn’t find my new mobile phone user-friendly at first but my grandson was able to show me how to use it and now I understand what to do.
microchip – a very small piece of silicon with electronic circuits on it that can hold large quantities of information or perform mathematical and logical operations.
- One of the greatest technological breakthroughs of modern times was the development of the microchip.
the digital age – the time since personal computers were introduced and became central to people’s lives.
- I envy people born in the digital age as they’ve grown up with computers and seem to find it easier to adapt to new technologies than us older generation.
AI (artificial intelligence) – the development of computers or computer-controlled robots to perform tasks that normally require human intelligence.
- Although AI is still largely confined to science fiction, some people believe there will come a time when computers will rule the world.
electronic – a device that operates by electric current passing through it.
- Electronic games are extremely popular with both adults and children.
appliance – typically a piece of electrical equipment, such as a kettle or toaster, that uses less advanced technology.
- Modern kitchen appliances make cooking and baking much easier than they would have been 100 years ago and save so much time.
lane – a division of a road marked off with painted lines and intended to separate single lines of traffic; a narrow rural road
- I find it quite scary driving in the fast lane of the motorway.
cycle lane – part of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by cyclists
- There have been far fewer cyclists killed on the roads since the government introduced cycle lanes in our towns and cities.
bus lane – part of a road marked off with painted lines, for use by buses
- Car drivers are not allowed to use the bus lanes.
bypass / ring road / beltway – a road which circles a town or city and enables you to go faster from one point to another.
- I usually take the ring road to visit my brother as the roads through town are always congested.
freeway / highway / expressway – a public road, often with multiple lanes, especially an important road that joins cities or towns together
- The traffic in the city centre moved slowly but once Raul hit the freewaythere was less traffic and he was able to drive much faster.
motorway (UK) – a road with three lanes going each way
- Motorways are vitally important for the transportation of goods around the UK.
overpass – a bridge that carries one road over another road
- No-one believed that the new overpass would really ease traffic congestion but it has made a noticeable difference.
junction – where two roads meet
- Aksel only just missed the car that pulled out in front of him at the junction.
roundabout – a road junction at which traffic moves in one direction around a central island to reach one of the roads converging on it
- The traffic flowed much better when they replaced the traffic lights with a roundabout.
traffic light – a set of automatically operated red, amber and green lights for controlling traffic at road junctions and pedestrian crossings
- I have to drive through ten sets of
traffic lights on the way to work and if I’m late, you can be sure they’ll all stop on red.
traffic jam – a line of vehicles moving very slowly or not at all
- The traffic jam was caused by roadworks near the shopping centre.
- Mayuree missed her train after getting caught in traffic on the way to the station.
to get stuck in traffic / a traffic jam
- I nearly always get stuck in a traffic jam on my way to work.
- A sunny weekend is forecast so there will be heavy traffic on the roads as people head to the coast.
to be congested – when a road or place is so crowded with traffic or people as to hinder or prevent freedom of movement
- The roads are particularly congested during the rush hour.
- Congestion is a serious problem in most cities across the world.
queue – a line of people or vehicles waiting for something
- There were so many people heading into town for the sales that I had to queue for the car park.
- The roadworks were causing long delays for people travelling to work.
diversion – a different route used because a road is closed
- The accident closed the road and traffic had to take a two-mile diversion to get into town.
- Soo-min apologised for being late and explained that she’d been held up in traffic.
bottleneck – a place where a road becomes narrow or a place where there is often a lot of traffic, causing the traffic to slow down or stop
- The roadworks were causing a serious bottleneck on the main road into town.
If you are caught exceeding the speed limit, you will have to pay a fine.
speed camera – camera set up by a road to photograph cars exceeding the speed limit
- Most drivers slow down when they are approaching a speed camera.
- Two people were taken to hospital following the car crash on the freeway.
to commute – travel some distance between one's home and place of work on a regular basis
- When Talin got her new job, she moved closer to the city so that she wouldn’t have to commute too far each day.
- To get to work, I travel by bus.
to take – to use a particular mode of public transport, e.g. bus, train, taxi, plane
- She didn’t want to wait for a bus in the pouring rain so took a taxi instead.
- They arrived at the station just in time to get on the train before it left.
to get off – to disembark from a bus, train or plane
- Shona pushed the bell as she wanted to get off the bus at the next stop.
- One of the reasons I moved to my new address is because it’s on the main bus route into town.
bus service – a public facility whereby the general public can travel on a bus from one place to another along set routes for a fixed fee
- There is a good bus service into town from where I live.
- Jared’s interview was at 9.30 a.m. and the timetable showed that the early train would get him there in plenty of time.
rush hour – the times at the beginning and end of the working day when many people are travelling to or from work
- Ogasi was so fed up with the rush hour traffic jams that he bought a bike to cycle to work.
- If more people organized carpools, the roads wouldn’t be so congested.
park-and-ride – a system for reducing urban traffic congestion, in which drivers leave their cars in car parks on the outskirts of a town or city and travel into centre on public transport
- The park-and-ride scheme was so successful that a second one was set up on the other side of the city.
the outskirts – the areas that form the outer edge of a town, city or village, that are furthest away from the centre
- It’s great living on the outskirts. It’s easy to get into the city but we are also close to the countryside.
convenient – fitting in well with a person's needs, activities, and plans
- There’s a bus stop right outside my house which makes it very convenient for catching the bus to work.
independent – not influenced or controlled in any way by other people or events
- I’m so much more independent now that I have a scooter to get around.
overcrowded – full with too many people for it to be comfortable or safe
- The tube is so overcrowded in the rush hour that it’s impossible to get a seat.
unreliable – something or someone that is not trustworthy or efficient
- Our local bus service is very unreliable and is usually running late.
network – a group or system of interconnected people or things
- The new government made a commitment to improving the country’s transport network.
road network– a system of interconnected roads
rail network– a system of interconnected railway lines
the underground / the tube / the subway / the metro – an underground railway system in a city
- The quickest way to get around London is on the underground.
canal – an artificial waterway constructed to allow the passage of boats or ships inland
- Ship canals such as the Panama Canal and Suez Canal are vitally important for world trade.
a shuttle – a vehicle or aircraft that travels regularly between two places
- Itsuki took the shuttle from his hotel out to the airport.
fuel – a substance that is used to provide heat or power, e.g. petrol, diesel, gasoline, oil,
usually by being burned
- Scientists are working hard to develop more environmentally friendly fuels.
emissions – an amount of something, especially a gas such as carbon dioxide, that is sent out into the air and harms the environment
- Car manufacturers are under pressure to reduce exhaust emissions.
emit – to produce and discharge something, especially a gas
- Vehicles emit high levels of harmful gases into the atmosphere.
exhaust fumes – harmful gases emitted from a vehicle engine
- Many cities have a big problem with air pollution caused by exhaust fumes.
energy efficient – using only a small amount of fuel
- I chose this make of car because it is very energy efficient.
air pollution – the presence of harmful substances in the air, often consisting of waste emissions from vehicles
- Air pollution is so bad in some cities that people have to wear face-masks when they go out.
environmentally-friendly – not harmful to the environment
- Electric cars are a more environmentally-friendly than those that run on petrol.
gas guzzler (informal) – a vehicle that uses a lot of fuel
- For many people, a large car is a status symbol and they aren’t concerned about the harm their gas guzzler is doing to the environment.
autonomous vehicle / driverless car / self-driving car – a car capable of driving itself through a computer system
- I would be very nervous of riding in an autonomous vehicle and don’t think that they are safe.
space travel – travel through outer space
- They say that it won’t be long before members of the public are able to enjoy space travel.
high-speed rail – a passenger train that travels at a very high speed using specialised rolling stock and a system of dedicated track
- In the future, high-speed rail networks will take over from traditional railways.
to go on foot – to walk somewhere
- The restaurant was only a mile from our house and we decided to go on foot so that we could all enjoy a bottle of wine and no-one had to worry about driving home.
pedestrian – a person who travels on foot
- Some areas of our city are for pedestrians only and vehicles aren’t allowed there.
to run a car – to own and drive a car
- It’s not really worth running a car if you live in the city as it’s easier and cheaper to get around on public transport.
toll – money that you pay to use a particular road or bridge
- Some countries charge motorway tolls but most of our motorways are free to travel on.
a speeding fine – a sum of money that must be paid as punishment for driving faster than legally allowed
- I was really cross with myself for getting a speeding fine but it was my own fault for driving too fast.
bumper to bumper – very close together, as cars in a traffic jam
- The traffic is usually bumper to bumper when I take the kids to school.
beat the traffic – to leave early to avoid travelling when the roads are crowded
- Sharon left for the airport at 7.00 a.m. in order to beat the traffic.
hit the road – set out on a journey
- They hit the road early as they wanted to reach the holiday cottage by lunchtime.
hitch a lift / ride – to get a ride in someone else’s vehicle
If I miss the bus, I can usually hitch a lift with a colleague who lives a few streets away from me.
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