Listening practice - travelling around town
Watch the video then answer the questions below.
Rafa talks about how he gets around his hometown
Question
Yesterday, Rafa's dad gave him a lift to school because ...
a) he woke up late
b) the bus broke down
c) it was raining
a) He says: 'Normalmente voy al instituto en autobús, pero ayer fui con mi padre en coche porque no me desperté hasta muy tarde. Teníamos prisa.' (I normally go to school by bus, but I went with my dad by car yesterday because I didn't wake up until very late. We were in a rush!)
Question
According to Rafa, how much does a bus pass cost per month?
€50.
He says: 'Tengo un abono. Cuesta cincuenta euros al mes, pero te sale más económico que comprar billetes de ida y vuelta cada día.' (I have a bus pass. It costs fifty euros a month but works out cheaper than buying return tickets every day.)
Question
Why does Rafa prefer to catch the bus to school instead of the train or underground?
He always meets/ bumps into his friends.
He says: 'La red de transporte público de Madrid es estupenda. También hay trenes y metros. Pero yo prefiero viajar en autobús porque siempre me encuentro con mis amigos.' (The public transport network in Madrid is fantastic. There are also trains and an underground. But I prefer to travel by bus as I always bump into my friends.)
Question
Give three reasons why Rafa sometimes walks home from school instead of catching the bus.
Any three of:
- To avoid travelling in rush hour
- There's lots of traffic
- There are lots of traffic jams
- The bus is very uncomfortable
- There are so many people
- The bus takes so long
- He likes walking if it's sunny because there are lots of pretty places along the way
Transcript:'A veces, vuelvo a casa a pie para evitar viajar en la hora punta. Hay mucho tráfico y siempre hay atascos. El autobús es muy incómodo porque hay tanta gente y ¡tarda tanto! Tardo media hora andando, pero si hace sol me gusta porque hay sitios bonitos por el camino.'
Translation:
Sometimes, I go home on foot to avoid travelling at rush hour. There is a lot of traffic and there are always traffic jams. The bus is uncomfortable because there are so many people and it takes a long time! It takes me half an hour to walk, and I like it if it's sunny because there are pretty places to see along the way.
Question
What does Rafa want to do next year?
Learn to drive.
He says: 'No tengo permiso de conducir, pero el año que viene quiero aprender a conducir. Así, no tengo que depender de mi padre.' (I don't have a driving licence. But I want to learn to drive next year. That way, I don't have to depend on my dad.)
