I. Pre-Listening Exercises [Top]

What questions might you ask a taxi driver before and after you board the taxi?

HELPFUL TIP: Be sure to show your appreciation by giving taxi drivers a tip. That is an important part of their income.

II. Listening Exercises [Top]

Listen to the conversation by pressing the “Play Audio” button and answer the questions. Press the “Final Score” button to check your quiz.

1. What is the current time in the conversation?

A. 3:40 PM

B. 4:15 PM

C. 4:30 PM

D. 4:45 PM

2. How does the driver figure out that the passenger is a first-time visitor to the city?

A. The passenger catches a taxi for a short one-mile trip.

B. The passenger does not understand the rules for tipping drivers.

C. The driver finds the passenger lost on the street before picking him up.

D. The driver notices the passenger gazing upward at the tall buildings.

3. What sort of restaurant is the man looking for?

A. one that is relatively inexpensive

B. one that is not very crowded

C. one that offers large servings

D. one that is situated close to his hotel

4. What is one item the driver did NOT mention about the restaurant?

A. the price

B. the service

C. the interior design

D. the serving size

5. The driver suggests that the passenger go ______ to the restaurant.

A. by taxi

B. by bus

C. by subway

D. on foot

Score =

Correct answers:

Passenger: Hey Taxi! Ah great. Thanks for pulling over.Driver: Where to?

Passenger: Well, I’m going to the National Museum of Art, and . . . .

Driver: Sure. Hop in. No problem. Hang on!

Passenger: Uh. Excuse me. How long does it take to get there?

Driver: Well, that all depends on the traffic, but it shouldn’t take more than twenty minutes for the average driver. [Oh]. And I’m not average. I have driving down to an art, so we should be able to cruise through traffic and get there in less than twelve minutes.

Passenger: Okay. Uh, sorry for asking [Yeah?], but do you have any idea how much the fare will be?

Driver: Oh, it shouldn’t be more than 18 dollars . . . not including a . . . uh-hum . . . a tip of course.

Passenger: Oh, and by the way, do you know what time the museum closes?

Driver: Well, I would guess around 6:00 O’clock.

Passenger: Uh, do you have the time?

Driver: Yeah. It’s half past four. [Thanks] Uh, this IS your first time to the city, right?

Passenger: Yeah. How did you know?

Driver: Well, you can tell tourists from a mile away in this city because they walk down the street looking straight up at the skyscrapers.

Passenger: Was it that obvious?

Driver: Well . . .

Passenger: Oh, before I forget, can you recommend any good restaurants downtown that offer meals at a reasonable price?

Driver: Umm . . . Well, the Mexican restaurant, La Fajita, is fantastic. [Oh] It’s not as inexpensive as other places I know, but the decor is very authentic, [Okay] and the portions are larger than most places I’ve been to.

Passenger: Sounds great! How do I get there from the museum?

Driver: Well, you can catch the subway right outside the museum. There are buses that run that way, but you would have to transfer a couple of times. And there are taxis too, but they don’t run by the museum that often.

Passenger: Okay. Thanks.

Key Vocabulary [Top]
  • pull over (verb): to stop a vehicle to the side of the road
    – We pulled over so we could rest and enjoy the scenic view.
  • down to an art (verb): to learn something very well
    – My brother has skiing down to an art.
  • cruise (verb): to drive at a moderate speed, often leisurely or aimlessly
    – The football players cruised around the city after the big game.
  • do you have the time (verb): “Do you know what time it is?”
    – Excuse me. Do you happen to have the time?
  • skyscrapers (noun): very tall city buildings
    – The city has decided to build a new skyscraper in the downtown area.
  • offer (verb): to provide or furnish
    – This travel agency is offering discount travel tickets to students until the end of the week.
  • reasonable (adjective): fair, not excessive or severe
    – The prices at that department store are very reasonable.
  • fantastic (adjective): super, wonderful, unbelievably great
    – The musical last night was fantastic.
  • decor (noun): the indoor furnishings of a building or home
    – The hotel’s decor was designed by a local decorator.
  • authentic (adjective): real, not counterfeited
    – The teacher create a very authentic classroom atmosphere for her students.
  • portions(noun): an individual amount of food
    – The portions were so large that we couldn’t finish the meal.

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