way2go! 7. Coursebook, Schulbuch

63 Discuss with a partner: 1 What kind of public transport is there in your area? 2 What is it like? How often do trains or buses go? 3 Who uses the public transport in the area you live in? For what purposes? Expand your vocabulary: Transport Look at the expressions below and discuss with a partner whether they refer to public transport (P) or to cars (C). Which words might refer to both (B)? SPEAKING 17 Transport LANGUAGE 18 M p. 24 carbon dioxide carbon footprint cheap convenient delays environment insurance parking space petrol quick relaxing season ticket sustainable Read the online article and find suitable headlines for the paragraphs. READING 19 a M p. 25 Public transport – the only way to go! (1) If you want to do your bit for the environment, getting public transport and leaving the car at home is one of the most straightforward things to do. As you will see below, it can be more convenient, quicker and cheaper to do so. And the green benefits are great too. Car journeys contribute a significant amount of our overall carbon footprint. It’s a fact that nearly half of us use a car to drive short journeys, journeys that could otherwise be completed in another, more sustainable way. (2) The great thing about public transport is that it gets you where you want to be, when you want to be there, particularly in cities and towns. Rather than only being able to drive to a certain point before getting stuck in a one-way system, you can reach your central point directly. Plus, you get the bonus of sitting back, relaxing with a newspaper and letting someone else do the driving. (3) Despite their tendency to get delayed at times, in the majority of instances your journey from A to B will be quick and often direct as more and more investment is made into new train, tram and bus routes in many European cities. (4) Contrary to popular belief, nearly all forms of public transport pose less of a cost to the traveller. If you’re regularly visiting a place, or planning a trip in advance, you can get season tickets or advance booked tickets for a cheaper price. The cost of running a car goes much further than the mere cost of petrol, which in itself might be very expensive. Getting on public transport means no car insurance and tax costs, plus eliminates the expense of maintaining your car to a high standard. (5) One of the most frustrating things about driving a car or motorbike is the hunt for a parking space once you arrive at your destination. Parking is often scarce, and usually expensive. The bonus of getting on public transport is being able to hop out and nothing else. Parking can often add extra time to your driving journey. All things considered, there is no real alternative to public transport. Which of the reasons for using public transport do you find most convincing? Discuss in small groups. b Nur zu Prüfzwecken – Eigentum des Verlags öbv