General Listening Quiz

Listen to the recording on getting a driver’s license and read along with the conversation. Review the key vocabulary and the sample sentences.

Daughter: Guess what, Mom. I got it.

Mother: Great. That’s super.

Father: What’s going on? So, what did you get me?

Daughter: Nothing. I got my driver’s license. Okay. Bye.

Father: Wait, wait, wait. Where are you going?

Daughter: Mom said I could take the car to school this morning, and . . .

Father: Hold on here. I’ve prepared a few rules regarding the use of motor vehicles in this house.

Daughter: Like what?

Father: Let me get my notes here.

Daughter: Dad! That looks like a book? Mom, Dad’s being mean to me.

Father: Okay, let me get my reading glasses here. Okay, here we are. Rule number one: No driving with friends for the first six months.

Daughter: What?

Father: Teenagers often lack the judgment to drive responsibly, especially when several teenagers are involved. I mean they speed, they joyride, they cruise around town way past midnight.

Daughter: But that’s not me! Do I really need this lecture? This is such a drag!

Father: Furthermore, who really needs a car when a pair of shoes will work? I mean, life was different when I was your age. In fact, I used to walk to school . . .

Daughter: Yeah, yeah. I know. Both ways uphill in ten feet of snow. I’ve heard this story many times.

Father: Yeah. Oh, where were we? Oh yes. Rule number two: You always must wear your seat belt and obey the rules of the road.

Daughter: Duh. I wasn’t born yesterday.

Father: Okay, rule number three: You can’t drive long distances at night because you might get drowsy and drive off the road. But driving to the movie theater is fine.

Daughter: But the movie theater is right across the street from our house.

Father: Exactly, so you can just park in the driveway and walk there.

Daughter: Mom! Dad’s being unreasonable.

Father: And rule number four: You should never use a cell phone while driving. That could cause an accident.

Daughter: But YOU do.

Father: That’s different.

Daughter: How is it different? You even need my help to turn your cell phone on.

Father: And rule number five: Remember that I love you, and I’m just a protective father who wants his daughter to always be safe.

Daughter: Does that mean I can take the car now?

Father: Well, I don’t know.

Daughter: Please dad, please. You’re the best dad in the whole wide world.

Father: That’s not what you said earlier.

Daughter: Hey, having the car keys in my hands changes my whole perspective on life.

Father: Well, okay. I guess if I’m considered the best dad in the world for five minutes, then I’ll accept that.

Daughter: Yeah.

Father: Okay, but drive carefully and don’t forget to fill up the car with gas before you come home. [Bye. Love ya guys.] Okay. Hon, do you think I did the right thing?

Mother: Yeah. She has to grow up sometime.

• joyride (verb): take a car without permission and drive it around for pleasure, sometimes in a reckless way 
  – If teenagers joyride and violate other laws, they will be arrested and charged.
• cruise (verb): drive a car around an area with no particular destination in mind
  – A lot of youth cruise the streets downtown at night.
• lecture (noun): a long, serious talk often used to criticize 
  – My dad always gives me a lecture about the way I drive, and I don’t like it at all.
• drag (noun): something that is really annoying 
  – Driving with my parents is such a drag because they are back-seat drivers—always telling me what to do.
• duh (interjection): used to say that what someone else said is unnecessary because it is just common sense 
  – So, you’re saying she’s going to lose her license if she drinks and drives? No duh.. Everyone knows that.
• drowsy (adjective): sleepy 
  – You need to pull the car over and rest if you start to feel drowsy.
• hon (noun): short for honey, used to address someone you love 
  – Hon. Do you mind driving now? I’m feeling a little drowsy.