ESL Podcast 377 - Reporting a Stolen Car
stolen - taken illegally; taken without permission
He couldn't find his wallet and thinks that it's been stolen.
to put down - to write; to record
Put down on our grocery list that we need milk and bread.
make - name of the company who makes a specific product; the manufacturer's name
What is the make of your vehicle?
It is a Toyota.
model - a specific product among several that a company makes; style of a product; design of a product
What Toyota model do you drive?
I drive a Toyota Corolla.
vehicle - automobile; an object which transports people or things; car, truck, van, etc.
On the first day of work, we were told not to park the company's vehicles in the customer parking lot.
license plate number - a number found on a metal plate on the front and the back of a vehicle; a number which shows that a vehicle has been officially registered through the government
The driver left the scene of the accident, but we got her license plate number and we'll report her to the police.
VIN number - vehicle identification number; a number used to identify automobiles
A car's VIN number is usually found on the dashboard or on the side of the driver's door.
to launch an investigation - to begin a search for the truth; to start to look for facts
The committee is going to launch an investigation into the use of steroids and other drugs in sports.
to recover - to find; to regain; to get back
The police recovered my credit cards after they had been stolen.
joyride - taking a stolen vehicle for a ride for fun; driving a stolen vehicle for pleasure
The teenagers stole the teacher's car and took it for a joyride.
to abandon - to leave something without the intention of returning for it; to give up completely
The family abandoned their village when war spread into the region.
in one piece - without major damage; not destroyed; not ruined; in good condition
I made it through my first day of skiing in one piece.
car thief - a person who steals cars; people who take cars illegally, without the owners' permission
We heard noises in the garage and when we went outside to investigate, we saw a car thief drive away with our brand new car!
a different story - the opposite situation; not the same situation or outcome
If I had studied for the test, the outcome would have been a different story.
to strip - to take apart completely; to take away the main parts or sections, leaving very little
To make this old car look new again, we need to strip away all of these layers of old paint.
parts - components of an automobile; the pieces of an object
Because the car is old, it will need a lot of new parts if we want to make it run again.
chop shop - a place where parts are taken from stolen cars and then sold; a garage where stolen cars are taken apart
The car thieves sold the car they had stolen to a chop shop.
to hoof it - to have to walk; to travel by walking
Since there is no public transportation in this part of town and because I don't own a car, I'm going to have to hoof it to the store.