ESL Podcast 874 - Poor Road Conditions
bicycle - a device with two wheels, a seat, and a handlebar, that moves forward when the rider balances and pushes the pedals (pieces under the feet) in a circle
If everyone rode bicycles to work, we would have less traffic and less air pollution.
scenery - views; what one sees in one's surroundings, especially when talking about a beautiful natural area
The hike is difficult, but the scenery from the top of the mountain makes it all worthwhile.
pothole - a hole in the paved road, usually caused by a lot of traffic and very cold temperatures
The city doesn't have enough money to fix all the potholes, so local residents are filling them with gravel and small rocks.
asphalt - a hard, black surface covering roads, usually made by mixing small rocks with hot, sticky, oily substances
On a hot summer day, the asphalt heats up so much that you could cook an egg on it!
cracked - with small lines running through the surface of something where pieces are separating, usually because something is breaking
When Maggie goes grocery shopping, she always checks to make sure that none of the eggs are cracked before she buys them.
bumpy - uneven; with many areas that are higher than the rest of the surface, making for an uncomfortable ride
When we drove grandpa home after his surgery, we tried to avoid all the bumpy roads so that he wouldn't be in pain.
gravel - many small rocks, often used to cover a road that is not paved, or for decoration in a yard
The gravel roads in this area can get very dusty if it hasn't rained for a while, so people tend to drive slowly and not follow other cars too closely.
path - route; a way to go between two points, especially one that is not paved and is only for people who are walking or riding bicycles
Can we follow this path to the lake?
rut - a long line made in a soft road, caused by many heavy vehicles traveling over the same spot
This path is hard to walk on because there are a lot of ruts from car tires.
dip - an area that is lower than the surrounding area, often because the surface was built poorly and is sinking
There's a big dip in the road near their home, and sometimes it becomes a small pond after it has rained a lot.
to lose control - to no longer have power or influence over what happens or how something or someone behaves
A lot of drivers lose control of their car when driving on icy streets.
slippery - referring to something that is difficult to hold onto, possibly because it is covered in oil, water, or ice
Be careful walking on that wet floor. It's slippery!
to swerve - to turn quickly and unexpectedly, usually to avoid hitting something
Did you see how that driver swerved to avoid hitting the dog in the road?
paved - with a hard, flat surface designed to make travel easier for cars, bicycles, and other wheeled vehicles
Areas with paved roads have a lot less dust in summertime.
to bargain for - to plan for; to expect something to be a certain way
When we bought this house, we didn't bargain for the city to decide to put a subway line along our street!
road conditions - a report of the weather and temperature and how they affect driving, and/or an assessment of the quality of the road
A lot of accidents occur under poor road conditions, especially at dawn and dusk with heavy rain.
crash helmet - a protective hat that covers the top and sides of one's head, with a connecting strap underneath the chin, designed to protect one's head and brain from falls, especially when riding a motorcycle or bicycle
If Jun hadn't been wearing a crash helmet, he probably would have died.
to go flying - to move very quickly through the air, especially when one is in an accident
It isn't safe to keep heavy objects inside your car, because they might go flying and hit someone if you have to stop quickly.
to break (one's) fall - to cushion and protect someone from falling; to interrupt one's fall so that one does not fall as hard and does not get hurt as badly
The cat fell out of a third-story window, but fortunately, the canopy over the door on the first floor broke its fall and it survived.