On the road
Road features
______II L
junction
?
traffic lights
a bend in the road (this road bends to the right)
motorway
pedestrian crossing
(= where people can cross the road)
B     An accident
There was an accident on one of the main roads into town this morning. A lorry [see picture] broke down (= stopped because of a problem) in the middle of the road. It was eight o'clock, a busy time, and with the lorry blocking the road (= stopping things from moving in the road), there was soon a long tailback (= long line of cars that cannot move). One man in a Mercedes pulled out (= moved out to the centre of the road) to go round the lorry, but another car was coming in the opposite direction. The driver braked (= put his foot on the brake to stop the car), but he couldn't prevent the accident (= stop it happening) -the Mercedes crashed into the front of his car. The driver of the Mercedes was OK, but the other driver was badly injured and both cars were badly damaged.
Giving directions
Go along here, turn right into the main road, then take the first turning on your left. Keep going (= continue in this direction), then turn left again when you get to (= reach/arrive at) the bank.
road signs (school, roadworks)
You are here \
-----------X
Common words and phrases
Cars and buses use the road; pedestrians (= people who walk) use the pavement.
Cars mustn't park on the pavement.
The speed limit on motorways in Great Britain is 70mph (120kph). The police use speed
cameras to catch people who are speeding/breaking the speed limit. (= going too fast)
Most petrol stations (= places where you buy petrol) in Great Britain are self-service.
(= there are no people to put the petrol in your car; you serve yourself and then pay)
The other car was going very slowly, so I decided to overtake it. (= pass it on the outside)
136     English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate &. intermediate)
Exercises
67.1
67.2
67.3
67.4
Complete the text using the map on the right.
Go (1) M.«fesg„ifcH..CB!»t. and turn left at the
.............................Then you
...............................................................and
(2) (3)
(4).....................................tight when you
(5).....................................to the (6).................................
Then (7)..........................................................................
again into (8).....................................Road, and the
bank is (9).....................................the left just
(10).....................................the cinema.
Cinema
Bank
MALDON ROAD
J
School
4 x
Fill the gaps with the correct word.
1   It was quite a serious.....................................; both drivers were taken to hospital.
2   Almost all the petrol stations round here are self-.....................................
3   One driver was badly.....................................in the crash, and both cars were badly
4   There were four or five cars involved in the accident and it.....................................the road
for about half an hour. When I got there, the.....................................was already about two
miles long, and drivers were getting very frustrated.
5   The bicycle hit me just as I stepped off the.....................................to cross the road.
6   My car..........................................................................on the motorway and I had to phone a
garage to come and fix it.
7   I was doing about 120 kph and then this car.....................................me doing about 160.
8   I couldn't stop quickly enough, and I.....................................into the back of the car in front.
9   Cars, motorbikes and bikes can't go down there - it's only for.....................................
Many road signs are international. Do you know or can you guess what these mean?
1 You,
A
1 You can't
,50
0
2 50 mph* is the.............................       3 You can't
4 There is only one
O
5 End of .........................................      6 Car
7 Traffic ...................................
*mpb - miles per hour (SO tnpb
A
.     8 Low.............................................       9 Road
80 kph approximately)
Answer these questions about your own country. If possible, compare with someone else.
1   Do you have a speed limit on motorways? If so, what is it?
2   How many lanes do motorways usually have?
3   Do drivers usually stop for pedestrians at pedestrian crossings?
4   Are most petrol stations self-service, or do people serve you?
5   Do many people park their cars on the pavement?
6   Do you have speed cameras at the side of the road?
English Vocabulary in Use (pre-intermediate & intermediate)     137