Welcome to a new episode of English Vocabulary Booster.
My name is Lara and I'm a SALSA-certified English teacher.
Learning new vocabulary usually takes a long time, but we'll do it in a way that's easy, quick and efficient.
In every episode, we'll learn how to use five new English words or expressions, so that you too can start speaking like a native.
So let's get learning, you guys.
So this week's topic is crime, and get ready for the story.
I'm not a great driver okay, i've never been but i try to drive safely.
Yesterday i got distracted only for a second, i promise.
I checked my phone and as i did boom, I hit something or someone with my car.
I panicked and instead of stopping, I started driving even faster.
I know that's considered a hit and run, but I got so scared I couldn't even think properly.
I drove a couple more miles and I thought maybe I'd imagined it all, but I hadn't.
Right behind me, there was a police car getting closer and closer.
Just as I'd expected, I got pulled over.
I waited for the officer to come talk to me.
I was about to cry to tell him that yes, it had been me that I was guilty, that I was a horrible person.
To my surprise, he simply said I don't know if you realize it miss, but you were speeding, so I'm sorry, but I'm gonna have to give you a ticket.
Oh, and by the way, you should check your car, make sure it's fine.
I noticed you hit a big rock back there.
That's right, a stupid frog.
Okie dokes.
So let's take a look at today's expressions and let's begin with word number one, hit.
I hit something or someone with my car.
If you hit someone with your car, is it because the car was moving quickly or slowly?
If you say that you hit someone with your car or something with your car, it means that your car was moving quickly, was moving fast at the time of the impact.
And can you die if a car hits you?
Yes, of course you can die.
If the car was going really fast.
Yes.
But not necessarily.
You can also get hit by a car or a car can hit you and you can survive.
Have you ever been hit by a car or have you ever hit someone?
Hope not.
I've never hit someone.
I don't think I can really say that I've been hit by a car.
It did happen to me once.
I almost got hit by a car.
I was in New York with my sister, and I was crossing the street and this guy was coming from around the corner, and And so he was in the car, obviously.
And he wasn't going fast.
So I don't think I can see that his car hit me.
But he kind of gently pushed me for a second, to which both my sister and I turned around and be like what the hell are you doing?
Because he was doing it so slowly that I don't know if it was just distracted and he couldn't see it or he was just enjoying it doing that.
I don't I don't really know if that was a weird experience.
But expression number two, hit and run.
I know that's considered a hit and run.
If an accident is a hit and run, does the driver stop to help the victim?
Well, it's a hit and run.
So no, you do not stop to help the victim.
And why would you not stop?
Well Maybe, just like in the story, you're scared, you panic, you can't think properly and you just want to run away right?
Or maybe you do it because you don't want to get caught by the police.
So you try to leave the scene of the crime as soon as possible.
That could be another reason.
Have you ever witnessed a hit and run?
Have you ever seen a hit and run?
And what do you think the punishment should be?
I've luckily have never witnessed, I've never seen a hit and run.
I think it's a pretty serious crime because an accident can always happen, but not stopping to help the victim is pretty bad.
Obviously, it's so easy to judge when you haven't been in that position.
But I think some of the punishments are obviously jail time if the consequences of the hit and run are really serious crimes.
Um, but if not, things like um a fine, and also maybe taking away your driver's license for a while could be a good idea to teach you a lesson and turn you into a more responsible driver.
Expression number three, get pulled over.
I got pulled over.
If you get pulled over, do you stop the car or go faster?
If you get pulled over, that means that you stop the car.
And now, where do you stop it?
Is it in the middle of the street or on the side?
Well, you don't want to be in the way of other people, right?
Of other cars.
So when you get pulled over, That means that you stop your car on the side of the street.
By whom can you get pulled over?
It's usually authorities.
So people who have the right and the authority to stop you while you're driving your car.
It can be a policeman or any other type of law enforcement agent.
Have you ever gotten pulled over?
So this is a funny story, because I have gotten pulled over but, funnily enough, not while I was driving, but while I was riding my bike.
I was in Florida and it was really late at night and my bike didn't have any lights or anything.
And so this police officer pulled me over.
He was really nice.
And like he didn't, he wasn't mean.
He was more concerned about my safety than anything.
So I really appreciated that.
But when he, when I got pulled over, I was so scared because it was my first time getting pulled over.
But he was fine.
Expression number four, speed.
You are speeding.
If you're speeding, are you going slower or faster than legally allowed?
If you're speeding, that means that you're going faster than the legal limit.
So let's say that the limit is 30 miles per hour.
Then if you're going 40, you're speeding.
And can you speed while driving?
Yes, it's very easy to speed while driving because a lot of times you are not really aware of how fast you're going, especially if there aren't any other cars around.
And what about while riding a bike?
Yes, yeah, technically you can.
It's not as easy, but you could speed while riding a bike.
And what about walking?
Ugh.
Walking is a little harder, right?
I don't know how fast you walk, but I don't think you're ever going to get stopped for speeding while walking.
And what do you think is a good punishment for speeding?
I think that the punishments that are commonly used for speeding are also the most effective ones.
So fines, so having you pay...
Money for speeding is a good way because it makes people not want to do it.
And then maybe taking away your driver's license if you've done it multiple times could also be a possible form of punishment.
Expression number five, give a ticket.
I'm going to have to give you a ticket.
If someone gives you a ticket, do you have to pay money or not?
Yes.
That is the thing about the ticket.
We're not talking about, oh, I got a ticket to the movies or to a concert.
No, this is a bad ticket.
It means you have to pay money.
And who can give you a ticket?
It's usually a police officer.
And why would someone give you a ticket?
There's all sorts of reasons.
If you're driving and you're speeding, you could get a ticket.
If you park in a spot where you're not allowed to park, you could also get a ticket.
And then, but also if you're, let's say if you throw trash on the ground and they catch you guess what?
Ticket.
I don't know if they actually do it, but technically it could happen.
Has a police officer ever given you a ticket?
Not personally.
He didn't hand it to me.
But this one time when I was in California, I parked in the wrong spot.
I left my car for too long in a spot where I could only leave it for 30 minutes.
And when I got back to the car, I saw that I'd gotten a ticket.
It was like $40, so it wasn't terrible, but still, I remember the feeling.
And that is it for today.
And remember, if you want to access the transcript, as well as lots of other resources, visit enboocom.
That is E-N-B-O-O-O dot com.
Have a great day.
