英語(yǔ)播客 A Cup of English Stuck in traffic.

I hope that this never happens to you. You're driving along, minding your own business, when suddenly your car stops. It could be because of engine trouble, or because of something in the road that is preventing the car from moving. I spotted this poor man the other day as I was pulling onto the main road. He was digging the snow out from around his tires. The trouble was, he wasn't parked on the side of the road. He was right in the middle of the main road, with two lanes of traffic on either side of him. He was in the turn lane. That is where the snow plows pile up the snow from the rest of the road. And that is where, if your wheels aren't big enough, and your engine isn't strong enough, you get stuck. I was relieved to see that there was another man with him who was also digging around the wheels of the little truck. Lucky for them, they had shovels. Who ever carries shovels in the car when you drive? If I got stuck like that, I would have to dig myself out with my shoe, or the cup holder of the car. It must have been something to do with their job. They were both dressed in the same uniform, and I could make out that there was a company name on the vehicle. I had to drive off before I saw them dig themselves free. They're not there now, so their efforts paid off. I remember getting 'stranded' on a road once. It wasn't because of snow, either. It was years ago. I was driving my husband's Chevy truck across the large, main bridge. It was a great day, I was listening to music, I had the window down; everything was perfect. Then, suddenly, the truck started to slow down. Before I knew it, I had pulled over to the hard shoulder. A few cars beeped me as they passed. The traffic speed was fifty, and I was doing zero. I had been too busy enjoying the wind blowing through my hair, to notice that the fuel level was blinking 'empty'. Oops! Thankfully, my brother-in-law came to the rescue with a canister of gas, and I was able to complete my trip and get home. How embarrassing! That was a mistake that I won't forget.

Grammar notes.

Related vocabulary: to spot, to make out, a canister.

1. I spotted an owl in the tree, so I zoomed in with my camera and took a picture.

2. It was hard to see, but through the clouds, I could make out a castle.

3. That liquid only comes in half gallon canisters.