General Listening Quiz

There are many factors that determine the cost of car insurance. These could include the following:

1. a person’s driving record
2. the type of coverage
3. age, gender, and marital status
4. where you live
5. the type of car you drive
6. the amount of driving you do
7. any anti-theft devices you have installed

As you listen, try to guess the reasons for the man’s car insurance issues.

1. 1. Car insurance is more expensive than it should be.
   2. Young drivers should pay higher insurance rates than older drivers.
   3. People who drive safely for many years deserve big discounts.
   4. Car insurance should be the same price for everyone.
   5. Accidents caused by weather should not raise insurance prices.
   6. Insurance companies make too much money from drivers.
   7. People who rarely use their cars should pay less for insurance.
   8. Car insurance should be optional, not required by law.
   9. Technology in cars (like cameras and sensors) should lower insurance costs.
   10. It is better to pay for small accidents yourself than to report them to insurance.

“run out of steam” = lose energy, become tired
“Our team played well during the first part of the game, but they ran out of steam.”

“down the road” = in the future
“I want to find a new job down the road.”

Listen to the recording and answer the questions. (See transcript)

Here are some words and expressions that appear in the recording:

• run into (verb): crash into
  – Unfortunately, we ran into a deer that jumped into the road.
• alongside (preposition): next to
  – My wife drove her alongside me as I ran in the marathon.
• distracted (adjective): unable to concentrate
  – I was distracted by the loud music, and I didn’t see the stoplight.
• a rip off (noun): something that is too expensive
  – The car was a rip off. It broke down one week after I bought it.
• fork out (or over) (verb): pay money
  – I had to fork out $3,000 to repair my car.
• (be) loaded (adjective): have a lot of money
  – Her boyfriend is loaded and buys her anything she wants.

Retell the story and give the man suggestions on what he should do next.

Use the internet to find the approximate cost for car insurance for a car of your choice. Consider the make, model, and year of the car.