Episode 99
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I'm Georgiana, founder of SpeakEnglishPodcast.com. My mission is to help YOU to speak English fluently and confidently.
Today I'll be teaching you how to rent a car in English. The lesson is simple, and to the point, so it'll save you a lot of time when you really need to rent a vehicle.
SpeakEnglishPodcast.com/podcast >
And in the next section, you'll practice your English speaking with a funny mini-story. Today's story is about Brian, a middle-aged man who wants to go out with women. 🙂
It's summer again, and many of you are seeking a holiday getaway. So today I'll be teaching you how to rent a car.
First of all, you should start by comparing prices online. Consider doing your research by checking travel websites like Expedia, Kayak, or Hotwire.
Some of the most popular car rental agencies are Alamo, Avis, and Hertz.
Before deciding on an agency, ask about the additional charges because these charges will help you figure out which is the best deal. Some common rates include:
Underage-driver fees: it means that the agency charges an additional fee for a driver under 25.
Airport surcharges: This charge will make a big difference in the total amount. Basically, the agency will charge you a supplement for picking up a rental car at the airport.
Additional charges per driver: You'll need to pay extra for having more than one person driving the rental.
It's also a great idea to book a flight and rent a car together. Doing so will often save you money since you'll get better deals.
Making a reservation:
When you're renting a car, you can either pay in advance or just make the reservation and pay when you pick up the vehicle. Many rental car companies will hold your reservation without any form of payment, whereas others will demand a credit card number.
Pay for the rental.
If you didn't pay in advance online, then you'll have to make the payment when you get to the pick-up point. Be ready to provide your reservation number as well as your driver's license and credit card.
Leaving the parking lot
Before leaving the parking lot, inspect the vehicle carefully. You want to make sure that whatever problems you encounter are well documented so that you don't take responsibility for them when you return the car.
You want to look for major and minor problems. Check that the windows are working properly. Make sure there are no loose or malfunctioning parts, leaks, or any other damages. Should you find any anomalies, record and take a picture or a video of them.
Fill the car with gas.
Don't forget to fill up your gas tank. Although some agencies give you the option to return the vehicle without a full tank, they will usually charge you extra.
Clean out the inside of the car.
Before leaving the vehicle at the drop-off point, be sure to check the front and rear seats carefully and remove all your belongings to avoid being charged an extra fee.
Returning the car to the rental agency
When you return the car to the rental agency, don't be late because some agencies will charge you for another business day if you return the vehicle even 30 minutes after the scheduled date and time.
Also, be careful because some car rental agencies will even charge a fee when you return the vehicle too early.
The last step is to hand over the keys and wait for your receipt. If you want to pay with a different card or with cash, make sure they take the charge off the card you initially used.
I really hope that you're enjoying yourself. Now it's time to move on to the next section.
Speaking Practice
Mini-Story: Speaking Practice
Answer each question out loud, then listen to the answer and respond quickly. Don’t worry about mistakes.
Speaking practice
Let’s Start!
Brian is an unattractive short, middle-aged accountant who wants to impress women.
Brian, are you a middle-aged man?
Yeah, I'm a middle-aged man. I just turned 47 yesterday.
Are you a tall, attractive man?
No. No. I'm not tall or attractive. In fact, I'm a short, unattractive man.
What do you do for a living?
Are you a doctor?
No. No. I'm not a doctor. I'm just an accountant. I wish I were a doctor!
Do you want to impress hot dogs?
No! Not hot dogs. I don't want to impress food! What I want is to impress women.
Brian is convinced that he can go out with women if he drives a new luxury car.
Brian, are you convinced you can go out with grandmothers?
No. No. Not with grandmothers! I want to go out with women!
Do you want to drive a car from the junkyard?
No! Not from the junkyard. I can't find any new luxury cars out there!
Would you like to drive an old used car?
No. No. I don't want to drive an old used car. I want to drive a new luxury car.
Brian dreams of driving a red Ferrari or at least a yellow Lamborghini reaching 220 miles per hour.
Are you dreaming of driving a Ford Fiesta?
No. No. I'm not dreaming of driving a Ford Fiesta! I want to drive a Ferrari or at least a Lamborghini!
Brian, do you dream of driving a Harley-Davidson?
No. I don't dream of driving a Harley-Davidson. I'm too scared to drive a motorcycle.
Is your dream to drive a red Lamborghini?
No. No. I don't dream of driving a red Lamborghini. I want to drive a yellow Lamborghini or a red Ferrari.
And would you like to drive a Ferrari at 220 miles per hour?
Yeah! I'd like to drive a Ferrari at 220 miles per hour. That would be awesome!
Anyway, Brian has a big problem. He can't afford to buy a car. Not even a second-hand one.
Brian, do you have a small problem?
No. My problem isn't small at all. I have a big problem.
Can you afford to buy ten cars?
No. No. I can't afford to buy ten cars. As a matter of fact, I can't even buy one car!
Can you buy a brand-new car?
No. I can't buy a brand-new car. I can't even buy a second-hand car.
So, let me get this straight. You can't afford to buy any cars. Right?
Yeah, you're right. I can't afford to buy any cars.
Now Brian intends to rent a Ferrari and is checking prices at the most reliable car rental agencies.
Do you intend to rent or to buy a Ferrari?
No. No. I can't buy a Ferrari! But you know that already! What I intend is to rent a Ferrari.
Brian, will you rent a Ferrari or a Ford?
No. I don't want to rent a Ford. I'll rent a Ferrari, of course!
Are the car rental agencies unreliable?
No. No. The car rental agencies aren't unreliable. They are, in fact, the most reliable agencies.
Where are you checking prices?
Is it at a real estate agency?
Not at a real estate agency. I'm not looking for a house. I check out prices at the car rental agencies.
Sadly, Brian can't rent a Ferrari either, so he gets pissed off.
So, Brian, can you rent a Fiat?
Yeah. I can rent a Fiat. But I want to rent a Ferrari. Remember?
Are you happy knowing that you can't hire a Ferrari?
No. No. I'm not happy at all! In fact, I'm pissed off! I'm furious!
Are you pissed off right now?
Yes! I'm pissed off!
Brian gets so mad that he robs a bank to buy 98 Ferraris!
Brian, are you mad right now?
Yes! I'm mad! I'm pissed off or furious; however, you want to call it!
Are you robbing a bank?
Yeah! Right now, I'm in a bank, and I'm robbing plenty of money!
What do you want to do with the money you rob?
Will you buy a house?
No. No. I'm not robbing a bank just to buy a house. I want to buy 98 Ferraris!
How many Ferraris do you want to buy?
99 Ferraris?
Let's not push it. I'm not going to buy 99 Ferraris. I'm just going to buy 98 Ferraris.
And that's the end of this funny mini-story. I guess that Brian is really mad! By the way, when we say that someone is mad, we may understand that this person is angry or that they are crazy. In this case, I think Brian's gone crazy! Brian has gone completely mad! Who buys 98 Ferraris?
Would you buy 98 Ferraris?
Thanks for listening, and I’ll see you in the next episode.
Review
Vocabulary from This Episode
Review the most useful words and expressions before listening again.
01 car rental agency
a company that rents vehicles to customers.
05 convertible
a car with a roof that can be folded or removed.
02 make a reservation
arrange in advance to have a vehicle available.
06 insurance
financial protection against damage or loss.
03 compact car
a small and economical car.
07 mileage
the number of miles a vehicle has traveled or may travel.
04 sedan
a car with a fixed roof and a separate trunk.
08 drop-off location
the place where a rented vehicle is returned.
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