Unit 13: The Taxi Driver

Click or select any word to translate.

Word List

  • n. People study accounting so they can deal with money and finance properly.
    He works for an accounting firm.
  • v. To appeal to someone is to be interesting or attractive.
    Sleeping all day appeals to me, but I have to go to school.
  • v. To assume something is to think that it is true, even with no proof.
    I assume you are both familiar with this plan.
  • v. To borrow something is to take it and then give it back later.
    Can I borrow a pencil to use today? I'll give it back to you tomorrow.
  • n. A client is a person or business that pays another to do a service.
    She has many clients who enjoy coming to her salon.
  • n. The downtown area is the center of most cities.
    The downtown area is filled with many tall buildings.
  • adj. If something is dull, it is not exciting.
    The movie was very dull. I fell asleep watching it.
  • v. To embarrass people is to make them feel ashamed or foolish.
    He was embarrassed when he couldn't remember her name.
  • n. A fare is an amount of money paid to use a bus, train, or taxi.
    Since he is a senior, my grandfather pays a low fare for the bus.
  • adj. Former describes something that used to be but is not anymore.
    The hotel, a former castle, was built over 200 years ago.
  • v. To found a company or organization means to start it.
    The Pilgrims founded one of the first colonies in the United States.
  • v. To invest means to use money in a way that will bring a profit later.
    I invested money in a new building that should bring me a profit.
  • n. A loan is something, usually money, that one person lends to another.
    I got a loan from the bank.
  • adj. If something is practical, it is useful.
    Learning English is practical; you can use it in many places.
  • n. A quarter is 1/4 or 25% of something.
    He paid a quarter for the candy.
  • n. A salary is how much money a person makes at his or her job.
    He got a new job with a better salary.
  • n. A scholarship is money given so someone can go to school.
    I got a scholarship to help me pay for university.
  • adj. If something is temporary, it exists for a short time.
    This car is only temporary; I'll get a new one soon.
  • n. A treasure is a collection of valuable things, especially jewels or gold.
    They became very rich when they found the buried treasure.
  • v. To urge someone is to try very hard to get them to do something.
    He urged them to believe his story.

 

Exercise

A ‣ Circle the right definition for the given word.

  1. salary
    • a. a system of beliefs
    • b. to lend something and get it back later 
    • c. the money one makes at a job
    • d. the center of a town
  2. former
    • a. in the past 
    • b. existing for a short time
    • c. to establish something 
    • d. a system of beliefs
  3. accounting
    • a. to believe without proof
    • b. to try to get someone to act 
    • c. the management of finance
    • d. money for school
  4. practical
    • a. the way it used to be
    • b. useful 
    • c. to complain 
    • d. a valuable collection
  5. borrow
    • a. to be wanted 
    • b. to take for a short time 
    • c. a system of beliefs 
    • d. to make a person feel stupid
  6. assume
    • a. to believe without proof
    • b. useful 
    • c. 25 cents 
    • d. boring
  7. downtown
    • a. a group of letters or numbers 
    • b. the money you make at a job 
    • c. food with a lot of sugar 
    • d. the center of a city
  8. dull
    • a. boring 
    • b. to believe without proof 
    • c. to take for a short time 
    • d. to give, and receive back later
  9. treasure
    • a. money for school
    • b. to encourage 
    • c. a valuable collection
    • d. the center of a town
  10. temporary
    • a. a small amount of money 
    • b. to establish
    • c. existing for a short time
    • d. to give, and get back later

 

B ‣ Fill each blank with another form of a word from the same sentence.

  1. A salaried worker gets a _____.
  2. You are there temporarily when you have a _____ job.
  3. When he overcame his embarrassment, he was not _____ anymore.
  4. She has a lot of investments because she _____ a lot of money.
  5. If you were formerly called Jackson, then that was your _____ name.
  6. A borrower is a person who _____ s something.
  7. This is my treasured nephew. He is like a _____ to me.

 

C ‣ Write the word from the word bank that best fits each sentence.

WORD BANK
  • urge
  • borrow 
  • practical
  • appeal
  • downtown
  1. If something is _____ , you can use it often.
  2. You can _____ my hat, but you have to give it back to me.
  3. I like living _____ ; it is an exciting place.
  4. I _____ you to save money; you might need it later.
  5. Does flying _____ to you? I've always wanted to try it.

 

The Taxi Driver

Peter's job was driving a taxi downtown. He made a small salary. But he liked his job because it wasn't dull. Every day, he saw new things that appealed to him. Peter was practical about the future. "Maybe I can get a scholarship for college," he thought. "I could study accounting and get a job at a bank. I could help clients invest their money.

Peter stopped to pick up a passenger. "Where to?" he asked.

“Go to the Fourth Street Bank. And don't talk to me. I've had a rough day,” the man said. Peter was a peaceful person, so he was not angry. When they stopped, the man's fare came to $10.25. He put his hands in his pockets. "I can't find my wallet!" he said. "I can't pay the fare!"

Peter said, "I'll give you a temporary loan. You can borrow ten dollars and a quarter from me."

The man was embarrassed and said, "I was mean to you, but now I want to help you. I founded this bank. I want to give you a hundred dollars." That much money was like a treasure to Peter. The man urged him to take the money, but he didn't.

"You're an honest person,” the man said. "I assumed you would take it. I want you to work for me."

The next day, Peter started his job at the bank. He was happy to leave his former job.

 

Reading Comprehension

Answer the questions.

  1. What is this story about?
    • a. How a poor taxi driver got a new job by being kind
    • b. Why a dull job with a high salary appeals to people
    • c. How to get a scholarship to go to college 
    • d. Why it is important not to borrow money
  2. What does Peter do downtown?
    • a. He drives a taxi.
    • b. He studies accounting.
    • c. He grumbles about his job. 
    • d. He drives people around for a quarter.
  3. Why does the man give Peter a job?
    • a. He assumes that Peter is practical.
    • b. He didn't want to give Peter a treasure.
    • c. Peter showed that he was honest. 
    • d. Peter loaned him twenty-five cents.
  4. Why does Peter like his job?
    • a. He invested a lot of money in it.
    • b. It is only a temporary job. 
    • c. He can embarrass other people by being rude. 
    • d. It is never dull, and he meets many people.
  5. What does the man urge Peter to do?
    _____

 

Answer Key

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