EM 4 - 2018 (ESPAÑOL - digitalizado)

ENGLISH MATTERS 4|2018
Petrol Stations
Over Time
Idioms about Fuel
• Add fuel to the fire: to do or say something
that makes a situation worse
• Fuel up: to fill one’s petrol tank
• Hit the gas: to accelerate, move faster
• Gas guzzler: a vehicle that consumes a lot
of petrol
• Run out of gas: to lose one’s energy or motivation
• High-octane: powerful and dynamic
STARTING
A LONG
JOURNEY
Attendant: Hello, sir. How can I help you?
Phil: I’d like £30 on pump number 10. I’d also like to purchase two
breakfast combos if possible.
Attendant: Sure thing. Is there anything else I can help you with?
Phil: Just a question about the petrol. Do you carry any premium
unleaded?
Attendant: As a matter of fact, we do.
Phil: Fantastic. I’d also like to ask for directions. I’m trying to get to
Glasgow. Do you know the fastest way to get there from here?
Attendant: Of course. As you leave the station, turn left and continue
on for another five miles or so. Then, you’ll see the signs for the motorway,
and you’ll need to merge onto it heading north. Shouldn’t be too
complicated.
Phil: Thank you so much. I’ve been driving for hours and I still don’t
feel like I’ve got out of London yet.
It wasn’t too long ago when petrol
stations really pampered those
who rolled up and requested their
services. Full-service stations were
commonplace in the 50s and 60s.
Having an attendant fuel your
automobile for you sounds luxurious
enough. Stations didn’t stop
there, though. They would also
offer a full range of services such as
washing your windows, measuring
the air pressure in your tyres, and
checking your oil. In the UK, workers
performing these services are
known as petrol butlers.
Today, however, much of that
seems slightly impractical. A visit to
the petrol station is often seen as
a hassle, so people aren’t necessarily
looking for an eye-opening
experience. Speed is the priority.
Get in, and get out. We want to pay
ourselves and pump ourselves.
Modern technology, like the growing
acceptance of credit cards at
petrol stations, continues to ensure
an even speedier pit stop. For
those looking to catch a glimpse
of a bygone era, certain places,
like Brazil and the US state of New
Jersey, still employ full-service stations.
to pamper sb | mimar
to roll up | aquí: llegar
commonplace | común
range of sth | gama, variedad
slightly | un poco
hassle | molestia, engorro
to catch a glimpse of sth | vislumbrar
bygone /ˈbaɪˌɡɒn/ | pasado, antiguo
CONVERSATION 3
Conversation Matters
to purchase sth /ˈpɜːtʃɪs/| comprar
motorway | autopista
to merge onto sth | incorporarse
to head | dirigirse
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