Around Town

Future 1
Unit 10 Reading
Be College and Career Ready

You will learn to:

•  Recognize different text elements.
•  Identify the main idea and key information.
•  Discover the meaning of words.
•  Answer questions about key information and cite evidence from the article.
•  Interpret the information from the article.
•  Summarize the article.

CCR R5 A
BEFORE YOU READ
PREVIEW THE ARTICLE. Look at the article on the next page. Choose the
correct answer.

1. Look at the title, picture, and chart. What do you think the article is about?
a. Offices
b. Cities
c. Transportation

2. What do you think commute means?

a. A kind of job
b. A trip to work
c. A public library

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CCR R2 A
READ
LISTEN AND READ. Then choose the main idea.

The Long Commute A Better Commute

Americans spend more time getting to work than
ever before. It takes most people about
26 minutes to get to work today. Why are 25 time with family, cooking healthy food, and
commutes long?
5 More Traffic
There are more cars on the streets. Every day,
123 million people commute to work by car.
Most people drive alone. They do not drive with
their family or friends. They do not carpool with
10 other people. When people drive alone, there are
more cars on the streets, so there is more traffic.
People who live in big cities have long
commutes. Many people in New York City
commute for 40 minutes!
Workers with long commutes are more stressed
than workers with short commutes. They do not
have much time for other things, like spending
sleeping enough. What can you do?
If you live near work, do not drive. Walk to work.
Ride a bike to work. Only 4% of workers today
have active commutes, like walking or riding
30 a bike.
You can take public transportation, like the bus or
subway. About 55% of workers live near public
transportation. On public transportation you can
read a book from the library. You can listen to
35 music. You can study English.
If you drive to work, carpool with your family or
friends. If a lot of people carpool, there will be
less traffic. Fewer cars will be on the streets.
Everyone will get to work faster. People will be
40 less stressed.

Chart: American Commutes Today

Caption: When a lot of cars are on the streets, there is traffic.

15 Longer Commutes
Most people commute about 25 miles. Some
people commute a longer distance. About three Drive a car alone: 76% Walk: 3%
million workers commute 50 miles or more. Carpool: 9% Ride a bike: 1%
Workers in factories and construction have the Take public transportation: 5% Other: 6%
20 longest commutes.

What is the main idea of the article?

a. About three million workers commute 50 miles or more.
b. Commutes today are long but people can make them better.
c. Only 4% of workers today have active commutes.
d. About 55% of workers live near public transportation.

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CCR R4 A
VOCABULARY 1
Write the words under the correct headings.

carpool ride a bike take the subway

drive alone take the bus walk

Public Transportation Active Commutes Commutes in Cars

CCR R5 A
READING TIP
A Read the tip.

Scanning
Sometimes you need to go back to an article to find information. Then you scan the
article. You look for information that you need. You do not read the whole article again.
You look for the part of the article with information you need.
For example, maybe you need information about commutes on public transportation.
Look for information about public transportation. Look for the words “public
transportation.” When you find it, read the paragraph.

B Choose the correct answer.

1. When you scan an article, you .
a. learn about public transportation
b. only read the title and headings
c. find the information you need

2. Scanning means reading of the article.

a. all
b. some
c. none

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CCR R1 A
CCR R5 A CLOSE READING 1
Read each question. Scan the article to find the information you need. Answer the
questions with details from the article.

1. Commutes are long because . Where is this information in the article?

a. people drive too slow a. Lines 6 –12
b. workers are very tired b. Lines 17– 21
c. a lot of people drive cars to work c. Lines 23 – 27

2. makes commutes long in big cities. Where is this information in the article?
a. Biking a. Lines 11–13
b. Traffic b. Lines 17–18
c. Carpooling c. Lines 41– 43

3. About 3 million workers commute . Where is this information in the article?

a. 10 miles a. Lines 20 – 21
b. 25 miles b. Lines 40 – 41
c. 50 miles or more c. Lines 17 –18

4. Taking public transportation gives you Where is this information in the article?
time to during your commute.
a. cook healthy food a. Lines 18 – 21
b. study English b. Line 35
c. exercise c. Lines 30 – 32

5. Only of people commute by Where is this information in the article?

public transportation.
a. 3% a. The photo
b. 5% b. Lines 33 – 34
c. 9% c. The graph

6. 76% of people to commute. Where is this information in the article?

a. take public transportation a. Lines 8 – 9
b. ride a bike b. Lines 23 – 24
c. drive a car alone c. The graph

CCR R4 A
VOCABULARY 2
Choose the correct answer.

1. (Lines 2– 4) “It takes most people about 26 minutes to get to work today. Why are
commutes long?” One example of a commute is .
a. working at home
b. going dancing
c. taking the bus

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 2. (Lines 8 –10) “They do not drive with their family or friends. They do not carpool with
other people.” What is an example of a carpool?
a. Filippo and Sol drive to work together.
b. Allison rides her bike every day.
c. Tim takes the subway to work.

3. (Lines 10 –11) “When people drive alone, there are more cars on the streets, so there is
more traffic.” When there is traffic, people .
a. drive fast
b. drive slowly
c. stay at home

4. (Lines 16–18) “Most people commute about 25 miles. Some people commute a longer
distance. About three million workers commute 50 miles or more.” A person who
commutes a long distance might go to get to work.
a. around the corner
b. down the street
c. to another city

CCR R1 A
CLOSE READING 2
Read the article again. Then choose the correct answer.

1. (Lines 12 –14) “People who live in big cities have long commutes. Many people in New
York City commute for 40 minutes!” One reason for this is probably .
a. the only transportation in cities is the subway
b. people cannot ride bikes to work in big cities
c. big cities have more people and more traffic

2. “About 13% of workers commute 100 miles or more.” This sentence is not in the
article. What is the best heading for this information?
a. More Traffic
b. Longer Commutes
c. A Better Commute

3. (Lines 36 – 40) “If you drive to work, carpool with your family or friends. If a lot of people
carpool, there will be less traffic. Fewer cars will be on the streets. Everyone will get to
work faster. People will be less stressed.” The writer of this article thinks .
a. carpooling will make people happier
b. driving alone is the best way to commute
c. active commutes will make less traffic

4. (Chart) The most people to commute.

a. carpool
b. drive alone
c. walk

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CCR R2 A
SUMMARIZE
Write the words in the correct blanks to summarize the reading.

active commute commutes drive alone traffic

carpooling distance public transportation

Many workers today have long . Some people drive a long

1.

, like many miles. Most people commute by car. Most

2.

people . When a lot of people drive alone, all the cars make
3.

. Make your commute faster by with other

4. 5.

people. Take so you can read a book or study during your commute.
6.

Get exercise on your way to work with an .

7.

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 Around Town
Future 1
Unit 10 Writing
Be College and Career Ready

You will learn to:

• Examine the important details from the article above.
• Collect Information on the topic by interviewing your classmates.
• Compare your information with details from the article.

CCR R7 A
EXAMINE
Complete the sentences with details from the article. Scan the article to find the
information you need.

1. Most people in the U.S. commute for about minutes.

2. % of workers in the U.S. drive to work alone.

3. Many people today feel about commuting.

CCR W8 A
COLLECT INFORMATION
A Interview your classmates about their commutes. Write the information in the chart.
A: How do you commute?
B: I take the bus.
A: How long does it take?
B: About 45 minutes.
A: How do you feel about your commute?
B: I feel relaxed. I listen to good music!

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 Name Kind of Commute Commute Time Feelings
Basheer Bus 45 minutes Relaxed because of music

CCR W2 A
COMPARE
Write a paragraph to compare commutes in the U.S. to the commutes in your class. Use
the information from activities above.

Commutes in the U.S. and commutes in my class are mostly (similar / different). Most
people in the U.S. commute for about minutes. Most people in my class commute
for (more / the same amount of / less) time. For example, . % of workers in
the U.S. drive to work alone. Most people in my class . For example, . Many
people today feel about commuting. Many people in my class feel . For
example, . In conclusion, people in my class have (easier / harder) commutes than
most Americans.

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