A Night Out (1)

Remember where you park!

Michelle walked out of the theater humming a tune. She’d just seen a fabulous musical at the beautiful Paramount Theater. If she closed her eyes, she could still see the beautiful costumes and stage sets. It was now after 11 p.m., and she really didn’t like being out late by herself. But no one else had wanted to go to the show, so she had gone alone. She headed down the dark Seattle street toward her car.

She walked to the middle of the block. No car. The parking space was empty. “That’s odd,” she thought. “Am I on the wrong street?” She checked the street signs. No, she was on Pine Street. And she was sure that this was where she’d parked. But she walked up and down Pine Street to be sure. Her car was nowhere to be seen. She began to feel like her stomach was in knots. Someone had stolen her car! What was she going to do?

Info Cloud
Teaching Topic: Parkway and Driveway 用來行車的Parkway，用來停車的Driveway
Parkways and driveways, they both have a connection with automobiles, but if you think people park their cars on parkways and drive their cars on driveways, you’re forgiven.

Actually the opposite is true; people drive on parkways while they park their cars on driveways. Confusing, it’s just another example of crazy English.

Okay, let’s explain this by first looking at the word “way”, years ago a way was simply a footpath or horse path used for travel to get from one place to another.

Now the ways that went through parks, we’re called, you guessed it “parkways”. People will walk or take their horses and carriages on parkways to enjoy the beautiful natural scenery.

Right, later many of these parkways were paved over and made ready for automobiles to travel at high speeds.

Okay, how about driveways? Typically they were short private paths that led from a public road to a private home or building.

Hum, today most American driveways are the paved areas in front of homes where people park their cars, now supposed technically you can drive on a driveway, but it’s so short you’re not going to drive on one for too long.

Language Lab
tune n.
a series of musical notes that produce a pleasing sound when played or sung
- The band is playing our favorite tune.
- The pop song has a very catchy tune.
in a state in which the correct musical sound is not played or sung
- After the singer got nervous, her voice went totally out of tune.

musical n.
having music and songs as a main feature : telling a story with songs
- Paulin's favorite musical is "Cats."
musical adj.
of or relating to music
- Bruno Mars' musical talent showed when he was little.

parking space n.
a place to park your car, truck, etc.
- It took me almost an hour to find a parking space in this area.
parking lot n.
an area outside a building for parking cars, trucks, etc.
- The parking lot charges NT$100 per hour.
parking structure n. 立體停車場

in knot n.
a painful or uncomfortable feeling of tightness in part of your body
- Joey's stomach was in knots when he was speaking on stage.
tie someone in knots 
to cause problems for yourself because you are being too careful, trying too hard, etc.;
to become very upset or worried;
- The thought of traveling alone tied me in knots.

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