Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. a wave of
    • ex. The holidays started a wave of parties and shopping activities.
  2. an incident
    • ex. They reported the robbery incident to the police.
  3. commercial
    • ex. There are a lot of commercial buildings in this area.
  4. a burglary
    • ex. A burglary happened at a jewelry store. The thieves broke the locks and took diamonds.
  5. statistics
    • ex. According to statistics, car accidents are common among drivers and passengers under the age of 20.

Article

Read the article below and answer your tutor's questions.

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In-N-Out Burger plans to close its first restaurant after 75 years on March 24. The first restaurant and the only one in Oakland, California, continues to experience a wave of break-ins and other crimes. And these frequent incidents are affecting customers and employees negatively. Denny Warnick, In-N-Out’s chief operating officer, said that the company can’t do anything about the crimes anymore.

The San Francisco Chronicle reported that Oakland has experienced an increase in property crimes and robberies across the city. Since 2019, police have recorded 1,335 incidents in the area of the restaurant. According to Oakland police data, that number includes nine robberies, two commercial burglaries, and 1,174 car break-ins.

According to the city mayor’s office, statistics show that crimes were decreasing at the end of 2023. Car break-ins went down 43% from 308 incidents to 176 incidents. Mayor Sheng Thao told KTVU-TV that more police officers have been assigned to the area. However, she said that more efforts are needed.

This material was based on an article by The Associated Press.

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

When a Business Closes Down

  • Imagine that you are a frequent customer at the 75-year-old In-N-Out restaurant. How would you feel about its decision to close down? Discuss.
  • In-N-Out’s chief operating officer said that the company can’t do anything about the crimes anymore. Do you think it’s the best solution to the business’s problem? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • What do you think are some reasons for businesses to close down? Discuss.

Places with Several Break-ins and Other Incidents

  • Do you think crimes are most frequent in commercial areas? Why do you think so? Discuss.
  • Imagine that you live in Oakland City. How would you feel about the wave of break-ins and crimes in it? Discuss.
  • In your opinion, what is the solution to crimes and other incidents (ex. hiring more police officers)? Discuss.