Listening

Warm Up

Helpful Words and Phrases

Listen and repeat.

  1. whimsical
    • ex. Children loved the whimsical story about a talking cat.
  2. an enthusiast
    • ex. Football enthusiasts gather every Sunday to watch their favorite teams play.
  3. scrutiny
    • ex. The mayor's actions are under public scrutiny.
  4. understaffed
    • ex. The restaurant is understaffed today, so service might be slower than usual.
  5. plague
    • ex. The company was plagued by problems with its new software.

Article

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

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The Massachusetts Bay Transportation Authority (MBTA) attached fun eye stickers to five trains in Boston. The whimsical stickers are designed to make passengers smile. MBTA head Phillip Eng said that the stickers were requested by a group of transportation enthusiasts.

The group asked the agency to put eyes on trains and even sent a package of plastic eyes to the office. “When I saw it, it made me laugh,” Eng said. “I thought we could do something like that to have some fun.” Eng worried that plastic eyes could fall and cause injuries. So instead, the MBTA chose to use stickers to give a cheerful face to trains. “It gave us all a chance to have a laugh and for the people who use our service to have some fun,” said Eng.

The MBTA manages the country’s oldest subway and other transportation services. Lately, it has faced scrutiny for a series of safety issues. Other problems, like delays in the delivery of new vehicles and being understaffed, have also plagued the agency. But officials say they are working to fix these problems.

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

Discussion

Choose a topic and discuss the questions with your tutor.

Boston Public Transportation

  • How do you feel about the idea of adding fun elements, like sticker eyes, to public transportation (ex. it’s important, it’s unnecessary)? Discuss.
  • MBTA head Philip Eng said that he wanted people who use their service to laugh and have some fun. Do you believe public transportation should be fun and enjoyable? Why or why not? Discuss.
  • Are there any programs in your community that aim to bring joy or fun to public spaces? Discuss.

Whimsical Solutions

  • In your opinion, how can humor or whimsical solutions like sticker eye help address challenges in the community (ex. they bring joy to the community, they bring people’s attention to the issue)? Discuss.
  • The whimsical stickers were requested by a group of transportation enthusiasts in Boston. Imagine you can submit any request to your local government, what would it be? Discuss.
  • Eng said that the stickers gave them a chance to have a laugh and for the people who use their service to have some fun. Why do you think it is important to find small moments of joy in our daily activities like riding the train? Discuss.