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Elevators
Elevators

Learn English with this elevators English lesson

Date: Dec 25 2019

Grammar: Comparatives and Superlatives

Intro

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Have you ever arrived at a building for a meeting, only to discover that the office you need to go to is on the 28th floor? You feel despair as you think about all the stairs leading up, up, up… and then you see something that makes you smile. An elevator.

Some people say that stairs are great for getting exercise, but that’s only half true. If you have to climb to the 8th, 10th, or 12th floor regularly, your workout might exhaust you before you’ve even started your day! An elevator is definitely a convenience because it helps you get where you need to go more quickly and with less work.

It can be uncomfortable to ride on a crowded elevator, though. Sometimes it’s even more awkward when you share the small space with just one other person. Do you say hello? Do you try to ignore him or her completely?

Learn what Lily and Jeff think about elevators in this English lesson.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Lily

Lily

Jeff

Jeff

Lily:  You know what the best ride in the world is? It is getting in an elevator on a really high floor and riding it so that you sort of are suspended in no gravity for a second. It’s really awesome. You should try it.

Jeff:  Are you kidding me?

Lily:  What? You don’t like elevators?

Jeff:  It’s a death trap!

Lily:  No, you’ve seen too many movies.

Jeff:  Even if it is not a death trap, I still become very claustrophobic inside an elevator. People sneezing and scratching themselves and smelling weird…

Lily:  Yeah, it can be kind of awkward. I don’t like riding in elevators when there are lots of people in them. I usually like riding in elevators by myself.

Jeff:  In that sense, it’s a bit of a timeout, which is nice. So I’m with you there. But I don’t know. It’s a modern convenience I could do without. I like the stairs.

 

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Discussion

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Lily tells Jeff that she thinks riding in an elevator is exciting. She likes knowing she’s suspended in the air, and she has fun riding between the different levels of a big building.

Jeff strongly disagrees. Maybe it’s because he’s watched too many movies, but he hates riding in elevators. Even though he knows it’s perfectly safe to take an elevator, he still doesn’t like sharing a small space with other people who might sneeze, or have an itch, or act strangely.

Lily agrees that elevators are not as fun with other people, but she would probably still choose to ride. Jeff, on the other hand, usually goes for the stairs.

Would you rather ride an elevator or take the stairs? What’s the tallest building you’ve ever ridden an elevator in?

 

Comments

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luciferted

China

My apartment is at 27th floor. obviously, i have no choice except riding elevators. But if the building is not too high, i’d rather to take the stairs, because i hate waiting.

06:29 AM Dec 26 2019 |

ttsuka

ttsuka

Japan

 Japan is a country where people are expected to ignore with each other. If you talk to strangers in a public space, you are violating an unwritten rule.  Elevators are a good example where you notice it, particularly if you are from another country like the US, where it is considered polite to greet when people find themselves in close encounters with others in public spaces like streets.


So, in the elevator in Japan, you punch the floor bottom by yourself even if it is crowded and difficult to get to the switch board. It is very very rare someone near the buttons asks you which floor you want to go and select the button for you. When it is really crowded and it’s impossible, you have to speak out. Then, of course, someone will do it for you, but people sort of pretend in silence as if saying, ‘Oh, I didn’t notice it’s that crowded,’ after the fact.  

05:15 AM Feb 15 2014 |

ahmet55

ahmet55

Germany

There is no doubt that riding an elevator is much better than taking stairs in the high apartments. It’s so comfortable I even can’t imagine going to 9th floor of an office without elevator. oh deer. 


I can’t remember very well but as far as i know there was a building with 18 levels. Maybe higher. 

02:46 PM Dec 31 2013 |

saveme911

saveme911

Algeria

It is true that elevators save time but its biggest drawback is that it make us lazy ,so it’s better to take stairs when we have time, it ’s freakin benefitial for heart, muscles… , and saying “it’s tiring ” is ,well, just a lame excuse ,you’ll get used to it,but not kill urself (watch horizon documuntry the truth about exercise) it’s striking  .


In fact my country is large so we’re still expanding horizontally ,maybe one day being crowded will oblige us to stab the clouds …

05:54 PM Dec 25 2013 |

chencylyq

chencylyq

China

elevator is indeed in need when u live in tall floor,i live in the 7th floor  when studying in the college,and there has no elevator,i have to climb upstair to dorm everyday. i just want to say i feel full after having meal but feel hungry after i climbing the floor and arrive at my dorm,:) it is a good way to lose weigh

02:44 PM Dec 25 2013 |

KelvinPhillbert

China

elevator is a must in my life, i used to climb up to my house on the 10th floor when the elevator were in repairation time one night, i nearly could stand when i got into my house, just wanna laying down and doing nothing to relax.

01:49 PM Dec 25 2013 |

sara1998

sara1998

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

actually i’m afraid of elevators and i prefer stairs…i feel more comfortable that way…


you know , when i’m in the elevator i’m always worry wheather sth happens and some times i can’t breathe easilly ;)

12:06 PM Dec 25 2013 |

halim7385

Syrian Arab Republic

i feel trabbed when iam stuck in small crowded place

10:32 AM Dec 25 2013 |

Jasonlongo

Jasonlongo

Congo, Democratic Republic Of The

Personally i don’t like riding in an elevator, it’s boring especially when it’s so crowded.

10:20 AM Dec 25 2013 |

1 person likes this

hatamian

hatamian

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

The Technology it’s a good thing and  that bringes for us
relaxation and convenience so we should be appreciation from Inventors.I Think jeff has a problem or There is a fright into them also jeff is a shy person.


customes or habits are part of every one.jeff sohldn’t don pay attention to each act from another people.IN the each society there are different onces and it’s nathural.


but lily : we should know that public instruments are belonges to all of the people.

10:12 AM Dec 25 2013 |

2 people like this

kowatch

kowatch

Hungary

From the 5th floor I use elevator to go up. When I go down, I don’t use it eveytime. It’s much easier walk down, I don’t need to fight with gravity.

08:36 AM Dec 25 2013 |

Eric_

Eric_

China

It depends. If I need to go up to 5th floor, I would choose an elevator.


It’s good to climb the stairs. My aunt lives at 8th floor without elevator. She said that it’s a healthy workout everyday.


I am not claustophobic. But I am afraid to ride an elevator to high floor building. It will make me feel uncomfortable.

06:33 AM Dec 25 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Once I’ve seen it in my dream, how I’m going up in the elavator, it breaks the roof and going up and up and the next morning when I woke up, i got a message about my relative death.

05:01 AM Dec 25 2013 |

2 people like this

blueginger

Viet Nam

Without elevators, there no doubt to say that we will never have the sky scratch buildings like they are nowaday. i have to admire the human intelligences which are making this world becomes wonderful day by day. 

04:55 AM Dec 25 2013 |

S&W

S&W

China

There were some elevator accidents happened in this year,Someone was nipped by the elevator door on head,the other one was enter the elevator without elevator car.Both were result in death.However ,everyone will choose elevator if the floor is more than 10th high.

03:41 AM Dec 25 2013 |

1 person likes this

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