Daily Life - Car Trouble (C0221)

A:

Car trouble center. How may I help you?

B:

My car won't start! Stupid old car!

A:

Hold on, before you kick your car let's go through some possible problems.

B:

Fine.

A:

Ok, first of all, can you turn the key in the ignition?

B:

Yeah! I am here with my friend and he thinks it may be the spark plug or the starter motor.

A:

Those are possible problems, but tell me, when you turn the key, do you hear the starter motor crank?

B:

Yeah, it sounds like it usually does when I start the car, but nothing else happens. The engine won't start. Should I maybe press the accelerator?

A:

No. If you step on the accelerator pedal you can flood the carburetor and your car will never start.

B:

So what do you think it is?

A:

I know this may seem like a silly question, but does your car have gasoline?

B:

Umm. yeah! Right! I got the car started! Thanks for your help! I told you to fill the tank!

Key Vocabulary

go through

look at (something) in a careful way

ignition

a device to start up the car

spark plug

electrical device that ignites the gas by electric

starter motor

an electric motor for starting an engine

crank

to start (an engine, motor, etc.)

engine

the device which helps cars getting running

accelerator

a pedal that controls the throttle valve

carburetor

mixes air with gasoline vapor prior to explosion

Supplementary Vocabulary

to stall

when a car's engine will not start

brakes

the mechanism which stops the car

gas tank

the tank which carries the car's gasoline

seat belt

the strap which protects from an accident

tow truck

a service which repairs or retrieves a broken car

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