1. Аудирование: понимание основного содержания прослушанного: #249988

Speaker A. In my opinion, taxis are one of the best ways to get around in a city. Not only do they offer you a door-to-door service, but also allow you to avoid traffic congestion and other delays that come with public transportation. Taxi drivers are very knowledgeable about traffic laws, so you reach the destination early. They will often take shortcuts that other vehicles don’t use. They also tend to be more flexible than public transport options with their hours of operation.

Speaker B. When I come to a new place, I never use public transport for some days. I like to go by taxi at the beginning of my trip to some city because taxi drivers are very familiar with the city they drive in. They have knowledge of good places to eat and visit while on vacation that may not be well known by tourists. I always ask taxi drivers to give me some recommendations, and it really helps me to get to know the city inside out. Taxi drivers are better than any guidebook.

Speaker C. Some of my friends prefer to use public transport, saying that it is very expensive to get around using a taxi. However, I cannot agree with them here. When you get a taxi, you get a door-to-door service, which is very convenient. It is worth paying extra for, isn’t it? Besides, if you share a taxi with your relatives or friends, the fare will not be much higher than, say, the bus fare. One more point is that major taxi companies now try to keep the prices down to attract customers.

Speaker D. If you ask me, well, I rarely use taxis because the taxi fares are unreasonably high. I am a student, and I cannot afford to take a taxi even once a week. Of course, when I have a late flight and I cannot use any public transport to get to the airport, I still have to call for a taxi, but otherwise I stick to buses. I understand that taxis are both fast and convenient, but for the time being, I have to use public transport. I do wish taxis were much cheaper than they are now.

Speaker E. I try not to go by taxi if I can help it. Oftentimes, taxi drivers have old car models without air conditioning; in this case, you run the risk of overheating during peak summer heat waves or freezing during winter cold snaps. Moreover, you have no idea how clean the vehicle is, and you risk getting an infection. Besides, many taxi drivers in big cities are immigrants; the language barrier with drivers may increase the cost of your trip and create some inconvenience for you.

Speaker F. Whenever I can, I use a taxi and stay away from any means of public transport. In my opinion, it is dangerous to use public transport in big cities. There are many road accidents connected with public transport, whereas the statistics for taxis is much better. Besides, when you use any kind of public transport, you can catch a virus or just become involved in some conflict because there are many people on buses and in the underground. So, in taxis, you are safer.