A family road trip is full of quick, overlapping talk: directions, snacks, bathroom breaks, and the famous question from the back seat, "Are we there yet?" In a moving car, people speak fast and short. Many learners also translate directly and say "Stop the car, I want toilet," "Put petrol full," or "How much time more?" Other English varieties use "petrol," and that is fine, but Americans say "gas." In this lab you will hear one invented road trip, and we decode every exchange so you can follow directions and join the conversation. In this episode: • How to listen • The scene, first half • The scene, second half • Key phrases from the scene • Comprehension questions • Practice • Self-check questions with answers Key phrases from this episode: buckle up — put on your seat belt (casual) hit the road — start the trip (casual) merge onto the highway — join highway traffic (neutral) take exit forty-two — leave the highway at exit 42 (neutral) turn it up — make it louder (neutral) take turns — one person, then the other (neutral) Heads up — pay attention, here's news (casual) low on gas — the tank is almost empty (neutral) pull off — leave the highway (neutral) pull over — stop at the side of the road (neutral) fill it up — fill the tank completely (neutral) give or take — more or less (casual) stretch my legs — walk a little after sitting (casual) backed up — slow, stopped traffic (casual) Season 2 · Real American English: the complete spoken course for learners worldwide — accent, everyday grammar, prepositions, articles, phrasal verbs, idioms, slang and real conversations at home. Listen, repeat out loud, then take the 52-question quiz. Audio voiced with AI from an original script by Dr. Rashmi R Nair.