About the audio
All the audio on this page comes from the American English voice of your device (text-to-speech). There are no audio files, so every word, line and sentence can play, even the sentences you write.
- Listen as many times as you want. Play one line, the full dialogue, or one word from the vocabulary.
- Hear your own answers. In Personalize, the page reads your sentences, so you hear your own answers before your next inspection.
- Build long sentences. In My Script, Listen slowly and the backchaining steps help with long lines and numbers.
- Answer by voice. In Trainer Pro, the officer asks a question out loud. Tap Click & Say and say your answer. The page understands numbers, dates and names in different forms.
- One voice for each character. Women have female voices and men have male voices, and every character in a dialogue sounds different. If your device has fewer voices than characters, two characters share a voice with a different pitch.
- See what is playing. The button that is playing turns coral with moving bars, and the line is highlighted. Tap it again to stop.
- Change the speed. Use Slow (at the top of the page) to follow the marks, and Normal for shadowing. The dialogues also show ‿ linking: where the end of one word connects to the next (check~it out, next~time, did~you).
- Same spelling, different sound. Some words change pronunciation with their grammar, like transport /ˈtrænspɔrt/ (a transport company) and transport /trænsˈpɔrt/ (I transport fuel), or live /lɪv/ (I live in Texas) and live /laɪv/ (a live wire). The audio always plays the pronunciation used in the lesson.
- Check your pronunciation. Say it uses your microphone to compare your sentence with the script.
Works best in Chrome, Edge or Safari. The voice can be different on each device. No sound? Check the volume and the silent mode of your phone. For Say it, allow the microphone.
Key Vocabulary
Start here. Learn and practice the key words and expressions of this topic before the dialogues.
Tip: on your phone, turn it sideways for Space Quiz.
Vocabulary warm-up
Play before the dialogues. Every game uses all the vocabulary and expressions of this topic and picks new words each time.
Drag across the letters to select a word.
My Script: At the Inspection
These are the lines you need when an officer stops you. Build each sentence from the end, one piece at a time, then say the full line.
Let's talk
Answer with your teacher. Use the vocabulary and grammar from this topic.
False friends
These words look like Spanish words, but they mean something different.
| English | Looks like… | Actually means… |
|---|---|---|
| exit | éxito | salida (success = éxito) |
| record | recordar | registro (remember = recordar) |
| actual | actual | real (current = actual, vigente) |
| assist | asistir | ayudar (attend = asistir) |
Cultural note
At a U.S. roadside inspection, stay calm, keep your hands where the officer can see them, and give documents when the officer asks for them. Say officer when you answer.
Answer clearly and briefly. If you don't understand, say: Could you repeat that, please? or Could you speak more slowly, please?
Writing task: my document checklist
Write a checklist of the documents a HAZMAT driver should carry. Then compare it with the example.
Show example
✓ CDL (Commercial Driver's License) · Licencia de conducir comercial
✓ HAZMAT endorsement · Endoso HAZMAT
✓ Medical certificate · Certificado médico
✓ TWIC card · Tarjeta de identificación de transporte
Company documents
✓ Company ID badge · Gafete de la empresa
✓ Logbook or ELD records · Bitácora de horas
✓ Shipping papers · Documentos de embarque
✓ HAZMAT permit · Permiso HAZMAT
✓ Bill of lading · Carta porte
Emergency documents
✓ Emergency Response Guidebook (ERG) · Guía de respuesta a emergencias
✓ Safety Data Sheet (SDS) · Hoja de datos de seguridad
✓ Vehicle registration · Tarjeta de circulación
✓ Proof of insurance · Comprobante de seguro
Read and pronounce
Listen to the model, tap Say it and say each sentence out loud. Bold words are the strong ones, gray words are soft and quick, and the underlined word carries the main stress. The app checks your pronunciation and marks any word it did not hear clearly.
My name is Carlos, officer.
I've been driving for ten years.
Yes, officer. Here it is.
I have a HAZMAT endorsement.
My dispatcher's name is Ms. Rivera.
Yes, officer, here they are.
Good morning. What's your name?
Where do you live?