Vocabulary
- Respective
- Fleet
- Ubiquitousness
- Convenience
- Carpooling
Article
In 2008, young friends Travis Kalanick and Garret Camp became stuck in Paris during a snowstorm. They were unable to hail a cab, but their frustration led to a new idea. What if people could request a taxi by clicking a button on their phones?
They sold their respective startups to fund this new idea: Uber. They began developing their app in 2009. Camp believed that they should buy a fleet of cars to start their business, but Kalanick disagreed — he thought it would be better to connect people to existing drivers.
“We don’t own cars and we don’t hire drivers. We work with companies and individuals who do that,” Kalanick has said in interviews. “It’s very straightforward. I want to push a button and get a ride.”
The original name of the company was UberCab and the first ride was requested in July 2010. “Uber” is a prefix that means that something is better than everything else. For example, “This singer is uber-popular” or “That outfit is uber-cool”. The ubiquitousness of the company means that most people will associate the word with their name now, however.
The app quickly gained popularity due to its convenience. They have since increased their offerings, with services such as Uber Eats, a food delivery service, Uber Pool, a carpooling service, and Uber Pets, which allows people to ride with their animals. They rolled out Uber Teen accounts in 2022.
Summarize the article in your own words.
Speaking
- What do you think of Uber?
- Do you use their services? Why or why not?
- What is the most popular way to get around in your country?
- Have you ever had a bad experience with public transportation?
- What countries have the best public transportation, in your opinion?
Writing
- There is Uber Eats, Uber Pool, and so on. Imagine a new idea for the company to try. Write your idea and how you think it could benefit the company.
Listening
- Describe what happened in this video. Compare it to your ideas.
English with Melody 