Gas Prices Hit Record High Before Labor Day
Listen to the story
Gas prices in the United States have reached a record high just before the Labor Day weekend, a time when many Americans travel by car.
Diesel prices have also hit an all-time high. Diesel is used to power trucks and buses, so higher prices can affect the cost of transporting goods.
President Trump is now scrambling for solutions to the rising fuel costs. It is not yet clear what actions he will take.
The high prices come at a difficult time for drivers. Labor Day weekend is usually one of the busiest travel periods of the year.
In Utah, drivers may face extra problems. Traffic delays of up to 60 minutes are possible this weekend, even though gas prices are already at record levels.
The combination of expensive fuel and heavy traffic could make holiday travel more stressful for many people.
It remains unclear how long the higher prices will last or what caused the sudden surge.
For now, drivers across the country are being warned to expect both higher costs and possible delays as they travel for the holiday.
Vocabulary10 words
- record
- the highest or lowest number ever measured
- diesel
- a fuel used mainly in trucks and buses
- scramble
- to try quickly to solve a problem
- delay
- extra time spent waiting
- surge
- a sudden and large increase
- transport
- to move goods or people from place to place
- fuel
- a substance burned to create power, like gas or diesel
- holiday period
- a time when people travel or do not work
- traffic
- vehicles moving or waiting on roads
- stressful
- causing worry or pressure
Quiz
Answer key
1. They have hit an all-time high 2. Scrambling for solutions 3. True
Fill-in-the-blank listening
Play the audio again and fill in the missing words as you listen.
Gas prices in the United States have reached a _____ high just before the Labor Day weekend.
_____ prices have also hit an all-time high.
Diesel is used to power trucks and buses, so higher prices can affect the cost of _____ goods.
President Trump is now _____ for solutions to the rising fuel costs.
It is not yet clear what _____ he will take.
Labor Day weekend is usually one of the busiest travel _____ of the year.
Traffic _____ of up to 60 minutes are possible this weekend.
The combination of expensive fuel and heavy traffic could make holiday travel more _____.
It remains unclear how long the higher prices will last or what caused the sudden _____.
Drivers across the country are being warned to expect both higher costs and possible _____.
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