English Standard Four: Bus Station Related Environment

Unit One: Developing Vocabulary by Relating Words with Objects in the Environment

Sub-topic: Bus Station Related Environment

A bus station is a place where buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. People go to a bus station to travel from one place to another. In this topic, pupils learn the names of places, people and objects found at a bus station, their uses and characteristics, and how to use the words in simple sentences.

1. Learning Objectives

By the end of this topic, a pupil should be able to:

• Identify different places found at a bus station.
• Name people found at a bus station and explain their duties.
• Identify common objects found at a bus station and explain their uses.
• Describe buses and other objects using their characteristics.
• Use bus station vocabulary to construct simple sentences.

2. Meaning of a Bus Station

A bus station is a place where buses stop to pick up and drop off passengers. People go to a bus station to travel from one place to another. Passengers buy tickets, wait for buses and board them when it is time to travel.

In Tanzania, people use bus stations to travel between towns, cities and villages.

3. Places Found at a Bus Station and Their Uses

Place	Use
Ticket office	A place where passengers buy tickets.
Waiting area	A place where passengers wait for buses.
Bus bay	A place where buses park while waiting for passengers.
Booking office	A place where passengers make travel arrangements.
Information desk	A place where passengers ask for information.
Entrance	A place through which people enter the station.
Exit	A place through which people leave the station.
Toilets	Places where people can relieve themselves.
Parking area	A place where vehicles are parked.

4. People Found at a Bus Station and Their Duties

Person	Duty
Bus driver	Drives the bus.
Conductor	Collects fares and assists passengers.
Passenger	Travels in a bus.
Ticket seller	Sells bus tickets.
Porter	Helps passengers carry luggage.
Bus inspector	Checks buses and travel arrangements.
Security guard	Keeps the station safe.
Cleaner	Keeps the station clean.

5. Objects Found at a Bus Station and Their Uses

Object	Use
Bus	It carries passengers from one place to another.
Ticket	It shows that a passenger has paid for a journey.
Luggage	It contains passengers’ personal belongings.
Suitcase	It is used to carry clothes and other belongings.
Bus timetable	It shows the times when buses depart and arrive.
Loudspeaker	It is used to make announcements.
Bench	It is used by passengers for sitting.
Dustbin	It is used for keeping rubbish.
Clock	It shows the time.
Traffic sign	It gives instructions or warnings to road users.
Wheel	It helps a bus to move.
Seat belt	It helps to protect a passenger during a journey.

6. Describing Buses and Objects

We can describe buses and objects by using colour, size, shape, condition and other characteristics.

• The bus is big and long.
• The bus is blue and white.
• The suitcase is black and rectangular.
• The ticket is small and light.
• The bench is long and brown.
• The loudspeaker is black and round.
• The bus is clean and comfortable.

7. Useful Bus Station Vocabulary

Word	Meaning
Journey	Travelling from one place to another.
Passenger	A person travelling in a vehicle.
Departure	The act of leaving a place.
Arrival	The act of reaching a place.
Destination	The place where someone is going.
Fare	The money paid for travelling.
Luggage	Bags and other belongings carried during a journey.
Platform	A place where passengers board or leave a bus.
Delay	When a bus does not leave or arrive at the expected time.
Queue	A line of people waiting for their turn.

8. Example Sentences

1. The passengers are waiting for the bus.
2. The driver drives the bus carefully.
3. I bought a ticket at the ticket office.
4. The conductor helps passengers.
5. My suitcase is under the seat.
6. The bus leaves at six o’clock.
7. We arrived at the bus station early.
8. The passengers are carrying their luggage.
9. The cleaner is sweeping the waiting area.
10. The bus is going to Dodoma.

9. Classroom Activities

• Picture identification: Pupils identify buses, tickets, suitcases and other objects in pictures.
• Word matching: Pupils match bus station vocabulary with pictures and meanings.
• Role-play: Pupils act as passengers, drivers, conductors and ticket sellers.
• Sentence construction: Pupils construct sentences using words related to a bus station.
• Description: Pupils describe buses and other objects using colours, sizes and shapes.

10. Exercises

A. Choose the correct answer.

1. A place where buses stop to pick up passengers is called a ________.
A. hospital   B. bus station   C. market   D. school

2. A person who drives a bus is called a ________.
A. doctor   B. seller   C. driver   D. porter

3. Where do passengers buy bus tickets?
A. Ticket office   B. Kitchen   C. Laboratory   D. Classroom

4. Which object is used to carry clothes during a journey?
A. Clock   B. Suitcase   C. Dustbin   D. Bench

5. The money paid for travelling by bus is called ________.
A. luggage   B. fare   C. ticket office   D. journey

B. Fill in the blanks using the words in the box.

driver    ticket    passengers    luggage    waiting area

1. A ________ drives a bus.
2. A ________ shows that a passenger has paid for a journey.
3. People who travel in a bus are called ________.
4. Bags carried during a journey are called ________.
5. Passengers sit in the ________ while waiting for buses.

C. Match the people with their duties.

1. Bus driver    A. Sells tickets
2. Ticket seller    B. Keeps the station clean
3. Cleaner    C. Drives the bus
4. Security guard    D. Keeps the station safe

D. Write short sentences.

Write five sentences about things you can see or people you can meet at a bus station.

11. Answer Guide

A: 1. B – bus station; 2. C – driver; 3. A – ticket office; 4. B – suitcase; 5. B – fare.

B: 1. driver; 2. ticket; 3. passengers; 4. luggage; 5. waiting area.

C: 1. C; 2. A; 3. B; 4. D.

D: Answers will vary. Accept grammatically correct sentences using bus station vocabulary.

12. Support for Slow Learners

Use pictures of buses, tickets, suitcases and people at a bus station. Introduce a few words at a time and allow pupils to repeat them. Let pupils match real objects or pictures with their names. Provide sentence starters such as “A bus is used to ________”, “A driver ________” and “A ticket is used for ________”.

13. Teaching and Learning Resources

Pictures of bus stations, buses, tickets, suitcases, bus timetables, vocabulary cards, charts, chalkboard and exercise books.