Тема 2. Дом, жилищные условия

My Flat

We have a nice flat in a new block of flats. Our flat is on the fourth floor. It has all modern conveniences: central heating, gas, electricity, cold and hot water, a lift and a chute to carry rubbish down. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat. The living-room is the largest and most comfortable room in the flat. In the middle of the room we have a square-table with six chairs round it. To the right of the dinner-table there is a wall-unit which has several sections: a sideboard, a wardrobe and some shelves.

At the opposite wall there is a piano and stool before it. Between the two large windows there is a little table with a colour TV set on it. Near the TV set there are two cosy armchairs. A small round table, a divan-bed and a standard lamp are in the left-hand corner. This small table is for newspapers and magazines. My father is used to having a rest sitting on this divan-bed reading books, newspapers, magazines or watching TV.

The bedroom is smaller than the living-room and not so light as there is only one window in it. In this room there are two beds with a bedside-table between them. An alarm-clock and a small lamp with a pink lamp-shade are on the table. In the left-hand corner there is a dressing-table with a big mirror.. In this room we have a built-in wardrobe with coat-hangers to-hang clothes on. There is a thick carpet on the floor and plain light-brown curtains on the window.

The third room is my study. It is not large but very cosy. There isn't much furniture in it, only the most necessary. It has a writing-table and an armchair before it. In the right-hand corner there is a bookcase full of books, magazines and newspapers. A small table with a radio is standing in the left-hand corner. Near it there is a sofa with some cushions. In my opinion, the study is the best room in our flat.

But the warmest place in our flat is the kitchen, I think — the place where the whole family gathers every evening not only to have supper together, but also to speak and rest. I like the English proverb: "My home is my castle" because my flat is, indeed, my castle.

Questions:

1. Have you a house or a flat?

2. How many rooms are there in your flat?

3. Has your flat all modern conveniences? What arе they?

4. What room is the largest in your flat?

5. What is there in the middle of the room?

6. Is there a piano in the living-room?

7. What is there near the TV set?

8. How many windows are there in the bedroom?

9. What is on the bedside-table?

10. What colour curtains are there on the window?

11. What room is very cosy?

12. Is there much furniture in the study?

13. What is there in the right-hand corner of the study?

14. What is standing in the left-hand corner?

Vocabulary: square - квадратный sideboard - сервант wardrobe - шкаф opposite - противоположный cosy - уютный divan-bed - диван alarm-clock - будильник mirror - зеркало dressing-table - туалетный столик lamp-shade - абажур

a built-in wardrobe - встроенный шкаф coat-hanger - вешалка to hang (hung) - вешать study - кабинет furniture - мебель necessary pieces - необходимые вещи cushion - диванная подушка standart lamp - торшер

Parts of the House

Mr. Hudson sells houses. At the moment he is showing 736 Pearblossom Avenue to Mr. and Mrs. Willis.

Here we are. As you can see, Mr. and Mrs. Willis, it's really quite a big house, with two storeys. Upstairs there are three bedrooms and a bathroom and downstairs we have a large living room, a dining room, and a kitchen. There is no basement under the house

Before we go in, let's take a look at the house from the outside. I think you'll agree that the front garden is a nice size and the hedge around it makes it a little more private. You've got a car, haven't you? So the garage next to the house will be very useful. Now, look up there at the roof. It was repaired only four months ago, so you won't have any trouble from the rain.

The chimney up there doesn't work any more. You see, the fireplaces were taken out when the central heating was put in.

OK. Let's go in here through the garden gate and, up the path to the front door. Follow me.

I'll just open the door and here we are inside. Here's a little hall where you can hang your hats and coats. On your right there is the living room and this door on your left leads into a small dining room. As you can see, it has a lovely wooden floor. The dining room and the kitchen are connected, so you can cook in the kitchen and serve the meals in the dining room. From the kitchen window you have a pleasant view of the back garden, which, as you can see, has a strong wooden fence around it.

The house is in excellent condition. You'll have no problems with any of the walls, floors or ceilings. So, any questions? Ah, yes, the price. Three bedrooms, a garage and a garden. Well what do you think?

Questions

1 Think of the house you know and describe it to a friend. Ask him to draw apian of the house while listening.

2 How much does an average house cost in your country?

3 What makes one house more expensive than other?

4 Describe a very traditional type of house in your country.

5 What rooms in the house do you know? What are they used for?

6 What would you most like to have in your house?

Vocabulary

storey [sto:ri] — этаж

upstairs ['Λp'stε∂z] — наверху

downstairs ['daun'stε∂z] — внизу

basement ['beism∂nt] — подвал, цокольный этаж

hedge — живая изгородь

roof — крыша

chimney — дымоход

central heating — центральное отопление

gate — ворота

path — дорожка

front door — парадная дверь

fence — забор

ceiling ['si:liη] — потолок

Тексты по теме

My Ideal House

My ideal house would be situated in the countryside, well away from any large cities, maybe even away from roads if possible. I don't like living in the city. The air in the city is a problem. The air quality is awful.

A lot of pollution comes from factories and plants. When I come back from the countryside, I immediately smell the pollution of the city. That's why 1 prefer living in the country. I would love to live somewhere near running water or near the sea. Also, it would be nice not to have to rely on the central water system, but to have a well or a spring nearby with fresh drinking water. Maybe this is a bit too much of a luxury to ask for. 1 like trees very much too. That's why I'd like to live near a forest.

I'm a good swimmer, so I'd like to have a river, a sea or a lake nearby. I'd like to live in a stone farmhouse and to have a good view of the sun going down in the evening. I'm fond of flowers. So I'd like to have a lot of flowerbeds in the garden. And, of course, I dream about keeping a lot of fresh flowers in the house. They make a home feel alive. I would really like it.

Then, I'm learning to play the piano now. That's why I would like to have a piano in my house. I think that my standard is improving very quickly and I seem to be talented at almost any instrument I put my hand to.

I can't imagine living with a lot of animals — a cat, a dog, maybe a horse. If I had time to look after them, we would have chickens for eggs and maybe a goat for milk. I like natural products, and I want my family to eat them.

Questions

1. What is the house of your dream?

2. Can you realize your ideas in future?

3. Where do you prefer to live — in the country or in the city?

4. What are positive aspects of living in the country?

5. What are negative aspects of living in the country?

6. What are positive aspects of living in the city?

7. What are negative aspects of living in the city?

8. How can you choose the golden mean?

Vocabulary countryside — пригород quality — качество awful — ужасный pollution — загрязнение to smell — вдыхать, нюхать running water — jd. водоем с проточной водой to rely — полагаться, доверять central heating system — система центрального отопления well — колодец spring — ключ, источник, родник nearby — около

stone — камень go down — заходить (о солнце) flowerbed — цветочная грядка, клумба to dream — мечтать fresh flowers — свежие цветы alive — живой standard Is improving very quickly — уровень улучшается очень быстро to put one's hand to — браться за что-л., заниматься chicken — цыпленок goat — коза

British Homes

There are 22 million homes in Britain — big homes and small homes, old cottages and new buildings, houses and flats. (Americans say "apartment" but British people say "flat"). Many British people love old houses and these are often more expensive than modern ones. They also love gardening and you will see gardens everywhere you go: in towns, villages and out in the country.

Some are very small with just one tree and a few flowers. Others are enormous with plenty of flowers and enough vegetables and fruit trees. Two third of the families in Britain own their houses.

Millions of these houses are the same with two or three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, dining-room and kitchen downstairs. To pay for their house, home owners borrow money from a "building society" and pay back a little every month.

There are a great many different kinds of homes in Britain, but there are not enough! It is often very difficult for young people to find a home when they want to start a family. British homes are usually smaller than American homes. But like Americans old people, young families and unmarried people do not usually live together.

Questions:

1. How many homes are there in Britain?
2. Two thirds of families own their own houses, don't they?
3. What do these families do to pay for houses?
4. Is it difficult or easy for young people to find a home?
5. What can you tell about British homes?

Vocabulary:

owner — владелец
to borrow — занимать
enormous — огромный