4. Is there a supermarket, any other shops, a cinema, a library in the neighbourhood?
5. Is it a busy shopping centre?
6. Are there always many people around?
7. Is the traffic heavy?
8. Is it a long way from the University?
9. Is there a bus or tram stop not far from your house?
10. Do you live far from the Underground?
11. Is your street lined with trees?
12. Is there a nice yard behind the house?
13. Are there any old trees and flowerbeds in the yard?
14. What kind of house do you live in: detached, semi-detached, a cottage or a block of flats?
15. What conveniences have you got?
16. Is there a rubbish chute?
17. What about a telephone?
18. Which of the rooms is the cosiest? What makes it so cosy?
19. Describe the room you live in.
20. Is it square or long and narrow?
21. Is it always in good order?
22. Is there much furniture in your flat?
23. Is it all modern or are there any pieces of the past?
24. How is the furniture arranged?
25. Do you think it is convenient to have built-in furniture?
26. Where does your mother keep all kitchen things?
27. Is the ceiling high?
28. Is the floor parquetted?
29. Are the walls papered or whitewashed?
30. Are there any carpets on the walls and the floor?
31. How many shelves are there in your room? What things do you keep there?
32. On what floor is your flat?
33. Is it nice to live on the ground or top floor?
34. Is there a lift in your house?
35. Is your flat well planned and spacious?
Read the following story about the advantages and disadvantages of sharing a flat, represent its contents closely to the text and express your point of view on the given subject:
Sharing a flat certainly has some advantages. To begin with, it should be cheaper, and if you’re sharing with people that you get on well with, it is nice to have some company at home rather than being all on your own. Also the household chores are shared, and that is very important. Particularly when you are younger, and you are living apart from your parents for the first time. It can be very enjoyable to live with people of your own age, whose interests and life-style you share.
However, sharing a flat does have some distinct disadvantages, and the main one is that the flat is not your own. So you cannot do what you want in it. What happens if you want to go to bed but your flat-mate wants to play music? To a certain extent you have to be unselfish. What is more, there can be little privacy.
I would say that as you get older, it is probably better to live on your own. Having had my own flat for a few years, I wouldn’t like to have to share again.
Reading Skills
Read the following texts, make up and answer10 questions to each of them:
1.
Moving into a New House
The Browns were moving into a new flat. The one they were living in was too small now that the children were growing up.
“Now,” Mr Brown began after breakfast on the day of the move, “we must have everything ready for the men when they come in the afternoon. Some of the heavy furniture will be awkward to handle, and we mustn’t leave things lying about for them to fall over. Those rugs will have to be rolled up, and all the pots and pans packed in boxes. Mary, can you help your mother to take the pictures down.”
“That was done days ago,” Mrs. Brown said. “Didn’t you notice that the curtains had been taken down – and washed and ironed?”
“I must confess I didn’t. Well, then, she can help to pack clothes.”
“That, too, is practically finished. All the drawers are full, and they can go away as they are. We’ve been busy for the last fortnight getting ready. George and Jack had better get their books together. And they can help to take the curtain-fittings down,” she added.
“Well, as there doesn’t seem much to do in the house,” Mr. Brown said, “I’d better see about the tools and things.”
“We shall have a busy morning,” Mrs. Brown said when he had gone out. “Mary, you can help Jane to wash up while I see to the bedding. We’ll pack the things in the kitchen a bit later.”
“What would you like me to do, Mother?” George asked.
“You might help Jack. And see if you can find a box for the books – or tie them up in bundles. And we want straps round some of those suit-cases I packed yesterday. Do anything you see wants doing.”
They all worked hard during the morning. Even Rose began to collect and pack her toys, but soon left off in order to play with them. Jane cleared the kitchen of everything except what they would need for a last meal.
Mr. Brown came in after twelve.
“Isn’t lunch ready?” he asked. “I feel as hungry as if I had had no breakfast.”
“We haven’t had time to think about eating,” Mrs. Brown said, “but we’ll soon have a meal ready. You’ll have to have something out of a tin. We can’t do any cooking today.”
Almost as soon as lunch was over, three men arrived with a large furniture van. In much less time than the Browns had expected, all the rooms were emptied. The men, being experienced in this kind of work, knew which things to take first and how to pack them all into the van, using up every inch of space. Except that they broke a handle off a door when they knocked into it with the piano, and carried some of the boxes wrong side up in spite of the fact that they were plainly marked “This side up with care”, the men were very careful.
“I feel really sad about moving now,’ Mary said when the flat was empty. “We were all so happy here.”
“Cheer up!” her father said. “You’ll have no regrets as soon as we are in the new flat and have got the furniture straight.”
2.
Jennie returned to Cleveland to help her mother move. Together they searched the streets for a nice, quiet neighbourhood, and finally found one. A house of nine rooms, with a yard, which rented for thirty dollars, was suitably furnished. There were comfortable fittings for the dining-room and sitting room, a handsome parlour set and bedroom sets complete for each room. The kitchen was supplied with every convenience, and there was even a bathroom, a luxury the Gerhards had never enjoyed before. Altogether the house was attractive, though plain, and Jennie was happy to know that her family could be comfortable in it.
When the time came for the actual moving Mrs. Gerhardt was fairly beside herself with joy, for was not this the realization of her dreams? All through the long years of her life she had been waiting, and now it had come. A new house, new furniture, plenty of room – things finer than she had ever even imagined – think of it! Her eyes shone as she looked at the new beds and tables and whatnots. “Dear, dear, isn’t it nice!” she exclaimed. “Isn’t it beautiful!” Jennie was so glad for her mother’s sake.
The day the furniture was moved in Mrs. Gerhardt, Martha and Veronica were on hand to clean and arrange things. At the sight of the large rooms and pretty yard, and new furniture, the whole family fell into a fever of delight. Such beauty! George rubbed his feet over the new carpets and Bass examined the quality of the furniture critically. “Swell”, was his comment. Mrs. Gerhardt could not believe that these bright bedrooms, this beautiful parlour, this handsome dining-room were actually hers.
Gerhardt came last of all. He looked around at the new carpets under his feet, the long oak extension table covered with a white cloth and set with new dishes, at the pictures on the walls, the bright, clean kitchen. He shook his head. “It’s very nice. Yes, it’s very nice. We want to be careful now not to break anything.” Yes, even Gerhardt was satisfied. (Th. Dreiser)
3.
The boy did not close his eyes that night. In the morning he was ordered to clean the dishes with ashes. He hurriedly washed up the dishes and ran through the veranda into the sitting-room.
“Well, then”, cried his Mistress, “go to the kitchen. The tea-tray is on the table. Bring it to the sitting-room. Hurry up!” The boy did not know whether to carry the whole tray or the different tea-things one by one. He had never done anything like that at home. Looking at the “white chalk” things on the tray he asked, “What are these things made of?”
“They are made of china, of course. What else can they be made of? The fool has never seen china things! Now don’t let the tray fall and break the cups, or I will break your bones!” The boy lifted the tray and walked away to the sitting-room. He placed the tray on a small table and went back to the door.
“Oh, you bad boy,” came his Mistress’s voice. “Where have you been? Is there no work to do?” he began to wash up the tea-things and found that as soon as he poured water on the “white chalk” the things became clean. “That is easy,” he thought and quickly poured water on some cups and put them dry. “Oh, what are you doing? Clean those cups with the ashes just as we clean the metal utensils, and clean them well, so that no dirt remains.” At home his aunt had quietly done the housework herself and when he helped her she was very kind to him. But this woman seemed to hate him. He felt sad and lonely. With a heavy heart the boy set to work again. (M.R. Anand)
Conversation Practice
Act out the dialogues and build up yours on the basis of given:
1. Moving Day
Patrick: So you’re moving.
Ann: Yes, well, don’t just stand there! What about giving me a hand?
Patrick: Where are you moving to?
A: Now that Hortense has gone back to France, Mrs. Gaskile says I can have her room.
P: Didn’t you like it, up here next to Ulla?
A: Well, it isn’t a bad room, but it’s awfully noisy, the girls are rushing up and down the passage and the clock is striking every quarter of an hour, and Ulla is playing her banjo all the time! Besides it’s rather a stuffy little room.
P: Yes, but Hortense’s room is awfully cold – the central heating doesn’t work properly.
A: How do you know? Hortense never mentioned it to me.
P: No, but I used to live in that room, so I do know.
A: Anyway, why should I worry about the heating? Summer is coming along. Be a pal and help me to shift this stereo system.
P: With pleasure. Are you taking all the furniture?
A: No, only my personal belongings. Now, come on, Patrick, don’t be so lazy. Lift!
2. Ann Has No Taste
Jane: Ann has no taste at all. Her room is simply awful.
Bob: Awful? Why? What’s wrong with it? What is it like?
J: It’s rather small. There’s a big table in the middle. There’s always some food on the table and a big old suitcase under it. There’s a long narrow bed by the window and there are some old chairs between the bed and the table. There are also some awful pictures on the walls. The one over the bed is simply shocking. And the lamp! Well … I wouldn’t like to comment on that.
B: Is she very poor?
J: No, she isn’t. she is quite well off.
B: Then why is she living in a room like that?
J: She has no taste, poor dear.
B: She’s very much like my aunt Flora. She has a lot of money, but she is very unwilling to spend it.
3. Letting a House
Mr. Read: Here’s the hall and the stairs. There’s a door from the hall into the living-room here, and another door on the right, into the kitchen. On the left side of the hall there is a cloak room with a wash-basin in it, and next to it a lavatory.
Jack: That all seems very convenient.
Ann: There’s plenty of light in the kitchen, I hope.
Mr. Read: There’s quite a large window on the north. The door on the west side can be half glass, too, if you like. There’s a path from the gate to the front door. Here’s the garage, on the west side of the house.
4. Arranging the House
Barbara: Give me a hand with this sideboard, Charles. I want it over there by the settee.
Charles: Don’t you think it would be better under that picture by the armchair?
B: No. the picture isn’t staying there anyway. I only hung it on the wall because it was in the way on the floor. We can arrange the pictures when all the furniture is in place.
Ch: Where did I put my big screwdriver? It’s not in the toolbox and I want to tighten up these loose screws on the door hinges.
B: You had it in your hand when you went into the kitchen just now. Perhaps you left it there.
Ch: Yes, I think I put it down on the shelf above the sink. I’ll go and fetch it.
B: Pass me that brush behind the chair before you go; and take your tools off that nice polished table. You’ll spoil all our furniture before you finish.
Ch: Don’t keep on nagging. I’ve got to put them somewhere. By the way, have you seen the cat this morning? You didn’t shut him outside last night, did you? He’ll get lost.
B: No. he’s definitely inside the house. I expect he’s fed up with all the fuss and noise. He’s probably crept into a cupboard somewhere and gone to sleep.
Ch: That’s just what I’d like to do. I’m tired of it all as well.
5. Discussing the Furniture
Nora: We haven’t bought the new furniture for Robert’s room yet.
Harry: No, if he is going to use it as a study as well as a bedroom, he must have a few extra things.
N: I’ve been keeping my eyes open. This afternoon I have seen a lively second-hand writing desk. And I need a lot of cupboards.
H: I didn’t notice a cupboard on the landing.
N: Oh, that needn’t worry us. I don’t need a cupboard on the landing when there is such a nice one in the bathroom.
H: You must have somewhere to put the linen.
N: Yes, but it needn’t be on the landing – the one in the bathroom will do perfectly.
H: It’s a pity there’s no garage.
N: Harry, need we worry about a garage now? After all, we have not got our car yet.
H: No, you’re quite right, Nora. Now, is there anything else we need discuss with you?
N: I don’t think so.
6. Choosing the Furniture
Customer: Will you show me a sitting-room set, if you please?
Shop-assistant: Here is a number of different styles. How do you like this one?
C: I don’t like it at all.
Sh: How do you find the set over there?
C: I prefer this one. How many pieces does it consist of?
Sh: It has a sofa, four arm-chairs and six ordinary chairs.
C: Have you also got a table to go with the set?
Sh: Yes, indeed, here is one in exactly the same style.
C: Now let me see some dining-room furniture. At first an extension table. What wood is this one made of?
Sh: It is of black walnut.
C: Let me see another one.
Sh: Does this one suit you any better?
C: I like it much better, have you chairs and a sideboard to go with it?
Sh: Certainly.
C: Let me see the sideboard.
Sh: I advise you to take this one. It is an exact match.
C: I don’t see any bedroom furniture here.
Sh: Let us look at this one.
C: I like it very much. Do you also sell bedding?
Sh: You will find everything of the kind upstairs: mattresses, pillows and so on.
7. Inviting to a Housewarming Party
- Have you already moved into the new flat?
- Oh, yes, we have, and we expect you to come to our house warming party next Sunday.
- Thank you, I’ll be very glad. Is it a two-room flat?
- Yes, a very nice one, with all modern conveniences.
- Is it in a multi-storeyed house?
- It’s a four-storeyed dwelling house, a pre-fabricated one, five minutes from the tube.
- Weren’t you sorry to leave your old home?
- Awfully sorry. The neighbours were old fellow-workers and I miss them badly. But you can’t compare the new flat with the old one. You’ll see when you come.
8. Enquiring about the Flat
- Hello, is that Oxford Street 40414?
- Yes, it is.
- I’m enquiring about the flat which was advertised in the local paper.
- Oh, yes?
- Wonder if you could tell me the rent a month, please?
- It’s a hundred and twelve pounds.
- I see. Is it fairly near the city centre?
- Yes, it’s only about a kilometer away.
- I see. Is it quite handy for the shops?
- Yes, within a minute or two on foot.
- Good, what about a garden?
- Well, you’ll have the use of the garden.
- I see. And central heating is there?
- Certainly, gas, central heating.
- How many rooms are there, please?
- There is a large bed-sitting room, a kitchen, a bathroom and a small hall.
- Nice. Which floor is it on?
- The first floor.
- Oh, good. Would it be possible for me to visit it tomorrow, say about 5 o’clock?
- Agreed.
- That’s fine. Could you give me your name, please?
- Mary Jones. And the address is 41 North Parade.
- 41 North Parade. Fine! Thanks ever so much. See you tomorrow at 5 o’clock then.
- Yes. Good-bye.
- Good-bye.
9. Phoning a Landlord
Angela is a student at university. She is looking for a room to rent. She saw an advertisement and has decided to phone the landlord.
- Hello. 678 5423.
- Hello. I saw your advertisement for the room.
- Oh, oh yea. That’s right.
- I wonder if you could give me some more information?
- Yea, well, well what would you like to know?
- I was wondering … Er… What’s the rent?
- 35 pounds a week.
- And what does that include?
- The room, obviously. It’s your own room. You don’t have to share. It’s a single room. You share the bathroom and you can use the kitchen, but there is no meals included.
- Right, uhm… and what about heating?
- No, no you don’t have to pay for that. There is central heating in all the rooms, so there is nothing extra to pay there.
- Oh, lovely, and do you want the rent weekly? Is there a deposit?
- You have to pay weekly, on a Monday. And there’s a one-week deposit, payable in advance.
- Right, that sounds fair. Are there any particular house rules, you know, that I’ve got to keep to?
- How do you mean?
- Well, like what about guests and hours?
- Oh yea, well you can come and go as you want, of course, but you must pay a deposit for the front door key. That’s separate from the other deposit, I’m afraid.
- I see.
- As for guests, they should be out by eleven o’clock. We don’t like to say that, but we’ve had a bit too much trouble, so we have to say it.
- Right. Is it quite near public transport?
- Oh yes. Five minutes to the tube station, and the bus stop is just round the corner with buses into town every ten minutes or so.
- Lovely, it sounds very interesting. Do you think I could come and have a look at it this evening?
- Yea, of course. I’ll give you the address. Now, it’s 35, Chestnut Avenue, Walton. How’ll you be coming?
- By car.
- Well, it’s just by the police station and the library.
- Yes, well I know it. If I come about eight is that all right?
- That’s fine. Could you tell me your name?
- Angela Smiley.
- Right. I’ll see you around eight. Goodbye.
- Bye-bye.
10. Finding out the House Rules
- Well, it’s a lovely room. It’s quite a nice size.
- Oh, yes. It’s a good-sized room and it’s well-furnished.
- Yes, I can see that. Is there anything that I should know?
- Well, I don’t allow the cat to go upstairs at all.
- Oh, not at all.
- No, absolutely not. I don’t like cats upstairs. And I don’t allow people to smoke in bedrooms.
- Oh, no, no. I agree with that. I don’t smoke anyway.
- And I don’t allow people to stick pictures up on the walls with sellotape. Well, you see, when you take the pictures down the sellotape leaves a mark on the paper.
- I see.
- And there are just two more things if you don’t mind. If you do go out, would you please, remember to close the window?
- Right, I’ll do that.
- And there is the kettle here, as you can see. But when you boil the kettle, could you, please, put it on the floor and not on the chest of drawers?
- Oh, I see. Does it make a mark or something?
- Yes, it would probably leave a mark.
- Oh, right. I’ll do that then.
- Is … is that all right?
- Well, it sounds very fair. Thank you very much.
- Yes, all right. Good.
What do we call “home”? Read the opinions of different people and express your point of view building up a conversation with your partner:
Raymond Watt, 48:
“Home is the house where I live, where my family lives. Home can also be the village or town where I lived and was brought up, and also my native country when I am travelling abroad.”
Belinda Collins, 27:
“As a child, I lived in a small village in Sussex with my parents. When I was 16, I went to London to do a secretarial course. Now I live by myself in a small top floor flat in central London and work in a bank. I often go to Sussex at weekends to see my parents and catch up with old friends. I have two places I call “home”: one with my parents in Sussex, and one in London.”
Dave Bellamy, 17:
“I was born into a large family. I’m the fourth child. We live in a semi-detached house in York. I’m lucky to have a room all to myself. No one can enter it without my permission. It’s the law. I love my room. That’s where I feel comfortable and absolutely secure. My room is “my castle”. When I think of home, I always think of my room with posters on the walls, a lot of books everywhere, and my guitar in the corner. I think the saying is true: home is where the heart is.”
Linda Mansfield, 56:
“I’ve travelled a lot, and now I know: a home is not just a house or a flat where you live. You may have a roof over your head and still be homeless. A home is a place where you belong, where you want to be…”