Dome sweet dome!

Weather-proof, solar-powered – and no housework to speak of!!!

Just imagine a house which cleaned itself, where robots prepared the meals, where dusting, ironing and vacuum-cleaning were the things of the past. Imagine the house heated and powered by the energy equivalent to just one gas cooker ring, the house in which you could actually go skiing… Science fiction? Science fact!

The Home of the Future will be built indoors, for a start. Small groups of houses will nestle under gigantic glass domes surrounded by lush trees and shrubs. Tropical birds may flit across the roof-tops in the constant, computer-controlled warmth.

The house itself will be any style or size you fancy. Being indoors, it will need only a tiny amount of energy to heat. Much power will come from solar panels in the dome – the round roof.

Forget front door keys. Your door will be opened as soon as it hears the voice it recognises. Your space-age butler – the ultimate computer – will oversee security. This discreet electronic servant will control everything, from temperature, humidity and lightning to household gadgets and cleaning chores. He’ll pay bills and order food, making sure it’s delivered to your door. He’ll book your holidays, order library books, even help you with the crossword!

Having a party? Make the living room larger by moving the walls. After your guests leave make it smaller again. Push a button and the walls will move backwards or forwards.

You’ll be able to see what your guests are wearing before they arrive by calling them up on a video-phone in the hall. And the washing? Simply place it in the integrated laundry until it comes out ready to wear, thanks to the new, easy-care fabrics. What, no electric sockets? Instead each room will have a “power wall” where you will be able to attach electric appliances.

Gone, too, will be the good old-fashioned duster – the air will be filtered and then scented with your favourite perfumes.

There will be plenty of room for fun! The leisure room door will be the entrance to a world full of endless adventure. When you get bored, simulators will provide any experience from canoeing to parachuting and skiing.

The garden will be in the loft. Roof will be made of glass. This will allow flower borders, shrubs and lawns to grow well in that wasted space we normally use for rubbish.

Love them or loathe them, such homes of the future are on their way.

Exercise 4

Find the word in the article which means:

very big fly lightly and quickly like d) be in control of

uninteresting jobs space inside the roof hate very much

Speaking

Would you like to live in the house described? Give your reasons.

Designing a dream home

Part A. Form a group of two or three. You are a team of well-known architects. Sally Star (an actress who makes exercise videotapes) wants you to design a new Hollywood home for her. Draw a plan of the house in the lot below.

Here is some information about Sally.

• She hates street noise.

• She loves a view of water.

• She has many dinner parties.

• She likes to exercise.

• She is the president of Californians for Clean Air.

• She wants a one-storey house.

• She has two children, Jill(5) and Bill(9).

• Her children like to have friends over.

• Her parents live with her.

• She has many, many clothes.

Use the following phrases.

Making suggestion

Let’s put her bedroom here next to the pond.

Let’s make a big closet in her bedroom.

The kitchen should look out on the

street / pond.