14 Housing

A Places in the home

You probably already know the names of most rooms and locations in a typical home. Here are some less common ones and what they are for.

utility room: usually just for washing machine, freezer, etc.

shed: small building separated from the house usually for storing garden tools

attic: room in the roof space of a house (could be lived in)

loft: space in the roof of a house usually used only for storage

cellar: room below ground level, no windows, used for storage

basement: room below ground level, windows, for living/working

landing: flat area at the top of a staircase

hall: open area as you come into a house

porch: covered area before an entrance-door

pantry or larder: large cupboard (usually big enough to walk into) for storing food

terrace or patio: paved area between house and garden for sitting and eating, etc.

study: a room for reading / writing / studying in

Ex.1. Where in a typical house would you look for the following things?

1 a rake 5 suitcases 9 a grater

2 cutlery 6 a tumble-dryer 10 old empty boxes

3 dental floss 7 a power point

4 a coat-hanger 8 a porch

Ex.2. Fill in the room and place labels on the plan of the house.

B Types of house / places people live

detached house: not joined to any other house

semi-detached house: joined to one other house

terraced house: joined to several houses to form a row

cottage: small house in the country or in a village

bungalow: house with only one storey (no upstairs)

bedsit: bedroom and living room all in one

villa: large house with big gardens or a rented house in a holiday resort / tourist area

time-share: holiday flat or house where you have the right to live one or two weeks a year

Ex.3. Fill the gaps with a suitable word.

1. I've got a darkroom in the ....….......................... where I develop films. It's perfect because there are no windows down there.

2. Is there a ................................. where I can plug in this radio?

3. You'd better have a ................................. under your drink in case you mark that side-table. It's an antique.

4. The waste-bin's full again. I'll empty it. Are there any more ..... ........................? Where are they?

5. We keep our skis up in the ................................. during the summer. They're out of the way up there.

6. You'll find the garden-chairs in the ................................. at the bottom of the garden. Bring them up and we'll have a drink on the ................................. and watch the sunset.

7. The light-switch for the stairs is on the ................................. as you come out of your bedroom.

8. I've moved to a ................................. now as I found I couldn't manage the stairs any more at my age.

Ex.4. Put each of the following words or phrases in its correct position in the passages below.

Renting a flat

deposit fee flat advertisements accommodation agency

landlord rent block self-contained references

The first thing I had to do in Belfast was find somewhere to live, if possible a small, one-bedroomed (a) ____. I didn't want to share a kitchen or toilet; I wanted to be independent in my own (b) ____ place. I decided I could pay a (c) _____ of £50 a week. I couldn't find what I wanted in the newspaper (d)_____ so I went to an (e) ____. They offered me a nice place. It was in a modern (f) ____ on the third floor. I had to pay the agency a (g) ____, and the (h) ____ wanted a big (i) ____ and (j) ____ from my employer and bank manager.

Buying a house

condition detached removals cramped semi-detached builder

spacious surveyor architect terraced estate-agent

Tony and Sheila's first home was a (a) ____ house, one of a line of houses all connected. But several years later when they had a small child, they found it rather (b) ____ for three people. They wanted something more (c) ____ and so decided to move. They went to an (d) ___ and looked at details of the houses he had to offer. They looked at a (e) ____ house (one of a pair attached to each other), liked it, and asked a (f) ____ to inspect it for them. He said, that it was in good (g) ____, and they therefore decided to buy it. Luckily they sold their house quickly and soon a (h) ____ firm was taking all their furniture and other possessions to their new home. But already, after a couple of years, they are hoping to move again. Tony's business is doing well and they want to get an (i)________to design a modern, (j) _______ house for them, and a (k) ____ to build it.

Ex.5. Put one of the following words in each space in the sentences below.

for at in on of into with

1. She wanted a place ____ her own.

2. He'll move ____ tomorrow.

3. He'll move ___ his new flat tomorrow.

4. I share the kitchen ____ three other people.

5. The landlord asked the tenant ____ more rent.

6. My flat is ____ the top floor.

7. The house is ____ good condition.

8. I looked ________ advertisements ____ the newspaper.

9. She pays a rent ____ £ 90 a week.

Ex.6. Match the types of houses in A with their definitions in B.

A British houses	B
cottage thatched cottage conversion maisonette loft conversion housing estate	small old village house with a thatched roof added bedroom in the roof space (suburban) area where all houses were built at the same time and are similar in style small one-storey(ed) village house apartment on two floors result of changing a large house warehouse, etc. into several apartments
American houses
ranch mansion brownstone studio housing development condominium / co-op mobile home vacation home	additional (usually small) home where people live at the weekends and while on holidays apartment with only one room (suburban) area where all houses were built at the same time and are similar in style building or apartment owned by the people living in it house with a front made of brown stone, common in New York City very large house where rich people live house which looks like an ordinary one but can be moved one-storey(ed) farmhouse

Ex.7. Translate into Russian.

Semi-detached house (BE) / duplex (AE), terraced houses (BE) / row houses (AE), skyscraper, detached house, bungalow, block of flats (BE) / apartment building (AE), ground floor (BE) / first floor (AE), first floor (BE) / second floor (BE);

TV aerial (BE) / TV antenna (AE), dustbin (BE) / garbage can (AE), drive (BE) / driveway (AE), garden (BE) / yard (AE), kerb (BE) / curb (AE), pavement (BE) / sidewalk (AE), letter box (BE) / mail slot (AE), phone box (BE) / phone booth (AE), gutter, fire escape, tiled roof, flowerbed.

Types of roofs: rainbow, m-shaped, lean to, gabled, saw tooth.

Types of windows: sash, mullion, deadlight, sliding, hopper, awning, leaded, lattice.

Types of protruding windows: box, bay, bow, barrel.

Types of roof windows: rooflight, eyebrow, gable dormer, hipped dormer, oriel.

Types of doors: swing, glass, Dutch (stable), screen, sliding, revolving, French, turnstile, roll.

Ex.8. Compare the English estate advertisement below with its Russian translation.

Set in a new housing estate this mid-terrace two-storey house overlooks a city park. Ideally placed for transport (buses, tube). 2 bedrooms, hallway, 2 bathrooms, through lounge, through fully fitted kitchen. Alarm system, secure parking space, FGCH (facilities, gas, cold and hot water), central heating. OIRO (offer in the region) £200,000, ono (or the nearest offer). Neg (negotiable). F/H (freehold). ASAP (as soon as possible). No chain (agents).

Расположенный в новом жилом массиве двухэтажный дом террасного типа (средняя часть) с видом на городской парк. Удобная транспортная развязка (автобусы, метро). 2 спальни, вестибюль, 2 ванные комнаты, просторная гостиная, полностью оснащенная техникой просторная кухня. Охранная сигнализация, охраняемая стоянка. Все удобства, газ, холодное и горячее водоснабжение, центральное отопление. Цена в районе £200 000, предложения рассматриваются. Возможен торг. Полное владение. Без посредников.

Now translate the advertisements below into Russian by yourselves.

1. Well refurbished apartment in a warehouse conversion (flat roof, sash and deadlight windows, sliding doors) with views over the River Thames. Including satellite dish, easy access to the secluded rear garden from the ground floor, entry phone, security system. Kitchen, 2 bedrooms with en-suite bathrooms. Underground parking. Lift caretaker. Offer in the region (OIRO) of £175,000. Leasehold.

2. Set in a superb housing estate with shops, restaurant and unique riverside beach, this converted studio is in immaculate decorative order and offers views over a park. Gabled roof, sliding windows, French doors. Open plan kitchen / dining room. Garage with a private drive. 20-feet south facing landscaped garden with a patio. Facilities, gas, cold and hot water, central heating. £108,000. Negotiable. No agents. Freehold.

Ex. 9. Read the ad below. Can you translate it into regular English?

Immac refurb endof terr mid Vic listed prop in quiet cul-de-sac, period feats, 3 beds, thru recap, versatile draw rm, lge fttd conservatory style kit / bfast rm. Incl fttd carpets / curtains, 35ft rear S/F secluded gdn. Nr shops / tube. FGCH, en-suite Lu Bath, sep WC. Fully double glazed, damp-proof cellarage, clks. Architect plans for loft conversion. Possible s/c granny flat. Convenient BR stn. G., OSP. OIRO £430,000, ono. Neg. F/H. ASAP. No chain. Tel 0483509221.

Ex. 10. Translate into English

1. Продается уникальный пентхауз, самая дорогая переделанная квартира в агентстве недвижимости «Берега». Окна выходят на запад, две безукоризненные спальни, соединяемые с роскошными ванными комнатами. Просторная без перегородок гостиная со стеклянной крышей и выходом на террасы на крыше. Предложение в районе €280.000. Аренда. Торг.

2. Официально зарегистрированный, недавно отремонтированный дом викторианского стиля идеально расположенный в тихом уголке города с прекрасным видом на реку. Отличное капиталовложение. Чудесно сохранились архитектурные признаки викторианского периода. Просторная без перегородок кухня оранжерейного типа. На заднем дворе – тихий ландшафтный 50-футовый сад, выходящий на запад. Удобный доступ к безопасному подземному гаражу с личным подъездом. Недалеко станция метро. Продажа в полное владение. Срочно.

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