House for Sale

I. Pre-listening tasks

1.1. Look at the advertisement “House for Sale”. This house is old and in very bad condition. But there are people who are interested in buying it. Can you guess why? Notice that terraced houses are several houses, usually two-storey, joined together in a row or terrace.

TERRACED house. Built 1872. 3 bedrooms. Needs some attention. Ideal for keen do-it-yourself enthusiast. Very reasonable price. Gatsby & Stahr., Estate Agents.

1.2. Make sure you understand who is the doer of the action in the sentences in each pair.

1. a. I’ll do the ceiling myself.

b. We’ll have to have the ceiling done.

2. a. We’ll put more power points in.

b. We’d need to have more power points put in.

3. a. I can do most of the things in the house.

b. We’d have to get most things done for us.

II. Listening and comprehension tasks

2.1. Listen to the conversation between an estate agent and Robin and Jean Harvey, who are looking at the house and answer the questions below.

1. Where is the owner of the house staying at the moment?

2. What rooms are there in the house?

3. What does the estate agent say about the price?

4. How many storeys are there in the old house?

5. Do you think Robin will buy the house?

6. What saying did you hear on the tape?

2.2. When Robin and Jean are talking about the house, they mention several things they can do themselves and some other things that they will have done. Listen to the conversation again, and complete the chart.

	Do it themselves	Have it done by someone else
Put in kitchen units Do kitchen ceiling Paint kitchen Rewire house Put in more power points Redecorate lounge Convert small bedroom into bathroom Put toilet in bathroom Repair roof Put in central heating Double-glaze windows

III. Follow up activity

What would you like to change in the house you live in?

• Speaking

1. You and your husband have bought a house which is in poor condition. Say what is wrong with it and what jobs you’ll be able to do by yourselves and whether you’ll need any professional help.

2. You and your husband can’t afford buying a new house, so you have chosen one which has been rather neglected and needs a lot of repairing and redecorating. But as your husband is a Do-It-Yourself enthusiast your final decision is to buy it as you’re satisfied with the price.

3. You are newly-weds. You are moving into a new house. You have come to see it before you move in. You discuss what furniture you want to buy, how you are going to decorate and equip the house.

Self Check

Exercise 1. Fill in the prepositions where necessary.

1. Does John live … his relatives’?

2. They would like to call you and ask … more information.

3. Have you got a room … yourself?

4. It’s hard to find lodgings … a low price nowadays.

5. When is he moving … a new flat?

6. It takes Nora 20 minutes to get … the office.

7. Who do you take the room … ?

8. The flat faced … the yard.

9. I hope you’ll drop … some day, won’t you?

10. They are pleased … their new wall-unit.

11. These windows look … … the garden.

12. We saw an advertisement … the room.

13. She has to pay … the telephone.

14. There are some particular house rules they’ve got to keep … .

15. Have a look … this drawing!

16. Sue lives apart … her parents.

17. He prefers to pay … advance.

18. We have a lovely view … the kitchen window.

19. … the right of the table there is a bookcase.

20. Fred is looking … a new flat.

Exercise 2. Choose the correct variant in each of the following sentences.

1. … It faces west.	a) How does your house face? b) What does your house face?
2. They have got a … flat.	a) two-rooms b) two-room
3. Have you got a room … yourself?	a) of b) to
4. I am … about my new washing-machine.	a) satisfied b) happy
5. She would like to … her flat in the coming month.	a) let b) rent
6. It is a … room.	a) good-sized b) good-size
7. It’s very … to have a balcony in your flat.	a) comfortable b) convenient
8. There … much furniture in the living room.	a) isn’t b) aren’t
9. The desk is standing … the window.	a) beside b) besides
10. … the sides of the window there are beautiful curtains.	a) on b) at

Exercise 3. Paraphrase the following using your active vocabulary:

1. to be expensive

2. the pay for a flat

3. a many / multi storey building with flats

4. a clean room

5. to face the garden

6. to rent a flat

7. to live in a hostel

8. to have a single room

9. a person you share a room with

10. a piece of furniture

11. to be dirty

12. to clean a carpet with a vacuum cleaner

13. to pay a rent every month

14. a new unit of furniture

15. to share a room with another person

16. to call on at a place

17. to switch on the light

18. to wash the dishes

19. to have a large room

20. to have a comfortable room

Exercise 4. Give the opposite of the following:

1. to be convenient

2. to pay a high rent

3. to live on the ground floor

4. to have modern furniture

5. to clean a room

6. to feel comfortable

7. to go upstairs

8. a quiet street

9. to turn on a tape recorder

10. to have a single room

11. a furnished flat

12. to take much room

13. to be satisfied with the living conditions

14. to have a lot of advantages

15. to let a room

Exercise 5. Fill in the missing words.

1. Mikes rents a flat from his distant … .

2. What does your window … ? It looks down on a public garden.

3. – Have you got a room of your own? – No, I … it with my brother.

4. It’s hard to buy a flat at a low … nowadays.

5. – How do you find my new cupboard? – It looks beautiful and it doesn’t seem to take much … .

6. – Is there much furniture in your sitting-room? – No, only the most necessary … .

7. The flat I live in … much to desire.

8. I’m not satisfied with the room I live in, the … is high and it is a long way from the University.

9. The flat needs decorating, the floor is … and the roof is leaking.

10. The wall looks quite … . Why not place the bookcase there?

11. Is there a supermarket on your … home?

12. Fred can spend up to $15 a week but he can’t … to spend any on heating.

13. I hear they are … for a house to buy.

14. She … all the dust off the floor with a large broom.

15. The child always leaves the toys in a … on the floor.

16. They got a new flat and are lucky now to have friendly … .

17. It’s very stuffy here. They should have the air-conditioning … .

18. He has a lovely … from the window.

19. Our house is … in a very busy street in town centre.

20. I don’t think we are going to buy this sofa. It’s too big and will take much … .