1. Say which of the statements are true. Correct the false ones.

1. Family patters are common in all the countries of the world.

2. The most typical type of family in the US is a traditional one.

3. Single-parent families are families only with father at the head.

4. A stepparent is a person who joins the family by marring either a mother or a father.

5. Single people can easily adopt children in the United States.

6. Half of all marriages in the U.S. end in divorce nowadays.

7. Unlike their parents, many single adult Americans today are getting married after finishing school.

8. Families serve many functions, such as: giving money and food to children.

9. The most important job for the family is to give emotional support.

10) Our families show us who we are.

2. Put each of the following words into the gaps.

bride reception consent toast propose accepted

civil bridegroom engaged wedding honeymoon ceremony

One evening, although he was very nervous, Joe decided__________to his girlfriend, Linda. She_________his proposal, they became____________and he gave her a ring. After a year they had saved enough money to get married (they where both over 18 so they didn’t need there parents______________). Some people have a religious__________with a priest, but Joe and Linda decided on a__________ceremony in a registory office. On the day of the__________Linda, the____________, was very calm. But Joe, the____________was very nervous. Afterwards, at the____________, the speeches were made and the guests drank a_____________to the happy couple, who finally left for a__________in Spain.

3. Make an outline of the text consisting of 5-8 sentences and retell the text according to it.

III. Housing

Focus Vocabulary

property – имущество, собственность accommodation – жилье dwelling – место жительства flat – квартира tax incentives – налоговые льготы mortgage loan – кредит instalment – взнос to rent – арендовать thatched – соломенный terraced house – дом ленточной застройки semi-detached house – дом, имеющий общую стену с соседним домом

detached house – особняк affluent – богатый ceiling – потолок beam – балка, брус slums – трущобы to re-house – переселять outskirts – окраина tower blocks – многоэтажное здание storey – этаж playground – спортивная площадка facility – удобства, услуги

Patterns of Housing in Britain

Over half the people in Britain live in their own houses, about a third live in property rented from the local council and one eight live in privately-rented accommodation. The total number of dwellings is more than 22 million and houses are much more common than flats.

Although the number of houses built during the 1980s went down (especially in the public housing sector traditionally provided by local authorities) the number of people owning their personal homes has more than trebled in the last 35 years. Nowadays there are many tax incentives for people who want to buy houses of their own.

Buying a house is a large financial investment for many people. That is why the majority buy their homes with a mortgage loan from a building corporation or a bank. The loan is repaid in monthly instalments over a period of twenty years or more. Some people rent or buy accommodation through housing associations which provide a financial alternative to the mortgage system.

There are many different types of housing in Britain, ranging from the traditional thatched country cottages to flats in the centre of towns.

Terraced houses are usually found in inner cities. They can be anything up to 150 years old and were often built by industries to house their workers near the factories. Such houses are built in long rows where each house is attached to the ones on either side. The back of this type of house faces the back of another identical row of houses, so they are often known as “back to backs”.

Semi-detached houses have been built in large numbers since the 1930s when Britain's towns and cities expanded into suburbs. Each house is part of a pair and is joined on one side to its partner. Towns in Britain have areas which contain streets and streets of semis, often with well-kept gardens.

The detached house stands by itself, usually with a garden all around it. These houses are much more expensive than semis and are often owned by professional people. Most detached houses are to be found in affluent suburbs or in the green belt – a strip of protected open countryside around the city, where no industrial development is allowed.

Britain is famous for its country cottages which were often built on the country estates of wealthy landowners or around a village green. Such houses have low ceilings, wooden beams and sometimes a thatched roof.

In the 1960s local councils cleared a lot of slums in the inner city areas. The people were re-housed in tower blocks on the outskirts of the city or in the centre of the city. Tower blocks can vary from 3-5 storeys high up to 10-20 storeys high. Each storey contains five or six flats for families. In recent years local councils have tried to improve the areas around tower blocks by creating children's playgrounds and facilities for the community to use.