2.1 The Nechaev's Flat

The Nechaevs live a 10-storied block of flats in Leninskii Ave­nue. It is just across from the State Oil and Gas Academy. There are many business centres, offices, banks, shops and supermar­kets nearby. All that makes this place lively and crowded with peo­ple. But there is also an advantage of living here as it doesn't take you much time to do every-day shopping.

The Nechaevs have a three-room flat with all modern conven­iences: central heating, hot and cold running water, telephone, electricity and gas. The flat is on the 9-th floor so the view's terrific - a great part of the capital is under your feet. There is an elevator in the building and TV antenna on the roof.

The flat is rather big. There is an entrance hall, a kitchen, a bathroom, a toilet, a sitting-room, a bed-room and Volodya's room flat. The mother is very proud of the kitchen. It's repaired, well-equipped and nicely furnished. There is a modem Italian kitchen unit in the kitchen. It includes a gas-stove, a washing-machine, a refrigerator, a dishwasher and a microwave oven. The Nechaevs consider it the cosiest place in the flat. They often gather in it to­gether to have a cup of coffee and discuss what has happened in everybody's life.

The sitting-room is large and light. It has everything for a good rest in the day-time. There is a colour TV-set, a video cassette re­corder and a piano in it. There is a wall-unit, a sofa, 2 comfortable arm-chairs, a table with 4 chairs round it and a lamp-stand in the corner. The floor is covered with a nice thick carpet. The curtains on the window match the walls, the carpet and the furniture.

Volodya's room is the smallest one in the flat. There is a ward­robe, a sofa-bed, an old grandmother's armchair, a chair, a desk and book-shelves with lots of interesting books on them. There is a modern computer with Pentium processor, CD-ROM Drive, Sound Blaster and a microphone on the desk. In the comer of the room there is a small table with a tape-recorder on it.

The bedroom has 2 beds, a wardrobe, 2 night tables, 2 padded stools and a three-leaved mirror.

Vocabulary:

a 10-storied block of flats - 10-этажный жилой дом

just across from ... - как раз напротив ...

an advantage - преимущество

an entrance hall - прихожая

a kitchen-unit - кухонныйгарнитур

a dishwasher - посудомоечнаямашина

a wall-unit - мебельная стенка

Pentium processor - процессор Pentium

Sound Blaster - звуковая карта (устройства для записи и воспроизведения звуковой информации)

a night-table - тумбочка

a padded-stool - пуфик

a three-leaved mirror - трельяж

2.2 Read the word correctly & mind the stress.

'lively, 'crowded, 'heating, inc'lude, de'sign, 'nearby, ad'vantage, con'venience, view, proud, re'pair, 'furnish, 'furniture, microwave, micro'phone, 'cosy, e'quip, 'cover, 'curtain, 'wardrobe, 'oven, ele'vator.

2.3 Memorize the following word-combination and compose your own sentences.

1. a three-room flat 5. to be well-equipped

2. to do every-day shopping 6. to be nicely-designed

3. to be proud of 7. to be nicely-furnished

4. to be repaired 8. to be satisfied with.

2.4 Translate the prepositions in brackets.

1. The cat is ... (под) ... the table. 2. There is a tree ... (перед) ... the house. 3. My house is ... (напротив) ...a shop. 4. She is standing ... (рядом) the piano. 5. His name is ... (на) ... the door. 6. The town hall is ...(на) ... the station. 7. The switch is ... (под) ... the window.

8. The cupboard is ... (над) ... the sink. 9. There are some shoes ... (под) ... the bed. 10. In Britain we drive ... (по) ... the left.

2.5 Nine people live in a block of flats.

Look at the scheme and complete the sentences with

on / next to / between, above / below.

Steve Mary Bill Tony Chris Paul Janet Sandra Joe

Example: Chris lives between Tony & Paul.

1. Joe lives ... the ground floor. 2. Mary lives ... Steve & Bill.

3. Paul I lives ... the first floor ... Chris. 4. Tony lives ... Janet. 5. Chris lives ... Sandra & ... Mary. 6. Joe lives ... Paul.

2.6 Disagree with the statements starting with "I'm afraid you are wrong ... ."

1. There's something strange here. 2. There are some cosy arm-chairs in the kitchen. 3. There's somebody in the sitting room. 4. There are some new buildings in this district.

7. Answer the following questions.

1. Where do the Nechaevs live? Where do you live? 2. What are the advantages and drawbacks of living there? Are you satisfied with the district you live? 3. What kind of flat do they have? How many rooms are there in your flat? 4. Do you have a flat with all modern conveniences? 5. What floor is the Nechaevs' flat on? What floor is your flat on? 6. Is there an elevator in their building? And what about your house? 7. What's there in the Nechaevs' kitchen (sitting room, Volo dya's room)? How is your flat furnished. 8.What's the cosiest place in the Nechaevs' flat? And what's the cosiest place in your flat?