House and Home

Exercise 1. Read the text. Put questions to it.

The House of an Englishman

Many families in London live in flats, but most people live in their own houses in the suburbs. Most of London’s suburban houses consist of two floors, the ground floor and the first floor. All in all there are six or seven rooms in the house.

On the ground floor there’s a dining-room, a sitting-room, a kitchen and a hall. In the hall there is a stand for hats, coats and umbrellas. A staircase leads from the hall to the landing on the first floor. On this floor there are four bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory.

On the top of the roof there are three chimneys.

In front of the house they have a small garden in which they grow various plants: roses, tulips, daisies, violets and so on. At the back of the house there’s a much larger garden with a lawn and some fruit trees. At the side of the house there is a garage where they keep their car or even two cars. The plot is enclosed by a fence with a gate in it.

suburbs – пригород

to consist of – состоять

a stand – подставка, стойка

a staircase – лестница

a landing – лестничная площадка

a chimney – дымоход, труба

a lawn – газон

a plot – участок

a fence – забор

a gate – ворота, калитка

Exercise 2. Answer the questions.

1. Have you a good flat?

2. Does your family live in a new flat? When did you get it?

3. How many rooms are there in your flat? Name them.

4. In what room do you receive guests?

5. Is there a study in your flat?

6. What things are there on your writing-table?

7. Are there any pictures on the walls of your sitting-room?

8. What is there on the right and on the left in your sitting-room?

9. In what room does your family have meals?

10. Are there curtains on the windows in the bedroom?

11. Where does your mother or you cook the meals?

12. Is there a refrigerator in the kitchen?

13. Where do you keep your toilet articles (towels, soap, tooth-paste, tooth-brushes)?

Exercise 3. Answer the letter.

A Letter of a Medical Student to his Uncle

Dear Uncle,

I am glad to inform you that I live now in quite comfortable lodgings. My room is a bit small, rather dark and terribly cold, for my landlady requires extra pay for heating it. But I have to put up with it as I can’t afford a better one. I even find my room nice and cosy. Though to tell the truth I can’t call it quiet. Some good-for-nothing young people make an awful noise upstairs. Almost every evening they dance and sing and laugh at silly things. All of it greatly interferes with my study. I spend my days reading for the examinations. I need lots of money to buy books. I hate to ask you to send me an extra sum of money. I think it’s a shame. I hate to trouble you. I hope the postman will lose my letter.

Your affectionate nephew

Harry Jones.

а lodging – жилье, комната

to require – нуждаться

to afford – позволять

quiet – тихий, спокойный

to laugh at – смеяться над

to interfere – мешать, вмешиваться

It’s a shame – стыдно

Learn the proverbs:

My house is my castle.

Men make houses, women make homes.

Exercise 4. Read the dialogue and translate it into Russian.

a)

• I hear you have moved to a new apartment, Steve. Is it true?

• Yes, it is. One of these days we’ll arrange a housewarming party. And I want you and your wife Carol to be present.

• Thank you for the invitation. How do you like your new apartment?

• It’s very comfortable. It’s a five-room apartment with modern conveniences: electric stove and a lot of built-in furniture.

• On what floor is it?

• It is on the tenth floor of a high-rise dwelling house. We’ve got two elevators which work round o’clock.

• Is it far from the city’s centre?

• Rather. It takes me about an hour to get to the centre by bus or by metro. If I drive a car, it takes me thirty minutes.

• I see. Have you bought new furniture?

• We’ve bought wall units, two armchairs and a nice ice-box. We are planning to buy two carpets and a dining set.

• Good luck!

• Thanks. Are you going to move to a new apartment?

• No, I’m not. We’ve been living in our two-room apartment for about eight years and we don’t want to move to anywhere.

• Your apartment is comfortable, isn’t it?

• Yes, very. My wife arranged everything very nicely and I like it very much. We haven’t got much furniture, but we have everything we need.

• I am glad to hear it.

Learn the words.

I hear … - Я слышал …

to move to

a housewarming party

conveniences

an electric stove

a high-rise house

furniture

built-in

wall units

an armchair

an ice-box

b)

• I hear you have moved to a new apartment, Steve. Is it true?

• Да. На днях мы готовим празднование новоселья. Я хочу, чтобы ты и твоя жена Carol пришли.

• Thank you for the invitation. How do you like your new apartment?

• Очень удобная. Пятикомнатная с современными удобствами: электрической плитой и множеством встроенной мебели.

• On what floor is it?

• На десятом этаже высотного жилого дома. У нас два лифта, которые работают круглосуточно.

• Is it far from the city’s centre?

• Довольно. Мне нужно час, чтобы добраться до центра на автобусе или метро. Если я еду на машине, то 30 минут.

• I see. Have you bought new furniture?

• Мы купили секцию, два кресла и прекрасный холодильник. Мы планируем купить два ковра и столовый набор.

• Good luck!

• Спасибо. А ты собираешься переезжать в новую квартиру?

• Нет. Мы живем в нашей двухкомнатной квартире восемь лет и не хотим никуда переезжать.

• Your apartment is comfortable, isn’t it?

• Да, очень. Моя жена сделала все очень красиво, и мне она очень нравится. У нас не много мебели, но у нас есть все, что нам нужно.

• I am glad to hear it.

Your Vocabulary

Do you know all these words?

suburbs

to consist of

a stand

a staircase

a landing

a chimney

a lawn

a plot

a fence

a gate

а lodging

нуждаться

позволять

тихий, спокойный

смеяться над

мешать, вмешиваться

переезжать

новоселье

удобства

электрическая плита

высотный дом

мебель

встроенная

секция

кресло

холодильник