What's your attitude to untidy people?

Mr. and Mrs. Turvey both hated housework. They were a very untidy couple who never put things away. When they went to bed, for example, they always left their clothes in a mess on the floor. Their kitchen was a mess, too. Even though they had a dishwasher, they always left the dirty dishes in the kitchen sink and niily did the washing-up when there wasn't a clean plate to be found in the Imuse. It was the same with their clothes. They never put them into the washing machine until there was nothing else left to wear. The living room always looked as if a bomb had just gone off. There were things everywhere. There was tin. к dust on every piece of furniture and the carpet had not been cleaned for years. And the bathroom!

One day, when Mr. Turvey couldn't find one of his shoes, and Mrs. Turvey couldn't see her face in the bathroom mirror, they decided it was time to get the house cleaned. So they found Marie, a foreign student at a local language school, who needed some extra money.

Marie came to the house and worked all day long. She washed and dried all the dishes. Then she got out the iron. She ironed the clothes, folded them neatly and put them away. She swept all the dust off the floors with a large broom. She took a wet cloth and wiped the dust off every surface in the house and then polished the furniture until it was shining. She got out the vacuum cleaner and cleaned all the carpets. The floor was filthy. It was too dirty to wash with a mop, so Marie got on her knees and scrubbed the dirt off with a scrubbing brush. Finally she made the house looked spotless.

Mr. and Mrs. Turvey came home that evening. There was nothing on the floor. There was no dust on the furniture. The wood was shining and in their bedroom all their clothes were neat, clean and tidy. 'So what do you think'.'' Mrs. Turvey asked her husband. 'It looks nice and tidy,' he said, 'but how are you going to find anything?'

Task 3

Role-play a row between a wife and a husband about their household duties.

Writing

Now write short paragraphs on the topic «It's better to live in a house than in a flat. Discuss advantages and disadvantages. While writing note the connectors and modifiers used in the examples given below. Use the plan and the hints.

Paragraph 1

In such cases, it is a good idea to develop your introductory first paragraph by listing the factors that make different people prefer one or the other.

In my opinion, it is not true to say it is always better to live in a house than in a flat. The choice depends on the needs of the particular person or family, and in any case, houses and flats are not all the same. While some houses are large, new, comfortable and well-built, others are small and ugly. We have to take into account the needs of the people who are going to live in them.

Paragraphs 2 and 3

The second and third paragraphs can usually be constructed by listing the advantages and disadvantages of each of the alternatives. Remember that the points in favour often contain some points against at the time, as you can see from the chart below.

House		Flat
+	-	+	-
larger more rooms	more expensive more housework	less expensive easier to clean	smaller less space
garage garden	work in the garden	concierge	no garage no lift

Write two paragraphs, the first on houses, the second on flats. List the

advantages and disadvantages in each case, and add any that you can think of

yourself. Also study the same section so that you will be able to modify any

statement you make.

Another way of approaching this topic is to consider the needs of a family with children, for example, compared to those of a person living alone. Which do you think the family would prefer, a house or a flat, and why? Which would the single person prefer and why? Write alternative second and third paragraphs, this time considering the problem from the point of view of

a) a family

b) a person living alone.

Paragraph 4

The final paragraph should summarise the argument, but also contain your personal point of view. Whether you have compared the advantages and disadvantages of houses and flats or the situation of a family or an individual, the first sentence given here will provide an appropriate opening. Finish the paragraph in your own way, expressing a personal opinion, according to the approach you have adopted. In general, the choice between a house and a flat depends on people's personal needs and preferences.