I. Discussion Points Apartments for Sale
Read these newspaper ads and find five differences between the apartment complexes. Spring garden
The Spring Garden Apartment Complex offers you and your family country living at its best. Surrounded by beautiful woods and hills, Spring Garden is located ten miles outside the city but is only minutes from downtown on the freeway.
U
nfurnished
two-bedroom apartments are available. Each apartment has a
dishwasher, central heating, air conditioning, and a laundry room.
Children and pets are welcome.
In addition, there are tennis and basketball courts, two swimming pools, and a playground. There are two parking spaces for each apartment.
Regency towers
Come and experience the luxury of Regency Towers and enjoy the convenience of living only a five-minute walk from the city centre!
Each apartment in this forty-storey building has a wonderful view of the city. A wide choice of apartments is available, from studios to large three-bedroom apartments.
E
ach
apartment is completely furnished and offers every modern
convenience: central heating, air conditioning, laundry facilities,
and your own microwave oven. Free maid service is available. Adults
preferred; no pets. Regency Towers also offers a swimming pool and
exercise room. There is twenty-four-hour security service.
Find words in the passages that mean:
a) very comfortable and with an expensive feeling
b) area with many trees
c) a group of buildings
d) a small apartment with one main room
e) towards or in the centre or main business area of a town or city
Which complex would you prefer to live in? Give your reasons.
II. Translate the following proverbs and comment upon them:
“East or west – home is best.”
“There is no place like home.”
“An Englishman’s home is his castle.”
“Charity begins at home.”
“As you make your bed, so you must lie on it.”
Listening Practice
Country Life versus City Life
The recording is taken from Cool English, № 14
I. PRE-LISTENING TASK
Look up the meanings of these words and phrases in a dictionary to understand the recording better.
the pros and cons out of town
a puppy cool
I mean you know
easy fun
a movie gonna
wanna kind of
I guess sort of
to be into sth scenery
II. LISTENING AND COMPREHENSION TASKS
2.1. Listen to the conversation between Mary and Jean and mark the statements below as True or False.
1. Mary (the first person speaking) is going to buy an apartment of her own.
2. Jean thinks that living in the city is cool.
3. Mary is sure that the city isn’t very loud and there’s not much pollution.
4. Jean has got a chicken.
2.2. Answer the questions:
1. What does one of the speakers like about living in the city?
2. What does the other speaker like about living in the country?
III. AUDITORY MEMORY CHECK
Fill in the gaps with the words from the recording.
1. I can have a little puppy ___ myself.
2. You can go ___ anytime you want, come ___ and not have to worry about ___.
3. I like having my ___, and like having, I don’t know, just having my ___ but in the middle of all the ___ .
4. But, you know, you can come to my ___ and experience the ___ and beautiful ___ and… .
IV. FOLLOW UP ACTIVITY
Speak about the pros and cons of living in the country and in the city. What is the most important thing for you?