UNIT 2: HOUSING

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1. HOME, SWEET HOME
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VOCABULARY PRACTICE I: THE HOUSE OUTSIDE
lawn

porch

pavement
garage

flowerbed
cellar

at the back

attic

fence
roof

at the front

shed

patio

chimney

pond

drainpipe

gate

hedge

TV aerial

garden

outdoors

1. Match the words in the box to the letters in the picture.

2.Look at the following pairs/groups of words and decide what the difference in meaning is
between each word. You may use a dictionary:
a. A terraced house / a semi)detached house / a detached house
b. A bungalow / a flat / a bedsit
c. A cottage / a hut
d. A caravan / a tent
e. A town / a city / a village / a suburb / the capital
f. A county / a country / a continent

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g. A skyscraper / a penthouse
3. Name each of the following:

VOCABULARY PRACTICE II/: THE HOUSE INSIDE

sitting room

dining room

cooker cupboard

kitchen

dishwasher

indoors

bathroom

carpet bedroom

fridge upstairs downstairs

washing-machine

floor

toilet

curtains

armchair
shower

bath

washbasin

study

1. Describe the place where you live to a partner. What is it like on the outside and inside? Use:
- I live in .
- My address is .
- I live in an old /a new house/flat.
- I own / rent my flat / house.
- My flat / house is in an old part of the city / not far from the center / in a new district / in the
suburbs.
- My flat / house has / consists of .
- There are rooms in my house.
- In front of the flat / house

there is / there are

- At the back of the building

- In the garden we grow .

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2.Formulate questions to learn where your classmate lives:

- flat or house?
- old or new?
- in the center or in the suburbs?
- address?
- how long?
- own or rent it?
- number of rooms?

READING AND WRITING PRACTICE

AN UNORDINARY HOME
- So, Geoff, this is your home?
- Thats right. Do you like it?
- I like it very much. Its a very nice boat. Its so quiet here on the river.
- Its noisy in the summer with the tourist boats, but in winter its perfect.
- How big is it?
- Well, its a special type of boat for the canals, which are very narrow in Britain. Its called a
narrow boat and its ten meters long and about two meters wide.
- Ten meters! Is it difficult to drive it along the canals?
- At first, its difficult, but after a while, with practice, its quite easy.
- But I suppose, with ten meters, you have a lot of space.
- Yes, well, were in the living room, and theres a kitchen, a bathroom and two bedrooms through
there.
- How many people live in the boat with you?
- My wife and our baby daughter, three people in all.
- Three of you, I see. And what sort of furniture do you have?
- Well, theres a fridge and a cooker, several armchairs, a television and a shower, but there isnt
room for a bath and a dishwasher. But its quite comfortable.
- And what the most important item for you?
- I suppose its my computer. Yes, its my computer.
3.Answer the questions:
- What do you think about the house in the text? Give for and against answers.
- Would you like to live in such a house? Why?

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4. Fill in the blanks with the missing prepositions:

5. Read the excerpt from a magazine article interview with professional burglar Sticky Fingers.
Then complete the tips on how to avoid having your home burglarized.
Better Safe than Sorry
THE BEST WAY to handle an emergency is to avoid one, if you can. Part Four of our ongoing
series on crime prevention focuses on protecting your home against burglary. Sticky Fingers, an
experienced burglar now serving a 6-year prison sentence, agreed to talk to our reporter.
Reporter: Sticky, what do you look for before burglarizing a house?
Fingers: Well, first, I make sure no one is home and no one is watching. I nose around
neighborhoods where people dont seem to know each other very well. That way, I won't be noticed.
Next, I try to find a house where the people are on vacation and not likely to return soon. I do this by
looking for houses with no lights on in the evening. Then I look at doorways. They're a sure giveaway.
When newspapers, mail, and deliveries are piled up, I can tell that people have been away for days. I
can even count how many days from the number of newspapers.
Reporter: How do you break into a house?
Fingers: Well, usually it's no sweat. Lots of times people leave a window open, or doors and
windows unlocked. Then I just slip in. When I have to break in, I look for a patio door on the first floor.

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They usually have weak locks and you can force them easily. I watch out for dogs, though. If I hear a
dog barking, I go somewhere else.
3. Read the following housing ads and the notices for roommates. Then choose one of the places and
write a notice advertising for a roommate to share it with.

LISTENING AND SPEAKING PRACTICE

1. A man phones a building superintendent for information about an apartment for rent. Listen
and fill in the answers to his questions on the checklist:
- no. of bedrooms:
- rent:
- includes: heat? / electricity
- what floor:
- elevator?
- washers / dryers in bldg.?
- near shopping?
- quiet bldg.?
- address:
- who to see:
- time:
- other info:
- Now say where things are inside your Academy. (the language lab, your dormitories, the
cafeteria or the mess-hall, etc.)
- How far is the closest bus stop / restaurant / post office ? etc.

2. A young couple is moving into a small apartment. Write the name of each piece of furniture
in its correct position on the floor plan.

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