22. Examine the network and reproduce the topic “House and home” supplying the necessary factual and imaginative details so as to present some ideas to your group-mates.
House and Home
types of houses
renting
household chores
for housework
electrical household goods
for food
23. Comment on the following statements and give your own ideas.
1. Everyone needs housing of some kind. But housing standards vary in different countries.
2. Our home is a place at which we feel comfortable and at ease.
3. Family roles are changing now.
4. An ad in the newspaper enables home-seeking families to find flats and houses.
5. The house is in excellent condition.
24. Situations to discuss:
You spent last Sunday at your friend’s summer house.
Tell your mother what you liked and disliked about the house and its premises.
Discuss with your friend what house you’d like to buy, what you’d like to have around the house, in what area you’d like it to be located, etc.
You are a real estate agent. Help your client to find a house/flat he/she is
interested in.
You have a room for rent. Show it to a possible tenant and discuss it with
him/her.
II. Writing Section.
1. Designing rooms. You work in television. You design sets. You're going to design the set for a new TV drama Different lives - different dreams. Read about the main characters. Do you think their homes are similar?
2. Work in pairs. Design one of the four living rooms. Talk about these things and then write your ideas.
- What kinds of things do you think are in the living room (furniture, flowers, books, CDs, pictures, magazines, things from holidays, etc.)?
- What does the room look like? Is it modern or traditional? Is it tidy or untidy? What colours are there?
c) In groups of four. Read your descriptions to each other but don't say whose room it is. Can the other pair guess?
Example: It's a very modern room with big windows. The walls are white and there's a …
Different lives - different dreams
This is a modern psychological drama about the very different lifestyles, ambitions and dreams of the members of one family. All of the action takes place in the different living rooms of the main characters.
Cordelia and Henry O'Connell
Cordelia and Henry are in their late fifties. Cordelia is from a very rich family but she and Henry don't have a lot of money any more. They have an old house in the country and they've lived there for many years. They used to be hippies and they still have a free and easy lifestyle. They've travelled a lot and love India and Latin America. Their house is full of things they've bought on their travels.
Bob: (Cordelia and Henry's son)
Bob is in his late twenties and is an ambitious young businessman. He has worked in a bank in London since he left university and he's now very successful. He always has beautiful, rich girlfriends. He has a large luxury flat in the city centre. His flat is a financial investment and so are the things in it.
Carol: (Cordelia and Henry's daughter)
Carol is a fashion designer and her husband, Justin, is an architect. They're both in their early thirties. They have a modern house in the city. They're always looking for new ideas and hate anything traditional. They want to be different from other people. Their friends are designers and artists and they often buy their work. They don't have children and they don't want them – children are too untidy!
Ophelia: (Cordelia's sister)
Ophelia is in her late fifties, but thinks she's still twenty. She has been married seven times. She's single at the moment, but she's looking for husband number eight. She loves romance and glamorous parties. She has spent a lot of time on the French Riviera. She writes romantic novels and makes a lot of money.
3. Imagine that you are an estate agent. You sell flats, houses, country houses, etc. You are good at making houses sound attractive, even when they are in a terrible condition. Write adverts for them.