I was then shown over the rest of the flat.

In the parlour they had a comfortable suite of furniture with a thick rug to match. It was evident that the O’Donnells had a good eye for colour. In the centre of the room there was a big pull-out table that is used when guests come. Near the window there were two armchairs and a sofa facing the TV-set with a remote control.

The next stop was the bedroom. This was not yet fully furnished and the O’Donnells were saving up to buy the missing furniture. A double king-size bed, a chest of drawers and a dressing table would complete the furniture, Sean explained. Sean’s writing desk and an easy armchair were placed here so that he can work when the TV-set was on in the parlour. I thought that the desk in the bedroom was not the best choice, but Sean disagreed.

The best thing about the nursery was that there was plenty of room for the kids to run about. Furniture was limited to a small desk, a bookcase and a bed for the eldest boy, a cot, a small table and a chair for the junior member of the family.

“Well, the architects and the builders put in a lot of thought for your comfort,” I observed when the tour was over.

Assignments

I. Transcribe and translate:

Southern; exposure; architect; maximum; efficient; occupy; enamel; microwave; oven; utensils; vacuum; appliances; suite; towel; toiletries.

II. Spell the words according to transcription:

[׳Av(q)n] oven

[׳pRlq] parlour

[Iks׳pqVZq] exposure

[׳nE:s(q)rI] nursery

[SaVq] shower

[q׳plaIqns] appliance

[׳PkjqpaI] occupy

[׳tOIlItrI] toiletry

[׳sAD(q)n] southern

[tVq] tour

[drL] drawer

[׳vxkjHm] vacuum

[I׳fIS(q)nt] efficient

[׳maIkrqweIv] microwave

[swJt] suite

III. Find in the text the English equivalents for and use them in the sentences of your own:

быть ограниченным чем-либо кухонные принадлежности экономное использование пространства быстро растущий район хорошо подбирать цвета занимать полезную площадь сочетать максимум комфорта и красоты раздвижной стол стены, облицованные плиткой хорошенько продумать все удобства безупречно чистый отлично подходить к чему-л. показать кому-л. квартиру рассмотреть детали копить деньги на недостающую мебель окна выходят на юг и восток

to be limited to cooking utensils a highly efficient use of floor space a rapidly developing neighbourhood to have a good eye for colour to occupy badly needed floor space to combine a maximum of comfort and beauty pull-out table tiled walls put in a lot of thought for smb.’s comfort spick and span to be an excellent match to to show smb. around the flat to take in the details to save up to buy the missing furniture to have a southern and western exposure