My flat

Wе live in a new 16-storeyed block of flats in Strogino. It's situated in a very picturesque place not far from the Moskva River. There's a big supermarket on the ground floor and it's very convenient to do everyday shopping.

Our flat is on the fifth floor. It's very comfortable and well-planned. We have all modern conveniences, such as central heating, electricity, gas, cold and hot running water and a telephone. There are three rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and a hall in our flat. There's also a balcony and we can enjoy a lovely view of the river.

The largest room in our flat is the living room and we use it as a dining room and as a sitting room. In the middle of the room there's a big table and six chairs round it. Opposite the window there's a wall unit with lots of books, a TV-set and a video cassette recorder. There are two comfortable armchairs and a small coffee table in the right-hand corner. There is also a sofa and an electric fire in our living room. We like the living room best of all, because in the evenings we gather there to have tea, watch TV, talk and rest.

My room is the smallest room in our flat, but it's very cosy and light. There's a bed, a wardrobe, a desk, an armchair and several bookshelves in my room. There's a thick carpet on the floor. The walls in my room are light-brown and there are some big posters on them. I like my room very much, but from time to time I change it round. I quite often move the bed and change the posters on the wall,

Our kitchen is large and light. It's very well-equipped. We've got a refrigerator, a freezer, a microwave oven, a coffeemaker and a toaster. We haven't got a dishwasher yet, because it's very expensive. But I'm sure we'll buy it in the near future.

Vocabulary

16-storeyed - 16-этажный

convenient - удобный, подходящий

block of flats - многоквартирный дом

comfortable - удобный, комфортабельный, уютный

to be situated - быть расположенным

picturesque – живописный

well-planned - хорошо спланированный

supermarket – супермаркет

modern conveniences - современные удобства

ground floor - первый этаж

central heating - центральное отопление

electricity – электричество

gas - газ

running water – водопровод

balcony – балкон

to enjoy – наслаждаться

lovely - красивый, прекрасный

view of - вид на

living room - жилая комната

dining room – столовая

sitting room – гостиная

wall unit - стенка

armchair – кресло

left-hand corner - левый угол

coffee table - журнальный столик

electric fire - электрический камин

cosy - уютный

light - светлый

wardrobe - платяной шкаф

desk - письменный стол

bookshelf - книжная полка (мн.ч. bookshelves)

carpet - ковер

poster - плакат

to change round - менять местами (мебель и т.п.)

well-equipped - хорошо оборудованный

refrigerator – холодильник (сокр. fridge)

freezer - морозильная камера

microwave oven – микроволновая печь

coffemaker – кофеварка

toaster - тостер

dishwasher - посудомоечная машина

expensive – дорогой

Meals in Britain.

A traditional English breakfast is a very big meal-sausages, bacon, eggs, tomatoes, mushrooms....But nowadays many people just have cereal with milk and sugar, or toast with marmalade, jam, or honey. Marmalade and jam are not the same! Marmalade is made from oranges and jam is made from other fruit. The traditional breakfast drink is tea, which people have with cold milk. Some people have coffee, often instant coffee, which is made with just hot water. Many visitors to Britain find this coffee disgusting!

For many people lunch is a quick meal. In cities there are a lot of sandwich bars, where office workers can choose the kind of bread they want - brown, white, or a roll - and then all sorts of salad and meat or fish to go in the sandwich. Pubs often serve good, cheap food, both hot and cold. School-children can have a hot meal at school, but many just take a snack from home - a sandwich, a drink, some fruit, and perhaps some crisps.

'Tea' means two things. It is a drink and a meal! Some people have afternoon tea, with sandwiches, cakes, and, of course, a cup of tea. Cream teas are popular. You have scones (a kind of cake) with cream and jam.

The evening meal is the main meal of the day for many people. They usually have it quite early, between 6.00 and 8.00, and often the whole family eats together.

On Sundays many families have a traditional lunch. They have roast meat, either beef, lamb, chicken, or pork, with potatoes, vegetables, and gravy. Gravy is a sauce made from the meat juices.

The British like food from other countries, too, especially Italian, French, Chinese, and Indian. People often get take-away meals – you buy the food at the restaurant and then bring it home to eat. Eating in Britain is quite international!