II. Are the statements true or false?

Housing in Britain

Whereas in most European countries, particularly in cities, people tend to live in flats, a high percentage of British families live in houses. The majority of people own the houses they live in, while about 35 percent live in Council houses, i.e. houses rented from local councils, or in houses rented from private landlords (mainly older houses). Council houses are let to tenants and the local councils fix the rents and decide to whom the houses (or flats) are let.

Many people in Britain live in two-storey terraced or semi-detached houses surrounded by green open spaces, gardens, trees and garages. Sometimes when people get older they move to a bungalow. Accommodation in a house designed for a family of 4 or 5 people usually includes one or two living rooms, a kitchen, a bathroom and W.C., two or three bedrooms and storage place.

Some English people live in a block of flats. The new blocks have from 2 to 20 storeys, although a few blocks may be higher. Tall blocks (tower blocks or high-rise flats) are usually built in urban areas where they replace old dwellings (slums).

Few people have enough money to buy a house for cash. But loans to enable people to buy their own houses are available from various sources, including building societies, insurance companies and local authorities.

Building societies do not build houses themselves but provide long-term loans which are normally repayable over periods of 20 or 25 years (up to 30 or 35 years in certain circumstances) by equal monthly installments to cover capital and interest.

Such loans are called mortgages, and the rate of mortgage interest is known as mortgage rate. The mortgage rate is generally rather high (about 10 per cent). Monthly mortgage rate is generally higher than monthly rents, but many people prefer to buy their own houses even if they cannot properly afford it and have to spend a large portion of their income on mortgage repayments.

A country cottage which is made of stone or a mansion is only a dream for most families. And only the very rich upper-class people own large country houses. Often they have luxurious flats in central London (the West End), where rents are extremely high.

I. Find the Russian equivalents for the following:

rented from local councils, private landlords, terraced houses, semi-detached houses, storage place, a block of flats, building societies, insurance companies, provide long-term loans, monthly installments, mortgage repayments.

II. Are the statements true or false?

1. A high percentage of British families tend to live in flats.

2. The majority of people own the houses they live in.

3. Young people live in bungalows.

4. The majority of English people live in blocks of flats.

5. Practically everyone has enough money to buy a house for cash.

6. Building societies provide long-term loans to enable people to buy their own houses.

7. Very rich people have luxurious flats in central London as well as mansions in the country.

III. Answer the following questions:

1. What types of dwellings can be found in Britain?

2. Where do most of British families live?

3. Who decides on tenants and rents for Council houses?

4. What does accommodation in a house usually include?

5. Do people own the houses they live in or rent them?

6. It is possible for everyone to buy a house for cash, isn’t it?

7. What are building societies intended for?

8. What is “mortgage”? What is “mortgage rate”?

9. Why do you think many people buy their own houses even if they cannot properly afford it?

10. Where do rich people live?

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1629