Ex.18. Prepare your reports on the following topics.

1. Talk about changes in homes during the centuries. Begin like this:

- “We take … for granted, but 100 years ago people used to …,” etc.

2. Speculate about the houses of the next century.

More than one billion people, a quarter of the world's population, are either literally homeless, or live in extremely poor housing and unhealthy environments. About 100 million people have no shelter whatsoever; they sleep in the streets, under bridges, in vacant lots, alleys and doorways. In the developing world, approaching 50 per cent of the urban population lives in slums and squatter settlements. In some cities the figure approaches 80 per cent.

The housing situation is made worse by the urban growth rates. Cities in developing countries continue to grow at a rate of over 3,5 per cent year; this means a yearly growth of around 49 million people. By the year 2000, these cities will be expanding by some 78 million people a year — more than 214,000 every day.

By 1985, the number of people living in the cities of developing countries had reached nearly 1,2 billion. In the next 14 years, an estimated 800 million people will be added to the already rapidly expanding cities of the developing world. Given these trends, countries would have to double their shelter, infrastructure and services capabilities simply to maintain the status quo. The growth rates of slums and squatter settlements are even more dramatic. Overall, the population of these settlements is increasing at twice the rate of the cities themselves, and four times faster than world population growth.

The developing countries face big challenge. They have the task of providing shelter, services and work in cities for an additional 150,000 people every day. They must seek to do this when more than 300 million are already jobless, 700 million people live in absolute or relative poverty, and development prospects appear more constrained than ever before.

In the countryside, housing condi­tions continue to be marked by mass poverty, dilapidated housing, poor water supply, inadequate sanitation, and a lack of services.

This situation, coupled with lack of employment opportunities, continues to drive rural people away from their homes, in the hope of improving their lot in the cities. The decline of traditional agriculture, rapid population growth, absence of alternative centers to disperse migratory flows, the concentration of economic activities in a few major cities - these factors will guarantee that the urban population of primate cities will continue to expand rapidly, this leading to the further expansion of slums and squatter settlements.

Discuss

1. Share your opinion on the problems discussed in the text.

2. Select a short piece of text describing a situation typical for your area. If there is none describe the general tendency of housing conditions in your country.

COMMUNICATION

Ex. 1. Reproduce the dialogs. Then make dialogs by analogy.

I

"I hear you are moving, aren't you?"

"Why, certainly. We've received a new three-room flat."

"Is it somewhere in the new district?"

"Yes, I hope you'll drop in some day, won't you?"

"Surely I will."

II

"Is it you, Nick? Awfully glad to see you. Come in, will you?"

"Yes, Peter, it's me. Hallo! Busy as I am now, I have still found time to have a look at your new flat."

"It's really very nice of you. This way, please. The flat isn't too large, but we are rather comfortable here. Two rooms with a kitchen and all conveniences, too."

"How nicely you've furnished your rooms! I like your suite ever so much."

"I'm glad you like it here."

III

"Why is it so dark here? Will you switch on the light, please?"

"You see, Dad, the fuse has burnt out."

"Has it really? It's too often the case with you, I must say."

"It isn't my fault this time. It was Ann who plugged in the old electric iron."

IV

"I wonder what's wrong with the fridge. It won't keep the cold at all."

"Let me have a look. Yes, it looks like being out of order, indeed."

"Then don't waste time on it. You will never manage to fix it, I'd better get a repairman in."

"Wait a little. Look, it works already. Somebody just pulled out the plug."

V

"Why such a mess in your room? What have you been doing, I wonder?"

"Don't worry, Mum, I'll have everything put in order in no time."

"So step on it¹.You have little time and you still have to heat the stove and go shopping."

"Be sure. Everything will be done as I promised."

¹ step on it поторопись (живее)

VI

"Well, sonny, don't you think we should help Mother today?"

"Yes, Pa. But I am little help, you know. What could I do?"

"A great many things: to air the room and beat the carpets, to begin with."

"To beat the carpets with us having a new vacuum cleaner!?"

"Oh, it's gone out of my mind. Well, come on, fetch it then, I'll fix it for you."

VII

"There you are. Aren't you ashamed of yourself?"

"Ashamed of myself? Why?"

"Look at the floor: there is so much litter on it, and you don't care a fig."²

"Oh yes, I'm really very sorry. But, Mum, I couldn't find the broom. . ."

²and you don’t care a fig - а тебе безразлично

VIII

"I wonder who is going to keep your house while your mother is away in Sochi and Nick is so awfully busy?"

"Myself and no other."

"I сan’t imagine you as a housekeeper. Perhaps you don't even know how to hold the broom, to say nothing of washing." "Why should I? I can just as well use the vacuum cleaner and send the linen to the laundry."

IX

"I say, darling, how do you find this furniture?"

"Pretty nice color, but I'm afraid the size is too large. I'd prefer this Swedish suite."

"Probably you're right. I never thought of the floor space we have."

"And what do you say to buying a carpet and curtains to match?"

"I don't mind. That'll be really fine."

X

"Have you insured³ your house against burglars, Mr. West?"

"No, I haven't and I'm not going to."

"Why not?"

"Because I think it isn't worth-while. Besides, I entirely rely on my two bulldogs."

³to insure застраховать

XI

"What (on earth) are you looking for?"

"Well, you see, I've bought a new book and now I can't find it anywhere."

"Oh! You always mislay things and it annoys everybody in the house!"

"You're right, of course, Betsy. But I must find it just the same."

XII

“I hear you are moving into a new flat, aren't you?”

“Why, surely. We've got a new four-room flat not far from the railway station.”

“Is there any new district in that area?”

“Yes, come and see how we've settled. Will you?”

“Certainly, I will, with pleasure.”

XIII

“Do you like this sofa, Kate?”

“Oh, it's king-sized and looks very comfortable. Where did you manage to buy it?”

“At the Furniture Exhibition last Thursday. And the price isn't high. Well, but what do you think about the color?”

“You are lucky, Mary. It matches the curtains and the carpet on the floor. Your living-room is extremely cozy
now.”

XIV

“There you are at last. The flat is in a mess and nobody is going to help me.”

“Oh , I'm very sorry, Mum. What can I start with?”

“Take the vacuum cleaner and clean all the carpets at first. Then wipe the dust off every surface in the rooms. Don't forget to wet the duster.”

“Well, what about the furniture? Shall I polish it?”

“Of course, my dear. And I'm tidying up the kitchen. Come on.”

XV

“Your room seems bare. Why not put more furniture in it?”

“But I don't like much furniture in my room. The more furniture, the less space.”

“Then put a carpet on the floor to make it cozy.”

“Let me see. Oh, yes, you are right. A large woolen carpet will really be good here.”

XV

“What does this window overlook?”

“It faces a public garden.”

“Oh, how nice! Green is always pleasant to one's eyes, isn't it?”

“On the one hand it is. But on the other ... there is a children's corner just opposite my window, you know.”

XVI

“This is a mirror, isn't it?”

“Yes. What do you think?”

“Well, first I took it for a door.”

“Everyone makes a mistake like that. That's because of the curtain hanging over it.”

XVII

“Do you like this arm-chair?”

“Yes, it looks very comfortable. But I think you've put it in a dark place.”

“Well, it isn't quite so. Let me switch on the wall lamp... What would you say now?”

“Oh, fine!”

XVIII

“Do you share the room with anybody else?”

“Certainly. There are two beds here, aren't there?”

“Oh,yes. I didn't notice it at first. Well, where is your room-mate now?”

“I don't know. I think he is playing tennis in the garden.”

XIX

“That corner seems bare. Why not place the bookcase there?”

“I tried to put the bookcase there, but Bob said it was the wrong place for it, so I moved it aside.”

“Probably he is right. Well … and what if you move the sofa into it so as to make passage to that window?”

“Oh,yes, that is surely better. It never occurred to me.

XX

“What is that piece of furniture used for? It is something between an arm-chair & a sofa.”

“Never mind what it looks like. One may sit on it or lie if he likes it better.”

“But it must be very uncomfortable to lie on it as it's rather short.”

“Well, it depends on who will lie.”

XXI

“Where is my pen?”

“Look on the writing-table.”

“But it isn’t on the table.”

“Then look under the table … or in front of your chair ... or behind the sofa. It must be somewhere in the room.”

“No, not under the table ... Oh, here it is!”

“Where was it?”

“It was in my pocket.”

XXII

“What is there under the table?”

“I think it's Harry's ball.”

“No, I see a ball against the wall near the door. But that is someth­ing different.”

“Let me have a look. Oh, it's a cushion; it has fallen down from the sofa.”

XXIII

“Put the telephone on the bedside table, please.”

“But there's no room for it: there are too many things on the table.”

“You may take the vase away and move the ash-tray aside.”

“And what about the desk lamp? May I take it away, too?”

Date: 2015-12-17; view: 1267