Vocabulary:
Check the glossaries, learn the words with their synonyms.
Unit 29-30 - Urban Life & Houses
Listening & Reading:
Complete the practice tests in the following links, check your answers by submitting. Do not forget to
take notes of your mistakes for discussing at the next lesson:
http://mini-ielts.com/1138/reading/whats-the-purpose-of-gaining-knowledge
http://mini-ielts.com/383/listening/fiddy-working-heritage-farm
http://mini-ielts.com/398/listening/subject-of-drawing
Speaking:
You can find the questions discussed at the lesson below. Some of them will be discussed at the next
lesson, so you can have a look to develop your ideas:
Hometown & City Life
Describe your hometown
How has it changed over the past few years?
What is it known for?
What's the most interesting part of your hometown?
Do you like the city you are living in now?
In what ways can you improve your hometown?
Most people in this world do not live in their hometowns, why?
How do people choose their place to live?
Do you think it is better to live in the countryside or in the city?
Is a city more dangerous than the countryside?
How has life changed over time in the countryside?
Is it good for young people to grow up in the city?
Is your city a good place for young people to grow up?
What are some of the challenges facing cities?
Houses & Apartments
What kind of accommodation do you live in?
What do you like about the rooms in your home?
Which rooms does your family spend most of the time in?
What would you like to change about your home?
What sort of furniture do you have in your home?
Do most people in your country live in a flat or a house?
Do people in your country mostly buy their own home or do they rent?
Do you think more people will own their own homes in the future?
Why are smaller homes becoming popular these days?
Collocations:
Houses and Apartments
I recently spent a month on vacation – but instead of staying in a hotel, I looked for a short-term rental
(a place to live that can be rented for a short period of time). I ended up sharing a two-bedroom
apartment – that’s an apartment with two bedrooms, a living room, and a kitchen – with some friends.
It was actually cheaper than renting a studio apartment (an apartment with only one big room) all by
myself.
The apartment was on the top floor of a five-story building (that’s a building with five floors) and it had
a balcony overlooking the ocean (that means you can see the ocean from the balcony). From the roof,
we also had a nice view of the city skyline (this is another expression used when you can see something
from a certain place).
The apartment had recently been remodeled/renovated – meaning it was fixed up and improved – and
was fully furnished, so it already had furniture (beds, tables, etc.) and appliances (refrigerator, stove,
etc.)
We loved the spacious living room (the room was big), but unfortunately the bedrooms were rather
cramped (small and uncomfortable). It was nice to spend a month there, but by the end of the trip I
started to feel homesick – that’s when you feel sad because you miss your life at home.
I’d really like to have a place of my own so that I’m not throwing away money on rent every month, but
there’s a real shortage of affordable housing (houses/apartments that are reasonably priced) in my city.
Even if I stay away from the upscale neighborhoods (areas where rich people live), I’d still have to take
out a mortgage (borrow money from the bank, in order to buy a house) and it’ll take me more than 30
years to pay it off.
But still, I’m gonna start saving up for a down payment (an initial payment on a big purchase). Someday,
when I do move into a new place, I’ll be sure to throw a housewarming party (a party to celebrate living
in a new house/apartment).
City
When my parents retired last year, they traded the towering skyscrapers (very tall buildings) and noise
pollution (excessive noise) of Los Angeles for the peace and quiet of a small coastal city (a city near the
ocean) in southern France. They said they were tired of living in a high-rise building right next to an
industrial zone. Now they live in a cozy little house on the outskirts of the city (on the outer edge of the
city, not in the center).
Life in their new town is quite different from the hectic pace (the fast and chaotic rhythm) of L.A., where
the bustling streets (busy streets filled with people) are strewn with litter (filled with garbage) and you
can count on spending hours in traffic jams (stopped traffic).
Instead, the narrow cobblestone streets of the city center are lined with eighteenth-century buildings
that are now home to quaint shops (charming and old-fashioned shops) and gourmet restaurants
specializing in the local cuisine (the typical food of the region).
The best day to visit is Saturday, when there’s an open-air market (an outdoor market) in the main
square. You can buy souvenirs from the street vendors (people selling things on the street) and have
lunch at one of the trendy cafés (modern, stylish, and popular cafés) in the area. There’s virtually no
street crime here, in contrast to the inner-city areas (older, central, crowded part of a city, usually filled
with poor people and possibly violence) of L.A.
Is there anything that my parents miss about Los Angeles? Well, they do miss the cultural diversity. But
they’re past the age where being in a place with a pulsating nightlife (having many exciting bars and
clubs) is important to them.
