Text: “Somewhere to live”

Ex. 1. Read and translate the text.

There are many different types of housing in Britain, ranging from the traditional thatched country cottage to flats in the centre of towns. Houses are often described by the period in which they were built (for example, Georgian, Victorian, 1930s, or post-war) and whether they are terraced, semidetached or detached. As well as preferring houses to flats, for many people a garden is also an important consideration. Although Britain is relatively small the areas where people live vary considerably: there are new towns and inner cities, suburbs, commuter belts and the open countryside.

Paying for the home you live in is the biggest single item in the budget of most families and getting on the housing 'ladder' can be difficult. First time house buyers on an average salary may have to borrow 90 or even 100 per cent of the value of the property they want to buy. It is possible for people to borrow up to three times their annual income or sometimes even more. As prices vary, the cost of a six-bedroom farmhouse in a remote part of Scotland is about the same as a small flat in an expensive area of west London. People moving from the north to the south of Britain have to pay a lot more for the same type of house.

The average family moves once every seven years and the process of moving involves an estate agent (responsible for advertising houses for sale), a building society, bank or insurance company for the finance, and a solicitor to handle the legal aspects of the buying and selling. The size of a house or flat in Britain still tends to be measured by the number of bedrooms rather than the area in square metres. In keeping with a nation of home owners, gardening and DIY are popular spare time activities.

Types of houses:

Victorian terrace,

1930 semi-detached house,

1960 flats,

Modern housing estate,

Old town houses,

Country cottage,

Country house.

Discussion

Ex. 2.Answer the questions.

1. How much do some people borrow to buy a house?

2. What does the text say about the differences in the house prices in Britain?

3. How often do people move houses? What other people are involved if you want to move a house?

4. How is the size of a house still measured in Britain?

Ex. 3.Work in pairs.

What type of house would you prefer to live in? Give your reasons.

Text: “New homes”

Ex. 1. Read and translate the texts.

The need for housing in the south of England has produced new developments in both rural and urban areas. One example of new large-scale building is in the East End of London where fifty years ago London's docklands were the heart of a busy international port. Today most of the ships have gone but the developers, planners, architects and builders have moved in. A new London is being built at high speed. New roads, an airport and a docklands railway have all been built there; houses, flats and offices are being created from the old docks.

While London's skyline changes there are a number of arguments about the direction in which housing should develop. Much of the new Docklands development was designed for people to have easy access to jobs in financial institutions in the City of London, although some local residents have also benefited from the new housing and transport improvements. The speed of the building has meant that environmental planning has not always been possible. Although some of the new buildings have won architectural awards, there has also been criticism of the new architectural styles. The demand for new homes puts pressure on both city areas and the countryside. Some of the 'Green Belt' of protected land which used to surround London and other towns and cities in southern England is now being used for housing, particularly in areas which have become more affluent.