XII. Imagine that you have just visited the Clarks’ house. Share your impressions.

X III. Listen to the dialogue and fill in the gaps. (Английский язык. Продвинутый разговорный курс. The Linquaphone Institute. – London, Programme 5, text 3.) Arranging the House

Barbara	Give me a hand with this sideboard, Charles. I want it over there ……. the settee.
Charles	Don’t you think it would be better under that ……. by the armchair?
Barbara	No. The picture isn’t staying there anyway. I only hung it on the ……. because it was in the way on the floor! We can arrange the pictures when all the …….. is in place.
Charles	Where did I put my ……. screwdriver? It’s not in the toolbox and I want to tighten up these loose screws on the ……. hinges.
Barbara	You had it in your hand when you went into the ……. just now. Perhaps you left it there.
Charles	Yes, I think I put it down on the shelf above the ……. . I’ll go and fetch it.
Barbara	Pass me that …….. behind the chair before you go; and take your tools off that nice ……. table. You’ll spoil all our furniture before you finish.
Charles	Don’t keep on nagging. I’ve got to put them some­where. By the way, have you seen the cat this morning? You didn’t shut him ……. last night, did you? He’ll get lost.
Barbara	No. He’s definitely ……. the house. I expect he’s fed up with all the fuss and noise. He’s probably crept into a ……. somewhere and gone to sleep.
Charles	That’s just what I’d like to do. I’m tired of it all as well.

XIV. Listen to the dialogue again, then, read it out imitating the speaker’s intonation and tempo.

XV. Imagine that a friend from another country is coming to study in your town for six months. You have found a room for him/her to stay in but you want to arrange the furniture in the best way. Talk together and decide how to organise the room. Make use of the phrases below.

Let’s ….. What about putting ….. What do you think of ….. I think we should ….. Shall we ….. Perhaps the best thing would be to ….. Everybody puts ….. Well, couldn’t we ….. Why don’t we ….

In the middle In the far end of the room In the right corner by …. In the left corner at …. On the right On the left Beside Near opposite

XVI. Read the text and choose the words that are mentioned in connection with each colour.

Red

Orange

Blue

Y ellow

Green

White

What colours are the rooms in your house painted? Would it surprise you to learn that the colours around you can affect how you feel? Well, it’s true, colour can drastically affect your mood. So it makes sense to surround yourself with colours that you like and ones that will put you into a positive frame of mind.

Red, for example, is a strong colour, so too much of it in a room can be overwhelming. But, in small amounts, red is energising and can make us feel active and excited. Red is best used outside or in a room where we spend a short amount of time each day.

Orange can make us feel enthusiastic and talkative. Extroverts usually prefer this colour because it makes them feel adventurous. Orange stimulates our appetites too, so it would be perfect for the kitchen or dining room.

Yellow is an uplifting colour and can make us feel cheerful and happy. However, it is a colour that should be used sparingly because too much can make us feel impatient.

Blue is the colour that is the most universally preferred, and blue rooms instil peacefulness so it is a good choice for studies or doctors’ waiting rooms. Blue can also help us feel calm and confident, but it suppressess our appetites so it’s only a good choice for the kitchen if you are on a diet.

Green is often used in hospitals because of its soothing properties. It has the power to make us feel relaxed and refreshed. Therefore, don’t paint a work area green because you won’t get much work done. Green is a good choice for bedrooms.

White is often used in doctors’ offices because it gives us an impression of cleanliness. However, it does nothing to relax us - we just feel cautious and nervous. It can also make us feel isolated and withdrawn.

Therefore, we should think carefully about our colour schemes when the time comes to redecorate because different colours can affect how we feel in a number of ways. That said, though, we should rely on our own taste and surround ourselves with the colours we like and feel comfortable with. Use your favourite colours to create a colour scheme you know you can live with.

XVII. What colour would you paint these rooms? Why?

A dining room	A child’s room		A play area
A living room		A classroom

e.g.: I would paint a dining room orange because it stimulates the appetite.

XVIII. Look at the picture. Describe this picture in detail. What would you bring in or take away to make it look cosier? How would you furnish it to your taste?

XIX. Describe the favourite room in your flat.

XX. a) Discuss the possible reasons for moving out or choosing a new place to live. Here are some of them. Guess the age group and social status of each person.

Liza wants

• to be near the shops

• to know she could stay there permanently

• to have a good view (not facing north) and a light room

• to be able to walk her dog nearby

• not to be disturbed by noise of kids, traffic or parties

Rebecca wants

• to spend as little as possible

• to have a safe place for small children

• to live at or near the ground level

• to have all conveniences in the house

Sebastian wants

• to be near his elderly parents

• to have a bus stop handy

• to save money by sharing a kitchen and a dining-room

• to save money by having an upstairs room

Simon wants

• to have breakfasts cooked and his room cleaned

• not to be responsible for maintenance

• to be free to come and go when he wants

• to be comfortable, even if it means paying more rent

b) Make your own list of what matters to you. You might find it helpful to ask yourself some of the following questions.

• Would you like to rent a room in a really rich house?

• Would you like to live in a really old house?

• Is it worth saving up to buy a small house if you can?