• Multi-storeyed buildings

• reasons for their erection

• reasons for disappointment in them

E Read the interview with Professor Hill about the prospects of high-rise housing.

Professor: Well, first of all, I think, we must make a clear distinction between residential and commercial buildings. Where land is in fact still very expensive – especially in the center of cities – high office buildings are still being built. And some companies get prestige from operating from a large modern beautiful building.

Well, some luxury flats are sill being built and the highest in the world is at Lake Point Towers in Chicago. The highest in the United Kingdom is the Shakespeare Tower, Barbican, in the City of London. But in the public sector housing – that’s council flats – they’re no longer being built at the rate they were in the 60s and early 70s. And the reasons for this are quite numerous: people feel very isolated in them and lonely and they have this terrible feeling of being cut off from the real world. So many of these flats were getting vandalised and smashed up – the windows were being broken, lifts damaged and so on. And oddly enough perhaps this doesn’t seem to happen in privately-owned blocks. They tend to be much more secure. But perhaps that’s because they’ve got porters or even guards to protect them.

Interviewer: Yes, what do you think can be done to prevent vandalism?

1) What new facts do you learn from the interview about high-rise buildings?

2) Explain the notion of ‘vandalism’.

3) Can you guess what Professor Hill’s suggestions are? What are your ideas about preventing vandalism?

4) Now read Professor Hill’s answer and compare it with yours.

Professor: Well, vandalism can only be prevented by encouraging the tenants to take a pride in where they live, to feel that they own their environment. Not housing families in these large high-rise blocks — perhaps only single people or at least only childless couples. And ... um ... building more low-rise accommodation and, I have to say, that... er ... in the last resort if all else fails, by blowing up the blocks which attract the vandals.

Interviewer: That seems a wee bit drastic.

Professor: Well, in many cases, it’s the only thing that can be done.

8 The Place of My Dream

A Scan the three descriptions and underline all the place words you can find. List the words under the following headings.

1) Housing, e.G. Flat; 2) facilities, e.G. Shop; 3) communities,

e.g. town; 4) parts of a community, e.g. outskirts; 5) natural

features, e.g. mountain.

B Add any other words you know, and then compare your lists with those of your partners.

a. My dream home would be a large flat on the top floor of a luxury apartment block in a quiet residential area of a large city. There would be parks and other open spaces around, and it would be quite close to mountains. I wouldn’t want it to be a seaside resort, but it shouldn’t be too far from the coast.

b. If I could live anywhere I liked, I’d choose an old house in the centre of a medium-sized town. The town would have all the normal modem facilities like banks, cinemas and supermarkets. Ideally it would also be of historical interest with a castle or an old church, but it shouldn’t be too popular with tourists. It would be close to water of some kind - perhaps a river or a lake.

c. If I could choose, I’d live in a small cottage in a country lane on the outskirts of a village. The village would have a few small shops and a friendly pub. It would be surrounded by countryside and be about ten miles from the nearest town. Ideally, it would be in a hilly area close to a forest.

C Think about your dream (or nightmare) home and describe it to your partner.

D What will the 21^st century houses be like? Discuss it with your partners.

9 People sell, buy houses and also let them for rent

A What do you think people pay attention to when buying a house? Discuss it with your partners.

B Read the following advertisements for homes taken from a British estate agent’s publicity. Assuming you had the money, which home, if any, would you want to look at and why?

a. Spacious Victorian terraced house enjoying views across the city. Handy for local shops, buses, schools, etc. Porch, entrance hall, 2 impressive reception rooms, kitchen/breakfast room, bathroom with shower, 3 bedrooms, gas central heating, small but delightful garden.

b. A purpose-built upper floor flat located in one of the city’s prime residential areas, some 10 minutes’ walk from the city centre and railway station. Close to local shops and canal path walks. Commanding superb views over the city and surrounding hills. Gas central heating, hall, 6m x 4m living room, bathroom, 2 double bedrooms with wardrobes, garage.

c. Southern outskirts of the city: a double-fronted pre-war semi-detached 3 bed-roomed house in a quiet tree-lined road. Convenient for local shops and city buses. Period hall, good-sized lounge, dining room, utility room/storeroom, electric storage heaters, double-glazing, charming mature garden, garage.

d. A very well-proportioned detached bungalow, not far from the city centre, containing a luxury kitchen, an impressive open-plan living room with a fireplace, 4 double bedrooms, and 2 bathrooms. Gas central heating, fair decorative order throughout, large secluded garden, and double garage.

C The following adjectives are all taken from the advertisements above. Put them in the table according to whether their meanings relate to size, distance, age or quality.

spacious fair good-sized prime superb pre-war close period impressive luxury open-plan mature not far secluded handy convenient charming well-proportioned double-fronted purpose-built

Size	Distance	Age	Quality