The House of an Englishman

THE HOUSE OF AN ENGLISHMAN

Many families in London live in flats, but most people live in their own houses in the suburbs. Most of London’s suburban houses consist of two floors, the ground floor and the first floor. All in all, there are six or seven rooms in the house. As a rule, English flats and houses have all modern conveniences, such as central heating, electricity, gas, cold and hot running water, a telephone and a chute.

My name’s Nelly and my family owns a lovely house half a mile from the city center, and near the shops and the main road.

Downstairs, there is a small bathroom with a shower and a toilet, a huge kitchen, a dining-room, and a specious living-room with a fireplace, and a hall. In the hall you can see a stand for hats, coats and umbrellas and a large mirror.

A staircase leads from the hall to the first floor. On this floor – there are four bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory. On top of the roof there is a chimney. In front of the house we have a small garden, in which we grow flowers: roses, tulips and so on. At the back of the house there’s a much larger garden with a lawn and some fruit trees. There’s also a vegetable garden where my mother grows all kinds of vegetables, such as potatoes, cabbages, onions, tomatoes, etc. at the side of the house there is a garage, where my father and mother keep their cars. The garden is enclosed by a fence, with a gate in it. We open the gate, walk up the path and ring the doorbell.

My favourite room at the moment is our study which is the biggest room in the house. It is full of wonderful things: books, pictures, collections of coins and stamps, a video and a computer. There is a very old writing table in the study. My great granddad bought it at the beginning of the century when he was a student. It’s very unusual. There is a sofa in the corner of the room and next to it just at the wall a beautiful old standard lamp, which is on the carpet. I clean the carpet with the vacuum cleaner very often on my helping about the house day.

There is a piano near the window. At night when it gets dark I like to turn off the light, turn on the standard lamp and play the piano. When the standard lamp is on, the study looks like a little fairy land. I often sit in the old armchair and dream.

suburb – окраина, пригород

stand – подставка, этажерка

lawn – газон, лужайка

is enclosed – окружен, огорожен

Test on the text “The House of an Englishman”

1. Choose the right variant.

1. Many families in London live in flats, but most people live in …

1. a huge block of flats;

2. their own houses;

3. a village.

1. As a rule, English flats and houses have …

1. all modern conveniences;

2. grass roofs;

3. five bedrooms.

1. The girl’s name is …

1. Kate;

2. Sally;

3. Nelly.

1. In the hall you can see …

1. a stand for hats;

2. a nice picture;

3. a carpet.

1. On the first floor …

1. there are four bedrooms, a bathroom and a lavatory;

2. there are three bedrooms and a bathroom with a shower;

3. there are four bathrooms.

1. At the side of the house there is …

1. a small garden, in which we grow flowers;

2. a vegetable garden;

3. a garage.

1. Nelly’s favourite room is …

1. a living-room;

2. a study;

3. a dining-room.

1. Define the sentences as True or False. Correct the sentences if necessary.

1. Most of London’s suburban houses consist of three floors.

2. Nelly’s family owns a lovely house half a mile from the city center.

3. Downstairs, there is a small bathroom with a shower and a toilet, a small kitchen, a dining-room, and a small living-room with a fireplace.

4. On top of the roof there is a chimney.

5. The garden is enclosed by a fence, with a gate in it.

6. There is a very old sofa in the study.

7. There is a wardrobe near the window.

8. Nelly often sits in the old armchair and dream.

1. Complete the sentences according to the text.

1. Most of London’s suburban houses consist of two floors …

1. the ground floor and the first floor;

2. the first floor and the second floor;

3. the second floor and the third floor.

1. A staircase leads … to the first floor.

1. from the dining-room;

2. from the kitchen;

3. from the hall.

1. At the back of the house there’s a much larger garden …

1. with all kinds of vegetables;

2. with a lawn and some fruit trees;

3. with a garage.

1. There is a sofa in the corner of the room and next to it just at the wall …

1. a beautiful old mirror;

2. a beautiful old standard lamp;

3. a beautiful old carpet.

1. At night when it gets dark Nelly likes to turn off the light, turns on the standard lamp …

1. and play computer games;

2. and play hide-and-seek;

3. and play the piano.

1. When the standard lamp is on, the study looks like …

1. a little fairy land;

2. a spacious room;

3. a modern room.

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