About houses

I. Have you ever been to the UK?

II. Did you notice anything special about British homes?

III. Can you guess if these statements are True or False?

1. It’s quite normal to have a washing machine in the bathroom in most British homes.
2. There are no plug sockets in the bathroom.
3. The bathroom is the room with the bath and toilet.
4. In the bathroom you can turn the lights on and off with a little tug on a cord.
5. There are outlets for electric razors up on the light in the bathroom.
6. The toilet was moved from the outside into the inside during World War II.
7. On the basin there are separate hot and cold water taps.
8. There are 2 pins on plugs and all plug sockets have an on/off switch.

IV. Now, watch this video and check your answers to III.

V. Watch the video again:

1. Answer ‘why’ to 4 and 7 above.
2. Why aren’t the toilet and bathroom always in the same?
3. What’s the meaning of the expression ‘to spend a penny’? What do you think is the origin for such a saying?
4.  Note synonyms for ‘toilet’

VII. Watch this video at home and answer the following:

1. What is the percentage of people in the UK living in houses instead of flats?
2. Why is there often a garden in British houses?
3. If there are two gardens in a house, how are they called?
4. What do gardens usually look like?
5. In which type of house is it more typical to have an attic?
6. Which is the most common type of housing in the UK?
7. Where are semis usually found?
8. Why attics aren’t typical in bungalows?
9. Where are bungalows typical?
10. Where are blocks of flats mainly found?
11. What type of people live in terraced houses?
12. How are terraced houses called in the USA?

VI. Watch this video at home and write down the types of houses in the USA. Make sure you understand the difference between 1 and 2. Also, make sure you understand the characteristics of 4 and 5. We’ll talk about it next day in class.