1. My father decided to install a ______________ to keep the dog from running away.
A) flag pole B) porch C) fence
2. You might want to purchase a ________________ to protect your home from intruders or unwanted visitors.
A) sprinkler system B) sidewalk C) security system
3. One way to make your house safer is to trim back the ____________ in front of the windows so burglars can't sneak in (=enter) without being seen.
A) flower bed B) garden C) shrubbery
Ex. 5. What specific home improvements can increase (or decrease) the value of a home? For example, adding an additional room your house might be a good investment, while adding a swimming pool could result in high maintenance costs and personal liability in case of an accident. Find more information about valuable home improvements.
Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com and www.dailyesl.com):
Home Repairs: Difficult
Ex. 6. Architecture vocabulary list dictation. Test each other in pairs. Choose one category and help your partner to remember as many words in that category as they can. Can you add any words to the lists below?
A: Without looking at the list below, listen to your teacher read out a list of words and put up your hand whenever you think you know how all those words are connected. Each person can only guess once for each category, so wait until you are fairly sure before you raise your hand.
B: Label the categories of vocabulary below.
hut, serviced apartment, tent, caravan, Bl&B (= bed and breakfast), villa, log cabin, bungalow, self-catering flat, second home/ holiday home, mobile home, condo, maisonette, camper van, igloo, (youth) hostel, shared house, penthouse, host family, (student) halls/ dorm(itory)
bidet, toilet, shower cubicle, bathtub,l
sand, stone (marble, limestone, etc), mortar, (reinforced) concrete, cement, wood, paint, brick, paper, mud, reeds, metall
central heating, double glazing, (real/ coal/ electric/ gas) fire, paraffin stove, insulation, (fan) heater,l
rent, mortgage, deposit, housing benefit, subsidized housingl
carpet, rug, tatami, wood, stone, linoleum, matl
armchair, (kitchen/ swivel) chair, chest of drawers, dresser, (queen-sized) bed, futon/ sofa-bedl
wooden flooring, wallpaper, (wall to wall/ fitted) carpet, fireplace, mantelpiece, chandelier, (wooden) beam, pillarl
fluorescent strip, LED bulb, (desk) lamp, spotlight, candle, chandelierl
beam, banister, stairs, floorboards, kitchen table, wardrobe/ closetl
drive, path, ivy, front garden, flower box, shutter, chimney, garage, carport, doorstep, fence, hedge, garden wall, gate, greenhouse, lawn, flowerbed, drainpipel
balcony, terrace, garage, lobby, utility room, hall/ corridor, living room/ sitting room/ lounge, landing, loft/ attic, cellar/ basementl
loft/ attic, cellar/ basement, built in cupboard, walk in wardrobel
intercom, security camera, air conditioning, smoke detector, burglar alarml
terraced, semi-detached, detached, bungalow, mansion, cottage,l
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thatched, tiled, flat, steep, terracel
Compare your answers with the next page.
Suggested answers
accommodation hut, serviced apartment, tent, caravan, Bl&B (= bed and breakfast), villa, log cabin, bungalow, self-catering flat, second home/ holiday home, mobile home, condo, maisonette, camper van, igloo, (youth) hostel, shared house, penthouse, host family, (student) halls/ dorm(itory)
bathroom bidet, toilet, shower cubicle, bathtub,l
building material sand, stone (marble, limestone, etc), mortar, (reinforced) concrete, cement, wood, paint, brick, paper, mud, reeds, metall
connected to winter central heating, double glazing, (real/ coal/ electric/ gas) fire, paraffin stove, insulation, (fan) heater,l
finance rent, mortgage, deposit, housing benefit, subsidized housingl
floor carpet, rug, tatami, wood, stone, linoleum, matl
furniture armchair, (kitchen/ swivel) chair, chest of drawers, dresser, (queen-sized) bed, futon/ sofa-bedl
interior wooden flooring, wallpaper, (wall to wall/ fitted) carpet, fireplace, mantelpiece, chandelier, (wooden) beam, pillarl
lighting fluorescent strip, LED bulb, (desk) lamp, spotlight, candle, chandelierl
made from wood beam, banister, stairs, floorboards, kitchen table, wardrobe/ closetl
outside the house drive, path, ivy, front garden, flower box, shutter, chimney, garage, carport, doorstep, fence, hedge, garden wall, gate, greenhouse, lawn, flowerbed, drainpipel
part of a house balcony, terrace, garage, lobby, utility room, hall/ corridor, living room/ sitting room/ lounge, landing, loft/ attic, cellar/ basementl
storage loft/ attic, cellar/ basement, built in cupboard, walk in wardrobel
technology intercom, security camera, air conditioning, smoke deltector, burglar alarm
type of house terraced, semi-detached, detached, bungalow, mansion, cottage,l
type of roof thatched, tiled, flat, steep, terracel
Ex. 7. What are the rules for using and, commas in large numbers, and numbers after the
decimal point?
eight thousand seven hundred and seven 8307 How many?
three hundred and thirteen litres 313 l How much?/ How many litres (of)?
twelve foot three (inches) 12 3 () - How long/ tall/ high/ thick/ wide?
seventy three point five two kilometres 73.52 km - How long/ tall/ thick/ wide/ far?
two and three quarter hours 2 3/4 hrs How long (does take)?
nineteen seventy six 1976 - When?/ In which year?
eighty three dollars ninety nine/ eighty three dollars and ninety nine cents $83.99 -
How much (does cost)?
a hundred and twenty two percent 122% - How much?/ How many percent?/
What percentage (of)?
three hundred and fifty grams 350 grams How much (does weigh)?/ How many
grams (does.. weigh)?/ What is the weight (of)?
a magnitude of seven point three on the Richter scale How strong?/ What point on
the Richter scale?
seventeen square metres 17 m2 How big?/ What is the area (of)?/ How much
area (does cover)?
once a week How often?/ How many times a week?
Ex. 8. Now check your answer.
And comes between hundreds and tens, so not the same position as commas. Commas
go after every group of three numbers and are how we show the transition from thousand
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to million, million to billion, etc. Numbers after decimal points are pronounced one by one,
so point one hundred and twelve would be wrong.
Ex. 9. Make up a diologue with questions from exercise 4.
Grammar: Subjunctive Mood II.
The verb in the if -clause is in the past tense; the verb in the main clause is in the conditional tense: If I had a map I would lend it to you.
Type 2 is used:
When the supposition is contrary to known facts: If I lived near my office Id be in time for work. (But I dont live near my office).
When we dont expect the action in the if -clause to take place: If a burglar came into my room at night Id scream. (But I dont expect a burglar to come in).
Might or could may be used instead of would: If you tried again you would succeed. (certain result). If you tried again you might succeed. (possible result). If I had a permit he could get a job. (ability or permission).
