Houses in the USA

is pictured – изображается

skyscrapers – небоскрёбы

downtown – центр города

cozy - уютный

designed for – созданный, построенный

bother – беспокоиться

prefer renting – предпочитают снимать, арендовать

engage – помолвиться

look for – искать

suitable – подходящий

sitting room – гостиная

are situated – находятся, расположены

mean – значить

lawn – газон, лужайка

laundry – прачечная

gym – спортзал

basement – подвал

severe – суровый

modern conven­iences – современные удобства

may be located – могут находиться

dwelling – жильё

down payment – взнос

vicinity – окрестность, район

cheap – дешёвый

remodel – переделать

decorate – украшать, обставлять

antique furnishing – старинная мебель

decide – решать

spacious – просторный

move into – въезжать

homeowners – домовладельцы

maintenance – содержание

plumbing – водопровод

landlord (lady) – домовладелец

fix – чинить

evict – выселять

The USA is often pictured as a country of skyscrapers. In fact, it is not quite so. The tall buildings are located in the centre (downtown), there are offices of large firms, banks and shops. Real America begins with little cozy houses designed for one family with children. Each house has its own style. Of course, young people usually don't bother about having a house of their own until their mid-twenties, and prefer renting an apartment to buying a house. As soon as they get engaged, they start looking for a suitable house to live in. By the age of thirty the young couple starts living in a house of their own.

A typical house is two-storied. On the ground floor a sitting room, a hall and a kitchen are situated, while upstairs there are bedrooms. A garage is downstairs. An American will say: "I live in a two-bedroom house" which means the house is not very large, or: "There are five bedrooms in my house", which means the house is quite large. In front of the house there is usually a small garden or a lawn. In the basement there is often a laundry and sometimes even a gym! Winters are seldom severe in the USA, so the walls are not thick. The houses are built very quickly — it will take a building company three to four months to build a new house. Of course, there are all modern conven­iences.

The houses may be located rather far from the centre. Living far from the centre is not a problem as every family member has a car.

In the United States, many people once lived in large two-and three-storied homes. Today many people would like to live in such dwellings, but most people can't. They don't have enough money to buy them or even to make the first down payment. So, many people rent from month to month.

But some Americans really want to live in a house of their own. So they build their own home or they buy a house that is situated in a vicinity where homes are cheaper. It is better to live in a bad part of town, they think, than not to live in a house at all. Or they buy an old house and remodel it. Then they decorate it with antique furnishings. Sometimes, they can make an old house look more beautiful than a new one.

Usually, it is not difficult for people to find an old home to buy. Many older people decide that they don't need a spacious home after their chil­dren leave. So they sell their house and move to a cozy apartment.

But when people move into a house, they sometimes have problems. Homeowners have to do their own maintenance. For example, if there is a problem with the plumbing, one can't ask the landlord or landlady to fix it. On the other hand, people can remodel their homes in any way they want without having to be afraid of being evicted by the owner. Most Americans would probably prefer to live in a house rather than in an apartment.

Дата добавления: 2017-01-13