Unit 16  Where’s home?

Vocabulary Task

Answers/Script¹

1.     I live in a small town. It’s very quiet. There’s not much activity. It’s not very exciting.

2.     I live in a big city. It’s very busy and a little noisy, but I live it!

3.     We have a large family. We all eat dinner together and talk to each other in the evening. I’m never lonely.

4.     We have a condo in the suburbs². It’s convenient³. There’s a train station and a shopping mall nearby.

Listening Task

1 First Listening

Answers

1.     plants, furniture

2.     view, subway, restaurants

3.     location⁴, city life

4.     furniture, pictures

2 Second Listening

Answers

1.     F       (He only has a bed and a TV. He needs plants and furniture.)

2.     T       (She likes the great view of the park. It’s close to the subway.)

3.     T       (It’s so convenient, so close to everything.)

4.     T       (He says, “It’s starting to feel like home.”)

Script

1. A:     How’s your new apartment?

    B:     It’s okay. I need to buy some plants, get some more furniture. Then I’ll feel at home. I only have a bed and a TV right now.

2. A:     How do you like your new house?

    B:    I like it. There’s a great view of the park. And it’s only a five-minute walk to the subway. I just need to find a grocery⁵ store, and a few good restaurants.

3. A:     How’s your new condo?

    B:     It’s great. It’s so convenient. It’s close to everything.

    A:     Do you miss your family?

    B:     Yes, sometimes, but I really like living in the city.

4. A:     Your apartment looks great!

    B:     Thanks. I bought some new curtains and a new couch⁶.

    A:     I like the pictures on the bookcase, too!

    B:     Yeah, it’s starting to feel like home.

Real World Listening

1 Predict⁷

Answer

All the things to do, the people

2 Get the main ideas

Answers

? his job; - where he lives; + concerts; + the people; - the food; ? the weather; - living alone; + music

Script

Rob⁸:           Hi! My name’s Rob. How’s it going?

Den:           Hi! I’m Ken⁹. Nice to meet you.

Rob:           Are you from Vancouver?

Den:           Well, I’m from Hong Kong, but I live near Vancouver now. I just started a new job here.

Rob:           How do you like Vancouver?

Ken:           Umm. I like it. There are so many things to do: I like the concerts, the music. And the people are very friendly.

Rob:           Yeah, I like all the parks, the stores, the people. There’s always something happening.

Ken:           Yeah. I like all that, too. But I don’t like the place I live. It’s a new condo near Stanley park. I live alone, and it’s just a little too quiet.

Rob:           Quiet is usually good.

Ken:           Yeah, but I don’t like to live alone. In Hong Kong I lived with my family in a big apartment. My parents, my grandparents, my sister and brother. It was noisy, it was busy, but it was home. We ate dinner together, we talked together. I miss that, especially the food. Now I know that my mother is a good cook!

Rob:           It sounds to me like you’re a little homesick¹⁰. I know some good Chinese restaurants around here. Here, I’ll write down a few names. It won’t be the same as your mother’s cooking but you can try them.

Ken:           Sure, thanks. Sounds good.