#1038 - Types and Characteristics of Apartments, - Ang, mater, ESL Podcast McQuillan Jeff mp3+PDF
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//-->English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1038 – Types and Characteristicsof ApartmentsGLOSSARYrental agent– a person whose job is to help people find a home or apartment torent, and who helps property owners find tenants to live in their buildings* Finding a place to live in some New York City neighborhoods can be almostimpossible without the help of a rental agent.apartment– a smaller home with a sleeping area or one or more bedrooms, abathroom, a living area, and a kitchen, in a large building with many otherapartments* Their first apartment was so small that there was barely enough room for a bed!lost– not knowing where one is or how to get to one’s destination* We’re lost. Let’s stop to ask someone for directions to this address.apartment complex– a set of buildings in a similar style and built around thesame time, each with many apartments* Most of the university students live in one of the apartment complexes nearcampus.identical– the same; with the same appearance; without any differences* Some psychologists say it isn’t a good idea to dress twins in identical clothing.subdivision– an area of land that has been divided for sale and development,typically with all the buildings having a very similar appearance* A lot of farmland is being sold and converted into subdivisions for the growingcity.street number– the numerical part of an address; the numbered part of anaddress that appears before the street name* There’s the street we’re looking for. Now what’s the street number of theirhome?block– a square or rectangular area of land surrounded by four streets* Omid’s best friend lives just two blocks away.mixed-use– a building or neighborhood that is used for a combination ofresidential (housing), commercial (business), and retail (sales; stores) purposes* The city planners want to develop more mixed-use neighborhoods wherebusinesses and stores are on the ground floor, and apartments are built abovethem.1These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1038 – Types and Characteristicsof Apartmentshigh-rise– referring to a very tall building; a skyscraper* This high-rise office building offers some incredible views of the city.floor– story; one level in a building, connected to other levels by elevatorsand/or stairs* The living room, dining room, and kitchen are on the main floor, and all thebedrooms are on the second floor.story– floor; one level in a building, connected to other levels by elevatorsand/or stairs* Sandra lives at the top of a four-story building without an elevator, so she hasbeen getting a lot of exercise from walking up and down the stairs.duplex– a building with two apartments; a house divided into two apartmentswith separate entrances* They bought a duplex so that they can live on one side, and Omar’s parentscan live on the other side.triplex– a building with three apartments; a house divided into three apartmentswith separate entrances* As a college student, Isidro moved into a triplex so that he could beindependent, but still have close interactions with other people in the building.resident– a person who lives in a particular building, neighborhood, or city* The electric company has a special program to help low-income residents paytheir electric bills.bill collector– a person whose job is to find people who owe money to acompany and make them pay* When Jacob lost his job, his family didn’t have enough money to pay the bills,and soon the bill collectors started calling.2These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1038 – Types and Characteristicsof ApartmentsCOMPREHENSION QUESTIONS1.a)b)c)2.a)b)c)Why is Lily meeting with a rental agent?To find a new apartment to live in.To buy an apartment as an investment.To find tenants for the apartment she owns.Which of these buildings would have the most residents?A high-rise apartment building.A duplex.A triplex.______________WHAT ELSE DOES IT MEAN?lostThe word “lost,” in this podcast, means not knowing where one is or how to get toone’s destination: “We were lost in the middle of a dangerous neighborhood, sowe didn’t want to stop to ask anyone for directions.” The word “lost” also meansconfused and not able to follow a conversation or understand something: “Iunderstood the first part of the lecture, but I was completely lost in the secondpart.” The phrase “long-lost” refers to something that has been missing for a longtime: “Hannah went to Mongolia to search for her long-lost relatives.” Finally, thephrase “lost-and-found” refers to a box or drawer were items that have beenmisplaced are kept until the owner comes looking for them: “I lost my glasses.Has anyone turned them into the lost-and-found?”floorIn this podcast, the word “floor” means a story or one level in a building,connected to other levels by elevators and/or stairs: “Our offices are on the sixthfloor, overlooking he harbor.” The phrase “floor-length” refers to a piece ofclothing that reaches down to the ground: “Floor-length skirts used to becommon, but it’s unusual to see women wearing them now.” A “floor plan” is thedesign or layout of a building, used as a map to build something: “Can wechange this floor plan to make the laundry room a little bigger?” Finally, a “floorlamp” is a light that is on a tall pole, so that it rests on the ground, but the partthat produces light is at the height of an adult or taller: “This room is so dark!Let’s get a few table lamps and floor lamps.”3These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1038 – Types and Characteristicsof ApartmentsCULTURE NOTEThe Impact of the Book How the Other Half Lives: Studies Among theTenements of New YorkHow the Other Half Lives: Studies Among the Tenements of New York is a“photojournalism” (telling stories about the world through the use of photographs,with few or no words) publication that was “released” (made available to thepublic) in 1890. It “documented” (put on paper) the “squalid” (dirty and unclean)conditions of apartments in New York City in the 1880s. The “horrid” (terrible;awful) condition of the “slums” (dirty, poor, and unsafe neighborhood) “shocked”(surprised in a negative way) many people.Photographs in the book show “immigrants” (people who have come fromanother country) who live in “overcrowded” (with too many people), dirty, and“crumbling” (falling apart) apartments. The photographs of young children areperhaps the most “heartbreaking” (making one feel sad and helpless).The photojournalist, Jacob Riis, believed that if middle- and upper-class peoplewere “made aware of” (informed about) the terrible conditions, they would be“motivated” (have a reason to want to do something) to improve conditions in theslums. He argued that people would benefit financially from makingimprovements, and also that people had a “moral obligation” (a need to dosomething because it is right) to help their “less fortunate” (not as wealthy orlucky) “peers” (people of the same age).Riis’ book was very successful and people were “indeed” (truly; really) motivatedto act. As a result of his work, the worst “tenements” (poor housing) were “torndown” (destroyed) while others were improved. Over the next few years, theslums were “transformed” (changed in a significant way) with “sewers” (systemsfor transporting waste water), garbage collection, and “indoor plumbing” (runningwater inside the home).______________Comprehension Questions Correct Answers: 1 – a; 2 – a4These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.English as a Second Language Podcastwww.eslpod.comESL Podcast 1038 – Types and Characteristicsof ApartmentsCOMPLETE TRANSCRIPTWelcome to English as a Second Language Podcast number 1,038 – Types andCharacteristics of Apartments.This is English as a Second Language Podcast episode 1,038. I’m your host, Dr.Jeff McQuillan, coming to you from the Center for Educational Development inbeautiful Los Angeles, California.Visit our website at ESLPod.com. Become a member of ESL Podcast anddownload a Learning Guide for this episode. You can also like us on Facebook atfacebook.com/eslpod and follow us on Twitter at @eslpod, of course.This episode is a dialogue between Lily and Omid about kinds of apartments.Let’s get started.[start of dialogue]Lily: Thanks for coming with me to meet the rental agent to view an apartment,but I think I’m lost. I’m supposed to be there in 10 minutes, but I can’t find it.There are four different apartment complexes located next to each other and theylook identical.Omid: Don’t you have the address?Lily: Yes, but all of the complexes in this subdivision look the same, and I don’tsee a street number on any of them.Omid: Are you sure we’re looking for a block of apartments? Maybe theapartment is in a mixed-use building, like that one over there.Lily: I’m pretty sure. At least I know it’s in a high-rise building and the apartmentis on the eighth floor. That mixed-use building is only three stories high.Omid: Oh, then it’s not a duplex or triplex, like those over there.Lily: No, it’s definitely not one of those. I’d better call the rental agent and getdirections.Omid: Hey, look over there. I see a couple of the residents of that buildingwalking out. Let’s ask them. Excuse me. Excuse me! Oh, they didn’t hear me.5These materials are copyrighted by the Center for Educational Development (2014). Posting ofthese materials on another website or distributing them in any way is prohibited.
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