Home Improvements
Part 1: Listen and Read: Listen to the recording on home improvements, answer the questions, and then read along with the audio recording.
I recently bought an old house, and new, I’m trying to fix it up. I’d like to make a few home improvements before I move in. First of all, I’m pulling out all of the old carpet and laying down some new carpet throughout the house. I’m also putting in new light fixtures. The old ones don’t light up the rooms very well. Next, I’m remodeling the entire kitchen by putting in new kitchen cabinets, a new counter top, a new sink and faucet, and new linoleum. I’m also going to buy new appliances for the kitchen. I’m also thinking about adding a new addition to the house, which would include a new family room and dining room area. Outside our back door, I going to build a deck where we can sit, relax, and have barbecues. We will also do some landscaping to the yard to beautify things a little. One final thing I need to do is shingle the roof. The old shingles are falling off in places, and if I don’t replace them, I might start having leaks in the house. By the time I’m finished with these home improvement projects, the place should look as good as new.
What are some home improvements you would like to have done at the place where you now live (home, apartment, dormitory, etc.)? Would you do them yourself, or have someone else do them? Explain your reasons.
You are considering buying a old house, but it needs to be fixed up to make it livable. You’re not really sure if it would be better just to buy a new house, but your spouse has his/her heart set on it. Major home improvements include a complete kitchen remodel, new flooring (carpet) throughout the house, and a complete bathroom remodel to repair water damage. Search the Internet to find out how easy or difficult it would be to do by yourself, or how much it would cost to have someone do these renovations for you. The summarize your decision and your plan to complete the project.
Part 4: Online Listening Practice (from www.esl-lab.com):