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Pre-Listening

Have you ever purchased a household appliance? What did you do to make sure that you got the best deal? What are some stores near you where appliances are sold?

Listen and Read

Listen, answer the questions, and read along with the audio recording.

I’m moving into a new house this weekend, so I decided to do some shopping to furnish the place. I went to an appliance store not too far from my house, and I first bought a refrigerator for the kitchen. You really can’t live without one because you have to keep your food cold or frozen so it doesn’t spoil. Then, I bought a washer and dryer to clean and dry my clothes. I don’t want to go to the laundromat to do this every week like I used to do.

Next, I bought a dishwasher. I probably don’t need one because I could wash my dishes by hand, but having a dishwasher can make life easier. You simply put the dishes inside, add some dishwashing detergent, and turn the machine on. Finally, I picked up a microwave oven. If I’m really in a hurry and don’t have time to cook, I can throw something in the microwave and heat it up quickly. I haven’t purchased everything I need to furnish my new place, but I think I have the basic appliances to make life more comfortable for now.

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Vocabulary and Expressions From the Audio

• furnish (verb): to provide a place with furniture and other necessary items
  • They needed to furnish their new apartment before they could move in.
• appliance (noun): an electrical machine or device used in the home to perform tasks such as cooking, cleaning, or storing food
  • The kitchen came with several built-in appliances, including a stove and a microwave.
• refrigerator (noun): a large kitchen appliance used to keep food and drinks cold and fresh
  • She put the leftovers in the refrigerator to keep them from going bad.
• spoil (verb): when food goes bad and is no longer safe or good to eat
  • The milk began to spoil because it was left out of the refrigerator too long.
• laundromat (noun): a place where people pay to use washing machines and dryers to clean their clothes
  • Since their apartment didn’t have a washer, they took their clothes to the laundromat every week.
• dishwasher (noun): a kitchen appliance that automatically washes and rinses dishes, glasses, and utensils
  • After dinner, she loaded all the plates and cups into the dishwasher.
• wash by hand (expression): to clean something manually using water and soap, without using a machine
  • The pots and pans were too large for the dishwasher, so he had to wash them by hand.
• detergent (noun): a cleaning product used to wash dishes or laundry
  • She added detergent to the dishwasher before starting the wash cycle.
• heat it up (phrasal verb): in the context of food preparation, to warm food using an appliance such as a microwave or stove
  • He took the leftovers out of the refrigerator and used the microwave to heat them up.
• comfortable (adjective): giving a feeling of ease, relaxation, and physical well-being
  • Once all the appliances were installed, the apartment finally felt like a comfortable home.

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Discussion

If you had to live on an island for one year and you could have one household appliance to make life easier, which would it be? Explain your reasons.

Role Play

You have lived with your roommates for six months, but you’ve decided to move out because they haven’t taken care of the place . . . pizza boxes tossed everywhere, dirty socks on the kitchen table, and a pet snake loose somewhere in the sofa. Tell your partner what kind of place you are looking for and why.

Online Investigation

You’re moving into a new home with your husband, wife, or friend, and you want to furnish it with everything in the paragraph above. How much would it cost to furnish your place with these new appliances? How much might it cost to run the appliances per year, including the cost for gas, electricity, and water? What are some things you could do to cut costs?

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Disclosure: Randall developed this content through collaboration with AI, combining technological support with professional instructional design.

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