Английский язык. Климова А.Ю - 20 стр.

                                            20

      My mother’s family lived in a row house in the city. The rooms were all small,
and that included the kitchen. In the summertime, when we’d visit, the back door of the
house would be left open. People would be sitting on the back porch and in the kitchen,
talking and laughing, while my grandmother made dinner. There was no air- condition-
ing, but I don’t ever remember feeling too hot. There was always a breeze coming
through, along with the sounds of traffic and kids playing ball in the street.

      My father’s family lived on a farm in the country, and their house had a huge
kitchen with windows on three sides. It seems like the windows where always open and
the curtains blowing with the breeze. The main door to the house was almost never
used. Everyone came in through the kitchen, and sat at the big table in the middle of the
room. When dinner was being prepared, all the women would bustle around , while the
men sat at the table talking about farm prices. Sometimes my grandmother wouldn’t
even sit down during dinner, but would be refilling bowls of food and people’s glasses.
From outside, we could hear the cows in the field near the house.

      These two kitchens are the background for some of my happiest memories. From
the beginning of time, human beings have gathered together near the fire where the
food was being prepared. I hope that never changes.

12     Would you prefer to live in a traditional house or in a modern apartment
       building? Use specific reasons and details to support your choice.

       I know there are advantages to living in a modern apartment, but I’d prefer to
live in a traditional house. My main reason is that I love traditional design. It’s graceful
and warm and inviting. I think modern design is very empty and sterile and not very
inviting. So, because of the way it looks, I’d choose a traditional house.

       I recognize the fact that a modern apartment is going to be in much better shape.
Being new probably means all the plumbing works, the roof isn’t going to leak, the
windows are properly sealed, and the kitchen appliances are in working order. A tradi-
tional house can’t guarantee any of that. In fact, it’s likely that things will break down
or need replacement, simply because of age.

      Still, if the appliances are old, so is the wood, and that’s a big advantage as far as
I’m concerned. Very few new buildings have the kind of beautiful woods that were
used years ago. It’s something that can’t be copied.

      Space is always important to me, too. I need a lot of room for my home office,
my clothes, and to display all the knickknacks I’ve picked up in my travels. I also like
to have interesting space. I don’t want all the rooms and windows the same size or a
boxy design. A modern apartment usually comes in one size and shape. A traditional
house is going to have a variety of spaces where I can put a little table or a window