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Home Repair
简体
Home Repair
家居维修

Learn English with this English lesson about Home Repair

Date: Oct 19 2012

Themes: Family, Hobbies

Grammar: Passive Voice

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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For many people, the American Dream involves owning their own house. But while home ownership comes with plenty of perks, it also has a big downside. If anything breaks or goes wrong with the house, it’s up to you, not a landlord, to fix it.

Some people are very handy and enjoy making their own home repairs. But for others, a leaky faucet or broken stair means one thing. It’s time to call a handyman. Hear Marni and Amy talk about what they do when something has to be fixed in their homes.

对许多人而言,美国梦包括拥有自己的房子。但是尽管自置居所的好处颇多,却也有很大的弊端。如果家里的东西坏了或出故障了,那就只能由你自己来修理,而不是房东。

有些心灵手巧的人,很享受自己在家动手修理。但对其他人而言,水龙头漏水或楼梯残破都意味着一件事:该打电话叫维修工了。听听玛尼和艾米谈论当她们遇到家里有东西需要修理时,是怎么做的。

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Amy

Amy

Marni:  There is a wonderful thing about being a renter, and that is that you are never responsible for any sort of home repair.

Amy:  That is the truth. I think the worst thing about being your own handyman is that even when you can do a job, you just don’t because you don’t want to do the work, and then…Like, there are a couple things in my house that I just stare at, and think about how this should be fixed, but it’s on me or my husband, and neither of us will do it.

Marni:  Right, right. Well, is your husband a very handy person, or is he…?

Amy:  He’s fairly handy. There’s certain things that he won’t do, like plumbing or electricity or whatever. But he’s fairly handy, and he does like to have the handyman’s tools and everything.

Marni:  Right, right.

Amy:  What about you? Do you spend a lot of time at the hardware store?

Marni:  I don’t. I am not a handy person at all, and I don’t really have confidence in my skills. I feel like, this thing would fall apart, so that’s why I would rather have somebody else who I know knows what they’re doing take care of it.

Amy:  So then if it goes wrong, you have someone else to blame.

Marni:  Exactly.

 

Grammar Point

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni thinks that the best part of renting a house rather than owning it is that you don’t have to do your own home repairs. If something breaks in a house you are renting, you can just ask your landlord to fix it for you. Marni is not handy and does not like to try to do her own home repairs.

Amy is not very handy either. Her husband is fairly handy, but he does not always make repairs quickly. Amy and her husband have some things in their house that need to be fixed, but neither of them wants to do the work to repair them.

Amy and Marni agree that it’s best to get a handyman to do your repairs for you. That way, if something goes wrong, you can blame someone other than yourself.

Do you like making your own home repairs? Are you a very handy person? What do you do when something breaks in your house?

 

Comments

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Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset ; the time is too late !!slow down when u r driving !!

01:55 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

OK ;;;SEE YOU LATER !

01:53 AM Oct 19 2012 |

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset : I think u r off , just go to home , slow down when u r driving and have a sweet dreams !

01:51 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

joy : why you ask me these Qs ??


 

01:50 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

The Last Joke

Yemen

Joy : that is true ,, Bu , You know already i have no time to fix things in my house


 i work 16 hours daily ..i play football 2 hours daily ..i chew Qat 2 hours daily..i contact with my firends 1 hour daily  ..i sleep only 2 hours ,, that is all

01:48 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset ; there are a lot of advantages to doing your own home repairs. Cost is the best , If you are handy you are able to save potentially a lot of money on home repairs. The important thing to know is what you are qualified to fix & what you need to hire a professional for !!!

01:44 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

I get handyman to fix it !!

01:40 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

What do you do when something breaks in your house ?

01:34 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

NO !!

01:32 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset ; soooo great !


Do you like making your own home repairs ?


 


 


 

01:30 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

Joy :


Here are some examples of necessary home repairs :


Repairing plumbing – Updating electrical – Replacing carpets – Painting  walls Repairing  damaged floors – Updating kitchen – Painting outside of home -Updating bathrooms …..Oh , sorry i forgot  : a damaged door that makes your home unsafe to live in . 

01:27 AM Oct 19 2012 |

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset ; very well , I’ll tell u later why I’m asking u these Qs ?? Baset ;


Can you tell me some examples of necessary home repairs ? I mean : the things which need to repair in our houses ?

01:22 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

Hey Joy : why you ask me these Qs ???

01:18 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

The Last Joke

Yemen

 


House Repairs terms and conditions : Owner and renter


 Some terms and conditions :


Renter is the responsibility of Owner ..1


 2.Renter will maintain the premises in a clean and safe condition and will be responsible for any damages beyond normal wear and tear resulting from actions of Renter . 


 3.Renter will not paint or otherwise modify the premises without prior written consent of Owner . 



4.Renter will not remove furnishings or fixtures belonging to Owner at any time .


5.Renter will properly dispose of all garbage, use appliances and equipment in a reasonable manner, and maintain appliances and fixtures in a reasonable manner . 


In other hand : 


6.Owner will provide exits, light, ventilation, heating ,plumbing, water, adequate lighting, electricity, adequate locks and keys . 


 


7.Owner will maintain the structure and appliances provided by the owner, will maintain the surrounding grounds and common areas and keep sidewalks and driveways clear in . 


8.Owner will furnish light bulbs of prescribed wattage


thereafter, light bulbs will be replaced by Renter .

01:15 AM Oct 19 2012 |

jef_maiko

jef_maiko

Brazil

If the thing is not so much complicated I do by muself. On the other hand, if is so much complicated I call a handyperson…...

01:13 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset : very well ,, I understood ,, Can you tell me some  terms and conditions in this  house rental agreement


Which concerning of house repairs ??

01:04 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

home


Joy : As you  know the demand for housing increases by the days, most homeowners are offering part of their houses or available free rooms for rent. So In order to avoid any disagreements or resolve any disagreements , it is necessary for a homeowner and a renter to enter into a house rental agreement before the renter moves in to  a house or room . 


A house rental agreement form becomes a useful tool of the agreement. This tool will clear the terms and conditions under which a homeowner lets a renter get in  his/her house or room . 


It records  information that will certainly be of help to a homeowner or a renter  in case of a disagreement that ends up in courts .


 So It is common in this form to  indicates who will responsible of house repairs ( the houseowner or renter ) !!

12:57 AM Oct 19 2012 |

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset :  Ya Allah : baset , it’s 3:50 am in sanaa and you still in the company !


Which kind of work u have this time ,,,today is Friday u should be at home !


Baset : I have A few Q !!


Can you tell me the responsibility of house repairs in your sanaa ?i   mean: who is responsibleof house repairs ( the homeowner or renter ) ?   

12:47 AM Oct 19 2012 |

The Last Joke

Yemen

Joy : good morning ! I’m sorry to be late  to reply , in fact , I have been busy  ??


But , now I’m free !

12:43 AM Oct 19 2012 |

1 person likes this

Joy900

Joy900

Japan

Baset ; GOOD MORNING !How r u doing today ??


joy lee

12:29 AM Oct 19 2012 |

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