B1+ Reading 10th form

Read texts 1 and 2 and choose the correct answer.

Text 1

After our children had left home for good, my husband and I came to the conclusion that we really needed to find ourselves a smaller house. Our house had far too many rooms, which meant constant cleaning, and it was over a hundred years old, so problems were constantly coming up. After watching a couple of TV shows and doing a bit of research online, we decided that a tiny, in other words very small, home was the right solution for us. We didn’t need to keep all of the things we had, and a tiny home on wheels would give us the opportunity to move it wherever we fancied. Instead of immediately putting our old house up for sale, however, my husband – who is down-to-earth and practical – suggested renting a tiny home in a holiday spot for a week. All I can do is thank our lucky stars that he had this idea before we had made any final decisions.

The tiny home seemed perfect during the daylight hours. It had a lovely seating area, a perfectly usable kitchen, and the bathroom – though extremely small by anyone’s standards – was certainly adequate to our needs. But when it was time to go to sleep, it was a different story. The bed was in a tiny space under the roof, and once I’d managed to get up there, I felt as if I’d put myself into a drawer for the night! The area was certainly wide enough, but it was so shallow that sitting up even halfway was a challenge for me. And for my husband, who is nearly two metres tall, it was pretty much lifethreatening. We did manage to sleep a little, but I kept hearing a bang, followed by a loud ‘Ouch!’ and knew that my husband would be covered in bruises in the morning.

We survived three days in the tiny house before giving up. We are still talking about downsizing, and it’s possible that there is a tiny home designed for a semi-giant and his claustrophobic partner. I rather think, though, that we will look for a smaller but more traditional place. Our children, who were excited at the beginning, have expressed some disappointment. But when I pointed out that they may need a place for an extended stay in the future, they changed their minds and congratulated us on going a more traditional route.

Text 2

There are a number of reasons which influence the choice to move into a tiny home. The fact is, though, that the number of people doing so is increasing quickly. A study of people who have an interest in tiny living showed that 20% of them are already living tiny, while a large majority are planning to make the change as soon as they can. The percentage of people actually living in tiny houses is still small when compared to the general population, but it is definitely a growing trend and may continue to be so. Why are so many making the change? For one thing, people feel that their houses are too large, that they have too many things, and that going tiny will help them simplify their lives and give them more free time. The environment is another major factor. As one expert says, ‘Living tiny reduces the harm you do to the environment enormously. You use far fewer building materials, a lot less energy for heating and lighting, and you simply take up less space in our increasingly crowded environment.’ Money is also a big influence. Housing is expensive, especially in large urban areas, and some people are simply not willing to work more just so they can pay for an unnecessarily large dwelling. A tiny home is far cheaper than a conventional home to buy and maintain, and even though you may have to rent a piece of land to put it on, it still costs far less in the long run.

Is everyone happy with their choice to go tiny? We interviewed one tiny home dweller in Cambridge, England who has ended up with mixed feelings about her decision. Kim Layton said: ‘I design and make clothes for a living, and I’ve worked from home for years. For some reasons I thought I could make the tiny space function for my business, but I simply couldn’t make it work. I’ve ended up renting a space, which of course is an added expense. On the other hand, it means I’m not constantly surrounded by my work, which I’m finding to be really relaxing.’

In conclusion, if you’re thinking about going tiny consider all of the advantages and disadvantages before making a decision. And if you have the chance to try it out before deciding, by renting a tiny home for a short period for example, that is definitely the best way to go.

A reason for moving to a different house NOT mentioned by the writer is

Read texts 1 and 2 and choose the correct answer.

Text 1

After our children had left home for good, my husband and I came to the conclusion that we really needed to find ourselves a smaller house. Our house had far too many rooms, which meant constant cleaning, and it was over a hundred years old, so problems were constantly coming up. After watching a couple of TV shows and doing a bit of research online, we decided that a tiny, in other words very small, home was the right solution for us. We didn’t need to keep all of the things we had, and a tiny home on wheels would give us the opportunity to move it wherever we fancied. Instead of immediately putting our old house up for sale, however, my husband – who is down-to-earth and practical – suggested renting a tiny home in a holiday spot for a week. All I can do is thank our lucky stars that he had this idea before we had made any final decisions.

The tiny home seemed perfect during the daylight hours. It had a lovely seating area, a perfectly usable kitchen, and the bathroom – though extremely small by anyone’s standards – was certainly adequate to our needs. But when it was time to go to sleep, it was a different story. The bed was in a tiny space under the roof, and once I’d managed to get up there, I felt as if I’d put myself into a drawer for the night! The area was certainly wide enough, but it was so shallow that sitting up even halfway was a challenge for me. And for my husband, who is nearly two metres tall, it was pretty much lifethreatening. We did manage to sleep a little, but I kept hearing a bang, followed by a loud ‘Ouch!’ and knew that my husband would be covered in bruises in the morning.

We survived three days in the tiny house before giving up. We are still talking about downsizing, and it’s possible that there is a tiny home designed for a semi-giant and his claustrophobic partner. I rather think, though, that we will look for a smaller but more traditional place. Our children, who were excited at the beginning, have expressed some disappointment. But when I pointed out that they may need a place for an extended stay in the future, they changed their minds and congratulated us on going a more traditional route.

Text 2

There are a number of reasons which influence the choice to move into a tiny home. The fact is, though, that the number of people doing so is increasing quickly. A study of people who have an interest in tiny living showed that 20% of them are already living tiny, while a large majority are planning to make the change as soon as they can. The percentage of people actually living in tiny houses is still small when compared to the general population, but it is definitely a growing trend and may continue to be so. Why are so many making the change? For one thing, people feel that their houses are too large, that they have too many things, and that going tiny will help them simplify their lives and give them more free time. The environment is another major factor. As one expert says, ‘Living tiny reduces the harm you do to the environment enormously. You use far fewer building materials, a lot less energy for heating and lighting, and you simply take up less space in our increasingly crowded environment.’ Money is also a big influence. Housing is expensive, especially in large urban areas, and some people are simply not willing to work more just so they can pay for an unnecessarily large dwelling. A tiny home is far cheaper than a conventional home to buy and maintain, and even though you may have to rent a piece of land to put it on, it still costs far less in the long run.

Is everyone happy with their choice to go tiny? We interviewed one tiny home dweller in Cambridge, England who has ended up with mixed feelings about her decision. Kim Layton said: ‘I design and make clothes for a living, and I’ve worked from home for years. For some reasons I thought I could make the tiny space function for my business, but I simply couldn’t make it work. I’ve ended up renting a space, which of course is an added expense. On the other hand, it means I’m not constantly surrounded by my work, which I’m finding to be really relaxing.’

In conclusion, if you’re thinking about going tiny consider all of the advantages and disadvantages before making a decision. And if you have the chance to try it out before deciding, by renting a tiny home for a short period for example, that is definitely the best way to go.

The writer feels that renting a tiny home temporarily

Read texts 1 and 2 and choose the correct answer.

Text 1

After our children had left home for good, my husband and I came to the conclusion that we really needed to find ourselves a smaller house. Our house had far too many rooms, which meant constant cleaning, and it was over a hundred years old, so problems were constantly coming up. After watching a couple of TV shows and doing a bit of research online, we decided that a tiny, in other words very small, home was the right solution for us. We didn’t need to keep all of the things we had, and a tiny home on wheels would give us the opportunity to move it wherever we fancied. Instead of immediately putting our old house up for sale, however, my husband – who is down-to-earth and practical – suggested renting a tiny home in a holiday spot for a week. All I can do is thank our lucky stars that he had this idea before we had made any final decisions.

The tiny home seemed perfect during the daylight hours. It had a lovely seating area, a perfectly usable kitchen, and the bathroom – though extremely small by anyone’s standards – was certainly adequate to our needs. But when it was time to go to sleep, it was a different story. The bed was in a tiny space under the roof, and once I’d managed to get up there, I felt as if I’d put myself into a drawer for the night! The area was certainly wide enough, but it was so shallow that sitting up even halfway was a challenge for me. And for my husband, who is nearly two metres tall, it was pretty much lifethreatening. We did manage to sleep a little, but I kept hearing a bang, followed by a loud ‘Ouch!’ and knew that my husband would be covered in bruises in the morning.

We survived three days in the tiny house before giving up. We are still talking about downsizing, and it’s possible that there is a tiny home designed for a semi-giant and his claustrophobic partner. I rather think, though, that we will look for a smaller but more traditional place. Our children, who were excited at the beginning, have expressed some disappointment. But when I pointed out that they may need a place for an extended stay in the future, they changed their minds and congratulated us on going a more traditional route.

Text 2

There are a number of reasons which influence the choice to move into a tiny home. The fact is, though, that the number of people doing so is increasing quickly. A study of people who have an interest in tiny living showed that 20% of them are already living tiny, while a large majority are planning to make the change as soon as they can. The percentage of people actually living in tiny houses is still small when compared to the general population, but it is definitely a growing trend and may continue to be so. Why are so many making the change? For one thing, people feel that their houses are too large, that they have too many things, and that going tiny will help them simplify their lives and give them more free time. The environment is another major factor. As one expert says, ‘Living tiny reduces the harm you do to the environment enormously. You use far fewer building materials, a lot less energy for heating and lighting, and you simply take up less space in our increasingly crowded environment.’ Money is also a big influence. Housing is expensive, especially in large urban areas, and some people are simply not willing to work more just so they can pay for an unnecessarily large dwelling. A tiny home is far cheaper than a conventional home to buy and maintain, and even though you may have to rent a piece of land to put it on, it still costs far less in the long run.

Is everyone happy with their choice to go tiny? We interviewed one tiny home dweller in Cambridge, England who has ended up with mixed feelings about her decision. Kim Layton said: ‘I design and make clothes for a living, and I’ve worked from home for years. For some reasons I thought I could make the tiny space function for my business, but I simply couldn’t make it work. I’ve ended up renting a space, which of course is an added expense. On the other hand, it means I’m not constantly surrounded by my work, which I’m finding to be really relaxing.’

In conclusion, if you’re thinking about going tiny consider all of the advantages and disadvantages before making a decision. And if you have the chance to try it out before deciding, by renting a tiny home for a short period for example, that is definitely the best way to go.

The main problem with the tiny home was that