Reading. 11 From. Variant 1

Read the text. Match the people 1–4 to the things they might say a–e. There is one extra sentence.

1 David ______  

2 Maureen ______  

3 Harriet ______  

4 Barry ______  

a I wanted to get to know some new people.

b Our grandchildren can come and stay but otherwise we prefer not to see children.

c I like golf and bowling and there are plenty of places to do them nearby.

d We like the fact that it’s clean here because there aren’t any kids.

e The scenery is really wonderful.

Firhall

I Firhall is a village near Nairn in Scotland. It was built in 2003 and there are ninety-three homes. At first sight, it seems like a typical village -there is very little traffic and no pollution, it is surrounded by beautiful scenery and it is peaceful. However, in other ways it is very different: Firhall is Britain’s only child-free village.

2 How does it work? Grandchildren and children of friends can stay for limited periods of time but families with children cannot live there. And there are many other rules to follow. For a start, to own a house there, you must be over forty-five years old. There is a maximum of three adults per house, you can’t start car engines between 9 p.m. and 7 a.m. or hang washing outside and so on. So why do people choose to live there?

3 People’s reasons for moving there vary. Firhall is certainly not a place for those who are after nightlife or a lively atmosphere but many of the residents are attracted by the peace and quiet. Marie and David have lived in Firhall for two years. ‘Children and noise go together,’ says David. ‘It’s wonderful to sit out and not hear kids screaming or banging the fence with a football. And there’s no litter because it tends to be kids who drop it.’ Maureen Gregson was also attracted to the idea of a quiet place to live. ‘We came to make new friends and have a bit of peace,’ Maureen explained.

4 Others have moved there for different reasons. Another resident, Harriet Hollis, said that Firhall’s beauty attracted her and her husband. ‘You see a lot of wildlife. It’s just a lovely place to live,’ she said. Homeowner Barry Edwards said that for him the deciding factors were the price of the house, the local sports facilities and easy access to Inverness Airport. Other residents like the fact that there is a strong sense of community.

5 However, some people in the UK believe that nobody has the right to exclude children from living in a neighbourhood. They argue that it is not a good thing to have a village where older people are separated from the rest of society and that it could encourage other villages to ban different sections of society. So far, worries that other places might set up similar projects have proved unfounded, so perhaps Firhall will remain unique.

Read the text again. Write which paragraph 1–5 contains the answer to each question.

1 What is the nearest airport to the village?  

2 What is the maximum number of adults who can live in a house in Firhall  

3 Does everyone in Britain agree with the idea of having a child-free village?  

4 Is there a lot to do in the evening in Firhall  

5 How many houses are there in the village?  

6 Can children stay in the village at all?  

Answer the question

What is the nearest airport to the village?