Homework

READ THE FOLLOWING PARAGRAPHS AND THEN ANSWER THE EXERCISES.

36% in UK will never buy own home (23rd April, 2014) 


House prices in the U.K. are now so high that a third of British people believe they will never buy their own home. This is according to a new report published by the Halifax Bank. Home ownership was once an achievable goal for generations of Britons. However, rising prices now mean the prospects of getting on the property ladder are on the decline. The report says that one in five twenty something’s has no desire to own their own home. Craig McKinley, mortgages director at Halifax, said: "We may be heading towards the point where the aspiration to own a nice home will be replaced by the aspiration to simply live in one." He added: "It seems that people are now beginning to accept a lifetime of renting
Britain's Office for National Statistics earlier this week stated that house prices have risen by 10.5% in the past year. It expressed concern at what it describes as "runaway train" house prices. The average U.K. house was valued at $425,000 in 2013. Things get bleaker for house hunters wishing to buy in London. Prices in the capital have risen by 18 per cent in a year to an average of $610,000. The Halifax report writes about possible long-term social problems arising from, "the division between homeowners and non-homeowners". The report warned that if there are fewer first-time buyers, "the market will come to a standstill". If this happens, prices will have to come down.
=====

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.	U.K. house prices	a.	simply live in one
2	getting on the property	b.	are so high
3.	an achievable	c.	of renting
4.	A fifth of	d.	goal
5.	replaced by the idea to	e.	ladder
6.	accept a lifetime	f.	twenty something’s

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.	Britain's Office for	a.	and have-nots
2	house prices	b.	-term social problems
3.	The average house was	c.	to a standstill
4.	The report warned of possible long	d.	valued at $425,000
5.	the haves	e.	rose by 10.5%
6.	the market will come	f.	National Statistics

FILL IN THE BLANKS
U.K. house prices (1) ………………………………………… a third of British people will never buy their own home. A report from the Halifax Bank said home ownership and getting on (2) ………………………………… was no longer an (3) ………………………………………… many Britons. A fifth of (4) ……………………………… have no plans to buy. The report suggested the desire to own a home is being replaced by the (5) ……………………………………… live in one. It added: "It seems that people are now beginning to accept (6) …………………………."
Britain's Office (7) ……………………………………… said U.K. house prices rose by 10.5% last year, with London (8) …………………………………… by 18%. It said there were "runaway train" house prices. The (9) …………………………… valued at $425,000 nationwide and at $610,000 in London. The report (10) ……………………………………… long-term social problems because of the haves and have-nots. It said without (11) ………………………………………, "the market will (12) …………………………………… ". If this happens, prices will come down.