Unit 01. Family Life. Lesson 4. Speaking

Unit 1: family life
Speaking
Brainstorming
Some reasons why …
help me let off steam : toát mồ hôi
Make my home more comfortable
Cultivate my hands: practice skills
sense of achievement: a meaningful work
Become a famous chef

Talk about household chores
Do people in your country do much housework?
In general, I think they do less now than in the past. People are very busy and they don`t really have a lot of time for housework, especially if both parents are working.
In your home, who does (most of) the housework?
My mother takes care of the majority of the housework, because she is at home all day, but we all help by doing some tasks.
Do you do much (or, any) housework?
No, not really. I help my mother with cooking several times a week, and I often wash up after dinner, either with my sister or mother usually. I don`t really like doing housework, I think it`s boring. But I do try and keep my own bedroom tidy.
What housework do you like to do?
The short answer is, none. I don`t like housework, but it is necessary - so I do what I have to.
Is there any housework you dislike doing?
Yes, all of it, well, maybe with the exception of cooking which I enjoy sometimes. But cooking every day can get boring very quickly. I am happy that my mother takes care of all the cleaning and laundry. I wouldn`t want to do that.
What housework did you do when you were a child?
My mother used to teach me how to do housework. She showed me how to dust, clean the floor and do the laundry. I can remember watching her ironing clothes too. I remember cleaning my room as a child, but that was really my only responsibility.
Do you think children should (learn to) do housework? (Why?/Why not?)
I think it`s a good idea to learn how to, but maybe not a good idea that they are expected to do a lot of it. I mean, it`s a good idea to know how to do it, but it`s better that children are studying or playing rather than doing housework, if possible.
Do you think it`s important for children to do housework?
It`s a good way of teaching them some responsibility, like I had to keep my own room clean and tidy when I was a child. There are other things which are more important though.
Do you think it`s important for young people to help do the family housework?
I think it`s nice when young people offer to do it, it`s like working in a team and if you live in your family home then it`s good to make a contribution such as helping out around the home.
Do people in your country have much time to do housework?
Nowadays, most people have less and less time for housework or domestic chores. We are always looking for ways to reduce the amount of things we have to do - or find ways to do things faster or easier. That`s why we have modern domestic appliances like washing machines, microwave ovens and such like.
How much time do people in your country spend doing housework?
I think it varies a lot. Maybe some housewives spend a lot of time on it, but others don`t. I don`t really know anyone who loves doing it - they do it because it`s necessary, but I think if they had the opportunity to have someone else do it , they would be happy.personally, I only spend around two hours a week on housework, I get bored with it very quickly.

Do you feel people in your country have enough time to do housework?
No, not generally, there`s never enough time to do it all. The worst thing is that you can do all the housework one week - and then next week it needs doing again. It`s repetitive and it is always waiting to be done. I think a lot of people would love it if you could eliminate housework completely.
Do you think people like doing their own housework?
Really, I`m pretty sure I don`t know anyone personally who actually `likes` doing it. We all do it because it has to be done. I know some families that have a maid or domestic assistant who does all the housework for them. But all my friends hate doing it and I think that`s quite common - it just seems such a waste of time.



HOMEWORK
Record your opinions of doing housework (1 minutes)
Send it to my email.
[email protected]