Types of houses / Places Where People Live

House

A building which people, usually one family, live in.

Detached house

Describes a house that is not connected to any other building.

Semi-detached house

A house that is semi-detached is one that is joined to another similar house on only one side.

Apartment (UK usually flat)

A set of rooms for living in, especially on one floor of a building.

Terraced house

A house that is joined to the houses on either side of it by shared walls.

Cottage

A small house, usually in the countryside.

Bungalow

A house that has only one story/floor.

Bedsit

A rented room which has a bed, table, chairs and somewhere to cook in it.

Villa

A house usually in the countryside or near the sea, particularly in southern Europe, and often one which
people can rent for a holiday.

Time share

A holiday house or apartment which is owned by several different people, each of whom is able to use it
for a particular period of the year.

airport

to travel by plane you need to go to the airport.

bakery

this is where you can buy bread and cakes.

bank

this is the place where you deposit, withdraw money or cash a check.
bar

where drinks, especially alcoholic drinks, and sometimes food, are served.

bookstore / book shop

you can buy books and magazines here.

bus station

to travel by bus you go to the bus station.

butcher's

where you buy meat.

café

this is where you can buy a cup of coffee.

church

A religious place of Christian worship

court

where a judge works and where they have trials and law cases.

department store

a large shop divided into departments selling a great many kinds of goods such as clothes, household
appliances etc

cinema / movies

where you can see movies.

service station

where motor vehicles are refueled with gas or petrol, serviced, and sometimes repaired. It is also
called filling station, gas station.

gym

place where you can do exercises to keep fit (gymnasium.)

hairdresser's

if you want to cut your hair, you may go here.

hospital

a place for ill people when they need an operation or when someone is going to have a baby.

hotel
a place that provides lodging and usually meals and other services for travelers.

gallery

a place for the exhibition of artistic work.

greengrocer's

where you can buy fruit and vegetables

grocer's, grocery store

where you can buy foodstuffs and various household supplies

jail, prison

where criminals are sent by a judge.

laundromat, launderette

a self-service laundry, a place where you can wash your clothes in coin-operated machines.

library

you can buy or borrow books here.

mall

a large, often enclosed shopping complex containing various stores, businesses, and restaurants

museum

a place where objects of historical, artistic, or scientific interest are exhibited, preserved, or studied.

motel

an establishment which provides lodging for motorists in rooms usually having direct access to an open
parking area.

parking lot

where you can park your car.

pharmacy / drugstore

a place where drugs are sold

police station

the headquarters of a unit of a police force, where those under arrest are first charged.

post office

a place where postage stamps are sold and other postal business is conducted.

pub
(British English) a place where you can buy a beer or other types alcoholic drinks

park

a public area kept in its natural state and usually reserved for the enjoyment and recreation of visitor
where children can play or you can walk your dog.

restaurant

you can eat something in a restaurant

school

where children learn.

train station, railway station

where you can buy a ticket and travel by train

supermarket

a large self-service store that sells food, drinks and household items.

zoo

a place where live animals are kept, studied, bred, and exhibited to the public.

boarded up shops: shops that are no longer doing business

chain stores: well-known brands with shops in multiple cities

to close down: to stop doing business

fashionable boutiques: fashionable clothes shops

to get around: to travel around

high-rise flats: multi-story apartments

inner-city: the central part of a city where people live and where conditions are often poor

in the suburbs: the outer area of large towns and cities where people live

lively bars/restaurants: bars or restaurants with a good atmosphere

local facilities: local buildings or services serving the public

multi-story car parks: car parks on several floors

office block: a large building that contains offices

out of town shopping centre/retail park: large shopping centres outside of the town or city

pavement cafe: cafes with tables outside on the pavement

places of interest: buildings that have a particular interest for visitors

public spaces: areas in a town or city that are open to the public

public transport system: public vehicles such as buses and trains that operate at regular times on fixed
routes

residential area: an area where people live

run down: old and of a poor standard

shopping centre: an area consisting of multiple shops

shopping malls: large indoor shopping centres

sprawling city: a city that has grown over time and which covers a wide area

tourist attraction: a place of interest to tourists

traffic congestion: heavy traffic making it difficult to move around a town or city

upmarket shops: expensive fashionable shops

1. Tell me about your hometown (history and culture, location, landscapes, facilities, food, people,
festivals, ....)

My hometown is Hanoi, the capital city of the Viet Nam. It located in North Viet Nam. Hanoi's now the
country's center of economy, politics, culture and society. It is well known for a long-standing history.
There are a ton of historical building and location such as the old quarter, Hoan Kiem Lake. And must-go
place when you come to Hanoi is HCM Mausoleum- one of the most solemn place in HN.

In Hanoi the food's plentiful, it's everywhere that you look and it is an integral part of the livelihoods of
many locals. Street food can be found on the main streets of Hanoi, and down many of the side streets.
You have to try some of the most popular foods in Hanoi, such as: Bun Cha, Rolled cake, West Lake
shrimp cake

Most people in my country are friendly and hospitable. It is easy to ask for help from the people here.

2. In what ways has your town or city changed since you were a child?

Actually yes. It has changed enormously. Just 12 years ago I could barely find tall building around my
area, but now around be almost high-rise building. And people here are still friendly but less connect
than before. You know recently, the air pollution index is at an alarming level., highest in the last 10
years.

3. How could your town or city be improved?

Let’s start with a better mode of public transport. If this can be further improved, to move faster, be
more flexible in destinations and carry more passengers, traffic will greatly reduce as the public
transport would be cheaper than fuel and much faster and convenient. This leads to reducing gas
emissions from motorized vehicles. Improvement of environment could include less sound pollution,
less air pollution and less litter from motorized vehicles.

Plant lots - and I mean LOTS - more trees and keep them alive. Then, plant more.

Create LOTS more green spaces.

Plant more home and community gardens.

Share your flowers, vegetables, and fruits from your gardens with others.

Support food waste reduction and the sharing of food with those less fortunate.

4. Are there any traffic problems where you live?

Oh yes, certainly. Hanoi well-known with traffic congestion. At peak hours, when everyone is in a hurry
to get to work or come back home, we also witness long lines of vehicles, mainly motorbikes, struggling
to get of narrow streets. Whenever it rains, the traffic jam gets more terrible. However, we seem to be
accustomed to this