BBC 6 Minute English | IS A DOOR JUST A DOOR? | English CC | Daily Liste...

source: Daily Listening     2016年9月23日

0:06 You look pleased today, Neil.
0:07 I am pleased.
0:08 I just moved into my new flat!
0:10 OK, fantastic!
0:12 Congratulations!
0:13 Where is this new flat?
0:14 It's in the city.
0:15 It's a one-bed flat so it's bijoux - meaning small but attractive.
0:20 There's a balcony, I've got a couple of deckchairs, and a barbecue...
0:25 I can't wait to see it.
0:26 It sounds perfect.
0:27 Well, today we're discussing housing - and why in some buildings there are separate entrances
0:32 for rich and poor residents!
0:35 So, are you ready for today's quiz question, Neil?
0:38 I'm all ears.
0:39 OK, so you mean you're listening carefully.
0:41 I am.
0:42 Right.
0:43 What does 'social housing' mean?
0:46 Is it housing for people who... a) want to buy or rent at a low price?
0:51 b) want to live together sharing facilities? or c) aren't able to pay any rent at all?
1:01 OK, I think the answer is a) to buy or rent at a low price.
1:06 OK.
1:07 Well, we'll see if you were right or wrong later on in the programme.
1:10 So, have you met your neighbours yet, Neil?
1:13 Yes - I bumped into one couple as I was leaving for work this morning.
1:17 I see.
1:18 Bump into means to meet somebody by chance.
1:21 So were they friendly?
1:23 Well, they complained about me blocking the communal area with my bike - also about my
1:29 guitar playing.
1:31 But apart from that, they seemed nice!
1:32 A communal area is an area that is shared by a number of people.
1:37 Well, I hate to say it, Neil, but your guitar playing is annoying!
1:41 Oh, Rob, genius isn't appreciated here, I think.
1:45 OK...
1:46 Let's listen to the journalist Tom Bateman talking about rich and poor doors.
1:50 Tom Bateman, journalist In front of us here is a 20-storey building.
1:54 Right about me I got tinted blue glass windows and balconies on every floor as you look from
1:59 the street.
2:00 And there is a very plush foyer.
2:02 A sign in the window says 'luxurious penthouses with spectacular views.'
2:09 But this is what the journalist Tom Bateman saw when he went around the other side of
2:13 the same building.
2:15 So as you come down the side of the building, you can see the windows - quite small windows
2:22 - of the flats above here - certainly no balconies.
2:25 This is a big grey concrete wall and as you walk down an alleyway towards the other door.
2:33 So this building has one entrance with a plush - or expensive and luxurious - foyer.
2:39 And foyer means entrance hall.
2:42 Then there's another entrance down an alleyway - or narrow passage between buildings.
2:48 This entrance leads to flats with small windows and no balconies.
2:52 Why's that, Rob?
2:54 That's because the alleyway entrance is the so-called 'poor door'.
2:58 There' no swanky foyer or tinted glass windows for these residents because they pay less
3:04 rent than the people living in the apartments at the front.
3:08 Swanky means something fashionable and expensive that is designed to impress people.
3:13 And tinted glass is coloured glass - so people can't look through your windows.
3:17 That sounds useful!
3:18 Do you have tinted glass windows, Neil?
3:21 No, I don't.
3:22 Tinted sunglasses are all that I can afford.
3:26 So what do people think about having a rich door and a poor door for the same building,
3:31 Rob?
3:32 Well, some people think it's terrible.
3:33 They say it's segregation - or separation and different treatment of people - and I
3:39 can't believe the poor-door people put up with it really!
3:42To put up with something means to accept something that is annoying without complaining about
3:47 it.
3:48 The thing is, though, the poor-door people don't pay nearly as much rent.
3:52 And they don't have to pay the same service charges that the rich-door people pay.
3:57 A service charge is an amount of money you pay to the owner of an apartment building
4:02 for things like putting out the rubbish.
4:04 Well, let's listen to an experience of a poor-door resident.
4:07 Abdul Mohammed, resident of One Commercial St, City of London
4:10 We can't use the lift... because it's for the rich people.
4:14 So whenever the doors open, I use it.
4:17 So they try and tell me off for using it.
4:19 I say, 'here, come, take me to court - I don't mind'.
4:23 So what has Abdul been doing that the rich-door residents don't like, Rob?
4:28 Well, he's been using their lift because it's near his apartment door.
4:32 And what does Abdul mean when he says, 'come, take me to court'?
4:36 He's inviting the rich-door residents to take legal action against him, but Abdul doesn't
4:42 really think he's doing anything wrong.
4:44 OK, it's time to hear the answer to today's quiz question.
4:47 Yes.
4:48 What does 'social housing' mean?
4:50 Is it flats or houses for people... a) who want to buy or rent at a low price?
4:55 b) who want to live together sharing facilities? or c) who aren't able to pay any rent at all?
5:02 And I said a) to buy or rent at a low price.
5:06 And you were right!
5:07 So well done for that, Neil.
5:09 Now, shall we listen to the words we've learned on today's programme?
5:12 Good idea.
5:13 We heard: bijoux
5:18 bump into communal area
5:25 plush foyer
5:31 alleyway swanky
5:37 tinted segregation
5:43 to put up with something service charge