Lesson 16 British homes 英国家庭
British homes are usually smaller than American homes.
英国家庭通常比美国家庭小。
But like Americans, old people, young families and unmarried people do not usually live together.
但像美国人一样，老人不和年轻人住在一起。
Many Brits love old houses and these are often more expensive than modern ones.
许多英国人喜欢住在老房子里，而且老房子通常比新房子还要贵。
They also love gardening and you will see gardens everywhere you go, in towns, villages and out in the country. Some are very small with just one tree and a few flowers. Others are enormous with plenty of flowers and enough vegetables and fruit trees to feed a family.
他们也喜欢园艺， 无论是在乡下还是在城里，人们都可以见到花园。有的非常小，里面只长了一棵树和一些花。 也有的很大，种满了花，种的蔬菜水果足够一家人享用。
There are 19 million homes in Britain, big homes and small homes, old cottages and a few high rise buildings, houses and flats. Half of the families in Britain own their own homes.
从茅草屋到高楼大厦，英国大大小小大约有一千九百万家庭。 英国大约有一半家庭自己拥有住房。
Millions of these, owner occupied houses are the same with two or three bedrooms and a bathroom upstairs, a sitting room, dinning room and a kitchen downstairs, and a small garden at the back and front of the house.
这上百万的“私家房”都一样，楼上有两到三个 卧室，一个洗手间；楼下是客厅，饭厅和厨房，房前或屋后有一个小花园。
To pay for that house, home owners borrow money from a building society and pay back a little every month.
为了买房，人们 常从“建房互助会”借钱，然后再分期归还。
One third of the British population live in rented state-owned homes called counsel houses. Many of these are flats. But some are houses, each with a small piece of garden. Other people rent their flats or apartments from private owners.
三分之一的人租政府建的公房，许多也是公寓，也有带小花园的楼房。其它人住在租来的私人房中。