elllo English Listening Lesson Library Online
Views #1396 | Intermediate B2

Lifestyle Options

Adam talks about some of his different lifestyle choices and how we prefers to live his life.

Sarah: All right, Adam. So we’re going to talk about lifestyle choices. First question for you is would you rather have a roommate or live alone?

Adam: I’ve had some really good experiences with roommates, but right now I live alone. And I really enjoy to have my own space and I like to keep it a certain way. I’m kind of a clean person, so I probably choose to live alone.

Sarah: Okay. That leads me to my next question which is house or apartment. So if you choose to live alone, would you like a house or an apartment?

Adam: I’d love to live in a house. Right now I live in an apartment and it’s okay. But yeah, I really like the outdoors, and like to have a yard or a small garden or something would be great. So I love, like, privacy. I like to play my music really loud or something, so in a house maybe I could do that. And in an apartment, it’s a bit difficult.

Sarah: So a house usually means a pretty big commitment of like where you’re living. So if you could have a house anywhere, where would it be?

Adam: Maybe in my hometown. It would be nice to have a house in Seattle. But I am not a person that likes to be tied down so much, so that would be kind of tricky for me. Apartments are also nice too because you don’t have the upkeep and the responsibility that you might have with a house. So that is nice. I wish I could just have a house and just move it with me wherever I go.

Sarah: So if you could move that house anywhere, would it be like a town or a city, like what do you prefer?

Adam: I’d definitely live outside of the city, but close enough to where I could commute within like 20 minutes, 30 minutes to be able to go shopping and do my everyday life. But I like peace and quiet and nature, so definitely outside of the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Sarah: So how about pets? Would you like to have a pet or not have anything or one live in your house?

Adam: I love animals. I have always wanted to have a dog or really, any sort of pet. But I move so much that it makes having a pet difficult. So I’ve never really had one, although if I ever do settle down somewhere, I would absolutely get maybe several pets. I love, I love animals.

Sarah: Nice. Thanks.

Answer these questions about the interview.
Audio Lessons about Phrases and Vocabulary

yard

imageI like to have a yard or a small garden.

A yard is the outdoor area that surrounds a house. Notice the following:

  1. We have a big back yard and a small front yard.
  2. We have a dog, so we need a yard.

tied down

imageI am not a person that likes to be tied down so much.

When you are tied down, you are not free to do other things. Notice the following:

  1. Married people are more tied down than single people.
  2. I can't leave yet. I am still tied down with work.

upkeep

imageYou don’t have the upkeep and the responsibility.

Upkeep is the work that is needed to maintain something, usually for a house. Notice the following:

  1. This house has little upkeep, except for the yard.
  2. An older car will need more upkeep than a newer one.

peace and quiet

imageI like peace and quiet and nature.

If you like peace and quiet, you like a calm setting. Notice the following:

  1. After a long day, I just want peace and quiet.
  2. I moved here for the peace and quiet of the countryside.

hustle and bustle

imageI like the hustle and bustle of the big city.

Hustle and bustle refers to the fast-paced life of living in a big city. Notice the following:

  1. I hate the hustle and bustle of the city.
  2. It takes awhile to get used to the hustle and bustle of the city.

settle down

imageI will settle down somewhere.

Here, settling down refers to staying in one place for a long time and starting a family. Notice the following:

  1. It is hard for some young people to settle down.
  2. I hope to settle down in a few years.

Vocabulary Quiz

peace and quiet • tied down • upkeep
yard • hustle and bustle • settle down
  1. This house needs a lot of .
  2. I want to and start a family.
  3. I love the of the library.
  4. I hate the of downtown.
  5. He is so he can't travel.
  6. I need a big for my dog.

Related Lessons

1395 Having Roommates
1395 Having Roommates
Living with other people

Other Lessons


1400 Brush and Shave
1400 Brush and Shave
Do you brush and shave every day?

1399 Shower Schedule
1399 Shower Schedule
How often do you shower?

1398 Power of Personality
1398 Power of Personality
What kind of person are you?

1397 Introverts and Extroverts
1397 Introverts and Extroverts
Are you outgoing?

Courses for Students and Teachers

One Minute English Videos

Views English Lessons

Mixer English Lessons

Learn Academic English with News Stories

About the Teacher / Creator

Hello, and welcome to elllo. My name is Todd Beuckens. I've been an ESL teacher for 25 years. I created elllo to provide teachers and students free audio lessons and learning materials not usually found in commercial textbooks.
Contact Me Here