English, baby!

House Sitting

Date: May 21 2010

Themes: Hobbies, Work

Grammar: Zero Conditional

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Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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catch
trash

2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Going on vacation is fun. Coming home to a bunch of dead plants and unhappy animals or, even worse, finding out that someone broke into your house while you were away, is not fun. That’s why some people get house sitters to keep an eye on their home, water their plants and sometimes even take care of their pets while they are away.

Often people just ask a friend to house sit for them for free. But there are actually some professional house sitters who make a living taking care of other people’s homes while they are away. Find out why Ella thinks she would make a bad house sitter.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Ella

Amy

Ella: So I realized I’m definitely not ever responsible enough to ever house sit for anyone. Just, you know, when I was younger, throwing crazy parties while my parents were gone…I just have that urge to do it, even though I’m an adult now, sort of.

Amy: Really? Did you have an experience recently where you trashed someone’s house who you were house sitting for?

Ella: Well, it was more like we trashed my friend’s, who was house sitting for someone.

Amy: I house sat about a year ago, over the summer, in a really beautiful house. Like, these people had just renovated this Victorian house and made it so gorgeous, and it had a big backyard and, you know, we could have people over for barbecues and stuff. It was great. It made me really sad when I had to return to my little studio.

Ella: I mean, house sitting, it doesn’t seem like there’s that much responsibility. I mean, you just live, right? You’re livin’ your life in someone else’s house. No responsibility, right?

Amy: Yeah. And you get to live rent-free.

Ella: There you go.

Amy: And if you negotiate with the homeowner, not only do you live rent free, but you get paid, too.

Ella: Ah, I see.

Amy: Yeah, I actually did, I got paid to stay in this house. But I did have to take care of their dogs.

Ella: Oh yeah. I knew there was a catch.

Amy: They had two little dogs, yeah.

Grammar Point

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Ella doesn’t think she is responsible enough to house sit for someone. Recently, a friend of hers was house sitting and threw a party. Ella went to the party, and she and her friends trashed the house.

Amy house sat recently in a really nice house. She didn’t trash the house, but she did have some friends over. It was fun to stay in a big, fancy house. Amy got paid to house sit, but she had to pet sit, too.

Have you ever house sat for someone? Would you hire someone to house sit for you?

Comments

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kimnga

Viet Nam

In my country it’s not common to house sit for other people unless it’s one of your family members’ house.

vik32

India

no i never house sat for anyone, not to mention i am very bad at it if incase i have to house sit. plus this is also kind of big responsibility you have to be alert all the time so nothing wrong happens in that particular house. on the contrary, in you home you dont bother for anything as you arentot accountable for anything. being a house sitter you have to keep an eye on the house all the time.

blinbus

Russian Federation

I have never house sat and have never hired anyone to sit for my house, but my friends often ask me to look after their cats while they are ebsent, they just bring a cat to my place and I take care of it till my friends comeback, so I am the cat sitter:)

Some of spring

Russian Federation

Me and my husband asked twice to our friends to house sit during two weeks, then we had holiday. It was free of charge, but they have our cat sit, too. It was very convenient for all us, because our friends was very tired of their parents

jochy08

Dominican Republic

i have never done it before…. and to be honest idont really think is the best job…. imean u are getting pay right… but u never know if someone is gonna breake into the house, and then u have to take responsability of it…. even if u are a responsable person something can happen regardless….

Marcelolic

Brazil

Humm this is complicated to hire someone to sit for your house…I guess you have to trust a lot in that person and nevertheless it is complicated…Here in Brazil we have a habit to ask and not hire,someone known like friends or relatives to sit for our house,but never someone unknown ;)

huynh-kieuoanh

Viet Nam

House sitting is a service which is not popular in our country, whenever we're away, we just clock the doors, or get close-relatives to take care of the house in case we're away for many days. But in Western countries such service is performed very professional, I used to watch firms of such things. If I have a chance to live in foreign countries for further studying, surely that I will do this job to earn money hihi

Rarf01

Dominican Republic

Very nice topic ! :)

sassy23

India

i dnt think house sitters take proper responsibility as one can do own for their house

i nevr been house sitter for someone's house,

fatima213

Jordan

oh am still living with my parents

s id

Saudi Arabia

i have never house sitting for some one i think its ever responsibility to take care of some house

karthi261987

India

I have never house sat for anyone.. But its really awesome to be responsible as a house sitter in a house where we get all yummy stuff to eat

k.j.l

Saudi Arabia

nice very nice

kermanian

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

hi how are you

its fantastic

thanks for sending me your mail

sobhy1974

Egypt

I'm hiring now house sitter to care of my house, kids and other stuff. while we are a way me and my wife.

Inever been house sitter for any one's house.

xin7

Chile

I prefer a friend of mine or a relative to keep and eye on my house. I would feel nervous if a stranger lives in my place.

I've never house sat for someone but I'd love to (if the house is as gorgeous as Amy's description ^^)

rosendo

Mexico

here, this job doesnt exist ,bcs there are no enough trust with people jeje , if u hire someone house sitter bcs u will have a holidays , when u come back u will see empty your house even u wont find u little cat.

nfrtary

Egypt

thanx for topic , i can`t be ahouse sitter because i am not patient enough to take care of someone or something and i think that i`ll hire house sitter in my house in the future isa