TASK 5. (4 points)
Read the article. Four fragments have been removed from the text. Complete each gap
(5.1.-5.4.) with the fragment which fits best and put the appropriate letter (A-E) in
the gap. There is one fragment which you do not need to use.
RABBIT HUTCH BRITAIN
Families are living in ‘rabbit hutch Britain’, with new homes offering the smallest rooms
in Europe, a report warns. It found that newly built properties are so cramped that they do not
provide enough space to cook, have visitors or simply relax. 5.1. Here’s some harshly
relevant data to exemplify this. The average number of people in a family has fallen from 3.1
in 1961 to 2.4 last year. The average number of people per household is even lower, at 1.9.
A hundred years ago, an average of eight family members lived under one roof, with richer
households also boasting several servants.
However, the Commission for Architecture and the Built Environment said smaller households
are no justification for falling room sizes. 5.2. Almost half claimed they did not have
enough room for their furniture, while more than a third said there was not enough space in the
kitchen for appliances. The study also warned that the implications of living in such small spaces
were ‘wide-reaching’, and could impact on health and well-being. 5.3. The majority
of householders said they did not have enough storage space, while 72 per cent said they did not
have enough space for bins required for proper recycling.
The report also found that, compared with other EU states, the UK has both the smallest newly
built houses on average and smallest average room size. In France, the average size of a room
in a newly built home is 26.9 square metres, compared with the UK's 15.8 square metres.
“The findings raise the question of whether new homes are fit for their purpose, and whether
they meet the needs of the people living in them,” the report said. 5.4. Asked about such
regulations a spokesman for the Home Builders Federation said, “We have to establish criteria
which will allow for a balance of sufficient space provision and affordability, taking into account
the British context.”
adapted from www.dailymail.co.uk
A. For example, there may be too little room for daily family dinners which encourage good
eating habits and stronger relationships, the report said. Even finding room for cutlery,
household appliances and foodstuffs to organise dining might pose a problem, it said.
B. The study carried out by the Government's design watchdog reveals that both the average
room size and overall new-home size are getting smaller. One possible reason might be
decreasing family sizes.
C. They quoted an example of the smallest homes on the market, ‘Manhattan pods’ in Essex,
with 34 square metres of space overall, and a living room measuring only 3 by 3.6 metres.
D. Unlike in many other countries, there are no national minimum space standards,
for instance a planning system specifying minimum floor space for privately developed
homes in England.
E. Neither should they be an excuse for private homes being ‘too small for everyday life’.
In a survey of 2,249 homeowners, 44 per cent revealed they did not have enough space for
children to play safely while food is prepared.
TRANSFER YOUR ANSWERS TO THE ANSWER SHEET!
dla absolwentów klas dwujęzycznych
8
Odpowiedź na podstawie oficjalnego klucza CKE (plik 'jezyk-angielski-2013-maj-matura-dwujezyczna-odpowiedzi' - Kryteria oceniania odpowiedzi, maj 2013). Task 5 ("Rabbit Hutch Britain" - uzupełnianie luk fragmentami A-E): 5.1 = B, 5.2 = E, 5.3 = A, 5.4 = D.
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