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In this section, you are going to learn even more about different types of houses around the world which may seem strange and quite extraordinary. Did you know, for example, that the world’s slimmest house is in Warsaw? If you want to know what it looks like and learn some surprising facts about it as well as other houses, follow the presentation below!

Z tej sekcji dowiesz się jeszcze więcej na temat różnych typów domów na świecie. Niektóre z nich mogą się wydawać dziwne lub dość niezwykłe. Czy wiedziałeś/wiedziałaś, że najwęższy dom na świecie znajduje się w Warszawie? Jeśli chcesz sprawdzić, jak on wygląda i poznać kilka zaskakujących faktów o tym i o innych domach, przejdź do prezentacji multimedialnej i się przekonaj!

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Where is your place to live?
A gdzie jest twoje miejsce do życia?
Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.freepik.com [dostęp 13.01.2022], domena publiczna.
Exercise 1

Study the text below and choose the correct answer. There is only one correct answer to each question.

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1. Which place is described?
This is a type of terraced house, it shares one or two walls with another house and it is lined together in the street in a town.
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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2. Which place is described?
It’s a housing complex, there are a lot of people living here. Each family lives in their own unit, which they own, but we share the laundry room and corridors of course.
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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3. Which place is described?
Well, that house definitely belongs to a wealthy person. It’s large, with spacious rooms and a really impressive rear view of a park and fountain in the middle. It must cost a fortune to maintain all these rooms, especially the upstairs level.
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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4. Which place is described?
It looks just amazing, so much greenery around it, taken straight from a fantasy book. It is like a bungalow, everything is on one level; it has a bedroom, bathroom, pantry, wardrobe, and everything else there is in a house, only that it’s hidden in the ground.
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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5. Which place is described?
It's a bungalow-style house, where everything is on one level, but it’s much more spacious, with an additional area for a patio. The large front windows are particularly striking, giving the building a sense of openness and hospitality from the very first glance.
Exercise 1

Study the recordings below and choose the corresponding pictures. There is only one correct answer to each question.

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1. Which place is being described? Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. a), 2. b), 3. c)
Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 13.01.2022], domena publiczna.
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2. Which place is being described? Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. a), 2. b), 3. c)
Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 13.01.2022], domena publiczna.
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3. Which place is being described? Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. a), 2. b), 3. c)
Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.freepik.com [dostęp 13.01.2022], domena publiczna.
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4. Which place is being described? Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. a), 2. b), 3. c)
Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 13.01.2022], domena publiczna.
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5. Which place is being described? Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. a), 2. b), 3. c)
Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 13.01.2022], domena publiczna.
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Exercise 2

Answer the questions in 2–3 sentences.

1. Which two houses described in the recordings or presented in the pictures appeal to you the most and why?

2. Which two houses would you never inhabit and why?

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1. Which two houses described in the recordings or presented in the pictures appeal to you the most and why? 2. Which two houses would you never inhabit and why? (Uzupełnij).
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.

Analyse the presentation and do the exercises below.

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HANOK

The traditional architecture of a hanok makes use of materials like wood, earth, and stone, which can be easily found in the surrounding environment. With their wooden frames and characteristically curved roofs, hanok houses are very photogenic.

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Krótka sekwencja filmowa, ukazująca dom przy stromej ulicy porośniętej rozłożystymi drzewami. Dom podbudowany jest grubym kamiennym murem, utworzonym z wielkiej ilości drobnych kamieni. Powyżej znajdują się pomarańczowo brązowe ściany z oknami, a cała budowla zwieńczona jest gęstym słomianym dachem.
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TRULLO

Many people think that trulli look like houses taken from a fairy tale, so it’s no wonder they pique curiosity among tourists. They were generally constructed as temporary field shelters and storehouses, but also as permanent dwellings by small‑scale landowners. Today they are homes, hotels, and boutiques. The largest trullo in Alberobello, where you can see 1,500 trulli grouped together, has been converted into a museum.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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RIADS

Riads used to be the houses of the wealthiest citizens, merchants, and courtiers. A lot of riads nowadays have been transformed into boutique hotels or guesthouses and are very popular among tourists visiting Morocco, so no visit to this country is considered complete without staying in one.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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RONDAVELS

A rondavel is a traditional African‑style house which has a round shape and a thatched roof. It is traditionally made with materials that can be obtained in raw form locally. Some people elaborately carve, paint, or decorate the outside wall that has been finished off with dung. Rondavels normally cool when it’s hot, and warm when it’s cold.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.pixabay.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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STILT HOUSES

Stilt houses are houses built on elevated platforms. They can be built in a variety of locations, but are most typical of tropical countries. They are usually constructed above water, but may also be built on sand or dry land.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.pixabay.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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CUBE HOUSES IN THE NETHERLANDS

The Cube Houses are a popular tourist attraction in the city of Rotterdam in the Netherlands and are a collection of 39 modern houses. They were designed by a Dutch architect Piet Blom, who drew his inspiration from forests and trees and wanted to create a conceptual urban forest. The walls of each cube are angled at 54 degrees, creating a surreal visual effect from the inside and out.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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SKATEBOARD HOUSE IN MALIBU

The skateboard house, based in Malibu, California, was designed by an architect and a skateboarder. Essentially, it’s a skatepark turned into a home. Its walls are arched and the roof is curved to make it ready to skate, even all the furniture is skateable! The fluid layout lets the owner skate from one room to another without having to stop.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.freepik.com [dostęp 20.02.2024], domena publiczna.
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THE KERET HOUSE IN POLAND

Keret house, also known as the world’s thinnest house, is both a structure and an art installation located in Warsaw, Poland. It fills a space of only 1.3 m between two houses in the Warsaw district of Wola and was designed by architect Jakub Szczęsny for the Israeli writer of Polish origin, Etgar Keret. It is 14 square meters large, and is 122 cm in the widest place, and only 72 in the narrowest. Inside, there is everything there should be in a house: a living room space with a footrest, a kitchen, a desk for study or work, and a toilet integrated with a shower.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.flickr.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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Exercise 3
cube house | designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect stilt house | designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin rondavel | its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far" riad | designed with the focus on privacy and family life trullo | made of roughly worked limestone boulders hanok | its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor skateboard house | its layout allows movement in all directions Keret House | the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial cube house Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders stilt house Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders rondavel Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders riad Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders trullo Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders hanok Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders skateboard house Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders Keret House Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders Upside Down House Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders Stone House Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders hobbit’s house Możliwe odpowiedzi: 1. the narrowest house in the world, designed as a memorial, 2. designed to be positioned diagonally and sit on its roof, 3. designed to optimise public space and create surreal visual effect, 4. its design creates lack of experiencing the perception of “near" and “far", 5. its layout allows movement in all directions, 6. its design includes underfloor heating system and a wide wooden floor, 7. one of if its walls is made of stones or part of a hill, 8. designed high enough to avoid flooding and vermin, 9. designed with the focus on privacy and family life, 10. perfectly integrated with its natural surroundings, 11. made of roughly worked limestone boulders
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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UPSIDE DOWN HOUSE

In this house, everything looks different: from the cutlery to the furniture, even the car is stuck upside down! The house sits on its roof, it is also positioned diagonally. It is a popular tourist attraction which lets you experience the effect of gravity on humans in a slightly unique way.

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Krótka sekwencja filmowa ukazująca dwie śmiejące się dziewczyny w wieku nastoletnim. Leżą one obok siebie na siedzisku brązowej kanapy, a nogi mają zgięte i zarzucone na jej oparcie. W dłoniach trzymają pady do gry.
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STONE HOUSE

Casa do Penedo is a type of “prehistoric” house located in the north of Portugal. The house, which is also known as “Castle of Stone” was built between four giant stones originally found in the area. It was built in 1972. Built by engineer Guimarães, the castle was supposed to be a rural escape for the holidays for a local family.

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Źródło: dostępny w internecie: www.unsplash.com [dostęp 5.09.2022], domena publiczna.
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Exercise 4
Analyse the presentation above and choose the correct answers. There is only one correct answer in each point. 1. Why is hanok architecture like no other in the world?
a) Because hanok has a curved roof.
b) Because it successfully manages to join two contrasting systems.
c) Because it is based on traditional values.
d) Because it uses natural materials.

2. Which information is a fact, not an opinion?
a) Trulli look like magical houses.
b) Not all trulli are homes.
c) The pinnacle on top of a trullo prevents bad luck.

d) Trulli’s construction is linked with an ancient financial law.
3. Which feature is shared by both raids and rondavels?
a) They may positively influence the inhabitants’ state of mind.
b) They both carry cultural meaning.
c) They have the same shape.
d) They are easy to build.

4. Which sentence is NOT true about stilt houses?
a) They have protective functions.
b) They are known under another name.
c) They are mostly found in humid areas with lots of rainfall.
d) They are only built above a body of water.

5. Why are Cube Houses built as a collection of cubes, not separate units?
a) To make it easy to walk under them.
b) To look attractive.
c) To resemble trees in a forest.
d) To attract tourists.

6. What makes the Skateboard House unique?
a) It was designed by a skateboarder for a skateboarder.
b) You can skateboard on the ceiling there.
c) Living there puts a big smile on your face.
d) All of the above.

7. What do the Keret House and the Upside Down House have in common?
a) They can be found only in Poland.
b) They were both designed by Polish architects.
c) They are both connected to Polish history.
d) They both play with our sense of gravity.

8. Which feature makes the Stone House attractive among visitors?
a) It is very comfortable to stay in for holidays.
b) It is an unusual and impressive construction.
c) It was designed by an architect who wanted to show how to care for environment.
d) People admire the originally constructed swimming pool.

Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Exercise 5
Analyse the presentation above. Then drag and drop the elements below to complete the sentences.

  1. Some houses look marvellous from the front, but are totally unattractive at the     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals.
  2. I’m afraid these two pieces are     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals    and will not work together.
  3. I find     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals     in the knowledge that my house will probably be used by the next generations of my family.
  4. If you hear some noise at night, or you see evidence that there are rats in your house, call a specialist to get rid of the     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals.
  5. Most of the houses on this island are now used as     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals,     some of them even all year round.
  6. Wooden floors are more beautiful than panels and can be cleaned more effectively as they     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals     dust.
  7. On the other hand, wooden surfaces are     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals     to fire, so maybe we should reconsider our choice.
  8. The most common building material used by this tribe to build their huts is mammal     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals,     mainly from cattle.
  9. When you put tiles down in your bathroom, remember to apply only a thin layer of     1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals,     otherwise the excess will just spread in all directions when you press the tile.
  10. The most important element of the design of new houses is that they should be skillfully 1. incompatible, 2. integrated, 3. dung, 4. rear, 5. vermin, 6. vulnerable, 7. solace, 8. ward off, 9. mortar, 10. holiday rentals with the natural surroundings.
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.
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Exercise 6
Analyse the presentation above. Type in the missing letters to fill in the gaps. The first letters have been given to help you. There are so many different types of houses around the world. Some of them are basic structures, built from materials found in the surrounding area in their     1. rTu uzupełnij fTu uzupełnij.     Others have fancy shapes, with     2. aTu uzupełnij     walls leaning towards the ground or     3. aTu uzupełnij     ceilings which look like bows. There are also houses not touching the ground, because they are based on     4. eTu uzupełnij     platforms, towering over the whole area. I like those which have an     5. iTu uzupełnij     structure, usually with a courtyard or a garden at their very centre, because they are like separate, little worlds, where only the privileged are granted full access. Whatever their shape or style, each     6. pTu uzupełnij     is different and worth seeing if you have a chance to do so. Strange or not, other people’s homes have always     7. pTu uzupełnij     our     8. iTu uzupełnij, and this will probably never change.
Źródło: GroMar Sp. z o.o., licencja: CC BY-SA 3.0.