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Views #309 | Intermediate 4

Cleaning

Adrienne talks about cleaning up her apartment.
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Todd: Adrienne, we're going to talk about cleaning! So, first of all, how often do you clean, like your apartment?

Adrienne: Thoroughly, I would say I clean once a week.

Todd: So, do you consider yourself a clean person?

Adrienne: I consider myself an organized person.

Todd: OK. So, in your house what is the one room you hate cleaning?

Adrienne: Probably the bathroom, which includes the shower, the sink, toilet. (Yeah) All together.

Todd: Yeah, so, why?

Adrienne: I just think it's the grossest part of the house. It always seems to accumulate the most dirt and grime (Yeah) pretty disgusting.

Todd: Yeah, it's hard to get the stuff off the tiles. (Right) You got to scrub and scrub and it's still brown or green or whatever color it is.

Adrienne: Exactly. It's just a difficult place to get into to clean, and there's lots of small spaces to get into and.

Todd: Yeah! In Japan it's weird because they have these little portable bathrooms, you know, they're all plastic so,

Adrienne: It's easy. You just take the sprayer and spray the whole room.

Todd: Yeah! I'm convinced that they drop those bathrooms in a, with a helicopter. They just drop them right in there. You got everything, you know.

Adrienne: Easy! Convenient! Efficient!

Todd: What about laundry?

Adrienne: I don't like really doing any type of manual labor, but I don't mind doing laundry from time to time.

Todd: Yeah, I like laundry actually. I like the smell of the clothes when you finish.

Adrienne: Yeah, that's a good part of it, but I don't like to actually to do the work, washing!

Todd: Yeah, actually, I like to clean. That's why I have this question. (Mm) I'm a clean freak. Like, I like washing dishes. I like doing laundry. Yeah!

Adrienne: Yeah, that's not fun for me. (No!) I'd rather sleep given the choice.

Todd: Like you can pay me and I'll clean your apartment.

Adrienne: Oh, sounds good. Perfect!

Todd: How much? How much would you pay me?

Adrienne: Um, see, going rate for a maid these day, Todd?

Todd: Maid! That's a sexist comment!

Adrienne: It is a sexist comment! But it is, the going rate for a maid,

Todd: Male cleaning attendant!

Adrienne: I don't think that's what they're called. They'd still call them a maid service. Um, I don't know.I think it's about 15 dollars an hour.

Todd: Ooh! You'd pay me 15 dollars an hour?

Adrienne: No, that's the going rate. That's not what I'll pay you.

Todd: I thought I was going to make some money!

Adrienne: Well, I thought I was going to get a discount.

Todd: This web site's expensive.

Adrienne: Oh, right, right, right!

Todd: So I need the money.

Adrienne: Oh! OK, 15 it is!

Todd: OK, but how dirty is your place?

Adrienne: Pretty, pretty dirty!

Todd: Ah, well, I'll take a look at it.

Adrienne: You'll me working for the money, for sure!

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

organize

I consider myself an organized person.

An 'organized' person has things in her life well planned and in order.

Notice the following:

  1. This cupboard is very well organized.
  2. We need to organize the event well.

grime

It always seems to accumulate the most dirt and grime.

'Grime' is another word for dirt or filth.

Notice the following:

  1. Look at the grime on your shirt!
  2. A good scrub should get rid of all that grime.

portable

They have these little portable bathrooms.

A 'portable' bathroom is one that can be moved from place to place. It is not permanently connected to a particular place.

Notice the following:

  1. I used to have a portable television.
  2. The tent is small and very portable so we can take it anywhere.

going rate

The going rate for a maid.

A 'going rate' for something is the price that you would normally pay for that item or service at a particular point in time. Changes in the economy cause changes in the 'going rate.'

Notice the following:

  1. I have no idea what the going rate for a babysitter would be nowadays.
  2. Yes, that is about the going rate.

discount

Well, I thought I was going to get a discount.

When you get a 'discount' the price that you pay has been reduced from the original price.

Notice the following:

  1. The sales are on, so there are lots of discounts.
  2. If you go during the off-season then you will get a discounted rate.

Vocabulary Quiz

organized • grime • portable
going rate • discount
  1. There is so much in this microwave that I don't think it's been cleaned in years.
  2. She is at work, but her personal life is a disaster.
  3. I have a card for next weekend.
  4. It seems a little expensive to me, but it's actually the for lawyers in the area.
  5. It is a beautiful table, but I'm looking for something a little more .
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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