With Bay Area rent soaring, Mario Koran moved to Starcity, where kitchens and bathrooms are shared. Is socially distancing possible in ‘a college dorm for grown-ups’?
I’m living with 48 roommates in the middle of the coronavirus pandemic. Co-living makes physical distancing all but impossible: we touch the same door handles, awkwardly navigate shared spaces and binge-watch Tiger King in the same TV lounges. The fear of coronavirus hasn’t so far driven me to move out or reignite a grueling apartment search. But neither can I say with authority just how safe co-living is in the middle of an outbreak.
Before I moved to the San Francisco Bay Area in September,I bounced between temporary rooms until I could find a more permanent place, living out of a suitcase, storing frozen meals in strangers’ refrigerators. When I found Starcity – a tech-enabled real estate company that’s part of a new generation of co-living spaces – it was, by all measures, an improvement to my living situation. It looks and feels a lot like a college dorm for grown-ups. The building is clean and well-lit, with a low-key, budget-trendy style. Beds and kitchen appliances are new. Showers don’t inexplicably scald or give me frostbite. Laundry, soap and internet fees are included in rent. My room is my own space. The flexible lease was a major selling point and the price was right, too. This is how, at the age of 38, I effectively returned to my freshman year of college. I made a new group of pals and began to settle in. Then came the coronavirus.
In spite of the pandemic, new residents continue to move into Starcity. But I’ve also seen a good number of residents leaving with packed bags – some for good, others planning to wait out the worst of the pandemic with friends or family. In a co-living environment, refrigerator handles, faucets and elevator buttons are all common touch-points. Even a trip to the kitchen to fetch a cup of coffee could put you in close proximity to your neighbors.
Roshan Ramankutty, a software engineer in the sales department of Square who has become a friend, decided the best option for him is living with nearby family members. “For me, it came down to: if the worst-case scenario was to happen, how would I best be able to support and be supported? And that’s ultimately with my family,” he said. So is it actually possible to protect yourself from an outbreak in a place like Starcity?
Adapted from “The Guardian”
Question 1: (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE OR FALSE and write down the sentence or the part of the text that justifies your answer. No points will be given if the evidence is not correct.
1. The writer´s panic to a future lockdown has made him look for this way of living.
2. Koran has experienced an increase in his way of living.
3. This way of sharing started after the pandemic.
4. Ramantutty decided to be surrounded by his closest relatives.
Question 2: (2 points) Choose and answer ONLY TWO of the following questions in your own words according to the text.
1. How did the writer feel before living in this type of community and how does he feel after?
2. Explain the sentence from the text: “ the building is clean and well- lit, a low-key, budget- trendy style.
3. Are Starcity´s settlers worried about sharing common spaces?
Question 3: (1,5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given. You only need to have five correct answers to get 1,5.
1. Strangely ( p.1)
2. Move from place to place (p.2)
3. Burn ( p.2)
4. Friend, mate ( p.2)
5. To get, to grab (p.3)
6. Most-terrible (p.4)
Question 4: ( 1,5 points) Choose the correct option- a, b, c or d- for each question and COPY both the letter and the sentence that follows onto your answer sheet.
1. The text is about….
a) A new trend on a way of living among adult people in order not to stay alone.
b) A new trend on a way of living among adult people as a commune.
c) A new trend on a way of living among adult people because of being homeless.
d) A new trend on a way of living among adult people due to economic problems.
2. The flexible way of paying…
a) Made the writer take the decision.
b) Didn´t convince him at the beginning and had to negotiate.
c) Allows the owners to exchange the price for common works in the community.
d) Must be regularized.
3. For many different reasons…
a) All people can´t move out from the community until the pandemic improves.
b) Some people have decided to abandon the dwelling.
c) None of the residents have argued so far.
d) Strong family bonds are only permitted right now.
Question 5: ( 3 points) Written production
Choose ONE of the two options below and write a short essay ( 120-150 words). Essays up to 200 won´t be penalized.
a) OPINION: What´s your opinion on living and sharing places? Would you prefer to stay on your own forever? Explain your reasons.
b) FOR AND AGAINST: Write an essay explaining the advantages and disadvantages of sharing a flat with any person.
KEY
Question 1: (2 points) Indicate whether the following statements are TRUE OR FALSE and write down the sentence or the part of the text that justifies your answer. No points will be given if the evidence is not correct.
1. FALSE: “ The fear of coronavirus hasn´t so far driven me to move out or reignite a grueling apartment search”
2. TRUE: “it was, by all measures, an improvement to my living situation”
3. FALSE: “ Then, came the coronavirus”
4. TRUE: “ decided the best option for him is living with nearby family members”
Question 3: (1,5 points) Find words or phrases in the text that correspond to the words and definitions given. You only need to have five correct answers to get 1,5.
1. AWKWARDLY
2. BOUNCE
3. SCALD
4. PALS
5. TO FETCH
6. WORST- CASE
Question 4: ( 1,5 points) Choose the correct option- a, b, c or d- for each question and COPY both the letter and the sentence that follows onto your answer sheet.
1. The text is about….
a) A new trend on a way of living among adult people in order not to stay alone.
2. The flexible way of paying…
a) Made the writer take the decision.
3. For many different reasons…
b) Some people have decided to abandon the dwelling.
No hay comentarios:
Publicar un comentario