Questions 27-30

(Man) Mrs. Brown, I understand that you are very concerned about the housing situation in this country.

(Woman) Indeed I am. The government itself admits that there are more than two million houses which ought to be pulled down at once. It also admits that there are another two and a half million in such a shocking state that it would be a waste of money to repair them.

(Man) What do you mean by "shocking state"?

(Woman) I mean houses that are in such a bad condition that they are permanently damp, or houses where you'll find as many as four families sharing one tap and one toilet.

(Man) What you are saying, in effect, Mrs. Brown, is that the housing in this country isn't worthy of a welfare state!

(Woman) Exactly! According to government figures there are about 20,000 homeless people in this country, but thousands more are living in such terrible conditions that they ought to be classed as homeless. The figures can be as high as over 200,000. It isn't that these people can't afford a reasonable rent. There just aren't enough houses.

(Man) Whom do you blame?

(Woman) The government, for not providing enough money, and the district councils for not spending properly what there is.

(Man) What about the local housing committees? Many of them have been doing wonderful work during the past decade.

(Woman) I agree, but that doesn't excuse the local councils that are inefficient and don't take enough interest. Don't you think it is shocking that in our modern civilization there are still families who have nowhere to live? Do you think it's right that whole families should have to sleep in the ruins of empty buildings or under bridges or in railway station waiting-rooms?

(Man) But Surely there are excellent hostels where they can go.

(Woman) In some cities and towns, perhaps, but things are very different in many of our midland and northern industrial cities, and in parts of the Metropolis. Even where there are places, some of the state-run homes for the homeless are less comfortable than prisons. In any case, my point is that we shouldn't need so many hostels for homeless families because there shouldn't be any homeless families!

(Man) Mrs. Brown, I think many people would say that you are exaggerating and drawing attention to the worst housing conditions instead of looking at the situation as a whole. Would you agree that you belong to a "pressure group" which is trying to bring pressure on the government to do something about the housing problem?

(Woman) If that's what belonging to a pressure group means, the answer is "yes"! But I'm not exaggerating. Housing is the most serious problem of our welfare state. If it weren't, would we hear so much about that excellent charity organization, Shelter, which does such wonderful work in finding homes for the homeless?

27. According to the government figures, how many people are homeless?

28. Whom does the woman blame for the "shocking" housing situation?

29. According to the woman, why are there so many homeless families?

30. What is " Shelter", as is mentioned at the end of the conversation?