Learn English with the News: “A New York Apartment”

Hello!

A lot of you have probably watched the American show Friends, right? Watching Friends makes us all want to live their lives for a bit: living in the middle of New York and drinking lots of coffee with our friends.

Well, the most expensive apartment in Manhattan has just been bought by 22 year old Ekaterina Rybolovleva. It has 10 rooms and a huge terrace!

1. First read the text
2. Understand the vocabulary
3. Watch the video

Text

“The most coveted address in town: the penthouse at 15 Central Park West.

But it comes with a very hefty price tag. For 88 million U.S. dollars this will reportedly become the Manhattan home of Russian billionaire Dmitry Rybolovlev’s daughter.

Twenty-two-year-old Ekaterina, is studying at a U.S. university and has decided this will be her nest when she’s visiting New York.

And it’s the most anyone has ever paid for a slice of Big Apple real estate.

Across the street from Central Park, the luxury apartment boasts a wraparound terrace and two wood burning fireplaces and is currently owned by former Citigroup Chairman, Sanford Weill.”

Vocabulary

Coveted – to want (something that you do not have) very much.
Example: “The princess wore a dress coveted by hundreds of women”

Penthouse – an apartment on the top floor or roof of a building.
Example: “Carrie, from Sex and the City, lives in a penthouse in Manhattan”

Hefty – very large.
Example: “The table was so hefty, none of us could move it”

Tag – a small piece of cloth, paper, metal, etc., that is attached to something and that has information written on it.
Example: “The price tag said it cost 2000€”

Nest –  a home where people live.
Example: “She bought herself a little nest: a cottage in the Pyrenees”

Slice – a part of something.
Example: “When we sold the book, we all got a slice of the profits”

Boasts – to have (something that is impressive).
Example: “The museum boasts some of the rarest gems in the world”

Wraparound – going all or most of the way around something.
Example: “The terrace wrapped around the whole apartment”

Currently – happening or existing now :belonging to or existing in the present time.
Example: “I’m currently working in marketing”