Understanding:Read the Comments, Why Did They Post?, True or False, Put Events in Order, Multiple Choice
Language:Words That Go Together, Everyday Expressions
Use It:Discussion Builder, Discussion Questions
Answers
Dirty Dishes in the Sink
How should people who live together share housework?
Dirty dishes in the sink.
Vocab List
unfair(adj.) — Not right or not equal.
deserve(v.) — If you deserve something, it is right for you to have it.
afford(v.) — To have enough money for something.
lazy(adj.) — Not willing to work or make an effort.
furious(adj.) — Very angry.
relationship(n.) — The way two people are connected to each other.
repack(v.) — To pack a bag again.
refuse(v.) — To say no and not agree to do something.
Reading
Dirty Dishes in the Sink
My girlfriend and I have been together for four years and lived together for one. For a long time, we have argued about the dishes. I hate doing them, and she says that is unfair.
She says I do not only hate washing dishes. I hate all cleaning. If she does the dishes, she thinks she will have to do all the other cleaning too. We cannot afford a cleaner, so that is not an answer.
Last week she was away on a work trip. I stayed home and left all the dirty dishes in the sink. When she came back yesterday, she saw them and became furious. I joked that our history should have told her I would not clean.
The joke did not help. I said it was only a few dishes, but she turned away. Then she repacked her suitcase, left the apartment, and ignored my calls and messages. This morning she said she was ending the relationship.
She told me she did not deserve a dirty home or a lazy boyfriend. She also said she was not my mother. I asked if a few dirty dishes were enough to end our relationship. She said my actions had already answered that question. Now her brothers are coming tomorrow for her things, and she still refuses to meet me. I do not know what to do.
Warm-up → Read the text first, then check your understanding. After that, listen and notice how the written language sounds in speech. or Listen for the main idea first without reading. Listen again if it feels unclear. Check your understanding, then read the text to confirm what you heard and connect sound to meaning. → Check Understanding → Language → Use It
How should people who live together share housework?
unfair(adj.)
— Not right or not equal.
afford(v.)
— To have enough money for something.
furious(adj.)
— Very angry.
repack(v.)
— To pack a bag again.
deserve(v.)
— If you deserve something, it is right for you to have it.
lazy(adj.)
— Not willing to work or make an effort.
relationship(n.)
— The way two people are connected to each other.
refuse(v.)
— To say no and not agree to do something.
Dirty dishes in the sink.
Poster
Leonard
My girlfriend and I have been together for four years and lived together for one. For a long time, we have argued about the dishes. I hate doing them, and she says that is unfair.
She says I do not only hate washing dishes. I hate all cleaning. If she does the dishes, she thinks she will have to do all the other cleaning too. We cannot afford a cleaner, so that is not an answer.
Last week she was away on a work trip. I stayed home and left all the dirty dishes in the sink. When she came back yesterday, she saw them and became furious. I joked that our history should have told her I would not clean.
The joke did not help. I said it was only a few dishes, but she turned away. Then she repacked her suitcase, left the apartment, and ignored my calls and messages. This morning she said she was ending the relationship.
She told me she did not deserve a dirty home or a lazy boyfriend. She also said she was not my mother. I asked if a few dirty dishes were enough to end our relationship. She said my actions had already answered that question. Now her brothers are coming tomorrow for her things, and she still refuses to meet me. I do not know what to do.
Read the Comments
Read the Comments
Daffy
You joked about a problem that mattered to her, so it is not surprising that she left.
This comment
b. Explains why his joke upset her
Mary
This sounds like the final straw. It feels like the dishes were only one part of a much bigger problem.
This comment
c. Suggests that there were other problems in the relationship
Jacob
Give her some space for now, then apologize honestly if she is willing to hear from you.
This comment
a. Advises him on what to do next
a. Advises him on what to do next
b. Explains why his joke upset her
c. Suggests that there were other problems in the relationship
Choose one answer, then click CHECK to see your result.
Understanding
Why Did They Post?
Choose one:
→He wants advice because his girlfriend is leaving and will not talk to him.Correct answer
→He wants to know if dirty dishes are a good reason to end a relationship.
→He wants ideas for sharing the cleaning more fairly.
True or False
Answer each question by selecting True or False, then click CHECK to see your results.
Explanation
True or False
1. The poster says he and his girlfriend have lived together for one year.
TRUEFALSETrue
2. The couple can afford to hire a cleaner.
TRUEFALSEFalse
3. The poster cleaned the dishes before his girlfriend came home from her trip.
TRUEFALSEFalse
4. Her brothers are coming tomorrow to take her things.
TRUEFALSETrue
Put Events in Order
Put the events in the order they happened, from first to last.
1The couple argued about dishes and cleaning for a long time.
2The girlfriend went away on a work trip.
3The poster left all the dirty dishes in the sink.
4She came home, saw the dishes, and became furious.
5She ended the relationship.
Put Events in Order
Put the events from the story in the correct order from first (1) to last (5):
She came home, saw the dishes, and became furious.
The couple argued about dishes and cleaning for a long time.
She ended the relationship.
The girlfriend went away on a work trip.
The poster left all the dirty dishes in the sink.
The couple argued about dishes and cleaning for a long time.
The girlfriend went away on a work trip.
The poster left all the dirty dishes in the sink.
She came home, saw the dishes, and became furious.
She ended the relationship.
Multiple Choice
Answer each question by selecting A, B, or C, then click CHECK to see your results.
Explanation
Multiple Choice
1. Why does the girlfriend say it is unfair if she does the dishes?
a) Because the poster always buys paper plates
b) Because the kitchen is too small for two people
c) Because she thinks she will end up doing all the other cleaning tooCorrect
2. What did the poster do while his girlfriend was away on a work trip?
a) He left all the dirty dishes in the sinkCorrect
b) He hired someone to clean the apartment
c) He stayed with his brother for a few days
3. What happened after the poster joked about the dirty dishes?
a) His girlfriend laughed and washed them
b) She asked him to cook dinner
c) She repacked her suitcase, left, and ignored his calls and messagesCorrect
4. What does the poster say will happen tomorrow?
a) He will go to his girlfriend's office
b) Her brothers will come for her thingsCorrect
c) They will meet to talk at home
Listen Closely
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio on eslnewsstories.com and complete the gaps below:
My girlfriend and I have been together for four years and lived together for one. For a long time, we have (1) about the dishes. I hate doing them, and she says that is unfair.
She says I do not only hate washing dishes. I hate all cleaning. If she does the dishes, she thinks she will have to do all the other cleaning too. We cannot afford a (2) , so that is not an answer.
Last week she was away on a work trip. I stayed home and left all the dirty dishes in the (3) . When she came back yesterday, she saw them and became (4) . I joked that our history should have told her I would not clean.
The joke did not help. I said it was only a few dishes, but she turned away. Then she repacked her (5) , left the apartment, and ignored my calls and messages. This morning she said she was ending the relationship.
She told me she did not deserve a dirty home or a lazy boyfriend. She also said she was not my mother. I asked if a few dirty dishes were enough to end our (6) . She said my actions had already answered that question. Now her brothers are coming tomorrow for her things, and she still refuses to meet me. I do not know what to do.
Listen and Fill Gaps
Listen to the audio and complete the gaps below:
Loading listening activity...
Words That Go Together
Drag each word to its match below, or select a word and then select its match:
Loading vocabulary activity...
Language
Words That Go Together
Match each word with the words it goes with:
1. dof) the dishes
2. afforde) a cleaner
3. repackd) a suitcase
4. ignorec) calls and messages
5. endb) a relationship
6. answera) a question
a)a question
b)a relationship
c)calls and messages
d)a suitcase
e)a cleaner
f)the dishes
Everyday Expressions
Choose the meaning that fits the sentence.
Everyday Expressions
Choose the correct meaning.
If something did not help, ita)did not happen as planned.b)did not improve the situation.did not happen as planned. or did not improve the situation.
If someone says, “ I’m not your mother,” they meana)they should not have to take care of you like a child.b)the two of you are not related.they should not have to take care of you like a child. or the two of you are not related.
Discussion Builder
1) Reason 2) Addition 3) Reason
Q: Do you think this breakup is only about the dishes? Explain.
A:
Q: What advice would you give the poster right now?
A:
Q: Should the girlfriend meet the poster before taking her things? Why or why not?
A:
Use It
Discussion Builder
Choose the best phrase for each gap:
Q: Do you think this breakup is only about the dishes? Explain.
A: I do not think this breakup was only about the dishes they had argued about cleaning for a long time.
and / but / because / so
I do not think this breakup was only about the dishes because they had argued about cleaning for a long time.
Q: What advice would you give the poster right now?
A: The poster should say sorry give her some space right now.
and / but / because / so
The poster should say sorry and give her some space right now.
Q: Should the girlfriend meet the poster before taking her things? Why or why not?
A: To me, the girlfriend should not meet him before taking her things she may need space after the argument.
because / unless / although / if
To me, the girlfriend should not meet him before taking her things because she may need space after the argument.
Discussion Questions
Do you think this breakup is only about the dishes? Explain.
Was the poster wrong to joke about the dishes? Why or why not?
What advice would you give the poster right now?
What advice would you give the girlfriend?
What chores do you dislike most? Why?
Have you ever lived with someone who had very different cleaning habits?
Should the girlfriend meet the poster before taking her things? Why or why not?
Is leaving instead of arguing sometimes the better choice?
What does 'I am not your mother' mean in this story?
Discussion Questions
Do you think this breakup is only about the dishes? Explain.
Was the poster wrong to joke about the dishes? Why or why not?
What advice would you give the poster right now?
What advice would you give the girlfriend?
What chores do you dislike most? Why?
Have you ever lived with someone who had very different cleaning habits?
Should the girlfriend meet the poster before taking her things? Why or why not?
Is leaving instead of arguing sometimes the better choice?
What does 'I am not your mother' mean in this story?
Answers·Dirty Dishes in the Sink / Level 3
Read the Comments:
Daffy: b. Explains why his joke upset her
Mary: c. Suggests that there were other problems in the relationship
Read the Comments