ESL Podcast 294 - Living in a Condo or Co-op

exasperated - frustrated; tired of something; angry that something continues to happen over time; very annoyed

The caller became exasperated when we told her that there was nothing we could do to fix her problem.

homeowner's association - an organization that makes rules about how a group of people living in a certain area can behave and what they can do with their homes

The homeowner's association requires everyone to paint their homes the same color.

condo - condominium; an apartment building or a group of apartment buildings where each person owns his or her own apartment, but the areas that people share are owned by everyone

When our condo building's roof needed to be replaced, everyone who lived there had to help pay for it.

What's the matter? - What's wrong? Why are you sad or upset?

What's the matter with Jenny? She has been crying all morning.

do-nothing - a person (or organization) who doesn't do anything; a person who is lazy or inefficient; a person who doesn't do what he or she is supposed to do

Keanu is a do-nothing who stays at home all day watching TV while his brother works.

complaint - grievance; something that is written or said to show that one is unhappy or dissatisfied with something

I wrote a letter of complaint and sent it to the phone company because it charged me twice as much as it should have last month.

to enforce - to make a law or rule be obeyed; to make people do something that they are supposed to do

The police are enforcing the speed limit, stopping all cars that drive faster than 45 miles per hour on this road.

house rules - rules, regulations, or laws that are agreed upon by all the people in a specific group; rules made by the people who will be affected by them

In Sandra's family, the house rules are that each person has to help make dinner and wash the dishes.

co-op - housing co-op; housing cooperative; a type of housing that is owned and operated by the people who live there, sharing expenses and responsibilities

Some college students live in co-ops because they're cheaper than dorms or apartments.

board of directors - the group of people who make important decisions for a business or organization and are responsible for hiring the president

The board of directors has decided to change the company's vacation policy.

violation - infraction; an action that goes against a law, rule, or regulation; the act of breaking a law, rule, or regulation

Driving while drinking alcohol is a violation of state law.

shareholder - a person who owns stock in a company; a person who has partial ownership of a company

The shareholders were disappointed to hear that the company wasn't going to make as much money as they had expected.

infraction - violation; an action that goes against a law, rule, or regulation; the act of breaking a law, rule, or regulation

The student committed an infraction of the university's rules when he cheated on his exam.

common area - shared area; an area that is shared by many people

This apartment building's common areas include a gym, computer room, laundry room, garden, and basketball court.

clubhouse - a building that can be used for group meetings and/or recreational activities

The clubhouse has a pool table, a big-screen TV, and lots of games for people to play.

to reserve - to arrange for something to be available for one's use at a future time

Don't forget to reserve a table at the restaurant for this Friday night at 7:00.