Fight Over Marilyn Monroe's Old House

May 10, 2026, 15:00
USCulture

Introduction

The City of Los Angeles and two owners are fighting in court. They disagree about the house where Marilyn Monroe lived.

Main Body

Brinah Milstein and Roy Bank bought the house in 2023. They wanted to destroy the house to make more space. But in 2024, the city said the house is a historical monument. Now, the owners cannot destroy it. The owners are angry. They say the house is old and broken. The roof and pipes do not work. They say the house is not special anymore because people changed it. The city and some groups want to save the house. They say the house is important for history. The city does not have money to buy the house from the owners.

Conclusion

The house is breaking. The owners want money and the city wants to save the building.

Learning

🏠 Talking about 'Who' and 'What'

Look at how the story describes people and things. To reach A2, you need to know how to link a person to an action.

The Action Pattern

  • The City →\rightarrow wants to save the house.
  • The owners →\rightarrow want to destroy the house.

Simple Logic: Singular vs. Plural When one person/thing does something, we add an -s to the action word:

  • The city wants... (One city)
  • The house is... (One house)

When many people do something, we use the base word:

  • The owners want... (Two people)
  • They say... (Two people)

Vocabulary for the Home If you want to describe a building, use these words from the text:

  • Roof: The top of the house.
  • Pipes: The tubes for water.
  • Broken: Not working / Damaged.

Vocabulary Learning

house (n.)
a building for people to live in
Example:The house is on Maple Street.
city (n.)
a large town where many people live
Example:Los Angeles is a big city.
owners (n.)
people who own something
Example:The owners of the shop are friendly.
court (n.)
a place where legal matters are decided
Example:They went to court to settle the dispute.
fight (v.)
to argue strongly or battle
Example:They fight over who gets the house.
history (n.)
the past events of a place or person
Example:The building has an important history.
monument (n.)
a building or statue that remembers someone or something
Example:The monument honors the city’s founders.
destroy (v.)
to break or ruin something completely
Example:They want to destroy the old structure.
save (v.)
to keep something from being harmed or lost
Example:The city wants to save the historic building.
money (n.)
currency used to buy goods or services
Example:The owners need money to repair the roof.