Text b in the department store

My friend will have a birthday party in a week, so I have decided to look for a birthday present for her. I went to the Central Department Store which is situated in the centre of our city. It’s a multistoreyed building where one can get everything in the way of food and manufactured goods. I must confess it was so difficult to make a suitable purchase in such a huge shop with a lot of counters and shelves. When I arrived at the Central Department Store I first admired the window dressing. Then I went along the ground floor and looked into the shop – windows of the grocery, where I could see all kinds of food staffs: meat, fish, tinned food, sausage, fruit, wine, sweets, chocolates, etc. There were some commercial counters on the ground floor and I found myself in a fantastic motley city of different things. Then I went upstairs to the first floor, where I couldn’t help admiring at seeing various goods. There were on sale: haberdashery, stationery, hosiery, leather-wear, knitwear. To tell you the truth, I was impressed by a great choice of silk skirts and shirts, different kinds of frocks and coats, leather boots and shoes, woolen pullovers and sweaters, jeans and suits, jackets and blouses, bags and wallets. There one can get everything in the way of clothes wanted by men, women and children: footwear, knitwear, ready-made clothes, furs, and what not. I admired the cut and the style of a light summer frock. It was the latest fashion and I made up my mind to try it on. A pleasant-looking shop-assistant proposed me to put the frock on and look in the mirror. But unfortunately it was a bit loose on me and did not suit me perfectly. On the second floor of the Department Store I could see all kinds of household utensils: crockery, china, electric appliances, cutlery, pots and pans, vacuum-cleaners, washing-machines, cameras, radio and television sets, computers, stereo cassette recorders and many other things one may want in the house. Besides, there were perfumery, florist’s gift and souvenir departments. The shop-assistant suggested looking at a beautiful water-colour. I liked that nice picture very much and I was sure my friend would like it too. The price of the present was not very high, I must admit. So I paid the money at the cash-desk. The cashier gave me a receipt and I came up to the shop-assistant with it again. I produced my receipt and obtained a wrapped parcel with a shirt. She thanked me and added they were always glad to see me at their shop. I felt very excited at the thought that I had bought a very nice birthday present and left the shop.

On my way home I suddenly remembered that my mother had given me a few errands.

We’ve run out of bread and I had to drop in at the baker’s to buy a loaf of white bread, a loaf of brown one, five rolls and half a dozen small cakes. There was a long queue at the grocer’s, but I had nothing to do but stand in the line for half an hour to buy a kilo of sugar and some sausage. Then I bought some fruit (bananas and apples) at the vegetable stall near the bus stop.

I was lucky to buy everything I wanted. Frankly speaking. I like to go shopping.

SPEECH EXERCISES

Ex.1 Say whether the statements are true or false.

1. The Central Department Sore is a two storeyed building where you

can get everything in the way of food and manufactured goods.

2. It's not a problem to make a suitable purchase.

3. The Department Store is a fantastic motley city of different things.

4. You can get everything in the way of clothes but not for children.

5. What I admired most was the colour of a summer frock.

6. It suited me perfectly.

7. I chose a water-colour but I couldn't afford it as it was very ex-

pensive.

8. After producing my receipt I got a wrapped parcel with a shirt.

9. I dropped in the baker's to buy a loaf of bread.

Ex.2 Say what else you can buy in a big Department Store.

Ex. 3 Compare our Central Department Store with the one described.

Ex. 4 You are invited to a birthday party. Discuss with your group-mate what present will be the most suitable for the occasion and what department you are going to visit.

Ex. 5 Describe your visit to a supermarket. Use the following words and phrases.

To go to a supermarket to buy …; to be back soon; not to have been there for more than 30 minutes; it's one of the best things about them; had I gone to half a dozen different shops I would have taken much longer; not to be overcrowded; brightly lit; well laid out; there is plenty of room for the customers to walk about; to move along the aisles of goods; to push one's little cart (or to carry a basket in one's hand); to fill it with packets; a few assistants; there is no need for many assistants; ready-packed; the goods are tidily arranged on trays and long shelves; the shelves are well stocked with a very wide selection of attractively packed goods; the goods are within easy reach; the price is printed on every packet; the prices are clearly marked; the assistants fill up (the) shelves and cases that become empty; they see that everything has a price stamped on it.

Ex. 6 Read the dialogue and retell it on the part of a) Nina; b) Vera.

TEXT C MARKETING

Vera: Good morning, Nina!

Nina: Oh, that’s you, Vera! How nice that you have come.

V. I haven’t seen you of late so I thought I’d –

N. I say, Vera, have you time to go with me to the market? Ma feels

unwell and she wants me to do the shopping.

V. Why, yes! I am quite free.

N. Just wait a minute while I get ready the bag. Where can it be, I

wonder? I’ll go and ask –

V. It cannot be in the larder, Nina, can it?

N. Of course, it must be there. (Comes back with the bag). Well, let’s

go.

V. Have you taken the money?

N. Oh! What a silly I am! Going to the market without a kopeck in my

pocket. Nice, indeed! (Goes out and shortly comes back). Well, seems to be all. Come on.

(At the market)

V. What do you want to buy?

N. Some meat, eggs, vegetables and some berries.

V. Are berries in season now?

N. They are. Now, what shall we buy first, vegetables?

V. I think so. Where do they deal in vegetables?

N. I don’t know. This is the first time I’m out marketing. Over there, it seems.

V. Say, Nina, let’s go over to that woman over there. See what a wealth

of vegetables she has.

13. (To the saleswoman). How do you sell the cabbage, by the head or

by the kilogramme?

Saleswoman: By the head. Here is a nice head, young lady.

N. Show me that one over there, please.

S. Here you are. See how firm it is.

N. Yes, I shall take it.

S. What else would you like?

N. A bunch of carrots, please. No, those are overgrown. Give me the

bunch next to it. Yes, that one.

S. What else, young lady?

N. Now pick out ten cucumbers, please.

S. Here, please. Right from the garden. Some onions?

N. Yes. How do you sell them?

S. These – by the tens, and these of the smaller size – by the kilo-

gramme.

N. I’ll take ten of these.

S. Here you are.

N. Thank you.

Ex.7 Write an essay "My last visit to the market".

PRETEXT EXERCISES

Ex. 1 Answer the questions.

1 Do you like to go shopping? Why?

2 Are you always satisfied with the shops you visit?

3 How would you like to improve the process of shopping?

Ex. 2 Read the text and do the exercises after the text.

TEXT D I’M ADDICTED TO SHOPPING FROM HOME

Shopping from your living room used to be decidedly unglamorous. But with the explosion of top quality catalogues, the Internet and TV shopping channels. That's not the case any more …

Ali Quinn 38, from Surbiton, Surrey, is married to Paddy, 50. She's a community nurse and they have two children.

My nickname at home is Catalogue Quinn. Paddy thinks it's hilarious that I'm so addicted to catalogue shopping. Before we married five years ago, I wasn't the least bit interested in any of the catalogue that arrive with the weekend papers. Now, though, Paddy throws them across the room to me and I spend the next half-hour fantasying about what I can buy from McCord or The Costwold Company.

As I was working long hours, this was easier said than done. I didn't have time to wander around the shops – and if I had, I'd never have found all the wonderful things I've now bought from catalogue land.

Since having children my life has been so chaotic and I'm so short of time that I scour the catalogues for anything that will help simplify things. I also do virtually all my gift shopping from catalogues. The only things I don't buy from catalogues are my own clothes. I used to but I found that they often didn't fit the way I wanted them to, so now I force myself to go clothes shopping. But the children's clothes come from catalogues and I even bought a sofa from Argos catalogue because it saved Paddy and me from spending our day off together trekking around department stores. Maybe one day I'll convert to Internet shopping but there's something special about being able to curl up in an armchair with a catalogue on your knees, your shopping list in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

Val Moody, 57, from Peterborough, is married to Brian, 56. The couple have two grown-up children. I've always been a shopaholic – I get a real thrill out buying something new and I can't help buying on implulse if I see something that really takes my fancy. But four years ago I had major surgery on my back and I was laid up in bed for several weeks. I was so bored that the only thing I could do to fill the time was flick between TV channels. Then one day while I was doing this, I discovered the world of TV shopping and since then, I haven't looked back. Even though I'm now back on my feet, I'm still a total TV shopping addict. I spend at least three hours a day watching the shopping channels, Ideal World TV, and I shell out around 5000 pounds a month on goods I've seen advertised on it. We don't have a mortgage to pay but my daughter Lisa thinks I'm mad. She asked the other day why I've bought myself another bread maker. I explained that the one I've already got (also bought from TV shopping) takes two hours to make bread and this new one takes just 58 minutes. I couldn't resist it. The great thing is that, unlike department stores where the assistants never seem to know anything about the products they are selling, on TV you get a complete demonstration of the item before you buy it. I'm always on the lookout for more new cleaning equipment – we've got four Great Danes, a small dog and four cats. So far I've bought six vacuum cleaners and a fantastic steam cleaner that does everything from curtains and carpets to work surfaces and the oven! My husband is a plumber and he always needs new tools. They come up for sale on the TV a lot, so I buy him anything useful I see.

I've never been a browser and I can't understand anyone who goes window shopping when the shops are closed. Why bother if you can't buy anything? No, for me the buzz is in the purchase and if it's a bargain, I've got to have it.

Sharon Burns, 27, from Woking in Surrey, is a marketing director. She's engaged to Kieron, 28.

Without the Internet, I'd be the world's worst shopper. I used to work in the West End of London but I found it so stressful at lunchtimes trying to beat my way through the crowds, make a halfway decent purchase and get back to my office in time, that I gave up altogether. Then, about four years ago, I discovered the Internet shopping and I was hooked. I started by buying books and CDs for my mum. She lives in Coventry and sending presents to her was always a hassle. But by shopping online, I could get gifts directly to her – and I could afford to buy more too because prices were so competitive. I then started doing all my food shopping online. Having worked in finance in the past, I know your credit details are safer on the Net than over the phone, so I've never had any qualms about that. I shop every week at Tesco's website – it only takes a few minutes to do and my groceries are delivered to my kitchen, saving me trouble of having to lug them upstairs to my second-floor flat. People wonder how I can bear to let someone else choose my vegetables and fruit. What if they're bruised or overripe? Well, I get round that by making fussy notes on every order, I even state the sell-by date I want. I've bought everything from theatre tickets and holidays to Kieron's engagement present online. One thing I'm still waiting for is an online clothes facility that will tempt me away from old-fashioned department stores. So far I haven't plucked up the courage to buy clothes online because I know that if they don't fit I'll have to deal with returning them. But I've dipped my toes in the water by visiting a shoe website, so I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I finally take the plunge!

EXERCISES ON THE TEXT

Ex. 1 Think of the possible attributes to the word "shopping".

(catalogue, gift, clothes, Internet, TV, window, food, online)

Ex.2 In the text find the phrases synonymous to the following ones.

Appealing, attractive, to stop , to be involved, to do smth without being able to stop wanting to, to make things easier, to go window shopping, to be pressed for time, to doubt, smth that I like very much, to make smb do what you want.

Ex. 3 Give English equivalents to the following words and phases.

Фактически, скоротать время, тащить сумки наверх, перехитрить, собраться с духом, тщательно просматривать каталоги, легче сказать, чем сделать, рекламировать, покупать одежду по компьютеру.

SPEECH EXERCISES

Ex. 1 Explain in your own words.

Shopaholic, mortgage, browser, it's a bargain, I coudn't resist it, to make a halfway decent purchase, shopping online, prices are competitive.