Card 13 Let’s talk about shopping and money.

1) What do you know about the history of money?

Frankly speaking, it is almost impossible to imagine life of a modern person without money because we need to pay practically for everything in this life except mother's love, father's guidance and friend's support.

Money is a medium of exchange. Many centuries ago when money didn't exist people used barter - they exchanged some goods they had for goods they needed. Later commodity money appeared: at first fur and salt served as money, then people started to use precious metals to pay for different goods.

The first paper money as well as first coins appeared in China. France’s government became the first in Europe to make paper money – banknotes or bills as they say in the USA.

Now people carry plastic credit cards in their wallets instead of cash, which makes travelling even safer and more convenient.

*Who does shopping in your family?

No one in our family goes shopping as often as my mother does. She keeps the house, so she knows better than anyone of us what we are running short of. Sometimes I also do shopping or I just help my mum do it.

2) Do you like shopping? Why (not)?

It’s impossible to imagine our life without shops and shopping. People can’t produce everything themselves. So shopping is an essential [ɪ'senʃ(ə)l] part of our life.

1) As for me I like doing shopping because… I like buying fashionable clothes. It gives me pleasure and improves my mood. I like buying food as well. I think we all enjoy eating something delicious.

2) As for me I don’t like doing shopping because… I think it’s really boring. It does take a lot of time. And all those heavy bags while you are buying food! I just realize food will not be delivered to our home we should get it so I help my parents do it.

3) What questions will you ask your friend who has bought an expensive telephone?

How much does your telephone cost? What options does it have? Does it have a good camera? Can you watch video online? What kinds of video games can you play?

*What questions will you ask a shop assistant to help you to choose a purchase?

Do you have these clothes in my size? Have you got anything like that in different colours? Do these clothes suit me? Are the clothes made from natural cloths? How to look after these clothes?

4) What can you advise to a person who wants to buy many things but has little time?

In such a case I would advise him to go to a supermarket or a department store. Department stores and supermarkets are huge shops with a big range of goods which are sold “under one roof”.

Department stores specialize in electronic goods, furs or books, luxury ['lʌkʃ(ə)rɪ] goods, stationery ['steɪʃ(ə)n(ə)rɪ], hosiery ['həuzɪərɪ], millinery, footwear, sport goods, leather goods, perfumery [pə'fju:m(ə)rɪ], jewelry, ready-made women’s and men’s clothes.

Supermarkets sell a variety [və'raɪətɪ] of foodstuffs, such as flour ['flauə], butter, eggs, biscuits ['bɪskɪts], cheese, sugar, spices [spaɪsiz], tinned and frozen foods, fish and meat: pork, veal, mutton or lamb, beef and poultry ['pəultrɪ]; you can find different dairy ['dɛərɪ] products there, fruit and vegetables, flowers and plants. Supermarkets do a good trade selling sweets, chocolates, toffees ['tɔfɪz] and other tempting things.

All the things are on the counter s so the customers can choose what they want. Shop-assistants help customers to find various goods in the shop.

In big cities shopping malls are very popular which are large enclosed shopping centres with lots of boutiques [bu:'ti:ks] though it will be more expensive to do your shopping there.

5) Parents usually give pocket money to their children. How do you usually spend your pocket money?

It depends. Normally my parents give me some money to buy food in our school canteen. So I use it for it. When I save something I usually buy hair stuff, books, magazines and video games and so on. I can’t buy something really big or important because it is pocket money so it’s supposed to be not a big sum.

Some teenagers think their parents should pay them for doing their household chores. Do you share the opinion?

1) I completely disagree. Paying children to do chores is a mistake. In my opinion, they should do some things for free, like cleaning the flat they live in, washing up, doing the ironing or something like that. Otherwise they’ll start asking money for everything.

2) Children should get paid to do some chores like housework or baby-sitting. I think it’s fair. And that should be the only money they get. That way they learn to be responsible.

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Дата добавления: 2015-10-02