Choosing Clothes

Are you one of the thousands of people who eagerly follow every new (1).......... that appears ? Or are you one of those who go to the shops and just buy whatever they can find in their (2)......... that (3).......... them? Or perhaps you order from a mail-order catalogue, and then have to send everything back because nothing (4).......... ? Whatever (5).......... of shopper you are, one thing is certain. Everyone finds (6).......... important. According to a recent survey, people spend more time either buying clothes, or thinking about buying them, or looking at them in shop (7).........., than they do on most other products, (8).......... from food. And the reason is obvious. Clothes are an important part of our (9).......... at work, you may need to impress a customer, or persuade the boss that you know what you are doing, and clothes certainly help. (10)..........-dressed people, so they say, get on in the world. And as far as attracting the opposite sex is concerned, clothes also play a vital role. If a friend who has been (11).......... the same old jacket or the same old dress suddenly appears in the (12).......... fashion, you can be sure that romance is in the air. And apart from work and romance, there are the influences of sport, music and leisure on the way we 13)........... . So excuse me while I (14).......... on my tracksuit and training (15)........... I'm just dashing off for some fast window-shopping.

1) A) appearance	B) fashion	C) uniform	D) dress
2) A) place	B) price	C) size	D)self
3) A) suits	B) makes	C) takes	D) likes
4) A) sizes	B)styles	C) fits	D) measures
5) A) means	B) typical	C) idea	D) kind
6) A)out	B) clothes	C) dresses	D) vests
7) A) centres	B) sales	C) times	D) windows
8) A) apart	B)or	C) according	D) taken
9) A) nowadays	B) appearance	C) looking	D)events
10) A) well	B)good	C) best	D) fancy
11) A) dressing	B) putting on	C) carrying	D) wearing
12) A)last	B) minute	C)latest	D) complete
13) A) clothes	B)have	C) dress	D)go
14) A)put	B) dress	C) wear	D)have
15) A) fit	B) shoes	C) tonight	D) again

Listening

Are you good at bargaining? Lucy is. She is in Portobello Road street in London. She’s at an antique store, she’s just seen a brass plate and she’s interested in buying it.

Listen to her conversation with the stall-holder and answer these questions.

1. How much does he say it’s worth?

2. How much is he asking for it?

3. What does ‘quid’ mean?

4. He suggests four different prices. Write them down.

5. She makes four offers. Write them down.

Exercise 11

Translate into English.

Коли ваш бюджет передбачає тільки необхідні речі і ви не можете дозволити собі купити предмети розкоші, то вам доведеться покладатися на розпродажі, де можна придбати речі доброї якості за зниженими цінами. Можна також піти на ринок, який користується популярністю серед людей мабуть тому, що головна його перевага полягає у можливості поторгуватися з продавцем доки обидві сторони не будуть задоволені ціною. Проте, з іншого боку у вас не вийде уникнути величезних натовпів і пов‘язаних з цим проблем. Так що добре зважте всі за й проти, а потім вирушайте за покупками і пам‘ятайте приказку, що ми не настільки багаті, щоб купувати дешеві речі.

Останнім часом з метою задоволення зростаючих потреб покупців з‘явилося багато різноманітних магазинів і супермаркетів, де можна придбати товари широкого вжитку на будь-який смак. Нащастя, минули ті часи, коли миттю розкупалися промислові товари, їх вибір був досить обмеженим. Тепер за товарами, які користуються великим попитом серед населення, не треба ставати в чергу, щоб купити їх. Єдина проблема зараз для покупців полягає у коштах. То ж слід більш ретельно планувати ваш бюджет, і тоді кожна придбана вами річ буде справжньою вдалою покупкою.

 Speaking

• Discuss the following questions in your group.

1. Do you think of shopping in terms of a pleasure or necessity?

2. What kind of shopper are you? (fun, reluctant, terrible etc.)

3. Do you enjoy shopping? How often do you go shopping? How much time do you

spend each time you go?

4. Do you always decide exactly what you want and how much you are prepared to

pay before going into the shop?

4. Do you like shopping for new clothes?

5. Do you always try clothes on before you buy them? Do all the shops in your country

have changing rooms?

7. How important is good customer service when you shop?

8. When you buy something do you read the label, tag?

9. Do you compare prices at different stores when you shop? Are you a price conscious shopper? Are you sales conscious?

• Now work in small groups to write your own questionnaire to find out about other people's shopping habits. Each member of the group should go around the class and interview different people using your questionnaire. Share the answers you've got in your groups. Do you think anyone interviewed was 'born to shop'?

Size

What size shoes do you wear? What size do you take in coats? What is your size in shoes? I take/wear a size 38 dress. Size 40 is too loose on me, 36 is a bit tight, 38 is just the right size. He needs a size smaller/larger. The jacket is dangling. The trousers are baggy.

to fit perfectly to fit like a glove to be a perfect fit to be loose in the shoulders to look a fright/scarecrow to be the laughing stock of the group in a dress like this a fitting-room/booth to be just the thing for the season

Exercise 1

Fill in the blanks with appropriate words.

What size do you take in clothes?

Let me see. 40 is too l _ _ _ _ on me, 36 is a bit t_ _ _ _ , 38 is just the r_ _ _ _ size. Yes, I take a s_ _ _ 38 dress. I like dresses which f _ _ perfectly. I don’t like r_ _ _ _ -m_ _ _ clothes . I remember once buying a ready-made dress. Instead of looking beautiful, smart and elegant in a new dress I looked a s_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ and I was sure to be the l_ _ _ _ _ _ _ s_ _ _ _ of all around if I bought it. It was t_ _ _ _ in the shoulders and too l_ _ _ _ in the hips, the w_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ was misplaced, the belt didn’t go with the dress, the colour didn’t m_ _ _ _ the colour of my eyes and my complexion. The dress didn’t s_ _ _ at all. Since then I either make my dresses or at least content myself with m_ _ _ -t_-m_ _ _ _ _ _ ones. I hate to wear off-the-peg clothes.

Exercise 2

Choose the most suitable word or phrase to complete each sentence.

1. That dress isn’t really tight. It’ll expand/stretch when you wear it.

2. Is this a present? Would you like me to pack/wrap it for you?

3. Supasoft Soaps are for sale/on sale here.

4. I've bought these shoes for nothing. They were decreased/reduced a lot.

5. I’m sorry but the beret is out of supply/stock.

6. You can buy a fountain pen, felt pens, paperclips at a hardware/stationer’s.

7. Buy the new manufacture/brand of soap on sale.

8. Imported coffee is one of the shop’s best-selling areas/lines.

9. This fantastic new gadget has been sold like wedding/hot cakes.

Listening

Listen to the two texts and answer the following questions.

1. 1. What department is she looking for? What is the way to it?

2. What items do they have on sale?

3. What size does she take?

4. What has she bought?

5. What another department does she need? Where is it?

B. 1. What does she want to buy?

2. How do the shoes feel?

3. What has she bought there?

 Speaking

Discuss the following in pairs.

1. What is your shoe size?

2. What size do you take in coat?

3. Do you wear the same size clothes this year as you wore last year?

Add your own questions.

Exercise 3

What problems do these people have with the clothes they are trying on? Describe in detail using the phrases from the active vocabulary.

Exercise4

Supply prepositions or adverbs where necessary.

1.The quality is excellent …… the price. 2.They have a very good selection …… ties …… different shades to choose. 3.These are all …… the same price. It’s a bargain. 4.“Would you like to pay now, or do you want it delivered c.o.d. (cash on delivery)?” “I’ll pay …… once.”5.I would like to have a look …… one …… the blue dresses. 6. I want a silk dress …… summer wear. Show me something …… light blue. Where can I try it ……? 7.I asked …… woollen underwear but it was …… …… stock. 8.Oh, you look perfect …… it! It suits…… you, really! 9.This is too expensive …… me. I can’t afford it. 10.I needed a new pair …… shoes, so I went …… a shoe shop, tried …… ten pairs and finally bought one …… very good brown leather. 11. Nat called …… the jewellery shop to buy a birthday present …… her sister. They showed her some lovely earrings, necklaces and bracelets, but she finally decided …… a very pretty brooch. 12. I bought a new fridge and a washing machine and had them sent …… my address. 13. These jackets are reduced .… price. 14. He bought many things …. mail order. 15. I asked ….. a refund. 16. The fourth floor is entirely taken ….. footwear. 17. It’s a bargain …. the price. 18. What do you have …. stock in the way of wollen skirts? 19. Will you make ….. the bill, please? 20. They have very nice glace court shoes ….. display. 21. ‘I’ll pay …. delivery’ she said. 22. What size do you take …… shoes?

Listening

1. Listen to the women discussing a dress. What colours suit Jane? What dress is she going to buy?

2. Listen to a talk in the changing room. What colours does she look awful in? What dress do you think the woman will buy?