Zero Distance American Conversation Lesson 15

I love going to the mall.

1 Introduction

A Clothing is pretty expensive in America. As a general rule prices are fixed, so don't try bargaining for anything, except at some private sales and flea markets. As a general rule prices are fixed so don't try bargaining for anything, except at some private sales and flea markets. Of course, when they buy a car, they will negotiate.

A Clothing is pretty expensive in America. Generally, the price is fixed, so there is no need to bargain for anything, except at some private sales and flea markets. Of course, when they buy a car, they still negotiate the price.

B Going shopping with foreigners is a good way to make friends with them. Especially in China, you can be the guide, and also learn to say a lot of

B Going shopping with foreigners is a good way to make friends with them. Especially in China you can be the guide, and also learn to say a lot of common things in English.

C In American, people pay sales tax on many items that they buy. For example, clothing, cigarettes, soda, and gasoline are taxable items. However, they don't pay sales tax on the items they buy. For example, clothing, cigarettes, soda, and gasoline are taxable items. However, they don't pay sales tax on food at the grocery store, unless the food they buy is prepared and ready to eat (at a restaurant, a supermarket or deli.

C In American people pay sales tax on many items that they buy. In the United States, many goods are subject to sales tax. For example, clothing, cigarettes, sodas, and gasoline are all taxable items. However, grocery store food is not subject to sales tax, unless it is already prepared and ready to eat (like in restaurants, supermarkets, and delis).

2 Sample Sentences

1. The leather shoes were priced at 1,000 RMB.

2. You can always bargain here, but goods tend to come and go quickly so if you like it, buy it now!

You can always bargain here, but goods seem to come and go quickly, so if you like it, buy it now!

3. Where can I buy an English - language newspaper?

Where can I buy an English newspaper?

4. I want something like this.

I want something like this.

5. I like the blue one in the window.

I like the blue one in the window.

6. What is it made of? Will this material shrink?

What is it made of? Will this material shrink?

7. Is it color-fast / crease resistant / synthetic / pure cotton / silk / genuine leather / hand-made / imported / made here? rayon / synthetic / pure cotton / silk / genuine leather / hand-made / imported / made here?

8. How long will it take to alter?

How long will it take to alter?

9. I'd like some shoelaces / shoe polish / moisturizing cream.

10. Can you show me how it works?

Can you teach me how to use it?

11. I'd like a blouse / jacket made to measure.

12. Can I pay by traveler's cheque? / Do you accept credit cards?

Can I pay by traveler's cheque? / Do you accept credit cards?

3 Conversations

1. At the mall.

Anna Garcia is visiting her friend, Grace, in Tampa, Florida.

Grace: Come in and have some coffee, Anna. The kids have just gone out to the mall to hang out with their friends.

Anna: I saw a lot of teenagers when Alan and I were there yesterday. .

Grace: They spend hours there, especially on weekends.

Anna: Speaking of that trip, Alan bought a shirt at a department store, but the sleeves are too long. Do you know a seamstress1 or tailor2 who can shorten them?

Grace: I know several. But wouldn't it be easier to take the shirt back and exchange it for the right size? But wouldn't it be easier to take the shirt back and exchange it for the right size?

Anna: Isn't that complicated3?

Grace: No, it's easy. We'll just take the shirt back to the men's department and show them the sales slip4. We'll just take the shirt back to the men's department and show them the sales slip4. They'll exchange it for the correct size or give you a refund5.

Anna: We? Do you want to go with me? Grace: Sure. I love going to the mall.

Anna: What do you do there... hang around6, like the kids?

Helpful Information:

At most stores, one can always exchange it for the correct size or give you a refund5.

Anna. At most stores, one can always exchange products or even get a refund within a certain amount of time if he or she still has the sales slip and the product is in good condition.

At most stores, one can always exchange products or even get a refund within a certain amount of time if he or she still has the sales slip and the product is in good condition.

"Translation"

-- Anna, come in for a cup of coffee. The kids just went out to the shopping center with their friends.

- I saw a lot of teenagers when Alan and I were there yesterday.

-- They hang out there for hours, especially on weekends.

-- Speaking of that trip, Alan bought a shirt at the mall, but the sleeves were too long. Do you know any seamstresses who can make them shorter?

- I know a couple. But wouldn't it be easier to take the shirt back and get the right size?

- Wouldn't that be complicated?

- No, it's easy. We just take the shirt to the men's department and show them the sales invoice. They'll either exchange it for the right size or give you your money back.

--We? You want to come with me?

- -Yeah, I love the mall.

-What are you doing there ...... loitering, like those kids?

2. Bargain Hunting.

Saturday morning in Atlanta.

Liz: Why are you reading the classifieds7? What do you need?

David: I'm looking for a bookcase, but I'm not. looking for a bookcase, but I don't want to buy a new one.

Liz: Are you having any luck?

David: Not really. There aren't any used bookcases listed. There aren't any used bookcases listed. But there are a few rummage sales8 on Saturday. I think I'll go to them.

Liz: Do you mind if I go with you? And sometimes you can find terrific things among all the junk.

Liz: I learned to negotiate9 from my mother. I thought I was pretty good at bargaining, but I had a problem the other day at Kimble's Department Store.

David: What happened? I wanted to buy a beautiful wool sweater for my girlfriend. It was priced at forty dollars, so I started by offering the salesclerk thirty.

Additional Information:

In America, supermarkets usually mail their sales papers to customers. Also flea markets are popular, too. Sometimes you can get a like new name-book, but it's a good way to get a new name. Also flea markets are popular, too. Sometimes you can get a like new name-brand product there at a very low price for a couple of dollars. One of the things that make flea markets appealing to Chinese is that most prices are open to negotiation. It seems to be a Chinese tradition to haggle over the price of virtually anything that is bought. In the U.S., supermarkets usually send promotional blurbs about their products to customers. Similarly, flea markets are very popular. Sometimes you can buy a relatively new product there for as little as a few dollars. One of the things that makes flea markets popular with the Chinese is that most prices are negotiable. The Chinese tradition seems to be to haggle over pretty much anything you can buy.

"Translation"

-- Why are you looking at these classified ads? What do you need to buy?

- - I'm looking for a bookshelf, but I don't want a new one.

- - Any luck?

--Not yet. There aren't any old bookshelves listed here. But there are a couple clearance sales on Saturday. I'd like to check them out.

--Do you mind if I go with you?

-- Not at all. These private sales are great to go to to get a counteroffer. And sometimes you can find some great stuff in these yard sales.

- I learned to kill prices from my mom. I thought I was good at haggling, but I had a little bit of trouble not too long ago at Kimball Mall one day.

- What happened?

- I wanted to buy a nice wool sweater for my girlfriend. The price tag was forty dollars, so right off the bat, I offered the salesman thirty dollars.

3. At the Checkout Counter

In line at the checkout counter of a large, modern supermarket.

Roy: Look at this headline10 - Elvis Baby: Born on Spacecraft. Born on Spacecraft. Where do these tabloids11 get such crazy stories?

Iris: I've often wondered the same thing. realize that I'm standing here reading them myself.

Roy: It looks as though everyone in line reads them, or at least looks at the headlines. Iris: I think we picked the right line. This one seems to be moving more quickly than the others.

Roy: Maybe our checker is faster at scanning12 the food.

Roy: Maybe our checker is faster at scanning12 the food.

Roy: Maybe our checker is faster at scanning12 the food.

Iris: I'm glad. We have only about twenty things here, and I'm in a hurry to get home.

(The customer in front of them pays and leaves.)

Checker. p>

Checker: Good afternoon, ladies. Paper or plastic?

Iris: Paper bags, please. You know, yours is the fastest-moving line in the store.

Checker: Well, I have only about twenty things here, and I'm in a hurry to get home. p> Checker: Well, I'll let it go this time, but in the future, please don't use the express line with so many items.

"Translation"

- - Look at the title - Iris: Paper or plastic. -You see this headline - Evans baby born on spaceship. Where do these tabloids get these bizarre stories?

-- I've often wondered about this too. I also wondered who reads these tabloids. Then I realized I was the only one reading them standing up.

- It looked as if everyone in the row was reading them, perhaps at least the headlines.

- I think we picked the right line. This row seems to move a little faster than the others.

- Maybe the cashier on our team scanned the food a little faster.

-- I was happy. We only had maybe twenty items and I was in a hurry to get home. (The customer in front of them paid and walked away.)

- Good afternoon, ladies. Paper or plastic bags?

- Paper bags, please. Your line is the fastest checkout in the store.

- I'll let you pass this time, but in the future, please don't buy so many items to go through the fast checkout line.

4. Looking for a pair of shoes.

Rita: Hey Joe, what are you doing in this department store?

Joe: Hi, Rita, I'm just looking for a pair of shoes. I won't be here for long.

Rita: Why not? When I go shoe shopping, I have so many options13 for sneakers14 that I spend awhile looking at all of

Joe: That's my problem. I don't have a lot of options.

Rita: What do you mean? This is a big store, isn't it?

Joe: Yes, but I have unusually big feet. I have unusually big feet. That wouldn't be too much of a problem except that they're also very wide, and only a few brands sell shoes that I can fit into.

Joe: Yes, but I have unusually big feet. p> Rita: So how do you usually go about15 buying shoes, then?

Joe: Well, first of all, I can only go to certain stores that can guarantee16 me a large selection.

Joe: Well, first of all, I can only go to certain stores that can guarantee16 me a large selection.

Joe: Well, first of all, I can only go to certain stores that can guarantee16 me a large selection.

Rita: Well, you're in the right store. After that I choose something from one of the few brands that I know will fit me. I prefer white, so I ask them to bring me a pair of white sneakers in my size. Since I'm usually only given one or two pairs of shoes that meet my qualifications17, it makes it a very easy choice.

"Translation"

--Hi Joe, what are you doing in this department store?

--Hi Rita, I just want to buy a pair of shoes. I won't be here long.

--Why not? When I go to a shoe store to buy sneakers, I have a lot to choose from, so I'm going to spend a long time looking through them.

- That's my problem. I don't have a lot of choice.

--What do you mean? This store is huge, isn't it?

- - Yes, but I also have unusually large feet. It wouldn't have been too much of a problem, but I have extra wide feet, so there are only a few brands that have shoes I can wear.

- So, how do you usually buy shoes?

- Well, for starters, I can only go to shoe stores that guarantee me a great selection.

- Well, you've come to the right shoe store. If they don't have the shoes you wear, no other shoe store will.

--Then, pick one of the several brands I know will work for me. I prefer white, so I want the salesperson to bring me a pair of white sneakers in my size. Since there's usually only one or two pairs of shoes in my size, it's pretty easy to pick.

5. Shopping around.

Janet: So what do you think of my new dress?

Karen: I think it's great! I've actually been eyeing that dress at Maxine's for a while now, but I wasn't sure I could afford ninety-five dollars for a dress at the moment.

Janet: Um, ninety-five dollars?

Karen: Yes, that's the price they were advertising it at. I was hoping it might go on sale soon.

Janet: I bought it for one hundred and forty-five dollars at Helen's Boutique18. I didn't know I could get it cheaper somewhere else.

That's why I bought it. I didn't know I could get it cheaper somewhere else.

Karen: Of course! Everything at Helen's is overpriced19, and they sell things that you can find at almost every other clothing store! Why didn't you shop around?

Janet: I don't know, I just saw the dress and thought about how pretty it looks and how much I wanted it. I guess I was too impulsive20.

Helpful Information:

The same products may be priced quite differently at different stores. This happens everywhere. Shopping around may take a lot of time, but it can be very worthwhile.

The same products may be priced quite differently at different stores. This happens everywhere. So shopping around may take a lot of time, but it can be very worthwhile.

"Translation"

-- So what do you think of my new dress?

- - I think it's very nice! I love the color, it matches your eyes. I've had my eye on that dress from Maxine's Clothing for a while, but at the time I wasn't sure I could afford $95 for a dress.

- What, 95 dollars?

- Yes, that's the price they advertised it for. I'm hoping it will come down soon. What's up, how much did you pay for this one?

- I paid $145 for it at Helen's. I don't know if I can buy it anywhere else. I didn't realize I could get it cheaper elsewhere.

- Of course! Everything at Helen's is overpriced, and pretty much everything they sell can be found at any other clothing store! Why don't you shop other clothing stores?

- I don't know, I just saw this dress and thought it was so pretty and wanted it so badly. I guess I was too impulsive.

4 Words and Expressions

1. seamstress

2. tailor

3. complicated; difficult

4. sales slip, sales invoice

5. refund, refund, refund

6. refund. p>

5. refund return

6. hang around

7. classifieds classified ads

8. rummage sale sale

9. negotiate negotiation

10. headline headline, headline, headline, headline, headline, headline, headline, headline, headline headline headline; headline

11. tabloid tabloid

12. scanning electronic beam sweeping, scanning

13. option choice; right to choose; freedom of choice

14. sneaker sneaker

15. go about; do

16. rummage sale rummage sale

16. guarantee to assure; secure

17. qualification to qualify for; restriction on

18. boutique a popular women's clothing store

19. overpriced overpricing

20. impulsive impulsive; easy to impulsive