| Level: | Topic: | Speakers: | Length: |
| intermediate | shopping | two men | 01:30 |
Pre-Listening Exercise
What kinds of items would you find being sold at a flea or street market? Would you ever go to such a market to shop? Why or why not?
Idioms
“sell like mad” = sell very quickly because an item is popular
“If you don’t hurry to the store, you won’t find any of the new iPhones. They’re selling like mad.”
“bells and whistles” = extra, sometimes unnecessary, decorative features on an item
“Hey, I don’t need a CD player with all the bells and whistles. If it plays a CD, then that is enough for me.”
Listening Exercise
A. Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
Why did the man not buy the ring for sale?
Merchant: Well, how about a ring for someone special? Customer: There IS no one special.
What is the problem with the CD player?
Customer: Nah. I already have one, plus the handle is cracked.
The man is not interested in the leather jacket because ____.
Customer: Umm. There are stains on the sleeves. I'll pass.
What is the customer's initial counter offer for the records?
Customer: Whoa! They're way too expensive. I'll give you twenty-five bucks for them.
From the conversation, what does the customer probably purchase from the merchant in the end?
Customer: Oh, I'll stick with the records.
Vocabulary Practice
Do the vocabulary quizzes with the words from the conversation for more practice:
Post-Listening Exercise
Practice the dialogue with a partner. Next, create your own dialogue with the seller and a different customer. Try selling two new things.
| Seller: Hi. Can I help you?
Customer: Uh, I’m looking for some earrings for a friend. Seller: Well, here’s a nice pair for only $20. Customer: What? _________. Seller: ___________. Customer: ___________. Seller: ___________. |
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