Unit 6Unit 6

BargainsBargains

Part 1: Brainstorming

1. Expressions for shops:

department store, the grocer's (shop)

2. Expressions for buying and selling: buy, sell 3. Expressions for money: change, cash 4. Expressions for shopping facilities: counter, shelf 5. Expressions for people in a shop: boss, shop assistant

book-shop, supermarket, the butcher‘s (shop), fruit shop, greengrocer, confectioner, the baker’s (bakery), shoe shop, the florist‘s (flower shop), chain stores, superstore, general store, comer shop, shopping centre, shopping mall ( 购物中心 ), flea market( 旧货市场 ), dairy（乳品店） , pharmacy （药店） , jeweler’s（珠宝店） , delicatessen （熟食店）， optician’s shop （眼镜店） franchised shop ( 专卖店 ), boutique ( 精品店， 尤指开设在大饭店之内的小店 ), dollar-shop, vanity store

go shopping, do the shopping, go to the shops, shop around, shop at / in, go window shopping, get, purchase, pick up something, wholesale, retail, sell out, out of stock, make / strike a bargain, bargain for, on the market, sale, for sale, on sale, discount 1/2, 1/3, 50% ... off (the original price), shopping list, haggle over the price ( 讨价还价 ), paying on credit (using the credit card), paying with a debit card, swipe one’s card through a POS machine ( 在购物终端机器上刷卡 )

credit card, cheque (British English), check (American English), coin, note (British English), bill (American English)

window, trolley, vending machine ( 售货机 ), checkout, cash-register ( 收银机 ), shopping basket, shopping cart

shop owner, manager, shopkeeper, sales assistant, cashier ( 收银员 ), customer, shopper, buyer

Listening: I bought a chair

The chair I bought last week (1)_________ the beginning of my new life. I first (2)__________ it in the shop window. From the moment I (3)________ my eyes on it, I fell in love with it. The shop owner called it a (4)______________. It was an armchair with (5) _______________ , a (6)___________ and a (7)________________________. I wasn’t sure if I should buy it because we were about to buy a new house, and every penny of our savings should had been (8)____________.

marked spotted

laid

reading chair rounded arms

accounted for

soft cushion (gracefully) arched back

Listening: I bought a chair

I liked it very much. It would not only suit me—a (9)________ reader but it would also suit the house we decided to buy. When I knew it priced at (10)_______________________________, I (11) _______ and walked out. In the following weeks, I saw the chair disappear and (12) __________ twice. I rushed into the shop and asked what the story was. The owner said that the chair was (13)___________ red and it didn’t match anything. And he could (14) ________ me this chair at (15)__________________ if I didn’t bring it back.

six-hundred-and-some-odd dollars

devoted

gasped reappear

brick

offered two hundred bucks

Listening: I bought a chair

This time I bought it without any hesitation although my husband and I developed a policy of (16)___________each other before we bought anything that cost over one hundred dollars. When he came back, I told him I bought a chair. He (17)_____________ the chair and sat down. To my (18) ______________, he liked it. In this chair I felt what I had long (19) ____________, a (20) ___________ powerful feeling of home.

consulting

circled amazement

yearned for permanent

Useful ExpressionsFor shop assistant:

1) attending a customer: What can I do for you? Can I help you in any way? Can I be of any assistance to you?

SpeakinSpeakingg

2) Asking what the customer wants to buy: Is there anything else I can show you? Are you looking for…? What kind of…did you have in your mind? What material/colour/style do you prefer?3) Recommending something to the customer: Here are some samples. Here’s a pair in your size. They're very good for the price. Try this one, please. It’s the latest fashion. We have a very wide selection of…

4) Bargaining on the selling side: Sorry, our price is fixed. We can give you a ten percent discount off the

price. You won’t get a better buy than this one. The price is reasonable because the quality is

super. The price is moderate enough. That’s almost the cost price. What price are you willing to pay? It’s a real bargain.

For customer:1) Telling the shop assistant what you’d like

to buy:

Can you show me…? Could I have a look at…? Bring me a larger size, please. I’m just having a look around. I wish to order… I’d like to have a…

2) Asking the shop assistant for information and advice.

Could you advise me on what kind of shoes would fit me best?

Do you have any less expensive ones? Is this dress machine-washable? What make is it? What material is it made of?

3) Bargaining on the buying side That’s a bit more than I wanted to pay. That’s a little high for us. What would be your

lowest price for that? Can you give me a discount? Can you come down a bit? I can give you no more than… It’s a little overpriced.

Mark:Mark: Excuse me, where can we find women’s Excuse me, where can we find women’s wear?wear? Receptionist:Receptionist: On the second floor. You can take On the second floor. You can take the escalator on your right.the escalator on your right. Mark:Mark: Thank you. Thank you. Salesperson:Salesperson: Good morning. Can I help you? Good morning. Can I help you? Ann:Ann: No, thanks. We’re just looking around. No, thanks. We’re just looking around. Mark:Mark: How about this red dress, Ann? It’s very How about this red dress, Ann? It’s very

fashionable.fashionable. Ann:Ann: I don’t know. I’m not crazy about red. I I don’t know. I’m not crazy about red. I

think it’s a bit too bright for me.think it’s a bit too bright for me.

Model Model dialoguedialogue

Salesperson:Salesperson: How about this white dress? It’s a How about this white dress? It’s a new arrival for the season.new arrival for the season.

Ann:Ann: Is it? It looks pretty, but is it expensive? Is it? It looks pretty, but is it expensive? Mark:Mark: Let me see the price tag. It says $299 Let me see the price tag. It says $299 Ann:Ann: That’s a bit more than I wanted to pay. Ca That’s a bit more than I wanted to pay. Ca

n you give me a discount?n you give me a discount? Salesperson:Salesperson: Sorry, the price is reasonable becau Sorry, the price is reasonable becau

se it is the latest fashion. What about this blue drse it is the latest fashion. What about this blue dress? We can give you a ten percent discount, so ess? We can give you a ten percent discount, so it’s only $126.it’s only $126.

Ann:Ann: Mmm. I like the colour. Do you think it’ll Mmm. I like the colour. Do you think it’ll look good on me, Mark?look good on me, Mark?

Mark:Mark: I think so. Why don’t you try it on? I think so. Why don’t you try it on? Salesperson:Salesperson: What size do you take? What size do you take? Ann:Ann: Medium. Medium. Salesperson:Salesperson: Here’s a medium in blue. The Here’s a medium in blue. The

fitting room is right behind you.fitting room is right behind you. Ann:Ann: What do you think of it, Mark? What do you think of it, Mark? Mark:Mark: It’s very nice. I think blue suits you. It It’s very nice. I think blue suits you. It

fits perfectly.fits perfectly. Ann:Ann: Great. I think I’ll take it. Great. I think I’ll take it. Mark:Mark: That’s a good deal That’s a good deal Salesperson:Salesperson: Will that be cash or card? Will that be cash or card? Ann:Ann: Cash, please. Cash, please.

Make your own bargain

Make your own bargain

How to make successful bargaining?

1) Do some research about the price of the product. You need to know the price first, and then bargain.

2) Be polite, and have a firm position. Tell him the general price to make him lower his. If the keeper doesn’t agree with you, paying a little bit more won’t hurt you.

3) Don’t say “yes” immediately when the vendor tells you the first price.

4) Whatever he says his things are nicer, don’t believe him. Find a fault with the goods, expressing that you are not satisfied with something, such as the color, the style, the quality, etc.

5) Pretend to go. If the keeper doesn’t accept your price, just go away.  If the salesman calls or stops you, it means you will have a chance to get the lower price.

If the salesman does not stop you, you have to go away from the store and don’t return because he is firm with his offer and he will not listen to you.

6) Wearing sunglasses. Don’t look into his eyes so that the vendor will not know what’s you’re thinking of.  Don’t let the keeper think that you are afraid of bargaining. Stay confident.

Part 2 Text: Bargain

Discussion: Pre-reading Task

Do you like to bargain when Do you like to bargain when doing doing shopping? When and Why?shopping? When and Why? Is bargaining a weakness or Is bargaining a weakness or strong strong point in human nature? point in human nature? Why?Why? Is bargaining harmful or Is bargaining harmful or beneficial to beneficial to our society?our society?

Read and try to get the main idea of the

text

Language Points

1) orthodox:

eg. orthodox conception

2) at a…price:

He bought this house at a high price.

3) extort:

e.g. One of the girl’s friends she met online extorted a large sum of money from her.

Q ： What is the difference between the orthodox definition and the recent understanding of the term bargain?

traditionalPara. 1

e.g. 他以高价买下了这栋房子。

obtain sth by violence, threats etc.

Language Points

Para. 24) board meeting

5) The discussion often takes the following lines.6) make a price for:7) decent price 8) So we will market it.9) to start with:

fix a price for

e.g. 毕业后， 他先是做工程师，然后当了厂长。 After graduation, he became an engineer to start with, then the director of a plant.

Language Points

Para. 210) reduce to:

11) whereupon

Q: How would a business market Q: How would a business market its new product? And when its new product? And when would it cut down the price?would it cut down the price?

e.g. 把温度降到摄氏零度 , 水就会变成冰 .

Reduce the temperature to zero degree centigrade and water will freeze / turn into ice.

12 ） impertinence:

13 ） regard …as ： I regard him as my soulmate.

14) If it represented a real reduction, it would be an insult.

15) might as well:

Language Points

Para. 3rudeness

e.g. 我把他视为我的心灵知己。

had bettere.g. 我想我还是接受他的邀请为好 , 因为你不能老是拒绝别人 .

I think I may as well accept his invitation, for you can't keep saying no to people.

16) accuse sb of doing…

17) for the sake of:

e.g. 为了安全起见 , 车上每个人都必须系上安全带 .

Everyone in the car must wear a seat belt for the sake of safety.

18) plead guilty / plead not guilty:

19) outrage:

e.g. His behavior outraged public opinion.

Q: What makes a customer think that “ a bargain must not be missed”?

e.g. 他被指控犯盗窃罪 . 事实上 , 他是无辜的 .He was accused of theft. But actually he was innocent.

Para. 4

20) utterly:

21) Provided:

Q: What is the real danger of bargains?

Para. 5

22) Otherwise a charming and seemingly sane girl:

Apart from she is crazy about bargains, she is charming and mentally healthy.

e.g. 除了女主角的表演有点过火外，这是一部优秀的影片。

The heroine's performance is a little exaggerated, but otherwise it is an excellent movie.

Para. 6

23) in bulk:

in large quantities

24) loo:

toilet

25) So that was where…

So that it was where…

26) fall for :

27) It serves them right:

28) All the same:

fall into

They deserve it.

even so / in any case / nevertheless 尽管如此，不过，然而

e.g. 有时大人也会上小孩的当。

e.g. 如果她和你分手，那是你活该，谁让你老是对她说谎呢？

Sometimes even adults will fall for children‘s tricks 。

You lied to her again and again. So if she leaves you, it serves you right.

Para. 7

Main idea of each paragraph

Para. 1:Para. 2:Para. 3-6:

Through contrasting the orthodox definition and the recent understanding of bargaining, the writer introduces a thesis statement, i.e. a bargain is a dirty trick to extort money from the pockets of silly and innocent people.

The writer illustrates how a bargain may be created by modem businessmen. Instead of selling the goods at a reasonable price, they try to sell at a higher price than its real worth.

The writer explores what is known as ‘consumer psychology’. Consumers tend to believe that they can save money by getting even the slightest discount and this often results in absurd purchases of unnecessary things.

The main idea of the passage

A bargain is a dirty trick to A bargain is a dirty trick to extort money from the pockets extort money from the pockets of silly and innocent people. On of silly and innocent people. On the one hand, the businessmen the one hand, the businessmen encourage people to believe that encourage people to believe that they are buying things on the they are buying things on the cheap. On the other hand, silly cheap. On the other hand, silly and innocent customers tend to and innocent customers tend to believe that they have actually believe that they have actually made some money through made some money through bargains.bargains.

Exercises