Unit 12 Making purchases

When on a business trip abroad I often go shopping. I need to make some purchases before leaving the country because I want to buy presents for my wife and children. I prefer supermarkets for shopping. They have become very popular with the shoppers because you can buy everything you need under one roof and they are self-service shops and have park­ing possibility. I can also make a purchase at clothes shops, shoe shops, book shops, etc. But I call at a department store as it has many departments and I can buy everything I need in one build­ing. The things for sale are on the counters so that they can be easily seen. I don't like expensive department stores, I prefer to go to cheaper ones. Shops and department stores are open every day till 7 o'clock. Almost all the shops are closed on Sundays.

I ask the nearest way to the Central Department Store and get there by bus. It takes me 10 minutes. A lot of people move along the counters of the shop and look at the shop-windows choosing what they need. I'd like to buy a suit for me, a pair of gloves for my wife and some toys for my children. There's a very good choice of ready-made clothes at the men's and women's departments of the store. I ask the shop-assistant (the sales-girl) to help me choose a summer suit of the right size for everyday wear. I try on a few suits in the fitting room. The suit I choose fits me perfectly, it's in grey and matches my eyes, it's not expen­sive. At least, it costs no more than I can spend. I'm sure that it's my style and it'll wear for ages. I pay for the suit cash. The cashier gives me a change. I also buy a pair of nice gloves at the women's department for my wife. If the gloves are tight, I'll get a refund. And the toys I buy for my children will be a good present and make them happy.

Vocabulary

to go shopping – ходить за покупками, ходить по магазинам

to make purchases – делать покупки

shopper – покупатель

clothes shop – магазин одежды

shoe shop – обувной магазин

to call at a department store – заходить в универмаг

expensive – дорогой, дорогостоящий

cheap – дешевый, недорогой

to move along the counter – двигаться вдоль прилавка

to look at the shop-windows – изучать витрины

to buy a suit – купить костюм

gloves – перчатки

ready-made clothes – готовая одежда

shop-assistant – продавец, продавщица

to try on smth. in the fitting room – примерять что-либо в примерочной

to fit – быть впору, быть в самый раз, подходить

to match – подходить, соответствовать (под пару; по цвету, форме и т. п. )

to wear for ages – носиться долго

to pay (in) cash – платить наличными

cashier – кассир

to give a change – давать сдачу

tight – тесный, плотно прилегающий

to get a refund – получить деньги обратно

I. Give Russian equivalents to the following word combinations:

to buy presents for smb.; to become very popular with smb.; to buy smth. under one roof; self-services shops; clothes shop; shoe shop; to call at a department store; to be on the counter; expensive; cheap; shop-assistant; to fit perfectly; to match; to cost; to spend; tight.