Unit II

Pre-reading tasks

1. Look through the key words and expressions and guess what this text is about:

online shops shopping to get a refund

to be available to find out tips

economical seller’s physical address to ensure

convenient total cost to send cash

safe to save records of online transactions

2. Think of and write down 5 questions the answers to which this text might contain.

3. Now look through the text to see:

a) if your guess about the contents of the text was correct;

b) what questions can be answered. (Answer these questions).

Love them or hate them, online shops are here to stay, and more and more are appearing on the World Wide Web every day.

(1) … . Online stores are usually available seven days a week, 24 hours a day, and many consumers have Internet access both at work and at home. With a click of a mouse, you can buy an airline ticket, book a hotel, send flowers to a friend, or purchase your favorite fashions. But sizing up your finds on the Internet is a little different from checking out items at the mall.

Shopping on the Internet can be economical, convenient, quick and no less safe than shopping in a store or by mail. (2) … .

Know who you're dealing with. Anyone can set up a shop online under almost any name. Confirm the online seller's physical address and phone number in case you have questions or problems. If you get an email or pop-up message while you're browsing that asks for financial information, don't reply or click on the link in the message. (3) … .

Know exactly what you're buying. Read the seller's description of the product closely, .especially the fine print.

Know what it will cost. (4) … . Factor shipping and handling into the total cost of the order. Do not send cash under any circumstances.

(5) … . Can you return the item for a full refund if you're not satisfied? If you return it, find out who pays the shipping costs or restocking fees, and when you will receive your order.

Keep a paper trail. Print and save records of your online transactions, including the product description and price, the online receipt, and copies of every email you send or receive from the seller.

These tips should ensure that you will have a safe and easy shopping experience. (6) … . If you don't feel comfortable buying an item over the Internet, or if you don't trust a website 100 per cent, then you may well be right. Happy shopping!

Post-reading tasks

Read the text once again to fulfill the tasks to follow.

1. The text has no heading. Below you will find three possible versions. Choose the one that suits best the information given in the text. Explain your choice.

a) Don’t trust online shops 100%.

b) Economical shopping.

c) Shopping online.

2. Choose the synonyms to the words given in italics according to the context.

consumer a) buyer b) seller c) supplier d) visitor

economical a) careful b) expensive c) profitable d) wasteful

available a) obtainable b) at hand c) handy d) accessible

refund a) repayment b) money c) compensation

d) another product of the same kind

3. a). Fill in the blanks in the text (1-3) using one of the suggested variants (a-d). One variant is unnecessary.

1. Legitimate companies don’t ask for this information via email.

2. By following the advice below, you can ensure that your shopping trip in cyberspace is a successful one.

3. Don’t email your financial information.

4. Shopping online offers lots of benefits that you won’t find shopping in a store or by mail.

3. b). Fill in the blanks in the text (4-6) using one of the suggested variants (a-d). One variant is unnecessary.

1. However, as in all areas of life, it’s important to have faith in your instincts.

2. Check out the terms of the deal, like refund policies and delivery dates.

3. Check the privacy policy.

4. Check out websites that offer price comparisons and then, compare “apples to apples”.

4. Complete the following sentences. Your answers must be related to the ideas contained in the text.

1. Online shops are … .

2. Any consumer can click a mouse and … .

3. Shopping on the Internet is … .

4. One should know: a) who he …., b) what …, c) what … .

5. It is important to save … .

6. These pieces of advice will help … .

7. If you are not sure … .

5. Put the jumbled sentences in the logical order to sum up the information given in the text.

1. Using the Internet for shopping is profitable and convenient.

2. Online shops are available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.

3. But one should know who he deals with.

4. People can use the Internet for booking and buying tickets, purchasing goods, etc.

5. It is also important to understand what you are going to buy and read attentively all the information about this product.

6. All these tips can result in safe and easy shopping.

7. You should know the total cost of the order and whether you can return your purchase for a full refund if you don’t like it.

8. It is recommended to save records of all online transactions.