What are the best-sellers?

Surprisingly, tastes in food and clothes are international. What sells well in Paris sells just as well in Newcastle. Their best-selling clothes are: for women - jumpers, bras, blazers, dresses and tights, for men - shirts, socks, pyjamas, dressing gowns, and suits for children: underwear and socks. Best-sellers in food include: fresh chickens, bread, vegetables, and sandwiches. Chicken Kiev is internationally the most popular convenience food.

Why is m&s so successful?

The store bases its business on three principles: good value, good quality, and good service. Also, it changes with the times – once it was all jumpers and knickers. Now it's food, furniture, and flowers as well. Top fashion designers advise on styles of clothes.

But perhaps the most important key to its success is its happy, well-trained staff. Conditions of work are excellent. There are company doctors, dentists, hairdressers, and even chiropodists to look after the staff, and all the staff can have lunch for under 40p!

Task 5. Write questions for these answers.

1.529 million &

2. 105 years ago.

3. Poland.

4. No, he only had a few things.

5. 564.

6. Because it gives good value, good service and good quality.

7. No, it doesn’t. It sells food and furniture as well.

8. Less than 40 p.

Task 6. Use the headings from the text to say in a few words the main points of the text.

Task 7. Tell about one of the most popular department stores in your city.

Read and translate the text

Choose a correct word to complete the paragraph.

I’m not a shopaholic!

I admit it. I hate shopping. I hate it so much I only go clothes shopping once a year. I wait for the selling / sales to start, and then go into town to buy all my clothes for the year. I shop along / around for the cheapest bargains / costs rather than the things I like best. I try them over / on and, as long as they fit, I buy them. I don’t bother keeping the bill / receipt, as I know I won’t go back to the shop if there is a problem! Also, I always pay change / cash, as I don’t want to get a huge credit / check card bill at the end of the month. And if I really need some new clothes later during the year, I order them from a mail-order catalogue / menu. It’s so much easier – you can look for / through it at home and make a decision without a shopping / shop assistant hanging around trying to get you to buy something you don’t want!

Task 8. Read and translate the dialogues.

SHOE DEPARTMENT.

Assistant: Can I help you?

Alexander: I'd like a pair of trainers, please.

Assistant: What size?

Alexander: Size 41, please.

Assistant: Try this pair on. They are the cheapest, the lightest and the most comfortable. They're very popular.

Alexander: They're rather small.

Assistant: Try these then. They're bigger.

Alexander: How much are they?

Assistant: £17.

Alexander: I think they're great.

TOY DEPARTMENT.

Mike: Can I see that toy dolphin, please?

Assistant: This one?

Mike: No, the one to the left of it.

Assistant: Here you are. It's very nice.

Mike: Can you show me these dolls and those rubber rings, please?

Assistant: These?

Mike: No, those. The red and blue ones.

CLOTHES DEPARTMENT.

A

Alexander: Hello, could you show me one of those T-shirts?

Assistant: Here's a nice one. What size?

Alexander: Size 44, I think.

Assistant: Yes, here's one.

Alexander: How much is it?

Assistant: £4.50

Alexander: Here's £5.00.

Assistant: That's 50 pence change.

Mike: Can I see your new T-shirt? Oh, it's very smart but it's not your size. Let's go and change it.

Alexander: Can you change this T-shirt, please?

Assistant: Why? What's wrong with it?

Alexander: It's too big for me. Have you got them in a smaller size?

Assistant: How about this one?

Alexander: Can I try it on?

Assistant: Certainly.

Mike: I think that's better. Russian and British sizes aren't the same.

B

Assistant: Is anybody looking after you?

Customer: No. I'm after a size 40 V-neck pullover in grey.

A.: The best I can do is a 36.

C.: Could you order me one?

A.: I should imagine, yes. If you leave your address, I'll contact you.

C

A.: Are you being attended to?

C.: No. I'm trying to find a navy blue raincoat, size 42.

A.: I can do the size, but not the colour.

C: Do you think you could get one for me.

A.: Yes, of course. Look in again on Friday.

D

A.: Are you being seen to?

C.: No. I'm looking for a pinstriped suit with a 34 waist.

A.: I'm afraid I can't help you at the moment.

C.: Will you be having any more in?

A.: I doubt it, but you might be lucky at our High Street branch.

Task 9. Work in pairs.

Imagine that you want to buy new jeans. Make your dialogue with a shop –assistant: ask for jeans of your size, colour, brand; ask if there is a fitting room and where it is; ask about the price and say that they are too expensive; ask for another pair with reasonable price: ask if you can pay by cash; thank the assistant for help and say goodbye.

Read and translate the text

At the Supermarket

A supermarket, also called a grocery store in some parts of North America, is a self-service store offering a wide variety of food and household merchandise, organized into departments. It is larger in size and has a wider selection than a traditional grocery store and it is smaller than a hypermarket or superstore. Supermarkets were first established in the USA during the 1930s as no frills retail stores offering low prices. In the 1950s they became the major food marketing channel in the USA and later they spread much through Europe.

The supermarket typically comprises meat, fresh produce, dairy, and baked goods departments along with shelf space reserved for canned and packaged goods as well as for various nonfood items such as household cleaners, pharmacy products, and pet supplies. Most supermarkets also sell a variety of other household products that are consumed regularly, such as alcohol (where permitted), household cleaning products, medicine, clothes, and some sell a much wider range of nonfood products.

The traditional supermarket occupies a large amount of floor space, usually on a single level, and is situated near a residential area in order to be convenient to consumers. Its basic appeal is the availability of a broad selection of goods under a single roof at relatively low prices. Other advantages include ease of parking and, frequently, the convenience of shopping hours that extend far into the evening or even 24 hours a day. Supermarkets usually make massive outlays of newspaper and other advertising and often present elaborate in-store displays of products. The stores often are part of a corporate chain that owns or controls other supermarkets located nearby — thus increasing opportunities for economies of scale.

Supermarkets usually offer products at low prices by reducing their economic margins. Certain products (typically staple foods such as bread, milk and sugar) are occasionally sold as loss leaders, that is, with negative profit margins. To maintain a profit, supermarkets attempt to make up for the lower margins by a higher overall volume of sales, and with the sale of higher-margin items. Customers usually shop by placing their selected merchandise into shopping carts (trolleys) or baskets (self-service) and pay for the merchandise at the check-out.

A larger full-service supermarket combined with a department store is sometimes known as a hypermarket. Other services offered at some supermarkets may include those of banks, cafés, childcare centers, photo processing, video rentals, pharmacies and gas stations.