Carrie Goes to a Department Store

The extract is taken from “Sister Carrie” by Th. Dreiser, a well-known American writer (1871—1945). Carrie, a young provincial girl, comes to Chicago and is greatly attracted by the pleasures the big city offers. Shopping is one of them. Drouet [dru:’ei], her friend, is to meet her at the ready-made clothes department.

Carrie reached Dearborn Street. Here was the great Fair store with its crowds of shoppers. She thought she would go in and see. She would look at the jackets.

She paused at each article of clothing. How pretty she would look in this, how charming that would make her! Carrie stopped at the jewellery department. She saw the ear-rings, the bracelets, the pins, the chains.

But the jackets were the greatest attraction. When she entered the store, she already had her heart fixed on a jacket with large mother-of-pearl buttons. The cut was all the fashion that fall. She said to herself there was nothing she would like better.

Here she saw Drouet who was coming up to her smiling.

“Let’s go and look at the jackets,” he said as if he had read her thoughts.

When Carrie got the jacket in her hand, it seemed so much nicer. The saleswoman helped her on with it. It fitted perfectly. It was just her size, not a bit loose. She looked quite smart.

Carrie turned before the glass. She could not help feeling pleased as she looked at herself. It was so becoming.

“That’s the thing,” said Drouet. “Now pay for it.”

“It’s nine dollars,” said Carrie, after she had asked the saleswoman how much it was. She took out one of the bills and gave it to the cashier.

From there they went to a shoe department where Carrie tried on some shoes. Drouet stood by and when he saw how nice they looked, said: “Wear them.”

Then Drouet advised her to buy a purse made of leather, a pair of gloves and stockings.

Carrie thought that she would come the next day and buy herself a skirt to match the new jacket.

(After “Sister Carrie” by Th. Dreiser)

Exercises

1. Practise in reading: Sister Carrie, Th. Dreiser, Chicago, Drouet, Dearborn Street, the great Fair.

2. Prepare the reading of the words

• with the first syllable stressed: the extract, pleasures, crowds , clothing, charming, jewellery, bracelets, buttons, saleswoman;

• with the second syllable stressed: provincial, attracted, attraction, cashier;

• with the first syllable stressed in both words: well-known, ready-made, mother-of-pearl.

3. Give English equivalents for: отрывок, хорошо известный, провинциальная девушка, предлагать, удовольствие, отдел готового платья (готовой одежды), огромный универмаг, толпы покупателей, серьги, браслеты, булавки, цепочки, ювелирный отдел, входить в магазин, пиджак (куртка), покрой, мода, пуговицы.

4. Answer the following questions: 1. What book is the extract taken from? 2. Why is Carrie greatly attracted by the pleasures the big city offers. 3. Where is Drouet to meet Carrie? 4. What attracted Carrie’s attention? 5. What did she choose? 6. Did Carrie try the jacket on? 7. Did she like it? Why? 8. How much was the jacket? 9. What other things did she buy there?

5. Translate into English: 1. Мне нравятся провинциалы. Они добрые и открытые люди. 2. Покупки – это одно из удовольствий, которое предлагает любой большой город. 3. – Давай пойдем в отдел «Парфюмерия». – Нет. Давай лучше посетим отдел готовой одежды. Меня привлекают блузки больше всего. 4. – Тебе нравится эта блузка с перламутровыми пуговицами? – Нет. Меня не устраивает (не нравится) синий цвет. – Да, но покрой очень модный. Возьми такую же другой расцветки. 5. – Что ты думаешь об этой черной блузке в белую полоску? – Немного скучно, но тебе идет. 6. – Примерь ее. Это твой размер? – Да. Это точно мой размер, совсем не велико. 7. – Спроси продавца, сколько стоит такая блузка. – Она стоит 500 рублей. – Где касса? – Вот там, налево. 8. – Я тебе советую купить еще деловой костюм, туфли и сумку одного цвета. – Хорошо. Я приду сюда завтра и куплю себе все необходимые вещи.

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