Views #786 | Low-Intermediate 4

Shopping

Shona shares her thoughts about shopping and how she buys items.

Todd: So, Shona, you talked about shopping today. You bought some food and you bought some furniture. Are you a big shopping fan?

Shona: Not really to be honest. I'm not one of those people who go shopping every weekend or every weekday, or you know, but to be honest, like if I am around shops, and I do see something that I really like, I don't have much willpower, and I will buy it, which isn't great, but yeah, I have accumulated like a few, you know, things over the years, specifically clothes, which I do enjoy buying.

Todd: So you like shopping for clothes?

Shona: I like shopping for clothes but I don't really like shopping for anything else.

Todd: Now when you buy your clothes, are you saying you usually buy clothes on impulse. You see them and you like them?

Shona: Yeah, that's true. Yeah, I probably would say that. I'm not like staying at home and looking at catalogues, and I think, "Oh, I want a black t-shirt" and I go out and buy that. I will just be wondering about. Something will catch my eye, and I'll think it looks nice so I might end up buying it.

Todd: You know, these days, you mentioned a catalogue. These days you can buys stuff on the internet quite easily. Have you ever bought clothes over the internet?

Shona: Yes, I have actually. Yeah, I've bought a couple of items over the internet which is like lots of fun, because 'Is it going to fit?, Is it going to look nice?' You don't know, so once you get it it's like always a bit exciting, like to see how it actually looks in real life.

Todd: Did it fit?

Shona: Yeah. Yeah. Actually there we like two really, like, items that I wear quite a lot, so.

Todd: What did you buy?

Shona: I bought like a pen-striped jacket, like this little jacket thing with all these like different badge things on it, and I also bought like, this nice like blue and red and white stripy dress, which is really nice.

Todd: Oh, cool. Now when you shop, do you always pay cash or do you pay by credit card, or?

Shona: I'm more like prefer to pay by cash because then I know how much I'm spending, like if you pay with credit card, or whatever, you don't really, you're not aware of how much money you're actually spending, so I prefer to take cash out and pay with that, so then I have more of a budget.

Todd: Wow, that's pretty good because you say you're an impulse shopper, so I think credit cards usually people like to use them. They see something, they got to have it.

Shona: Exactly, which is probably going to lead them into a lot of debt eventually, which I would try to avoid.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!!

willpower

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I don't have the willpower, and I will buy it, which isn't great.

When you have 'willpower,' it means that you are able to resist things that you might find tempting or want to do.

Notice the following:

  1. I am no good at diets, as I have no willpower.
  2. My mum says that I need to work on my willpower.

accumulated

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I have accumulated a few things over the years, specifically clothes, which I enjoy buying.

When something is 'accumulated,' it means that it collects unintentionally over time.

Notice the following:

  1. Over time, I have accumulated lots of back issues of my favorite magazine.
  2. She is a bit of a hoarder so she accumulates an awful lot of junk.

buy clothes on impulse

Are you saying you usually buy clothes on impulse?

When you 'buy clothes on an impulse,' it means that you buy them without having thought about it first or having planned it.

Notice the following:

  1. I don't generally tend to buy clothes on an impulse.
  2. She is such a spendthrift, and she always buys clothes on an impulse.

catch my eye

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Something will catch my eye, and I'll think it looks nice so I might end up buying it.

When something 'catches your eye,' it means that it grabs your attention and that you are attracted to it.

Notice the following:

  1. That nice dress over there keeps catching my eye.
  2. I am trying to catch his eye, but I think he is avoiding me.

lead them into a lot of debt

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It is probably going to lead them into a lot of debt eventually.

'Lead them into a lot of debt' refers to the way in which overspending can cause you to spend more money than you have, which can leave you owing money.

Notice the following:

  1. I don't have credit cards, as I think that they can lead you into a lot of debt.
  2. Spending like that will lead them into a lot of debt.

Vocabulary Quiz

willpower • accumulated • impulse
caught • debt
  1. This is not the type of thing to buy on an . You need to think about it for a while.
  2. Working in a store like this could lead you to a lot of . I would want to buy everything.
  3. I was just about to give up looking for dresses, when one finally my eye.
  4. If I have chocolate in the house, I will eat it. I have no .
  5. It's hard to believe you have all this stuff in one year.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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