SHOPPING
Exercise 3. Now compose a similar dialogue and act it in pairs.
Now read and translate the text.☺Pay attention to the new vocabulary below.
My friend will have a birthday party in a week, so I have decided to look fora birthday present for her. I went to the shopping mallwhich is situated in the centre of our city. It's a multistoreyedbuilding where one can get everything in the way of food and manufactured goods. I must confess it was so difficult to make a suitable purchasein such a huge shop with a lot of countersand shelves. When I arrived at the Central Department Store I first admired the window dressing.Then I went along the ground floor and looked into the shop windowsof the grocery,where I could see all kinds of foodstuffs:meat, fish, tinned food, sausage, fruit, wine, sweets, chocolates, etc. There were some commercial counters on the ground floor and I found myself in a fantastic motley city of different things.
Then I went upstairs to the first floor, where I couldn't help admiring on seeing various goods. There were on sale: haberdashery, stationery, hosiery, leather wear, and knitwear.To tell you the truth, I was impressed by a great selection of silkskirts and shirts, different kinds of frocks and coats, leather boots and shoes, woollen pullovers and sweaters, jeans and suits, jackets and blouses, bags and wallets.There one can get everything in the way of clothes wanted by men, women and children: footwear,knitwear, ready-made clothes, fursand what not.I admired the cutand the styleof a light summer frock. It was the latest fashionand I made up my mind to try it on.A pleasant-looking shop assistantproposed me to put the frock on and look in the mirror. But unfortunately it was a bit loose on me and didn't suit me perfectly.
On the second floor of the shopping mall I could see all kinds of household utensils:crockery, china, electric appliances,cutlery, pots and pans, vacuum cleaners, washing machines, cameras,radio and television sets, computers, stereo cassette recorders and many other things one may want in the house. Besides, there were perfumery, florist's, gift and souvenir departments.The shop assistant suggestedlooking at a beautiful watercolour.I liked that nice picture very much and I was sure my friend would like it too. The priceof the present wasn't very high, I must admit. So I paid the money at the cash desk.The cashiergave me a receiptand I came up to the shop assistant with it again. I produced my receipt and obtained a gift-wrapped parcel with a string. She thanked me and added they were always glad to see me at their shop. I felt very excited at the thoughtthat I had bought a very nice birthday present, and left the shop.
On my way homeI suddenly remembered that my mother had given me a few errands.We'd run out ofbread and I had to drop in atthe baker's to buy a loaf of white bread, a loaf of brown one, five rolls and half a dozen of small cakes. There was a long queue at the grocer's but I had nothing to do but stand in the queuefor half an hour to buy a kilo of sugar and some sausages. Then I bought some fruits (bananas and apples) at the vegetable stall near the bus stop.
I was lucky to buy everything I wanted. Frankly speaking,I like to go shopping.