Shopping in America

Conversation A:

INTRODUCTION

Conversation A is a typical conversation about shopping in the United States. Masahiro is an international student who has just arrived from Japan, and Anna and Will are introducing him to the shopping scenario in America.

Listen to Conversation A

Anna: As I was telling you, Masa, where you shop depends largely on what you need. So, if you want to buy an answering machine or a CD-player, your best bet would probably be an appliance store such as Radio Shack..

Will: Yup! Or Circuit City. I like Best Buy the best, though.

Masahiro: Why?

Will: Coz they usually have the best deals. They have sales on their TVs and CD-players every once in a while.

Anna: Hum. I'll bet they send you their glossy ads loaded with so-called "SALES"!

Masahiro: (laughs)

Anna: Well, I still think the CD-player I bought from them was a rip off.

Will: I'll admit some of their items are high-priced, but at least the shopper's guaranteed quality. There are very few places that have such a wide selection.

Masahiro: I need to buy disks, at least two disk holders, note cards, transparencies, and that kind of stuff.

Will: For office supplies, I suggest Office Max.

Anna: Or Comp USA. One good thing about living in a campus town, though, is that you can easily get that stuff at any of the bookstores. No doubt they do overcharge. I try to get around that by shopping around.

Masahiro: Shopping around?

Anna: Yes. That simply means you go to different stores, check out the prices of items you need and purchase them from the store(s) with the lowest price or prices.

Masahiro: I see. Sounds very practical.

Will: And time-consuming, too!

Masahiro: Where is Office Max located?

Anna: There's one in the mall, so we can stop by there this afternoon.

Masahiro: Great! Thanks.

Will: Hey, Masa. Just so you know, you can always run to the discount stores whenever you're out of something you need right away. There are several around campus.

Anna: That's right. And they carry pretty much everything a student needs. Pop, pasta, eggs, hair spray . . . you name it!

Will: They don't usually carry milk, though, so you might want to walk down to White Hen (Pantry), Walgreens, or some other convenience stores close by.

Anna: I wouldn't advise you to buy things in bulk from such stores, though. I mean, do your major shopping at the specialized stores. It's much cheaper, and more convenient in the long run.

Masahiro: Good advice!

Will: Sort of like Mom's!

Anna: Hey, watch it!

Will: Just kiddin'!

Masahiro (laughs). Life sounds great in this town! Oh! Before I forget, guys, where can I rent movies? I love watching movies in my spare time.

Anna: Me too! Let's see. There are two video stores close to your apartment. Lucky you! One's Blockbuster, and the other's That's Rentertainment. I believe they both have specials on weekdays, right Will?

Will: Yup. But not for the new releases. It's usually a buck each for the older movies.

Anna: Are you guys ready to go to the mall?

Masahiro & Will: Sure.

Anna: Masa, don't forget to take your shopping list with you.

Masahiro: Thanks for reminding me.

Anna: You're welcome. What are we waiting for? Let's go.

New Words and Expressions

Definitions of the Underlined Words and Expressions:

1 Your best bet is a commonly used idiom which refers to the best possible choice or option available. In Conversation A, it refers to the most suitable store for appliances, in Anna's opinion.

2 The best deals is a frequently used shopping-related expression that refers to items for sale at bargain prices (i.e., cheap). Sometimes, "good deals" or "a real steal/What a steal" are used instead.

3 Glossy ads are colorful advertisement pamphlets or catalogs (on rich/glossy paper) that entice shoppers and usually encourage them to be "smart shoppers" or people who look for "good deals" or "sales."

4 A rip off is another frequently employed shopping-related expression used by shoppers who feel that they have been cheated. It is generally the case that the item purchased was overpriced (i.e., too costly) when it was bought.

5 Items that are high-priced are very expensive.

6 A wide selection refers to a wide array of items (e.g., models of VCRs, TVs, microwaves, walkmans, etc., depending on the store in question).

7 Stuff is a "safe" word that can be used to refer to anything the speaker intends it to refer to. Often, it is used when a speaker cannot recall the names of things s/he wants to refer to, and when s/he wishes to avoid having to mention what may appear to be an endless list.

8 Stores are known to carry items. In other words, they have the items they "carry." However, stores could be "out" of certain items (when their supplies have been exhausted).

9 Convenience stores, as the name suggests, are stores that carry basic necessities such as bread, milk, eggs, soft drinks, tooth paste, newspapers, magazines, and so on. They are usually conveniently located (in small towns, suburbs, and big cities) which also accounts for the name.

10 In bulk is a shopping-related idiom that is used to refer to items purchased in large quantities. Such supplies are cheaper and last longer. Generally, families shop in bulk for items such as sugar, rice, candy, canned products, etc. However, perishable products (such as vegetables) are rarely purchased in bulk. Instead, they are usually purchased on a daily or weekly basis. Specialized stores are stores that sell particular things. In other words, they specialize in the sale of particular products (e.g., grocery stores sell groceries, hardware stores sell hardware products such as nuts and bolts, paint, nails, hammers, etc.)

11 Specials refer to discount deals/prices. In Conversation A, they refer to discount video rental rates.

12 A buck each refers to a dollar per item in question (video tapes in Conversation A)

13 A shopping list is a handy list of items a shopper intends to buy. Most Americans draw up shopping lists before they go shopping. Such a list makes shopping easier, as the shopper consults it while shopping, and that way, does not forget to buy what s/he needs.