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Chapter 5 Spare Time Activities

Unit 1: Shopping

Fondness for shopping can affect our mood, expense, and lifestyle. Try to narrate a
related experience and share your thoughts on shopping.

Answer A:
I love shopping, and I always see to it that I am satisfied with what I buy. I believe that every
product I buy should be worth buying. I used to consider myself a shopaholic, and it comes
together with being fashionable, but an experience made me learn something valuable. Last
year, I dropped by a shopping mall just to check out some items on sale. It was a huge sale,
with almost all the items in their lowest prices that year. However, I didn’t have enough pocket
money that time. Earlier, I swore to myself that I would minimize my spending and only do a
little window shopping from now on. Yet, all items looked so inviting. Luxury bags, dresses for
the season, fashionable shoes - all in half their prices! I noticed myself withdrawing part of my
savings from the ATM and going straight to the stores. A few weeks later, I read an article about
items being bargained during a clearance sale. It says that most of these goods are surplus
products from a previous season. Months later, all the dresses and accessories I bought were
getting out of style. From then on, I swore that I would never buy something, unless I need it,
even from a clearance sale.

Points to emphasize in answering:
Start the discussion by giving a general reason why you enjoy shopping.

Give details about a particular shopping experience.
When did it happen?
What were you buying?
What was the most memorable instance in the scenario?
How did you feel after?

Conclude the discussion.
[example: From then on, I swore that I would never buy something, unless
I need it.]

Vocabulary

worth - value
shopaholic - a habitual shopper
pocket money - money for small, current spending
swore - promised
bargain - sell at a good deal
clearance sale - final sale of items or goods in an inventory

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