Task 1 – Town Centre

Think of the centre of your town or choose one shopping street or area. What types of shops are there? Work in pairs and think of six different types of shop and three things you can buy in each one. Then compare your answers with other pairs.

Task 2 – Shopping find someone who

Ask questions to complete the table. Remember to ask for extra information.

Task 3 – A nation of shopalholics?

A radio programme interviewd shoppers in the centre of Manchester to ask them, ‘’Are we turning into a nation of shopaholics?’’ Here is what they said:

 Zoe – I love shopping and I would say it’s one of my favourite hobbies. I think it’s great that shops open all weekend. I used to get bored on Sundays now I meet friends and we look around the shops. So, I guess you could call me a shopaholic.

Anita – I’m not a shopaholic. I only go shopping when I have to buy something. I don’t understand the obsession with shopping but I think British people are turning into shopaholics. You can buy almost anything you want, whenever you want these days. There’s a 24 hour supermarket near my house. I feel sorry for the people who work there all night.

Ben – I’m not a shopaholic. I hate the way all the shops in every town centre are the same. It’s impossible for small businesses to survive these days so only the big stores can keep going. Every town and city in Britain is a carbon copy of the others. I prefer to buy things I need over the internet. It’s easier and it means I don’t have to go to the town centre.

Oscar – I quite like shopping and most Saturdays or Sundays I go shopping with my girlfriend. There’s a new shopping centre near where I live, and you can get everything there. It’s great in the winter ‘cause you don’t even realise it’s cold and wet outside. What’s the point of working all week if you can’t go out and spend your money at the weekend?

Paula – I live in a small town and it has really changed in the last few years. Big supermarkets have opened up outside the town and lots of the small shops have had to close. Now everyone goes to the big supermarkets and the town is really quiet. It’s difficult to park in the town centre but I think it’s a shame that the town is dying. It used to be really busy.

Josh – I’m not a shopaholic but I think there are lots about. I work in a sports’ shop in the town centre and people just go crazy buying so much stuff. Now I have to work on Saturdays and Sundays and they let me have a day off in the week. It’s not the same though ‘cause all my mates go out on Saturday nights and I always have to go home early as it’s really hard to get up on a Sunday morning.

 Patrick – I think shopping is so much easier on the internet. I do nearly all my shopping on-line. I order food from the supermarket and they deliver it the next day to my front door. It saves me a lot of time. This year I’m going to do all my Christmas shopping on-line. I hate the crowds and the queues of town centres and I don’t like the artificial atmosphere of shopping centres so for me the internet is a great way to shop

Answer in your own words

• Do you think it’s a good idea for shops to open on seven days a week? If you worked in a shop, would you like to work on the day when most people are off work?

• Look at what Paula says about out of town supermarkets. Has this happened to any towns where  you live?

• Look at what Anita says about the 24 hours supermarket. Do you think it’s necessary for people to  work all night in supermarkets?

• What advantages does Oscar mention about shopping centres? Can you think of any more advantages and disadvantages of shopping centres?

• Do you think town centres in your country are becoming more and more similar?

• Why does Patrick like internet shopping?

• Have you every used the internet to buy anything?