Universam – a Supermarket

       When you come to the “Universam” supermarket, you see the following picture.

       A huge sales floor with pretty pyramids of goods, a lavish assortment of groceries, bakery and confectionery goods, canned vegetables, fruit and dairy products; wines, spirits, mineral water, juices and syrups. Perishables – cold meats, meat, fish, milk and all dairy products – are kept in special reach-in refrigerator units. Fresh vegetables, fruit and citrus fruits are displayed in trolleys. There is a special stand with all sorts of household knick-knacks, where every housewife is bound to buy something. There is a large range of baby foods. The smallest customers, who are led by the hand or sit importantly on special benches or in the trolleys where mother or father deposit their purchases, have not been forgotten. Each item has a label which indicates the date, price, weight and cost. The automatic tills determine the cost of purchases and the amount of change in a flash.

       A large number of items on sale, the open display of goods, the possibility to buy everything in one shop and the swift service draw customers to such shops from the day they opened. The equipment on the sales floor, the packaging departments and in the storage premises is of the latest design. The optical and electronic scales have stepped up immeasurably the process of weighing a purchase, and determining the cost of a given weight. The special vacuum packaging ensures that foods retain their quality and look, up to 5 days, unimpaired. All the goods are prepared for sale in the packaging departments which are separated from the sales floor by windows, i.e., the customers can see the process. The population of the district is very pleased with such new shops.

 

Ex. 1 Comprehension questions:

1. What is a "Universam"?

2. What can you say about the assortment of goods in "universam" supermarkets? 3. Where are perishables kept? Fresh vegetables and fruit?

4. What is attached to every item you buy there?

5. How do automatic tills help the cashiers?

6. What scales are used to weigh a purchase and determine its cost?

7. What helps the foods sold there retain their quality and look unimpaired for 5 days?

8. What draws customers to such shops?

Ex. 2 Give your points of view and find in the text facts to prove that:

- many factors make "universam" supermarkets popular with customers,

- supermarkets are stocked with a very wide range of goods.

- all the goods are ready packed.

Ex. 3 Describe your visit to a supermarket. Use the following words and phrases:

to go to a supermarket to buy …; to be back soon; not to have been there for more than 30 minutes; it's one of the best things about them; had I gone to half a dozen different shops I would have taken much longer; not to be overcrowded; brightly lit; well laid out; there is plenty of room for the customers to walk about; to move along the aisles of goods; to push one's little cart (or to carry a basket in one's hand); to fill it with packets; a few assistants; there is no need for many assistants; ready-packed; the goods are tidily arranged on trays and long shelves; the shelves are well stocked with a very wide selection of attractively packed goods; the goods are within easy reach; the price is printed on every packet; the prices are clearly marked; the assistants fill up (the) shelves and cases that become empty; they see that everything has a price stamped on it.

Ex. 4 Make up a dialogue about the location of the things at a supermarket.

Text 8

I'm Addicted to shopping from home!

       Shopping from your living room used to be decidedly unglamorous. But with the explosion

of top quality catalogues, the Internet and TV shopping channels. That's not

the case any more…

       Ali Quinn 38, from Surbiton, Surrey, is married to Paddy, 50. She's a community nurse and they have two children.

       My nickname at home is Catalogue Quinn. Paddy thinks it's hilarious that I'm so addicted to catalogue shopping. Before we married five years ago, I wasn't the least bit interested in any of the catalogue that arrive with the weekend papers. Now, though, Paddy throws them across the room to me and I spend the next half-hour fantasying about what I can buy from McCord or The Costwold Company.

       As I was working long hours, this was easier said than done. I didn't have time to wander around the shops – and if I had, I'd never have found all the wonderful things I've now bought from catalogue land.

       Since having children my life has been so chaotic and I'm so short of time that I scour the catalogues for anything that will help simplify things. I also do virtually all my gift shopping from catalogues. The only things I don't buy from catalogues are my own clothes. I used to but I found that they often didn't fit the way I wanted them to, so now I force myself to go clothes shopping. But the children's clothes come from catalogues and I even bought a sofa from Argos catalogue because it saved Paddy and me from spending our day off together trekking around department stores. Maybe one day I'll convert to Internet shopping but there's something special about being able to curl up in an armchair with a catalogue on your knees, your shopping list in one hand and a cup of coffee in the other.

       Val Moody, 57, from Peterborough, is married to Brian, 56. The couple have two grown-up children.

       I've always been a shopaholic – I get a real thrill out buying something new and I can't help buying on implulse if I see something that really takes my fancy. But four years ago I had major surgery on my back and I was laid up in bed for several weeks. I was so bored that the only thing I could do to fill the time was flick between TV channels. Then one day while I was doing this, I discovered the world of TV shopping and since then, I haven't looked back. Even though I'm now back on my feet, I'm still a total TV shopping addict. I spend at least three hours a day watching the shopping channels, Ideal World TV, and I shell out around 5000 pounds a month on goods I've seen advertised on it. We don't have a mortgage to pay but my daughter Lisa thinks I'm mad. She asked the other day why I've bought myself another bread maker. I explained that the one I've already got (also bought from TV shopping) takes two hours to make bread and this new one takes just 58 minutes. I couldn't resist it. The great thing is that, unlike department stores where the assistants never seem to know anything about the products they are selling, on TV you get a complete demonstration of the item before you buy it. I'm always on the lookout for more new cleaning equipment – we've got four Great Danes, a small dog and four cats. So far I've bought six vacuum cleaners and a fantastic steam cleaner that does everything from curtains and carpets to work surfaces and the oven! My husband is a plumber and he always needs new tools. They come up for sale on the TV a lot, so I buy him anything useful I see.

       I've never been a browser and I can't understand anyone who goes window shopping when the shops are closed. Why bother if you can't buy anything? No, for me the buzz is in the purchase and if it's a bargain, I've got to have it.

       Sharon Burns, 27, from Woking in Surrey, is a marketing director. She's engaged to Kieron, 28.

       Without the Internet, I'd be the world's worst shopper. I used to work in the West End of London but I found it so stressful at lunchtimes trying to beat my way through the crowds, make a halfway decent purchase and get back to my office in time, that I gave up altogether. Then, about four years ago, I discovered the Internet shopping and I was hooked. I started by buying books and CDs for my mum. She lives in Coventry and sending presents to her was always a hassle. But by shopping online, I could get gifts directly to her – and I could afford to buy more too because prices were so competitive. I then started doing all my food shopping online. Having worked in finance in the past, I know your credit details are safer on the Net than over the phone, so I've never had any qualms about that. I shop every week at Tesco's website – it only takes a few minutes to do and my groceries are delivered to my kitchen, saving me trouble of having to lug them upstairs to my second-floor flat. People wonder how I can bear to let someone else choose my vegetables and fruit. What if they're bruised or overripe? Well, I get round that by making fussy notes on every order, I even state the sell-by date I want. I've bought everything from theatre tickets and holidays to Kieron's engagement present online. One thing I'm still waiting for is an online clothes facility that will tempt me away from old-fashioned department stores. So far I haven't plucked up the courage to buy clothes online because I know that if they don't fit I'll have to deal with returning them. But I've dipped my toes in the water by visiting a shoe website, so I'm sure it's just a matter of time before I finally take the plunge!

Ex. 1 Think of the possible attributes to the word "shopping".

(catalogue, gift, clothes, Internet, TV, window, food, online)

Ex.2 In the text find the phrases synonymous to the following ones:

attractive, to be involved, to do smth without being able to stop wanting to, to make things easier, to go window shopping, to be pressed for time, to doubt, to make smb do what you want.

Ex. 3 Find in the text the words and phases:

Фактически, скоротать время, тащить сумки наверх, собраться с духом, тщательно просматривать каталоги, легче сказать, чем сделать, рекламировать, покупать одежду по компьютеру.

Ex. 4 Translate from English into Russian:

Paddy thinks it's hilarious that I'm so addicted to catalogue shopping.

… this was easier said than done.

I didn't have time to wander around shops.

I scour the catalogues for anything that will help simplify things.

… it saved Paddy and me from spending our day off together trekking around department stores.

Maybe one day I'll convert to Internet shopping.

I can't help buying on impulse if I see smth that really takes my fancy.

… on TV you get a complete demonstration of the item before you buy it.

They (new tools) come up for sale on the TV a lot …

… for me the buzz is in the purchase and if it's a bargain, I've got to have it.

… but I found it so stressful at lunchtimes trying to beat my way through the crowds, make a halfway decent purchase and get back to my office in time, that I gave it up.

I discovered the Internet shopping and I was hooked.

I shop every week at Tesco's website.

What if they are bruised or overripe?

Well, I get round that by making fussy notes on every order, I even state the sell-by date I want.

So far I haven't plucked up courage to buy clothes online because I know that if they don't fit I'll have to deal with returning them.

Ex. 5 Explain in your own words:

Shopaholic, mortgage, browser, it's a bargain, I coudn't resist it, to make a halfway decent purchase, shopping online, prices are competitive.

Ex. 8. Give the Russian equivalent to the following saying. Think of your own situation where you can use it.

I've dipped my toes in the water …

Ex. 6 Think of the sentences with the phrases:

To wander around the shop, .. help to simplify things, to convert to Internet shopping, I can't help buying on impulse, TV shopping, I couldn't resist, It's a bargain, to make a halfway decent purchase, shopping online, state the sell-by date, to pluck up the courage to buy clothes online, to have qualms about, to take fancy.

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