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PENNY WISE, POUND FOOLISH
1. Read and translate the text.
SHOPPING: a Must and a Pleasure
Shopping can be both a must and a pleasure. Those who hate shopping place their orders by
Internet or telephone and it saves them a lot of time. Ordering food products by telephone is
therefore growing more popular. Some make a hobby of shopping tours, whether they
actually buy anything or are just window-gazing. Besides, most housewives would like to
see what they are getting for their money and do their shopping out themselves.
Different as people’s feelings about shopping are, you somehow couldn’t think of shopping
for provisions in terms of pleasure, you always think of it in terms of necessity. In case you
are not a gourmand, you certainly feel happier just merely window-shopping at an
expensive jeweller’s than actually buying a joint beef from your butcher’s, with all your
folks at home hoping for a good dinner after their day’s work at an office, school or college.
My friend Alice and me, we both do our shopping together, generally on Saturday morning.
Last Saturday I went to the butcher’s for a small joint of beef and then to the greengrocer’s,
which is also a fruiterer’s, for some eating apples and cooking apples, a dozen oranges,
beans, potatoes and a good-sized head of cabbage.
Then we went together to the baker’s and paid for the bread that we had had, two brown
loaves, two white loaves and six rolls, and bought some fruit-cake and half a dozen small
cakes (he’s a confectioner as well as a baker) – and then went home feeling rather tired.
I am also a regular customer at one of the big stores. I went there today and enjoyed myself
very much wandering from one department to another, looking at various articles on the
counters. I thought the assistants were very helpful. There must have been hundreds of
salesmen and saleswomen and dozens of different departments including china,
haberdashery, confectionery, hardware and even provisions.
We all wear clothes, and that is another necessity next to provisions. We all do our shopping
for clothes in that same big department store. Last month I bought a nice summer frock for
myself. The assistant showed me a green frock which I liked very much, and all the more so
when I tried it on and admired myself in the dressing-booth mirror. What a darling it was! It
said I’d wear it then and there, so there was no trouble changing again. My friend suggested
I also buy a hand-bag to match which I did.
2. Answer these questions:
1. Shopping: a “must” or a pleasure? 2. Can shopping be made a hobby of? Why? Why not?
3. Would you like to see what you are getting for your money? Why? 4. Which shop
windows do you find most interesting? Why? 5. How does a typical businessman/woman
dress in your country? 6. What clothes do you wear when it is cold/ wet/ hot? 7. Describe
the traditional clothes or national costume of your country? 8. Write down a list of clothes
you like and don’t like wearing. 9. Where do you usually buy things? 10. Have you ever
bought anything on-line?
CLOTHES and FASHION
3. Read the descriptions of the different outfits worn by each person.
1. Susan is wearing high-heeled shoes, tights, a knee-length skirt, a blouse with a floral
pattern, a necklace and earrings. 2. Mary is wearing sandals, baggy trousers, a V-necked
jumper, a spotted silk scarf and a silver bracelet. 3. Jane is wearing boots, a pair of jeans, a
woolen jacket, gloves and a hat. 4. Robert is dressed in a double-breasted jacket with
striped trousers, a waistcoat and a spotted tie. 5. Jim is wearing trainers, tight jeans, a
striped sweatshirt and a baseball cap. 6. George is wearing checked baggy shorts held up
with a belt, a pair of sandals with long spotted socks, a plain T-shirt and a beret. 7. Susie is
wearing slippers, a pleated skirt, a long striped overcoat and a pair of mittens. 8. Eddie is

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