OMAN COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
General Foundation Program
Speaking Level 3
Topic: Shopping
I. Vocabulary
Department store a large shop divided into departments selling a great many kinds of goods e.g.
Harrods Sales an event at which goods are sold at low prices by shops
A queue (noun)a line of people, especially when waiting for something .To queue (verb)the act of
waiting in a line of people.
Promotional stunt an event to get public attention or for marketing purposes
Brand a famous name which represents a particular product or company
Outfit a set of clothes, especially a carefully selected one
Reduced something that has decreased, for example the price free of charge / at no cost when you
do not have to pay
Try on test t he look of clothes by wearing them first
Shopaholics people addicted to shopping
Bargain a product at a good, usually cheap, price .
Cheapskate
Inexpensive
a person who doesn’t like to spend money
cheap
Window-shopping
to look at products without buying
Offer for sale at a reduced price -
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to be on trend: to be very fashionable
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casual clothes: not formal
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classic style: a simple, traditional style that is always fashionable
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designer label: a well-known company that makes (often expensive) clothing
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to dress for the occasion: to wear clothes suitable for a particular event
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fashionable: in fashion
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fashion house: a company that sells (usually expensive) new styles in clothes
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fashion icon: a person who is famous for their sense of fashion
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fashion show: an event where modals show off the latest in fashion designs
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to get dressed up: to put on nice clothes, often to go out somewhere special
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to go out of fashion: to not be in fashion any more
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hand-me-downs: clothes that are passed down from older brothers or sisters to their
younger siblings
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to have an eye for (fashion): to be a good judge of
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OMAN COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
General Foundation Program

to have a sense of style: the ability to wear clothes that look stylish
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the height of fashion: very fashionable
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to keep up with the latest fashion: to wear the latest fashions
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to look good in: to wear something that suits you
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to mix and match: to wear different styles or items of clothing that aren’t part of a set outfit
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must-have: something that is highly fashionable and therefore in demand
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off the peg: clothing that is ready made
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old fashioned: not in fashion any more
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on the catwalk: the stage that modals walk along to show off the latest fashions
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a slave to fashion: someone who always feel the need to wear the latest fashions
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smart clothes: the kind of clothes worn for a formal event
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to suit someone: to look good on someone
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to take pride in one’s appearance: to pay attention to how one looks
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timeless: something that doesn’t go out of fashion
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vintage clothes: clothes from an earlier period
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well-dressed: to be dressed attractively
II. Answer the following questions
Part 1:
1) Who does most of the shopping in your household?
2) What kind of shopping do you like doing?
3) Is shopping a popular activity in your country?
4) What types of shops do teenagers like best in your country?
Part 2
Describe a shopping center you often go to
You should say:
Where is the shopping center
How often do you go to the center
Why do you often go to it and its characteristics
and explain why do you go there often?
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OMAN COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
General Foundation Program
Part 3
Things to buy
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What typical things can visitors to your country buy?
What things do young people like to buy in your country?
Money
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Is it a good idea to save money? Why (not)?
Do you think that people are happier if they have money? Why (not)?
Shopping
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What can shops do to make shopping more pleasant for their customers?
Do you think that in the future people will do most of their shopping using the Internet? Why?/
Why not?
III. Model Interview
Part 1
1) Who does most of the shopping in your household?
There isn't one person who does most of the shopping. I'd say it's a shared responsibility because we
tend to go shopping together as a family.
2) What kind of shopping do you like doing?
I quite like shopping for presents for people's birthdays or for Christmas. My favourite type of shop
would have to be a bookshop.
3) Is shopping a popular activity in your country?
Yes, it's very popular. Saturday is the busiest shopping day, and lots of people treat shopping as a
kind of leisure activity, rather than something practical.
4) What types of shops do teenagers like best in your country?
I'm not an expert on teenage behaviour, but I guess they like buying clothes, music, gadgets... that
kind of thing.
Part 2
Describe a shopping center you often go to
You should say:
Where is the shopping center
How often do you go to the center
Why do you often go to it and its characteristics
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OMAN COLLEGE OF MANAGEMENT AND TECHNOLOGY
General Foundation Program
and explain why do you go there often
The shopping center that I often go to and would like to talk about is (...tell a shopping center name
from your city....). This is the largest shopping center of the city and is probably the most popular
one. This shopping center is at the middle of the city and is 20 storied. You can find almost everything
in this shopping center and the price and quality of the products make it a popular shopping mall
where people from all classes come to shop. You name it and you can find it here; from grocery shop
to 3d cinema, food court to play ground, gym and thousands of shopping shops are there. The market
authority imposes a strict rule about the quality and price and that's why you can find products at a
reasonable price here. The neat and clean environment, the rigid security, the arranged shops and
shopping convenience are the main reasons I visit this shopping mall very often. There is a dedicated
floor only for social gathering and there you can sit and talk to your friends as long as you like.
I go there almost 2-3 times in a months. If there are more shopping to do or before any festival I go
there more than 2-3 times. I go there not only for shopping but also some times for social gathering,
party, to have lunch or dinner or to watch a movie.
There are many positive reasons why this shopping center is popular among the visitors and shoppers
including security, reasonable price, shopping convenience, position of the shopping center, and
convenience of parking, open space and neat environments. The interior and exterior of the shopping
mall is very attractive. In the front of the building you will find a large open space; like a big park or
garden. You can seat there for a long and no one is going to ask you to go away!
Sources
ww.britishcouncil.om/IELTS
ielts-simon.com/ielts
http://www.stgeorges.co.uk/blog/shopping-vocabulary-the-naked-stunt#sthash.wJRZ4SBf.dpuf
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