Topical Vocabulary

1. In Russia goods may be purchased either at specialised shops or at department stores.

2. Looking for a necessary department at a department store or a shop in town, you can make use of the following list of the typical Russian shops:

3. The shops called SOUVENIRS will offer you various souvenirs which will remind you of Russia, Moscow and other towns and cities you would like to visit.

4. You will certainly need some foodstuff on your way. In Russia you will find specialized provision stores and supermarkets.

5. Read the text and answer the questions:

1. What kind of shops do you know?

2. What do we buy at the baker’s shop?

3. Where do we pay for what we have bought?

4. Where do they sell tea, sugar, coffee, tinned meat, cheese, jam?

5. Who tells you the price?

6. Where do we go if we want to buy berries, fruit or vegetables?

7. What do the farmers sell at the market?

8. Who sells food in the shops?

9. What is the department store?

10. What can you buy in the department store?

11. Where is the department store in your town?

12. What departments are there in a department store?

13. What can you see in the shop windows of the store?

6. Read the following dialogues and reproduce them:

a) to yourself

b) in pairs

At the Butcher Department

Butcher: Do you want any meat today, Mrs. Bird?

Mrs. Bird: Yes, please.

Butcher: Do you want beef or lamb?

Mrs. Bird: Beef, please.

Butchers: This lamb’s very good.

Mrs. Bird: I like lamb, but my husband doesn’t.

Butcher: What about some steak? This is a nice piece.

Mrs. Bird: Give me that piece, please. And a pound of mince too.

Butcher: Do you want a chicken, Mrs. Bird? They are very nice.

Mrs. Bird: No, thank you. My husband likes steak, but he doesn’t like chicken.

Butcher: To tell you the truth, Mrs. Bird, I don’t like chicken either.

Steak – говяжья вырезка

Mince – мясной фарш

At the Milk Department

Customer: Is there any milk in packets?

Assistant: Yes, a liter packet costs 11 rubles.

Customer: One packet, please.

Assistant: Anything else?

Customer: Yes, two hundred and fifty grammes of butter.

Assistant: That will be twenty-five rubles.

Customer: Two hundred grammes of cheese at one hundred and seventeen rubles per kilo.

Assistant: That will cost twenty four rubles.

Customer: That will be all. How much will it be?

Assistant: That will be sixty rubles.

Customer: Here is one hundred.

Assistant: And here is your ticket and your change.

Customer: Thank you.

Assistant: Don’t mention it.

At a Ready-made Clothes Department

- Well, how do I look in this coat?

- Very nice, indeed. It suits you perfectly.

- Isn’t it too loose in the shoulders?

- I wouldn’t say so. But you may try on a size smaller.

- Can you change this blouse, please?

- Why? What’s wrong with it?

- It’s the wrong size? It’s too small for me.

- But what size are you?

- I’m not sure. Can you measure me?

- Yes, certainly. You’re forty-six.

- This one’s the right size.

7. Form all possible questions to which the following sentences are the answers.

1. Peter went to the fitting-room to try on trousers.

2. Double-breasted suit (двубортный костюм) is in fashion now.

3. We’ll spend a lot of money on footwear.

4. The pullover is very expensive.

5. The skirt is very tight on me.

8. Fill in prepositions if necessary.

1. What size … suit do you wear?

2. This jacket is not … fashion now.

3. I’m afraid the shirt is a bit loose … you.

4. Is your scarf made …nylon or … silk?

5. This cardigan does not go … a silk skirt.

9. Translate into English.

1. Эта шляпка вам идет.

2. Я хочу купить сумку в тон моему шарфу.

3. Это пальто плохо на мне сидит.

4. Туфли малы моему ребенку.

5. Пусть он подойдет к зеркалу и примерит этот нарядный костюм.

6. Это платье очень дорогое. Мне бы что-нибудь подешевле.

7. Я предпочитаю носить платья из натуральных тканей.

10. Additional material for reading.