Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail?

Level 2 O Upper intermediate

1 Warmer
Where do you usually shop? Put these in order from 1 (most frequent) to 5 (least frequent).

1. ____________________________ a. at a shopping centre

2. BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBB  ELQLQGHSHQGHQWVKRSV
3. ____________________________ c. online
4. ____________________________ d. in second-hand/vintage shops
5. ____________________________ e. on the high street

2 Key words
Fill the gaps in the sentences using these key words from the text. The paragraph numbers are given to
help you.

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blossom expenses sceptical counter demand

1. When companies ___________________________ goods, they send them to customers.

2. A ___________________________ item is a very small example of something that is usually much larger.
3. ___________________________ is the amount of a product or service that people want.
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9. $BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBBSHUVRQKDVGRXEWVDERXWVRPHWKLQJWKDWRWKHUSHRSOHWKLQNLVWUXHRUULJKW
10. ___________________________ is a general term for sweet foods such as sweets and chocolates.

3 Find the information

Find the following information in the text as quickly as possible.
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NEWS LESSONS / Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail? / Upper intermediate
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Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail?
Level 2 O Upper intermediate
Are the hyper-specialist shops of
Berlin the future of retail?
Philip Oltermann
29 April, 2019
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employees and a full-time social-media manager.
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of shops in Berlin that sell only one thing, from
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string instruments. With online retail sales
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model for the high street of the future.
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typewriters. Although already many years over
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5 A hundred metres around the corner is Paul Knopf,
a large shop with two shop fronts and several
storage units. The shop has only sold one thing
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for almost ten years, sold only miniature string
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for children,” says Truetsch.
© Springer Nature Limited 2019. Macmillan Education is part of the Springer Nature Group.
NEWS LESSONS / Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail? / Upper intermediate
 Knopf, Moser and Truetsch have all survived the
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has three employees, while the other two are
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many specialists are closed not just on Sundays
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they add character to an area. Since Ilse Böge
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store, 20 years ago, she has seen her local
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streets has also attracted property investors
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Left) party senator for housing, has suggested
extending the protection measures, which
currently protect poor residents in certain parts of
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increases, to also apply to local shops. But Böge
is in two minds.
10 On the one hand, she says, protection for shops
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plan their future. But she is sceptical: “What does
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independent cinemas.
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increases forced him out of the premises. Instead
of shutting up shop, Ghouneim moved, and now
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regular industrial clients. “People who try to sell
you everything are struggling more and more,” he
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© Guardian News and Media 2019
)LUVWSXEOLVKHGLQThe Guardian, 29/04/19
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Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail?
Level 2 O Upper intermediate
4 Comprehension check
Are these statements true (T) or false (F) according to the text?

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pet shops.
3. Bernd Moser has hundreds of instruction manuals in his shop.
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6. Kadó is in an attractive area of the city.

5 Find the word

Find the following words and phrases in the text.

1. a noun meaning a set of twelve things or people

2. a noun meaning the sale of products to the public for their own use
3. DYHUEPHDQLQJthink about something because you want to know more details about it
4. a three-word phrase meaning a business activity involving just one person
5. DQDGMHFWLYHXVHGWRGHVFULEHVWUHHWVDQGPHDQLQJcovered in round stones
6. a noun meaning people who live in a particular place
 DIRXUZRUGYHUESKUDVHPHDQLQJnot be certain about something
 DWKUHHZRUGYHUESKUDVHPHDQLQJclose a business permanently

6 Two-word expressions
Match the words in the left-hand column with those in the right-hand column to make expressions from
the text.

1. retail a. hours
2. retirement E increase
3. opening c. streets
4. FREEOHG d. tape
5. rent e. sales
6. VWLFN\ f. age
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© Springer Nature Limited 2019. Macmillan Education is part of the Springer Nature Group.
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NEWS LESSONS / Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail? / Upper intermediate
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Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail?
Level 2 O Upper intermediate
7 Word-building
Complete the table using words from the text.

verb noun
1. VSHFLDOL]H (person)
2. invest (person)
3. store
5. gentrify
6. own (person)
6. retire

8 Discussion
Discuss the statements.

• ,WLVPXFKEHWWHUWREX\WKLQJVIURPDVPDOOVSHFLDOLVWVKRS
• Shopping online is so much easier and less time-consuming.

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© Springer Nature Limited 2019. Macmillan Education is part of the Springer Nature Group.
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NEWS LESSONS / Are the hyper-specialist shops of Berlin the future of retail? / Upper intermediate
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