Gimnazjum – Poziom rozszerzony

Reading

Choose the correct answers.

Christmas Shopping

In the USA, the day after Thanksgiving is traditionally called Black Friday. It is a day
when people rush to the shops from early morning until the shops close in the evening.
Some people say that the day gets its name because it is the day when shops start
making a profit for the year. They ‘go out of the red and into the black’. Others say it is
because of the traffic jams, overcrowded shops and badly behaved customers.

Whatever the reason, Black Friday is the busiest shopping day of the year as it is
traditionally a holiday for most people and the start of the Christmas period. However,
although there are more people in the shops on that day than on any other, they don’t
buy as much as on other days. Many just want to get out of the house after Thanksgiving
and see the Christmas decorations. They may also be checking prices in the shops ready
for Cyber Monday. This is the Monday after Thanksgiving, a day which sees the most
online sales as people buy the gifts they saw in the shops more cheaply on the internet.

The most money spent in the shops is always on the Saturday before Christmas. People
go ‘last minute shopping’ as they suddenly realise that Christmas is just a few days away
and they still haven’t got everything they need.

After Christmas, the shops are full again, this time with people looking for bargains in the
sales, and perhaps a few well-organised people who are doing their next year’s Christmas
shopping a little earlier than most.

1. The reason why the day after Thanksgiving is called Black Friday is

a) that shops stay open late at night.

b) because shop keepers don’t make much money on that day.
c) either to do with finances or problems.

2. On Black Friday

a) people spend more money in the

shops than on any other day.
b) people do a lot of shopping online.
c) more people go to the shops than
on any other day.

3. If you want to find bargains in the

shops, you should go

a) on Christmas Day.
b) on the days after Christmas.
c) on the last Saturday before
Christmas.

© Pearson Central Europe, December 2012 PHOTOCOPIABLE

Gimnazjum – Poziom rozszerzony

Discussion

1. Work in pairs and answer the questions.

1. Do you enjoy Christmas shopping? Why? / Why not?

2. How much of your Christmas shopping do you do online?

3. Have you ever bought any bargains in a sale? What was it and how much did you
save?

Use of English

Complete the second sentence so that it has the same meaning as the original.

1. The shops were so busy that I left without buying anything.

There were so ________ in the shops that I left without buying anything.

2. I’ve bought a few presents but there are still some more that I need to buy.

I _________________ all the presents I need to buy yet.

3. I arrived too late and all the bargains had gone.

I _________________ enough and all the bargains had

gone.

4. I’ll only go to the shops if I have to.

I _________________ unless I have to.

5. Shopping online is much more pleasant than going to the shopping centre.

Going to the shopping centre ________________ as shopping online.

Writing

You were sent a T-shirt by your aunt and uncle in England. Send them a ‘Thank you’
letter.

 Thank them for the present

 Describe your Christmas Day
 Send them wishes for the New Year

Write between 50-100 words.

© Pearson Central Europe, December 2012 PHOTOCOPIABLE