Unit 2 problems with things people buy

Vocabulary

to come apart	распадаться на части
a sole	подошва
shabby	потертый, потрепанный, поношенный
a receipt	чек на товар; квитанция; расписка в получении
a refund	возвращение (денег); возмещение (расходов)
fuzzy	неясный, неопределенный
to shrink	садиться (о материи), давать усадку
to chip	откалываться, отламываться; биться
compatible	совместимый
a rip	разрыв, разрез
to go with	подходить, гармонировать, соответствовать
an outfit	одежда
a sell-by-date	срок реализации товара
to chuck away	выбрасывать
to complain to smb of/about smt	жаловаться кому-либо на что-либо
a complaint	жалоба
outdated	устаревший
a recipe	рецепт
to claim	утверждать, заявлять
to be in sale	продаваться
confident	уверенный
a delivery boy	разносчик, доставщик
to fix smt	устанавливать что-либо
a better range	(зд.) больший выбор
formulaic	формальный, официальный
a comma	запятая
a greeting	приветствие
sincerely	искренне
yours faithfully	с совершенным почтением
to sign	подписываться

1. Read the dialogue in pairs and answer the questions.

1) What does Joanna want to return? Why?

2) Is she happy at the end of the conversation? Why/Why not?

Dialogue

Shop-assistant (A): Hello.

Joanna (J): Hi. I think you could help me. I bought these shoes from you the other week and they’re already coming apart at the sole here, you see?

A: When exactly did you buy them? They look shabby.

J: Well, I have been wearing them to work. I think I got them four weeks ago now.

A: Right. Well, I’m not sure we can do anything about it really. Have you got a receipt?

J: Well, no. I didn’t think of bringing them back. I must’ve just thrown it away.

A: Well, I am sorry, we really can’t give you any kind of refund. We could send them to be repaired, though, if you want.

J: I don’t want to have them repaired. What I want is to get my money back.

A: I’m sorry, but that’s just impossible. It’s against company policy to give refunds without a receipt and we certainly don’t give them when items have been worn for some time.

J: Listen, if I spend my money on a pair of shoes, I expect them to last longer than four weeks.

A: I understand what you’re saying, but I must inform you that THAT’S the company policy. If you don’t like it, you’ll have to take it up with the manager.

J: Fine. Can I speak to him now?

A: SHE’S not here at the moment.

J: Well, when will SHE be back?

A: Next week. She’s away on holiday.

J: Next week! Well, that’s just great, that is! Thanks a lot for you help!

2. In the conversation in Exercise 1, Joanna said, ‘Well, that’s just great, that is! Thanks a lot for you help!’ She was being sarcastic. When people are being sarcastic, they exaggerate the way they say things.

Read and translate these sarcastic comments.

1) That’s just fantastic, that is!

2) It couldn’t have happened to a nicer person. It really couldn’t!

3) Fascinating!

4) Charming!

5) Mmm! Lovely!

6) That’s just perfect, that is! Just marvelous!

7) Thanks a lot! I hope I can do the same for you one day!

8) I bet that’s just what you’d always wanted!

9) Oh dear. What a shame!

10) Oh, my heart bleeds, it really does!