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Secondhand Stores
Secondhand Stores

Learn English with this secondhand stores English lesson

Date: Nov 30 2018

Themes: Fashion

Grammar: Gerunds vs. Infinitives

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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Where do you go when you need new clothes for work or an awesome costume for a party? If you have lots of money, you probably shop at the mall or at special stores that sell high-end items. If you’re broke, though, you might need a different option.

Thrifting, or shopping at secondhand stores, allows people to find used clothing in good condition at great prices! It’s savvy to shop on a budget. It’s also exciting. Unlike large retail stores, which sell the same clothes in lots of sizes, thrift stores have lots of different clothes. Finding the perfect shoes or coat can be a bit of work, but that makes success even more rewarding!

Learn how Lily tries to convince Marni to go thrifting in this English lesson.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Marni

Marni

Lily

Lily

Marni:  You know what, Lily? A new thrift store just opened up down the street from me. I am so sick of secondhand clothing and all of those budget, thrifting-savvy people. Let’s just go with name brands and higher-end.

Lily:  See, I don’t know about that. Because I am broke, and I like going to secondhand stores, too, because lots of times you can find really cool name brand things really cheaply. It’s like your clothes get a second lease on life, and if you donate them to one of those thrift stores, sometimes it helps people less fortunate, too, which is pretty cool.

Marni:  I am all for helping people less fortunate, but, please, give me a catalog, give me some online shopping. I want labels. I want high-end. I want it all.

Lily:  Alright. You’re the queen of retail.

Marni:  Well, you’re never going to catch me thrifting, but I do like a good deal.

Lily:  Actually, thrifting can be awesome because you can find a lot of those really fancy name brands. Last week I went and found this amazing pair of boots for fifteen dollars! It was really cool. They’re real leather. I was astounded.

Marni:  Really? Well, maybe I’ll go then.

 

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Quizzes

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Lesson MP3

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Discussion

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Marni doesn’t like secondhand shops, so she’s annoyed when a new thrift store opens just down the street from her house. She prefers to buy expensive, brand name clothes. Lily calls Marni the “queen of retail.”

Lily understands the other side, though. Thrifting is exciting for her. Lily doesn’t have very much money, so she definitely has a budget and looks for good deals. Finding high-end clothes at small prices seems like an adventure to her. And sometimes she gets really great items!

Lily also likes that secondhand stores can help people who are less fortunate. People who donate their old clothing help other people who can’t afford to pay brand new prices.

What’s your opinion on secondhand stores? Have you ever found a great deal in a thrift store? Would you rather go thrifting or on a brand name shopping spree?

 

Comments

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ml2000

ml2000Super Member!

Canada

I like shopping at thrift stores because I often find some interesting and unique merchanizes there at great prizes. It is also common to find some nostalic and vintage items which turn out to be collectiable items. My friend like to go to the thrift stores and hunt for collectable old-time vinyl records.   

06:48 PM Nov 29 2018 |

1 person likes this

bing0402

bing0402

Philippines

i’d rather go for thrifting like marni did. it will hep me save lots of money. I am not preferd to buy expensive branded clothes.


04:07 AM Oct 28 2014 |

1 person likes this

Hazelgirl

Hazelgirl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

sherry12181, “catch someone doing something” means “to see someone doing sth that they didnt want you to know they were doing”, based on this definition, the sentence means: “you can never see me doing shopping at secondhand stores”, implies that she dislikes shopping at used clothing stores and doesnt want to pretend it, “you are never going to get surprised by seeing me at secondhand store, bcoz i will never be there ”, “but i do like a good deal”: but she likes to have a good deal (good shopping with reasonable price) very much.

04:45 AM Dec 09 2013 |

1 person likes this

mukh

mukh

Jordan

it is a good idea to have such stores, many people threw their old good clothes in the garbage just because they do not know the way where they can give the chance for the other people to benifit from this, but still the community control us and prevent us from accepting this idea, even one of us refuses to wear his brother’s shirt “for example” because he is not the first user, so logically it is a great idea , practically it is difficult to be accepted to some people.

08:08 PM Dec 08 2013 |

1 person likes this

sherry12181@gmail.com

Taiwan

what does sentence mean??


“Marni:  Well, you’re never going to catch me thrifting, but I do like a good deal”


i can’t understand “catch me thrifting”  to imply



thank a lot


09:51 AM Dec 05 2013 |

1 person likes this

ayhaan

ayhaan

Turkey

SECONDHAND STORE.I THINK ITS GOOD FOR SOMEONE HAVNT ENOUGH MONEY TO BY CLOTH.AND SOMETIMES WE CAN FIND CLOTH IN SECONDHAND STORE THATS IN GOOD PRICE AND HIGH QUALITY.FOR EXAMPLE 2 MONTH AGO A BOUGHT SHOES IN SECONNDHAND STORE.I SURE I CANT FOND SHOES LIKE THIS IN AN ATHERV PLACE


05:54 PM Dec 04 2013 |

Lynx

Malaysia

I won’t buy anything from second hand stores. Sorry for opposed to those who like it. I won’t buy high-ends either. I don’t know why I just don’t like second-hand goods, especially clothes. 


I prefer to go for great sales. We have Year End Sales (YES) each December. I could just get any first-hand clothes with up to 70% discount. Isn’t it better than a used one? Maybe, you guys should visit Malaysia in December, and you will never regret if you like shopping.

02:00 PM Dec 04 2013 |

1 person likes this

roze1997

roze1997

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i dont like going to second hand stores because i prefer to buy sth new but more cheaper


you can buy things in sales , i think its better

10:05 AM Dec 04 2013 |

S&W

S&W

China

I like going to the secondhand stores,even though there is nothing i wanna to buy.just looking.You know our life is changing so fast.There are a lot of things we had never seen them,But they were beatiful ,exquisite with creative ideas.We can find them in the secondhand stores,we can buy them use less money than they were.

02:03 AM Dec 03 2013 |

omid60

omid60

Belarus

I never buy and use secondhand clothes, but I can buy secondhand home appliances or even furniture.

01:11 AM Dec 03 2013 |

2 people like this

 julito

julito

Argentina

Second hand stores are an option  if you are on a budget .  I myself  am  into  nicely new clothes  but i am thinking of women  that every day  need to change their outfit to go to work , unless they make a lot of money  why not  go thrifting ,  , and i know for experience that with good luck it is possible to find  almost brand new  clothes  at  thrift  prices.  What`s left for them  if not, charging up their credit card ? .My cousin lives in America , she usually buys her clothing at thrift stores  ,when asked by her coworkers .how nice the outfit is ,where did you buy it ? her replied is … ohh, at a boutique ,hiding the truth that actually she bought it from a second hand store , and they believe her … lol. The plus side is what I would call recycling  , people that can not afford to buy  fashion  clothes  can give a try  at a  thrift store and with good luck  find  expensive ones at a convenient price.   

09:23 PM Dec 02 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

Peyman, what if the owner was a rich one or happy in love, or just the lucky from the luckiest could be and it will rub off on you :) Well, the clothing probably is a little bit over the top to buy, but why not books, games or even cups ;)


You know we used to buy our Russian pop, kvas, using the glass mugs that were just slightly rinsed. Oh, I miss those times!



 

08:41 PM Dec 02 2013 |

Hazelgirl

Hazelgirl

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

unlike the most of people here, i dont like secondhand things, no matter it will be clothes or sth else. and a question i wanna ask from iranians who put comments on this forum, in which stores you do the shoping?? secondhand store i mean???!!!!!

07:24 PM Dec 02 2013 |

sheitooonak

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

I like shopping at Second hands stores.Its just awesome that you could find something you always liked to buy at there, specially in lower price!
Last year I found great halloween customs at thrifting store and it was great deal!!

07:12 PM Dec 02 2013 |

ola33

ola33

Japan

I like going to Second hand stores. What I like about them is that they can bring up the lost memories. You kinda forgot the hobbies  you were up too and all of a sudden you come across a fabulous game or CD of songs that you used to listen, or a book that once you didn’t buy because it was way too much expensive or just a book that you always borrow from the library and have to pay overdue fees all the time and now that book is yours and for just a couple of $. It defitinitely adds some element of thrill while you’re shopping in a thrifting store. But it can also be addictive that for a less money you can buy something you ‘need’. So with this you can end up piling your house with all those “great deals” you think of. Like I have so many puzzles of very good brand, the best ones, but now I got to get rid of them and some of them have never been used. Well, it’s good that I understand this. I’ll bring them back to the same store and voila, someone will have a good deal!

06:29 PM Dec 02 2013 |

ping``

ping``

China

Now most ppl resort to buying cloths from the brand store.Actually ,i like to go to the second hand market more then those brand store.I just feel maybe we can find more special thing in the second hand store.Buying smeone s old dress,like getting close to someone ’s past .


But putting the old story to filled our future ,maybe next moment ,there may be more interesting things happen for this old story.


In a more reasonable way,it’s kind of environmental protection .

04:09 PM Dec 02 2013 |

2 people like this

sara1998

sara1998

Iran, Islamic Republic Of

i think that secondhand clothes are good for lucky peaple not for me….....


some times you see some peaple whom dressed realy chic however their dress is a secondhand cloth ; that way is good.but i know i can’t find sth good and useful so i won’t go to secondhand stores….....


03:53 PM Dec 02 2013 |

Elainewater

China

We don’t have sedond hand stores, but we have second hand market,especially in the university. When Ss are graduating, they often find things out to sell.  I don’t like second hand stores,beacause i have cleanliness. 

03:41 PM Dec 02 2013 |

1 person likes this

saveme911

saveme911

Algeria

Second hand stores ,i say it is a blessing in disguise   ,why ? it alleviates people financial burden ,they finally can wear leather ,silk ,cotton goods without feeling guilty ,what about fashion ? fashion is made to became unfathionable so what’s the point of costing yourself an arm and a leg …unless u got money to burn .Me always in 2hand stors, rarely thrifting ,always probing the sewing techniques ,the tissues used …cos i want to develop my sewing and designing skills ….and that without getting hassled by the stores owners .

02:36 PM Dec 02 2013 |

Mayaxxx

Mayaxxx

Lebanon

Some ocassions require you to dress a humble and very casual outfit, like walking in the park, going to the zoo, etc. You can’t go to the zoo while wearing one of those short dresses girls wear when they go to clubs, neither you can go to a wedding wearing a T shirt and jeans!


So both secondhand shops and high class shops are important to me, and I can’t choose one over the other, each of them are come handy with nice and fashionable clothes ^^

02:06 PM Dec 02 2013 |

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