Cultural notes

You can learn a lot about American culture by watching television and going to the movies. At the present time, films in the U.S. are still very popular, despite stiff competition from cable television and video rentals.

As in many countries, movies in the U.S. are rated as to their suitability for certain audiences:

G, means for general audiences

PG, means Parental Guidance

PG13, means stronger Parental Guidance (i.e., not suitable for children under 13)

R, means restricted (to 18 years of age and older)

X, means adults only

Food and drinks are sold at concession stands in American movie theaters. You will probably pay a good bit more for these items than you would in a grocery store. Many theaters in the U.S. have as many as six different mini-theaters under one roof. Thus, when you buy a ticket you will need to tell the ticket seller what film you wish to see.

Many large shopping malls in the U.S. now have a movie theater. You can combine shopping with entertainment, if you so desire.

Action

CASHIER: How many?

YOU: One ticket please.

CASHIER: That will be $6.00.

NARRATOR: You enter the theater and give your ticket to a ticket taker who tears it in half. You keep one half and he keeps the other. At the concession stand, you find candy, popcorn, and drinks. The hot popcorn smells delicious. You decide to try some.

CLERK: What can I get for you?

YOU: Popcorn, a Coke, and some of those chocolates there.

CLERK: You mean Milk Duds?

YOU: Yes, that's right, a box of Milk Duds.

CLERK: Do you want Classic Coke, Diet Coke, or Cherry Coke?

YOU: Uh... , Classic Coke, I think.

CLERK: Would you like butter on your popcorn?

YOU: Yes, thank you.

NARRATOR: She hands you your refreshments.

CLERK: Here you go. That'll be $4.50, please.

NARRATOR: You pay for your popcorn, coke, and candy, and go into the theater. You can't believe that your refreshments cost almost as much as your ticket.

Lesson 9 «Shopping at the Mall»

Vocabulary

approaches, she (to approach)

Some other ways to express this idea include "to come up to" and "to come over to." (E.g.: "A salesperson comes up to you"; "A salesperson comes over to you.")

ate, you (to eat, past)

attractive (adj.)

because (conj.)

boy (noun)

The terms "boy" and "girl" usually apply to individuals up until the "age of maturity" or "adulthood." "Babies" or "infants" progress to "toddlers" (upon walking) and then on to "little boys" and "little girls." As kids enter grade school, they are sometimes referred to by their grades (e.g., "I have a kindergartner at home."/"She has a third-grader and a sixth-grader."). When boys and girls reach the age of "puberty" and "adolescence," they are usually called "young men" and "young women." Now into their teens, boys and girls are called "teenagers" up until the time they reach eighteen when they are considered "adult men and women."

children (noun, pl.)

The singular form of "children" is "child." "Kid(s)" is a common slang word for "child(ren)."

color (noun)

Here is a list of basic colors you should know: "white," "black," "red," "orange," "yellow," "green," "blue," and "purple."

daughter (noun)

display (noun)

easy (adj.)

fade (inf., to fade)

family (noun)

When you speak of your "family," you may be speaking of the person (or people) with whom you live, most often "related" by blood or marriage. One's "extended family" might include "close" or "distant relatives" as well as "close friends." The concept of a "nuclear family" refers to "parents" and their "children" living under one roof, with possibly a "pet," such as a "cat" or a "dog," a "bird" or a "fish" (many Americans consider their pets as members of their family).

friends (noun, pl.)

Regarding the concept of "friends," degrees of social and personal intimacy are often conveyed by different terms. An "acquaintance" is someone you have met and may not know very well. A "colleague" or "associate" is someone with whom you work. A "friend" can become a "good friend" or a "close friend" when you invite him/her into your personal circle of friends. A "best friend" is perhaps your "closest friend." A "friend" in the romantic sense may be a "girlfriend" or "boyfriend," a "lover," "companion," or "partner," or, if you are married (or live like you are), a "spouse," "wife," or "husband."

gifts (noun, pl.)

Another related word is "presents." A gift bought while on vacation or during a trip is a "souvenir."

girl (noun)

guess, I (to guess)

The construction "I guess" is often used in place of "I think" when indicating the likelihood of doing or knowing something. The strict meaning of "to guess" is "to conjecture" or "wager" ("I guessed the right answer to the question,").

how about? (id. exp.)

When proposing ideas, one often uses the formula "How about...?", meaning "What do you think about...?" (e.g.: "How about going to that new Chinese restaurant?")

husband (noun)

In the U.S., a wife may jokingly or sarcastically refer to her husband as "The Old Man" just as a husband may refer to his wife as "The Old Lady." These may also be included in a list of "terms of endearment" such as "honey," "darling," "sugar pie," "sweety," "sugar plum," "snookums," "love," "sweet," "honey bunch," "sweety pie," "baby," "cookie," etc.

jewelry (noun as adj.)

Some common items of jewelry include "rings," "bracelets," "watches," "earrings," and "necklaces" made of "gold," "silver" or another "precious metal" with "precious stones" or "gems" such as "diamonds," "emeralds," "rubies," "opals," and "amethysts."

light (adj.)

When differentiating between shades of color, use the adjectives "light" and "dark." (E.g.: "They want a dark blue sweater"; "She bought a light red dress.") Note that the adjectives "light" and "dark" precede the color.

medium (adj. used as noun)

Sizes in the U.S. are different than those of other countries. Many travel guides contain conversion charts, which you can consult. In the case of T-shirts, you'll normally have a choice between "small," "medium," "large," and "extra-large." "Small" would be for children; "medium" for adolescents and some adults; and "large" or "extra-large" for most adults.

more (adv.)

navy blue (adj.)

over there (adv. phrase)

possibly (adv.)

salesperson (noun)

In order to correct a bias toward gender in language, many terms regarding one's profession once formed with "-man" as part of the word now use the word "-person" or "woman" such as "salesman" - "salesperson," "chairman - chairperson," "policeman" -"policewoman."

shirt (noun)

A woman's "shirt" is often called a "blouse" or "top."

shouldn't (modal aux., contr., "should not")

shrink (inf., to shrink)

sizes (noun, pl.)

son (noun)

stroll, you (to stroll)

Depending on your pace, you can take a leisurely "stroll," a brisk "walk," an arduous "hike" or "trek" in the woods or mountains, an aerobic "jog" through the park, or an all-out "run" in a competitive race, such as a "marathon."

T-shirts (noun, pl.)

to the left (adv. phrase)

Similar expressions include "to the right," "straight ahead," "right behind you," and "over there."

washable (adj.)

Some terms related to clothing include "washable" (can be washed in a "washing machine"), "dry clean only" (take to a dry cleaner), "will not fade" (will keep its original color) and "will not shrink" (will not lose its original size).

window shop, you (to window shop)

Similar to "window shopping," entering a store just to look around is called "browsing." If someone "wanders" aimlessly through stores with no intention of buying anything, that person may be "loitering," an illegal activity.

Story

After the movie, you leave the theater and go into the mall. You're not very hungry because of the refreshments you ate. You window shop as you stroll through the mall. Finally, you go into a department store. You hope to find some gifts for family and friends. You see some attractive T-shirts on display. A salesperson approaches.