Cultural notes

There are many ways to shop in the U.S. Many Americans frequent large, enclosed shopping malls in the suburbs of bigger cities. Some of these malls are enormous. They contain restaurants, department and specialty stores, and sometimes movie theaters.

In large cities, there are downtown shopping districts, although most shoppers go to discount department stores in the suburban areas.

While shopping in a department store, a salesperson will often come up to you and ask if he/she can help you find something. If you prefer to be left alone, you can say: I'm just looking.

If you need help, the salesperson will show you the items you are interested in. Many times there are sales or discounts. You will probably see signs to this effect. Never try to bargain in a department store. In the U.S., bargaining over a price goes on only at flea markets and yard sales. Americans also haggle over a price when buying a very expensive item, such as a house or car.

Action

SALESPERSON: Are you being helped?

YOU: No, I'm not. I'm looking for gifts for my children, possibly T-shirts.

SALESPERSON: For a girl or a boy?

YOU: Both. I have a son and a daughter.

SALESPERSON: What sizes do you need?

YOU: I guess I'll need a large for my son and a medium for my daughter.

SALESPERSON: How about the color?

YOU: I think I'll get a light green shirt for my daughter and a navy blue one for my son. Are they easy to take care of?

SALESPERSON: Yes, they're machine-washable and shouldn't fade or shrink very much.

YOU: Fine, I'll take the two shirts.

SALESPERSON: How about something for your husband?

YOU: Not right now. I'm going to look some more. Where's the fine jewelry department?

SALESPERSON: Right over there, to the left.

Lesson 10 «Meeting an Attorney»

Vocabulary

adopted (adj.)

as soon as (conj.)

begin, you (to begin)

bulk (noun)

"Bulk" refers to the "largest portion" of Aunt Stephanie's estate.

chair (noun)

claim (inf., to claim)

come home (inf., to come home)

descendants (noun, pl.)

Notice the negative construction "...she had no direct descendants." You could also say "She didn't have any other descendants."

direct (adj.)

discuss (to discuss)

each (adj.)

else (adj.)

enjoyed, she (to enjoy, past)

This lesson will look closely at the use of the simple past tense in English. Pay attention to the examples in this dialogue (i.e., "was," "thought," "had," "knew," "enjoyed," etc.).

envelopes (noun)

Articles usually associated with "letters" and the "mail" include "stationery," "stamps," "postage," "address," "return address," and "mailbox."

especially (adv.)

fell in love, she (to fall in love, past)

One may "fall in love" with a person or a place.

few (adj.)

fond (adj.)

give, I'll (to give, fut.)

immigrating (pres. part., to immigrate)

inheritance (noun)

An inheritance is received by an "heiress" (f.) or an "heir" (m.)

invites, he (to invite)

lady (noun)

The use of the word "lady" can be construed as complimentary (as in "she was a fine lady") or slightly pejorative (as in the ill-mannered "Hey, lady. Move it!") Some people prefer using the term "woman" to "lady" because of the slightly negative connotation of the former.

meet, you (to meet)

"Meet" here in the sense of "to fulfill" or "accomplish."

odyssey (noun)

Similar words include "trip," "journey," "excursion," "expedition," and "voyage."

often (adv.)

open! (imp., to open)

places (noun, pl.)

promptly (adv.)

requirements (noun, pl.)

San Francisco (prop. noun)

sealed (adj.)

seat (noun)

seems, it (to seem)

Another way to express "That seems easy enough" is to say "That appears (to be)...."

shakes, he (to shake)

Two people can "shake hands," called a "handshake," when they first meet. A person who is cold or afraid sometimes "shakes" or "trembles."

shows, he (to show)

sit down, you (to sit down)

small talk (noun)

"Small talk" is sometimes referred to as "chit-chat," and deals with general subjects like how one is doing and the weather.

stated (adj.)

strange (adj.)

Other ways to say that something is "strange" include the following adjectives: "odd," "unusual," "bizarre," "uncommon," "peculiar," "irregular," and "abnormal."

thought, she (to think, past)

treasure hunt (noun)

A "treasure hunt" is a game that both children and adults can play. The game usually involves groups of people who must gather items on a list. The first group to successfully collect the items wins a prize.

trouble (noun)

To say that something is "worth the trouble" implies that there will be a great payoff upon completion of a task. You will hear the expression "Is it worth it?" (meaning "Is it worth the trouble?").

visit (inf., to visit)

wanted, she (to want, past)

You will find new constructions in this dialogue using verbs that you're probably already familiar with such as "to meet some requirements," "to settle in a place," "to fall in love with something or someone," "to be fond of something or someone," "to want someone to do something" (as in "She wanted you to visit."), and "to be worth the trouble."

was, she (to be, past)

Washington (prop. noun)

Sometimes it is necessary to distinguish between the state of Washington and Washington, D.C. Many people say "Washington State" when referring to the state. People also call Washington, D.C., the U.S. Capital, "D.C." (as in, "I'm going to D.C."). "D.C." stands for "District of Columbia."

well! (interj.)

will (noun)

A "will" is sometimes referred to as someone's "Last Will and Testament."

worth (adj.)

Upon completion of this course, you will discover just how much Aunt Stephanie's estate is worth to the protagonist of the story.

Story

You arrive promptly at 10 a.m. the next morning for your appointment with Mr. Young, the lawyer. The receptionist asks you to have a seat. Five minutes later Mr. Young comes out and shakes your hand. He invites you into his office and shows you to a chair. You sit down. After a few minutes of small talk, you begin to discuss business.