Shopping - Conversation topic

3- Shopping

Do you like or you don’t like to go shopping? What products do you like/dislike shopping? Do you like to buy online? What are the advantages and disadvantages of doing this?

Showing Preference

I prefer

I’d prefer + V ing

I’d rather + V infinitive

I think we should

How about?

I like X better than Y

I feel like… V ing

Glossary

Mall

Grocery

Supermarket

Aisle

Brand

Cash

Credit Card

Cheque

Escalator

Salesperson

Cashier

Sale

Discount

Shelf

Trolley

Facts Every Online Shopper Must Know

MONEY BY STEVE WITT

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/money/7-facts-every-online-shopper-must-know.html

With the emergence of the internet in the early 90s, a lot of things became possible to achieve, including online banking and online shopping or e-commerce. However, bad and insecure sites can be out there.

It is therefore very important for every shopper to be armed with the right information before shopping online so as to save the stress of regretting the purchase. 

So, here are some facts you must know in order to have a successful shopping experience.

1. Research the product

You must do a complete research on the product so that you have enough information about the products you intend purchasing. One of the advantages of doing a vast research on the kind of products you want is that it gives you the ability to locate the right kind of brands. By combining a lot of online stores, you become a smarter shopper. You can take advantage of the internet and its offers.

2. Product Reviews Always Help

If you have always ignored product reviews on several shopping sites, quit that attitude! Good product reviews are written for one thing: to give you an idea of what to expect when you actually start using the product. With this in mind, why should you ignore such reviews?

3. Compare Prices

There is an avalanche of stores for you to check different types of goods. Therefore without doubt, the availability of several other online stores makes it very easy for you to compare prices of these different products. This eventually helps you to arrive at the best product with the best price.

 

4. Take a look at the shipping period.

It is very important for you to know that there might be a delay in shipment. This can be due to several unforeseen circumstances on the path of the company, supplier or dealer.

Be aware that the product can delay. Therefore sometimes can be better to pay a little more in a store and receive it sooner than having to wait more time for it.

5. Be aware Of Fraud

To avoid being scammed while shopping online, it is important that you avoid making online purchases at unknown sites and online stores. Since we have to deal with credit card numbers and sensitive information, a reliable and safe site is essential to prevent fraud.

Verify the source you are buying from. This’ll help you ensure that you are not giving your account information to a crook that will end up stealing your money from your account.

Be critical about each point in the list:

Do you agree with your colleagues?

Do you agree with the list? Why?

What is your favorite kind of store?

What is the most expensive product you have ever bought?

How many times a week do people usually do grocery shopping?

What was the last thing that you bought?

Did you buy it on impulse or you really need it?

Do you consider yourself a consumerist?

Conversation topic 2 - Skills

 2- Skills

What is a very important skill a person should learn to be successful in the professional world today? Choose two skills and give specific reasons why this skill is important to a successful career.

Agreeing and Disagreeing:

_ I don’t think so I’m afraid I disagree Not necessarily I’d say the opposite I disagree I tend to disagree

+ You are absolutely right Exactly You have a point I agree with you 100% Absolutely

                                                                                                                            

9 Skills You Need to Succeed at Almost Anything - adapted from Lifehack.com

What does it take to succeed? A positive attitude? Well, sure, but that’s not enough.  This  idea might act as a starter to action, but without the action itself, it doesn’t do much.

Success requires action, and taking good and appropriate action demands skills. Some of these skills are taught in school. Others are taught on the job, and still others we learn from general life experience.

Below is a list of general skills that will help anyone get ahead in practically any field, from running a company to running their own business.

1. 1. Public Speaking

The ability to speak clearly and persuasively in front of an audience – whether an audience of 1 or of thousands – is one of the most important skills anyone can develop. People who are effective speakers become more comfortable with themselves, more confident, and more attractive to be around. Being able to speak effectively means you can sell anything – products, of course, but also ideas, ideologies, worldviews. And yourself – which means more opportunities for career improvement, bigger customers, or business funding.  

2. Writing

Writing well offers many of the same advantages that speaking well offers: good writers are better at selling products, ideas, and themselves than poor writers. Learning to write well involves not just being good at grammar but the development of the ability to organize one’s thoughts into a coherent form and target it to an audience in the most effective way possible. If you are comfortable with dealing with texts and words, you are likely to have opened doors in every field.

3. Self-Management

If success depends on effective action, effective action depends on the ability to focus your attention where it is most needed, when it is needed most. Strong organizational skills, effective productivity habits, and a strong sense of discipline are needed to keep yourself on track.

4. Networking

Networking is not only for finding jobs or clients. In an economy dominated by ideas and innovation, networking creates the channel through which ideas flow and in which new ideas are created. A large network, carefully cultivated, creates a group of connected people. The interactions of those relationships make possible an improvement in innovation and creativity.

5. Critical Thinking

We are exposed to hundreds, if not thousands of daily information than our great-grandparents were. Being able to evaluate that information, sort the valuable from the useless, analyze its relevance and meaning, and relate it to other information is crucial. Good critical thinking skills immediately distinguish you from the mass of people these days.

6. Decision-Making

The bridge that leads from analysis to action is effective decision-making – knowing what to do based on the information available. While not being critical can be dangerous, being an over-analyzing person is not also ideal. Reaching a balance here is crucial. Being able to act and respond quickly and effectively is what separates the doers from the wannabes.

7. Math

You don’t have to be an expert at polynomials to be successful. However, the ability to quickly work with figures in your head and to make accurate estimates gives you a big lead on most people. All of these skills will help you to analyze data more effectively – and more quickly – and to make better decisions based on it.

8. Research

Nobody can be expected to know everything, or even a tiny fraction of everything. Even within your field, chances are there’s far more that you don’t know than you do know. You don’t have to know everything – but you should be able to quickly and painlessly find out what you need to know. That means learning to use the Internet effectively, learning to use a library, learning to read productively, and learning how to improve your network– and what kinds of research are going to work best in any given situation.

9. Relaxation

Stress will not only kill you, it leads to poor decision-making, poor thinking, and poor socialization. So if you fail to relax, you knock out at least three of the skills in this list – and really more. Plus, working yourself to death, and not having any time to enjoy the fruits of your work, isn’t really “success”. It’s obsession. Being able to face even the most difficult crises in the most productive way is possibly the most important thing on this list.

http://www.lifehack.org/articles/lifestyle/10-skills-you-need-to-succeed-at-almost-anything.html 

Opinion.

 

·    Be critical about each point in the list:

·    Do you agree with your colleagues?

·    Do you agree with the list? Why?

·    Choose three skills that you think you have. Discuss with a partner.

·    Choose three skills that you think you need to improve at. Discuss with a partner.

·    What other skills could be mentioned here?

·    Suppose you are an employee, what skills are necessary?

·    Suppose you have your own business, what skills are necessary?

·                     Suppose you are a public employee, what skills are necessary?

·    Suppose you are an athlete, what skills are necessary?