English, baby!

Thrifting

Date: Dec 14 2007

Intro

1. Learn Vocabulary - Learn some new vocabulary before you start the lesson.

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

Think of that favorite sweater or pair of jeans you’ve had for years. What if you lost it or it got worn out? Would you be able to replace it at a store?

Believe it or not, your best bet would probably be a thrift store. Thrift stores sell used clothes and household items. They’re also called secondhand stores. You can find things there they don’t make anymore.

A lot of thrift stores are run by churches and charities. People donate things they don’t want anymore to the store and all the money the store makes goes to the charity.

Listen to Marni and Jason talk about thrift stores.

Dialog

1. Listen and Read - Listen to the audio and read the dialog at the same time.

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

Marni

Jason

Marni: So I got these shoes at a thrift store, a new thrift store that opened up recently.

Jason: A new one?

Marni: Yeah.

Jason: Cool.

Marni: There’s always new thrift stores opening up. You ever notice that?

Jason: Really?

Marni: Yeah. I think this area is very thrift-store oriented.

Jason: Definitely. It’s cool because you can get things from the past that you can’t get anywhere else.

Marni: It’s true.

Jason: Like, I’ve get these really big blue gloves that I use for biking that are really waterproof but like, no one makes like, tacky blue gloves anymore, you know?

Marni: Yeah, you basically have to find that kind of stuff at thrift stores.

Jason: Yeah. The only problem is the effort it takes to find it. Going through the entire thrift store in search of that one treasure.

Marni: You can’t go in lightly. You have to be ready to commit and sift through everything. I kind of love it. I have to be in the mindset of going and thrifting but I find if you’re up for it, you find great stuff.

Jason: It just takes a long time. It’s really dusty sometimes.

Marni: I know people who wear gloves. It kinda makes sense because sometimes you’re like, “Who was wearing this before? It could be some skanky old guy.” And yeah…like, you know, “Who was sitting on this before and what did they do on this couch?”

Jason: Eh, it’s the same as a hotel or restaurant or something.

Marni: I guess, but I figure a hotel at least you’re paying for it so hope that maybe somebody else was a little more…Yeah, now I’m kinda creeped out about hotels too. I’m probably just never gonna go to one again. Only stay in five stars. Yeah. that’s not gonna happen.

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Discussion

Marni’s shoes came from a new thrift store. Jason is surprised that a new thrift store opened because they’re often very old and dingy. But Marni reminds him that people in Portland (where Marni and Jason live) are particularly interested in thrifting.

Jason likes thrift stores because you can get things there that aren’t available at new stores anymore. He has a favorite pair of gloves from the 80s that he got at a thrift store.

The only problem, he says, is that since every item in a thrift store is unique, it takes a lot of searching to find anything you like. Marni says that if she gets in the right mood she enjoys searching through a thrift store. She knows people who wear gloves when they go to thrift stores because you never know where the items came from.

Furniture, particularly couches, can be a little sketchy, since the people used to own them might have done…well, who knows. It’s probably not best to think about it.

Jason points out that thrift store couches aren’t any different than furniture in a hotel room. Marni thinks about it for a second and decides she’s a little afraid of hotels too!

Have you ever found anything really great at a thrift store? How would you feel about sitting on a secondhand couch?

Comments

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sharlotta80

Uzbekistan

Yeah, thrifting becomes more modern day by day. And it says that there are poor & rich people in every country. But sometimes it helps to find some unique items there like as old style of Russian toys, musical instruments, cameras, You can see many foreigners here in my country who looks for such antiques in thrifting store.

As for Marni & Jason, i think if they really like to buy some clothers from thrifting store , they should be carefull coz everything must be D/D free.

Mebal Lee

China

...I don't like using stuff which others disposed of~

ybendji

Algeria

I don't believe in fashion but i believe in usefulness and i do delieve that the more thrifty we are the stronger our karma is . PEACE

Ercan Sonmez

Turkey

I hadn't had any experience before something like that but it would be useful for poor people. Anyway great idea !...

maitrang88

Viet Nam

Thrift stores are awesome! My books, shoes, bags… I got most of them from thrift stores. I can find some rare items that other people may envy.

nicesonny

China

I don"t think it is a joke.

heath_wht

China

a new comer

milajin

China

有點看不懂。。。

xuefenbunny

China

i often go to the second hand book store.

xiaohuichang

China

we know wasting things is a kind of sin.thrift store is really a good idea to make full use of the limted resourses we have and reduce waste and pollution,at the same time,if it is cheap enough , it can benefit the poor a lot .in every country , thrift is worth advocating. but because of this or that reason , some people don't like to accept it .every coin has two sides , so does going to a thrift store .there is no doubt the idea is good , the problem is whether we can find practical methods to improve it .i mean how we can make sure that the stuff is good and safe enough ,and how to sweep away people's worries while they are choosing them. i think nobbody likes to hunt for what they want ,wearing a thick glove, with their heats beating fast , afraid of touching sth bad .it is a big problem ,but is worth trying.