Instructional Objective
You will be able to comprehend passages about shopping
Reading Activity 1
Read the passage and answer the questions
For generations, Indonesians have bought their food at traditional markets, pasar. The term pasar can refer to a gathering of tukang sayur (vendors who sell off carts which go through residential areas), to a rough, temporary structure where sellers gather in the morning, to the large, multistory buildings run by PD Pasar Jaya, Jakarta’s market authority.
Throughout Jakarta, the items sold in pasar are basically the same – fruit, vegetables, meat and fish, spices, dry goods and household items. Selection may vary slightly to better serve the needs of the ethnic groups which live in the area. For example, if the pasar is located near an area where there are many ethnic Indians, they may have more Indian spices or, if there are a lot of Minangkabau people living nearby, more Padang spices will be available.
Daily Trip to the Pasar
Going to the pasar is a daily activity for Indonesian women or their household help. Since refrigerators are too expensive for the poor and Indonesians like their vegetables and meat fresh, this necessitates a trip to the pasar each day to buy ingredients for that day’s meals. While shopping in supermarkets is popular amongst the middle and upper classes, supermarket prices are generally too expensive for the poor.
Shopping is not all that’s done at the pasar. It’s also a chance to get out of the house and catch up on all the latest news and gossip with neighbors and friends.
Bargaining
Prices are not marked on items at traditional markets. Therefore, the fine art of bargaining is taken to new levels as housewives and household help try to get the cheapest prices possible. True shopping savvy means that you already know what the price should be before you start shopping. Prices are compared and news is spread from friend to friend on today’s prices for various items.
Foreigners are not necessarily privy to the price information network and must bargain ardently to get the best price. Before you go to the pasar, ask your household help what prices you can expect to pay for the various items you want to buy. You could also check supermarket prices realizing that the items will be cheaper at the pasar.
It is important to maintain your cool in the bargaining process. If the first price quoted is double what you know it should be, show your shopping savvy by quoting today’s price at the supermarket or yesterday’s price from the pasar. Once the seller realizes you know what you’re talking about, the prices will quickly come down.
Take time to talk with the seller and show your curiosity and interest in the various items. Once you establish a relationship (langganan) with one seller, you will get better prices by returning to that person each time you shop. Your household help have their langganan with which they always shop. From time to time, in appreciation for the repeat business, the seller may ‘gift’ your household help with an extra item for their use. This is normal business practice at neighborhood pasar and you shouldn’t think that your household help is trying to personally benefit from your shopping money.
Prices and availability of many items depend on the season and the success of the harvest. The ever-increasing cost of living, as fuel and electric prices increase, has driven many prices through the roof. Resource : Traditional Markets (Pasar) in Indonesia (expat.or.id)
Questions
Chose True or False next to the sentences below!
- There is marked price on items at traditional markets. (T / F)
- You have to know what the price should be before you start shopping. (T / F)
- The items in supermarket are cheaper. (T / F)
- You should establish a relationship with one seller to get better prices each time you shop. (T / F)
- Prices and availability of many items depend on the season and the success of the harvest. (T / F)
Choose the correct answer!
- What is the text about?
a. The history of traditional markets in Indonesia.
b. The comparison between traditional market and supermarket.
c. The tips for getting the best prices.
d. Prices and availability of many items in traditional markets
2. The underlined word “maintain” has opposite meaning to….
a. keep
b. defend
c. preserve
d. Ruin
3. What does the underlined word ‘establish” mean?
a. Build
b. Allow
c. Accept
d. Maintain
4. The following are the tips for getting the best prices, except….
a. You have to know what the price should be before you start shopping.
b. You have to bargain the price forcefully.
c. You can ask your household help what prices you can expect to pay for the various items before go to the market.
d. You need to build relationship with the seller.
5. What should you do if the first price quoted is double what you know it should be?
a. Ask your friend’s help to bargain the items
b. Argue with the seller
c. Just leave
d. Maintain your cool and state today’s today’s price at the supermarket or yesterday’s price from the market.
Reading Activity 2
Read the passage and answer the questions
The Shops at Columbus Circle is an upscale shopping center in Time Warner Center, a complex of skyscrapers in Manhattan, New York City. Located on Columbus Circle, on the southwest corner of Central Park.Shopping centers include Amazon Books, H&M, Michael Kors, Hugo Boss, Tumi, Coach, Cole Haan, Thomas Pink, J. Crew and Stuart Weitzman. The mall also has several restaurants such as Michelin 3-star, Masa (New York’s most expensive restaurant), East Coast Williams Sonoma, and Whole Foods Market. Owned by The Related Companies.When it opened, Whole Foods Market in Columbus Circle was selling liquor from an attached room near the checkout, away from the main shopping alley. However, this configuration violates New York’s liquor licensing law, which requires grocery stores to have a separate street entrance to their liquor department, ostensibly to prevent minors from buying liquor. In 2005, Whole Foods concluded with state authorities and closed its liquor operations at Columbus Circle, hoping to transfer its license to a new location to open on the Lower East Side. Space previously used for liquor now sells cotton / hemp ECO from Whole Foods clothing, the Whole Foods Whole Body health line, and the restaurant, On Tap.
Source : https://translate.google.com/translate?u=https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Shops_at_Columbus_Circle&hl=id&sl=en&tl=id&client=srp&prev=search
Questions :
Chose True or False next to the sentences below!
- The Shops at Columbus Circle is an inferior shopping center in Time Warner Center. (T / F)
- There is no restaurant at Columbus Circle. (T / F)
- Michelin 3-star is New York’s most expensive restaurant. (T / F)
- Whole foods closed its liquor operations at Columbus Circle in 2006. (T / F)
- Space previously used for liquor now sells cotton / hemp ECO from Whole Foods clothing. (T / F)
Choose the correct answer!
- The text tell us about….
a. a complex of skyscrapers in Manhattan
b. Thomas Pink, J
c. Columbus circle in New York
d. Michelin 3-star
2. Which is not one of shopping centers at Columbus circle?
a. J. Crew and Stuart Weitzman
b. Cole Han
c. East Coast Williams Sonoma
d. Michael Kors
3. What restaurant is the most expensive in New York?
a. Whole Foods Market
b. East Coast Williams Sonoma
c. Michelin 3-star
d. Masa
4. Why did Whole Foods close its liquor operations at Columbus Circle?
a. Because selling liquor at Columbus Circle is illegal
b. Because Whole Foods broke New York’s liquor licensing law
c. Because many people in New York are not interested in liquor
d. Because the liquors are expensive
5. From the text, we know that….
a. The Shops at Columbus Circle is an inferior shopping center in Time Warner Center.
b. Michelin 3-star is New York’s most expensive restaurant.
c. The sales of Whole Foods liquors are still operated at Columbus Circle.
d. Space previously used for liquor now sells cotton / hemp ECO from Whole Foods clothing