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Melissa | Todd |
Todd: So, Melissa, this week we're talking about buying things. Now, in terms of shopping, are you one those people that are like a shop-o-holic? You buy things you don't need?
Melissa: Yes, but recently I've been trying to veer away from that habit.
Todd: So, what influences you most to buy something? Is it like commercials or is just impulse?
Melissa: I think it's kind of just having the money and feeling like I deserve it.
Todd: So, it's a reward?
Melissa: Yeah, it's always a reward for something.
Todd: Well, how about ... how persuaded are you to buy something by commercials or advertising or things like that?
Melissa: Defintely food commercials persuade me to buy it. Like I'll see a food commercial or even a picture of deliciously looking food and I'll want to have it, so I have two or three concrete examples over just the past month where I saw an ad for food and I went and bought it.
Todd: Oh, really. Like what did you buy?
Melissa: One was hot Hotto-Motto. It was like a kind of fast food chain and they were selling a fried chicken on rice that looked really good, and the other was a McDonald's Cinnamon Role.
Todd: And you saw it and you're like, I gotta have it.
Melissa: Yeah, and like one weird thing happened. I just say a red and yellow sign and it reminded me of Wendy's and then I was craving a chocolate milkshake ...frosty ... so I went somewhere else and bought it.
Todd: And you got it?
Melissa: Yeah.
shop-o-holic
Melissa is a shop-a-holic.
A shop-o-holic is someone who shops too much. Notice the following.
- In college I was a shop-o-holic. Now I save money.
- My dad's a work-o-holic. He's at the office 7 days a week.
veer away
She's trying to veer away from the habit.
When we veer away from a habit, we stop doing it. Notice the samples.
- After college, she began to veer away from shopping.
- In high school, I veered away from pop. Now, I listen to rock.
concrete examples
Let me give you two or three concrete examples.
A concrete example is one that's very clear. Here are two samples.
- He couldn't give a concrete example of why the plan wouldn't work.
- In my opinion, the current economic crisis is a concrete example of the need for financial regulation.
fast food chain
It was like a fast food chain.
In this case, a chain means many restaurants of the same name. Notice the samples.
- McDonald's is probably the best known fast food chain.
- 7-11 is the largest convenience store chain in the world.
weird thing
One weird thing happened yesterday.
Weird is similar in meaning to strange. Here are some samples.
- It's a weird thing to see a rainbow twice the same day.
- It's weird that she acted like she didn't know you.
craving
I was craving a chocolate milkshake.
When we crave something, we really want to have it now. Notice the following.
- I have a craving for a Big Mac.
- As I got older, I lost my craving for sweets.
Vocabulary Quiz
Kadi talks about gender roles in in her country of Sri Lanka.
