Additional Information

                (1)

JOAN:   Yes, madam? Can I help you?
MRS S:   Oh yes, please, but you're just closing. aren't you?
JOAN:   Well , yes , we are , madam. The shop shuts in five minutes.
MRS S:   I shan't keep you long then. It was about some saucepans you had
   in your .
   window last week
JOAN:   Last week, madam? I really can't remember which ones you mean.
   What were they like?
MRS S:   Oh, they were lovely! Sort of imitation wood. dark brown colour.  
   country-style you know, and the lids, if I remember rightly,
   had a sort of leaf pattern, or was it flowers?
JOAN:   That's strange. I don't recognise any of the ones we had from that
   description. Are you sure they were in this shop?
MRS S:   Oh, you must know the ones I mean. They were in a sale. A real
   bargain. Reduced to a quarter of the original price. I couldn't  
   believe my eyeswhen I saw them.
JOAN:   I'm afraid the sales are over now, madam, and I know we sold out of all
   the saucepans.
MRS S:   I don't think you did, you know. At least, my neighbour, Mrs Cliffe,
   told me she saw some here only yesterday.
JOZN:   Well, it's all new stock in the window now.
MRS S:   May I just have a iook, to see if there's asything else?
JOAN:   Er, well, madam, as you know. we were just closing.
MRS S:   Yes , yes , I'm sorry I won't keep you. It must get on your nerves when
   l customers come in right on closing-time. But they were such beautifu
   saucepans! I'd have bought them then if only I'd made up my mind on   
   the stop.
JOAN:   Perhaps, madam. if you came back tomorrow, I could show you all we
   have in our
   range of kitchen ware.And there are still one or two things at sale  
MRS S:   Oh look! That one there! That's the sort of thing I was looking for!
   price.Butit's  not quite the right colour.
JOAN:   That might be the artificial lighting. madam. Of course, if you came
   back in daylight , you might find it's exactly what you're looking for.
MRS S:   There it is! That's the pattern! The set behind you! Thank goodness  
   they haven't been sold! And thank you so much for being so patient with
   me. Yes, those are the ones!

               (2)
         Shops

    Most shops in Britain open at 9. 00 a. m. and close at 5. 00 or 5. 30 in the evening. Small shops usually close for an hour at lunchtime. On one or two days a week-usually Thursday and/or Friday-some large food shops stay open until about 8. 00 p. m. for late night shopping.

    Many shops are closed in the afternoon on one day a week. The day is usually Wednesday or Thursday and it is a different day in different towns. Nearly all shops are closed on Sundays. Newspaper shops are open in the morning, and sell sweets and cigarettes as well. But there are legal restrictions on selling many things on Sundays.

    In general, overseas visitors don't have much difficulty knowing where to buy things. Most shops sell the things that you would expect them to. One problem is stamps. In Britain you can only buy these at post-offices.

Many large food shops (supermarkets ) are self-service. When you go into one of these shops you take a basket and you put the things you wish to buy into this. You queue up at the cash-desk and pay for everything just before you leave.

    If anyone tries to take things from a shop without paying they are almest certain to be caught. Most shops have store detectives who have the job of catching shoplifters. Shoplifting is considered a serious crime by the police and the courts.
    When you are waiting to be served in a shop it is important to wait your turn. It is important not to try to be served before people who arrived before you. Many people from overseas are astonished at the British habit of queueing.

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