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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zengss

China

turkısh

Turkey

slm

MACOURA

Senegal

Girl friend & boy friend are often in secondhand…

importance is to be pleased to by item anywhere u want, and think best about person who got it before u

brook-guo

China

it`s really a fun to buy something in thrift stores,even sometime they are out of date and unfasionable.You can achieve some unique items which can`t be got in other stores.In addition,the goods are cheap and attractive.

There are lots of thrift stores run by privates in our country.However,in my opinions,it`s actually a good idear that people donate things they don`t want to the store and all the money the store makes goes to the charity.

h.suwem

Christmas Island

in my opinion, i kinda buy the secondhand book and some kind of stuff, exclusive of clothes. it feels uneasy to put on the used clothes.

h.suwem

Christmas Island

in my opinion, i kinda buy the secondhand book and some kind of stuff, exclusive of clothes. it feels uneasy to put on the used clothes.

sharlotta80

Uzbekistan

Yes, maybe to buy some thrifting things is not good way. But it depends on person's beleive. For example, i prefer to buy old useful books & magazines. But can not buy & let myself to wear old clothers.

Steelheart

Indonesia

From my opinion, Thrift store is needed. Some times the collector of the ancient stuff look for it in the thrift store. And sometimes the sheller do not know the the stuff that will be sold is the ancient stuff and very worthy. I dont buy the thrift stuff of the kind of clothes or couchs. But I am no problem to stay in 3 stars hotel because no problem with the skanky bed or couch to be used. I wanna c the Madonna's thrift underwear. Can somebody tell me where to c ?

taneskay

Malaysia

We do have this kind of shop in our country. We call it cash converter. I mean you sell something that you do not need anymore to this shop to get some money and they sell it to the others. They have quite a bit of collection.

janestory

China

I have bought a Gucci bag at a thift store where just sells brand bags.In my opinion.it is a good place for me,because the name brand bags are very expensive,I like it but sometimes I can't afford it.There are many 90% percent new bags at that store and all the bags are worn and taken good care,so I havn't any bad feeling of using it.I think I can accept the thrift things for use,I reject the secondhand thing for wearing,like clothes.

kaushalyats

Sri Lanka

I use to go for thrifting when i wants to get a books and records which published some time back. Even if i found an antique and if i'm inspired by that i'll definitely go for that. i don't even think of buying this skanky and sketchy dresses and furniture.

kaushalyats

Sri Lanka

I use to go for thrifting when i wants to get a books and records which published some time back. Even if i found an antique and if i’m inspired by that i’ll definitely go for that. i don’t even think of buying this skanky and sketchy dresses and furniture.

chunjinglan

China

交个朋友，好吧

GavinZheng

China

Nothing can be worse than a secondhand Girlfriend or Boyfriend…LOL…

Just a joke. It's not important at all!..Love and Trust each other is the point.

dianamou

China

I know that many superstars make the thrift store to sell the eveningwears,fashionable clothes and bags that they used before for person who want to get the secondhand items.And the secondhand cars are also commonly to be sold.But for me,i dont like the secondhand things,especially the clothes.

llh0308

China

I think I will not buy something secondhand . It would be dingy , or other reason .

a-k

Japan

I like to go thrifting. It's fun to see some unique items even if I can't find what I want. However, I don't want to buy a pair of shoes there. As Marni said, I'm worrid about its previous owner. Jeans and shirts would be no problem,but shoes…no. I don't know why,though

elq777

China

i swear i will wash the pair of gloves very carefully.

irenkeman

Chile

ermmm Well don't know Here in my country those stores aren't SO cheap as they should be… Old cloth items are very demanded nowadays… some things from retro fashion, like from the 70s and 80s, are very edgy now.
Anyway whenever you have to do some shopping you have to spend a lot of time and it is certainly true when you go thrifting…

xu_jing

China

In my poor opinion,in China ,there almostly have not real shop to sell stuff that someone used it befor.But you can find a secondhand web shop in the internet.

In China,for our tradition,people dont like buy secondhand stuff,so this business is not popular in China.

But i think,in our life we always touching these worn out stuff like you rent a house ,most of furniture are old in house.There are lot of old stuff in the public area that by people used it,like hotel,restaurant,supermarket,etc.

For me,i cant accept secondhand clothes even if some celebrity have been wore it.