Episode 101: Smoking in the loo

Tim:Hurry up in there.

Khalid: I'll be out in a minute.

Tim:Oh, it stinks in here. Khalid, have you been smoking?

Khalid: Yeah but just a quick puff.

Tim:It doesn't matter how tiny it is, you can't smoke here.

Khalid: Why not? It's not as if I'm smoking in the kitchen or the sitting room where is everyone.

Tim: Rules is rules mate. Cigarettes aren't allowed and that's that.

Khalid: It's just cos you haven't got a job, you're hanging around the house spying on me.

Tim:I'm not. I'm just trying to save you the grief of the health lecture from Nurse Alice!

Khalid: Thanks Tim. I'll put the kettle on for us both, OK?

Text for dictation:

Fashion forms a key part of many of our important industries, especially those involving design, such as cars, computer printers and clothing. In the world of machines, changes in design often accompany technical improvements.

However, new design in clothing is more commonly motivated by fashion. Differences in the climate from season to season and the tendency to equate each new year with anew look provide textiles companies with frequent opportunities to renew their sales.

Fashion models are highly paid to provide appropriate images of good health, comfortable life-styles, success and beauty.

Fashion is usually regarded as fun and provides the focus of many popular magazines. However, controversy occurs in some instances. The image provided by the fashion model may shock, it may fail to have any connection with the product itself or it may endorse a product such as a fur coat which some people find offensive.

Dialogue:______read aloud in pairs

A: In my opinion, fashion is a complete waste of time, money and resources.

B: I disagree entirely. The world would be a very boring place without change.

A: Fashion doesn't only involve change. It's a very dishonest form of marketing based on artificial images which never translate into reality.

B: But everyone understands that the images are there to capture attention. People find them fun. Haven't you ever looked through a fashion magazine?

A: Only at the dentist's.

B: What about the glossy magazines which you get when you buy a Sunday newspaper? They're full of fashionable advertisements.

A: That's true, but don't you think they're a terrible waste of paper. How many people throw them straight into the dustbin?

B: A lot of people must read them and they don't add to the cost of the newspaper.

A: There're two points here. Firstly, the cost to the environment. Think of all the rain forests. Secondly, the advertiser may pay, but the costs are passed on to the consumer.

B: That isn't strictly true. If a company can sell in bulk, prices can be brought down. You can't expect to sell unless the consumer knows the product exists.

A: I wouldn't mind publicity if it told you something about the product, but by getting fashion models to market clothes and even cars, you are hiding the truth. When I buy clothing, I want to know if it's comfortable and how long it's going to last.

B: That may be your reason, but some people buy clothes because they want to look nice. Perhaps they have a special date or engagement. People have always liked dressing up.

A: That may be so, but traditional costumes were made to be worn more than once. What worries me is today's throw-away society where some people waste the world's precious resources while other people go without.

B: Well I don't see why you should blame the fashion industry for social injustice.

Discussion questions:______ask and answer

1. Have you ever bought something because it was fashionable? If so, what?

2. Does the fashion industry exist mainly to persuade people to spend money on things they do not really need?

3. Is fashion selfish in a world where many people have not got what they need?

4. Would you like to be a fashion model if you were offered the opportunity?

5. Is your country famous for any fashion products? Which ones? How are they marketed?

6. Which countries have the best and worst fashions in clothes?

7. Which products advertised on TV in Britain/USA/Australia and in your country represent (a) women’s fashion (b) men’s fashion ?

Date: 2016-03-03; view: 856