Going Shopping Text A Gretel and Mrs Clark went shopping in the centre of London yesterday. "I'd like to know which store you like best in London, Mrs Clark , " Gretel said. "Now that's a difficult question," Mrs Clark replied. "I just haven't any idea which store I like best. There are so many huge stores in London. I suppose Selfridges must be the biggest. There's so much variety there. I can usually find what I'm looking for. Then there's Liberty's. It's such a lovely building. Harrods is very famous, too. It's such a smart store, I love all the big stores in London because you can walk round and nobody bothers you. Nobody tries to sell you anything-unless you want to buy something. Sometimes I go window-shopping , or just wander round a store and look at the things on display. The big stores are one of the sights of London. I went to the sales in January. That was one of the sights of London, too! My goodness! The crowds! But it was worth it. I bought some lovely things very cheaply. It was good fun, but very exhausting. Text B As she walked round the huge department store, Edith reflectde how difficult it was to choose a suitable Christmas present for her father. She wished that he was as easy to please as her mother, who was always delighted with perfume. Besides, shopping at th'ss time of the year was a most disagreeable experience : people trod on your toes , poked you with their elbows and almost knocked you over in their haste to get to a bargain ahead of you. Partly to have a rest, Edith paused in front of a counter where some attractive ties were on display. 'They are real silk' the assistant assured her, trying to tempt her. 'Worth double the price. ' But Edith knew from past experience that her choice of ties. hardly ever pleased her father. She moved on reluctantly and then, quite by chance, stopped where a small crowd of men had gathered round a counter. She found some good quality pipes on sale - and the prices were very reasonable. Edith did not hesitate for long: although her father only smoked a pipe occasionally, she knew that this was a present which was bound to please him. When she got home, with her small but well-chosen present concealed in her handbag, her parents were already at table having supper. Her mother was in especially cheerful mood. `Your father has at last decided to stop smoking,' she informed her daughter. 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 , ye