Focus 2. Reading Comprehension (Term II)

Text 1

You searched for 'Boxing Day'

In Britain, Canada, New Zealand and parts of Australia, 26 December is Boxing Day. Originally, this was the day when rich people gave their servants small Christmas gifts, but these days Boxing Day is all about shopping. There are big sales with reductions on everything, and customers spend huge amounts of money. Shops and shopping centres open very early (some of them as early as 5 a.m.) and shoppers often start queuing for bargains in the middle of the night, hours before the sales actually begin.

The author of the text ...

Text 2

Safari_23 says: For the last ten years, I have owned a clothes shop called Safari on the main street of our town. About six months ago, a big shopping centre opened just outside the town and since then business had been bad. Every month fewer customers come into the shop and it is getting harder to make a living. I used to love my job, but standing there all day with hardly any customers is really boring. The little cafe opposite had to close down last month. I know that other small businesses on the street are having big problems too. Some of them have actually moved to the shopping centre recently. I am not sure what the solution is, but I feel sad and angry, and I'm afraid that I will have to close down my shop too.

The owner of Safari ...

Text 3

The shopping centre opened at half past nine. They met by the entrance at twenty-five past. There was no one else around. They waited next to the sign that showed the centre rules: no smoking, no dogs, no radios, no skateboards. They looked at each other nervously. At half past, the cleaner unlocked the doors. They were still the only people waiting. It looked safe. It was time. Through the doors, boards ready and then suddenly, full speed! They flew through the shopping centre, the wheels of their skateboards speeding silently on the perfectly flat floor. The feeling was amazing, just as they imagined. And then they saw the security guard.

They boys 'looked at each other nervously' because ...

Text 4

We are looking for

SECRET SHOPPERS

to work for our large chain of clothing shops.

Our secret shoppers travel around the UK, visit different stores and pretend to be real customers. On a typical visit, they go into one of our stores and ask questions about our clothes and shoes. Their main job is to check that our in-store sales assistants are friendly and know our products. Secret shoppers have to listen carefully, remember all the details and then send a report to our London office to describe their visit. If you are offered a job as a secret shopper, you will have to keep your job and identity secret.

For an application form, email targetstores.gm@css. net.

Interviews start in October.

The advert says that secret shoppers ...

Boxing Day is celebrated all over the world.

Shops are open all night on Boxing Day.

Safari hasn't closed down.

Safari is located in a shopping centre.

The shopping centre was closed when the boys met.

There weren't any customers inside the shopping centre that morning.

To do their job, secret shoppers need to travel.

The advert asks you to send a CV to apply for the job.