The Reading / Listening - Level 4

A chain of department stores wants to stop people buying expensive clothes, wearing them once and then getting a refund. This "return fraud" is called “wardrobing”. It happens to around 65 per cent of shops. Stores lose $8.8 billion a year. The store Bloomingdale's puts large, black tags on the bottom of dresses that cost over $150. The dress cannot be returned if the tag is missing. Now, people have to reveal they are wardrobing if they want a "free dress rental".

A shopping analyst said people don't realize wardrobing is illegal. It is a big problem. The store Bloomingdale's is risking annoying and losing customers to stop it. They no longer believe "the customer is always right". Some customers think the tags make them feel dishonest, while others think it's a good idea to stop sly shoppers. An industry spokesman said it was a "delicate balance" to give good customer service and stop wardrobing.

Try the same news story at these levels:

    Level 5 or  Level 6

Sources
  • http://abcnews.go.com/Business/bloomingdales-cracks-returned-items-worn/story?id=20304704
  • http://www.businessweek.com/articles/2013-09-26/return-fraud-clothing-and-electronics-retailers-fight-back


Make sure you try all of the online activities for this reading and listening - There are dictations, multiple choice, drag and drop activities, crosswords, hangman, flash cards, matching activities and a whole lot more. Please enjoy :-)



The Activities

MATCHING

PARAGRAPH ONE:

1.

A chain

a.

is called "wardrobing"

2.

getting

b.

if the tag is missing

3.

This "return fraud"

c.

of department stores

4.

It happens to around

d.

the bottom of dresses

5.

large, black tags on

e.

a refund

6.

The dress cannot be returned

f.

65 per cent of shops

PARAGRAPH TWO:

1.

shopping

a.

make them feel dishonest

2.

people don't realize

b.

and losing customers

3.

Bloomingdale's is risking annoying

c.

balance

4.

the customer

d.

analyst

5.

Some customers think the tags

e.

is always right

6.

a delicate

f.

wardrobing is illegal

LISTEN AND FILL IN THE GAPS

(1) ___________________ stores wants to stop people buying expensive clothes, wearing them once and then (2) ___________________. This "return fraud" is called "wardrobing". It (3) ___________________ 65 per cent of shops. Stores lose $8.8 billion a year. The store Bloomingdale's puts large, (4) ___________________ bottom of dresses that cost over $150. The dress (5) ___________________ if the tag is missing. Now, people have to reveal they are (6) ___________________ want a "free dress rental".

A shopping analyst said (7) ___________________ wardrobing is illegal. It is a big problem. The store Bloomingdale's (8) ___________________ and losing customers to stop it. They (9) ___________________ "the customer is always right". Some customers think the (10) ___________________ dishonest, while others think it's (11) ___________________ sly shoppers. An industry spokesman said it was (12) ___________________ to give good customer service and stop wardrobing.

CLOTHES SURVEY

Write five GOOD questions about clothes in the table. Do this in pairs. Each student must write the questions on his / her own paper.

When you have finished, interview other students. Write down their answers.

 

STUDENT 1

_____________

STUDENT 2

_____________

STUDENT 3

_____________

Q.1.

 

 

 

 

Q.2.

 

 

 

 

Q.3.

 

 

 

 

Q.4.

 

 

 

 

Q.5.

 

 

 

 

  • Now return to your original partner and share and talk about what you found out. Change partners often.
  • Make mini-presentations to other groups on your findings.

WRITE QUESTIONS & ASK YOUR PARTNER(S)

Student A: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

-----------------------------------------------------------------------------

Student B: Do not show these to your speaking partner(s).

a)

________________________________________________________

b)

________________________________________________________

c)

________________________________________________________

d)

________________________________________________________

e)

________________________________________________________

f)

________________________________________________________

g)

________________________________________________________

h)

________________________________________________________

FREE WRITING

Write about clothes for 10 minutes. Comment on your partner's paper.

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

_____________________________________________________________________________

Answers

(Please check your answers against the article above.

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