A. Find evidence for the following.

For an estimated 6% of Americans with

compulsive buying tendencies, this is a tough time of
the year as attractive bargains egg people on to
spend.
"The whole culture conspires against us in the
holiday season," says April Lane Benson, a
Manhattan psychologist. Besides tempting sales and
the urge to shop for oneself, she says, "the holidays
bring up a lot of unfulfilled longing for some people and that's one reason why they shop, as a salve for
disappointment."
While the stereotypical compulsive shopper is
traditionally a woman in her 30s, experts say the
ease and speed of Internet shopping is luring more
men and more young people. Over Black Friday
weekend, men outspent women $484 to $317, on
average, according to the National Retail Federation.
They also spent an average of $200 online - twice as
much as the average woman.
In a 2005 survey of 195 U.K. teenagers, who
grew up with the Internet, 44% showed signs of
compulsive shopping habits, according to research
published in the British Journal of Psychology. "The
Internet is dangerous for compulsive buyers," says
psychiatrist Elias Aboujaoude. Transactions move so
quickly that it is hard to pause to reassess the buying
urge, he says.
But when does "retail therapy" cross the line
into compulsive shopping? Experts say purchasing
turns pathological when people continue to do it
even though it causes financial problems, disrupts
work, family or social life or involves deceit, such as
hiding bills and packages. Feeling out of control is
another tip-off.
Compulsive buying disorder is generally
considered an impulse-control problem, like gambling
or sex addiction. Some sufferers describe feeling
their hearts race, cheeks flush and abandoning all
sense of caution when they're stalking favorite items.
"Usually, the idea is, 'I see it, I like it, I want it, I'll buy
it - and damn the consequences,'" says Donald W.
Black, a professor of psychiatry at the University of
Iowa. But the thrill fades fast and is often followed by
remorse, and then more shopping to feel better
again.
Many compulsive shoppers also suffer from
depression, anxiety or eating disorders, and about
half of them are also hoarders. Compulsive shoppers
themselves often have a sense of what drives them.
Some suffer from low self-esteem and think the
perfect dress or accessory will help overcome it.

1) The holidays are a tricky time for

shopaholics since they are tempted by
the low prices.
2) Some experts think people shop to
relieve their frustrations.
3) Compulsive shopping becomes a
disease when it gets out of control and
starts to ruin peoples life.
4) It is just as difficult to control as other
types of obsessive behaviour.
5) Some people are totally reckless
when it comes to buying the things they
love.
6) Shopping helps them to deal with
B. Answer the following questions
in your
own words as far as possible.
1) Is online shopping a safe alternative
for compulsive buyers? Justify.
2) In what way does obsessive shopping
affect peoples lives?
3) How do shopaholics try to cheat
others about their spending?
4) Why do you think was it difficult for
Arzu to control her spending habits?

D. Match the words from the text

with
their meaning on the right.
1) compulsive (1st )
a)
warning/sign
2) egg on (1st ) b) desire/wish
3) tempting (2nd ) c) to attract
4) urge (2nd )
d)
obsessive
5) luring (3rd )
e)
to
triumph over
6) disrupts (5th ) f) to encourage

E. What do the underlined words

refer to
in the text?
1) this (1st )
(2nd )
3) they (3rd )
(4th )
5) it (5th )

2)

she

4) who
6) their (6th )

F. Read this text on consumerism and complete it with the words below:
buying

unnecessary

bored purchase
shoppers need

behavior

ads

A recent survey has found that one in 20 American adults (1) ____________things they may
not even want or never (2)__________________ or use. In todays world of consumerism,
where we are constantly bombarded by (3),________________ men are just as likely as women
to suffer from compulsive (4)__________________. Gone seem to be the days when women
dragged their (5) ____________men around shopping centers. The new research from
Stanford University has revealed that men are now just as avid and compulsive (6)
___________________as their female counterparts. Researcher Dr Lorrin Koram said that the
numbers of men who indulge in (7)_________________ shopping sprees has rocketed: "That's
I. In no less than 200 words, do one of the following.
1) Bearing in mind the text and the role of advertising write an opinion essay explaining
why people are victims of consumerism and at what cost. What about you? Are you a victim
as well? Explain.
.

Carlsberg Probably the best beer in the world.

Key
A.
1) this is a tough time of the year as attractive bargains egg people on to spend.

2) that's one reason why they shop, as a salve for disappointment."

3) Experts say purchasing turns pathological when people continue to do it even
though it causes financial problems, disrupts work, family or social life
4) Compulsive buying disorder is generally considered an impulse-control problem,
like gambling or sex addiction.
5) abandoning all sense of caution when they're stalking favorite items.
6) Some suffer from low self-esteem and think the perfect dress or accessory will
help overcome it.
B.
1) No, it isnt. Everything goes so fast online making it difficult for people to stop
and think about/reconsider/re-evaluate their need/desire/impulse to buy things.
2) It affects their lives in many ways. Some people get into serious money
problems. It also destroys / disturbs work, family and their social life.
3) They try to deceive/trick them by hiding their bills and packages.
4) It was difficult for her to control it since she had access to her fathers credit
cards. They make shopping so much easier and faster. But this way we spend more
money and easily make a quick bad buying decision.
C
1) Men spent more money than women.
2) The (initial) excitement/joy/pleasure quickly passes/disappears and people feel
guilty/regret it.
D.
1d) 2f) 3h) 4b) 5c) 6g) 7a) 8e)
E.
1) the holiday season
2) April Lane Benson
3) men
4) 195
U.K. teenagers
5) purchasing
6) some sufferers
7) compulsive shoppers
8) low self-esteem
F.
1) purchase 2) need 3) ads 4) buying 5)
bored 6) shoppers 7) unnecessary
8) behavior
G.
1) One of April Bensons patients, who was compulsively shopping on the Internet
all day, got fired.
2) Youve spent all the money I gave you, which is totally unacceptable.
3) We met a nice lady the other day whose son spends a lot of money on clothes.
4) Shopping centers where people love to shop now look like cathedrals.
5) Young people are constantly exposed to advertising messages which are
designed to make them believe they cant live without a certain product.
6) A young man who I saw getting arrested yesterday was accused of shop-lifting.
H.
1) have bought 2) was shopping
3) had already spent
4)
goes
5) arrived
6) stops/has stopped 7)have shopped/ have been shopping
8)
is trying
I.
2) Students could mention
- language features: adjectives, repetition, word puns, hyperboles/exaggerations,
neologism (new words), imperative, rhyme, short simple sentences
- humour
- appealing to basic needs
- exploiting peoples fears (making them self-conscious)
- slogan/jingle
- sexually charged images (visual effects)