READING 4 B1+

So last December I wrote down everything that I had bought that month. A pair
of white boots, for example. They were in the sale and I told myself I'd 'saved'
£50 by buying them at a reduced price. But guess what? I've never worn them –
not once! Next on the list: a cake tin the shape of a heart. OK, I made a pretty
cake, but round cakes are pretty too. Further down the list: a toy for my dog, a
lamp, three pairs of earrings …. I could go on. I still have that list, and when I
feel like giving up and going shopping, it keeps me strong.
And that's why I decided to have a year without buying anything new. I can't say
it's always been easy, but it's certainly been interesting, and I've learned a lot
about myself, and about other people. So, as this experiment comes to an end, I
have some messages for a few of them:
To my dad: Thank you so much for buying me a new laptop for my birthday.
Some people may say that's cheating, but it's the best present I've ever had!
To my friend Rob: Thank you for encouraging me to be creative. You helped
me make a kitchen table out of wood that we found. Now all my friends want
one like it! To my now ex-friend (you know who you are!): Next time
someone spends hours making special biscuits and a beautiful hand-made card
for your birthday, don't look disappointed and say 'I was hoping for a new

year with no shopping handbag.'

21 December
Well, it’s almost over! For eleven months and
ten days, my credit card has stayed in a locked
drawer in my study and I have bought nothing
except food, bus tickets, soap, cleaning
products and a second-hand bicycle.
I can hardly believe it's more than a year now
since I watched a TV programme about how
much our society wastes and how terrible that is
for the environment. That programme made me
take a good look at my own life and decide that
I needed to change my ways.
To my sister: You really don't need to feel guilty about buying all those new
clothes this year when you knew I couldn't (well, OK, maybe just a bit guilty!).
So was it worth it? Yes, definitely. I've learned to think a lot more carefully about
what I buy, and that's a good thing.
Did I save money? Well yes, but not as much as I expected because I allowed
myself to buy experiences, just not things, and with all the extra time I had from
not going shopping, I was able to go to the cinema and the theatre more often
than usual.
And what about the environment? One person's efforts don't make much
difference, obviously, but then again, they're better than nothing. Because I
couldn't buy petrol, I've become used to using public transport and cycling, and I
don't intend to go back to driving any time soon.
And would I do it again? Hmm, not sure about that. I must admit that there
were times when the whole thing seemed very silly, for example, when I forgot
to take my sunglasses on holiday and couldn't just go and buy a new pair. I
hope that this year has taught me what I needed to know, but perhaps I will
make that list again each December, just to make sure.

1 Put the phrases in the correct order to make sentences about the blog. 8 Lucy will definitely not have
another year with no shopping.
1 shopping for / a year / Lucy decided / to stop
TRUE/FALSE
Lucy decided to stop shopping for a year.
2 think more / her year with no shopping / what she buys / made her /
carefully about
her year with no shopping made her think more carefully about what she buys

2 Read the blog. Are the sentences true or false?

1 Lucy hasn't bought anything this year. TRUE/FALSE
2 She wanted to do something for the environment. TRUE/FALSE
3 In the past, she used to buy lots of things she didn't need. TRUE/FALSE
4 She bought a kitchen table because she really needed one. TRUE/FALSE
5 Her friend liked the biscuits she made for her birthday. TRUE/FALSE
6 This year she spent more money on going out than she did before.
TRUE/FALSE
7 She is looking forward to being able to drive again. TRUE/FALSE
3 Find words in the blog that match these definitions. 5 feeling bad because you
1 bought from someone who has used the thing already (second-hand) have done something wrong
(guilty)
2 a time when a shop sells things more cheaply than usual (sale)
3 something you do to see what happens as a result (experiment)
4 good at thinking of ideas for making things (creative)

Skills Boost B1+ READING 4 © Richmond 2014 Photocopiable