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Views #842 | Low-Intermediate 4

Fred's Gifts

Fred talks about the gift giving tradition of his family during the holidays.
Anja: So, Fred, tell me, how is it on Christmas? Who do you give gifts to in Canada?

Fred: Well, Anja, personally I prefer to receive gifts. That's always funner. Yeah, well, of course, we give gifts and we receive gifts.

Anja: Oh, yeah. So the gifts, how are they? Are they really expensive or...?

Fred: Good question. Well, I don't know. It depends on who you're giving the gift to, and it also depends on, you know, how many gifts you have to buy.

Anja: Oh, so, who exactly are you buying gifts for? Only the really.... people that are really close to you?

Fred: Well, yes, I would say that in my case I have a large family.

Anja: How many are you?

Fred: We are six siblings: six brothers and sisters and plus my parents and both my grandparents are still alive, and aunts and cousins and so a very big family, and so what we do is we exchange gifts. So we buy a small gift, 45 dollars, and then we play a small game where we exchange that gift amongst each other, so we don't have to buy gifts to everybody.

Anja: Oh, that's quite nice, so it won't get too expensive, right?

Fred: It won't but, personally, I like to buy gifts for my mother or my father and especially my grandmother and grandfather. It's very important, and so I enjoy doing the shopping for it.

Anja: Oh, you do like shopping?

Fred: For Christmas it's something different.

Anja: It's really difficult on Christmas, right? Usually, the shops are really packed and there's so many people. It's really stressful, isn't it?

Fred: Yeah, but I like that stress.

Anja: Oh, you do?

Fred: Yeah, I love it.

Anja: Oh, wow. I think you are the only one.

Learn vocabulary from the lesson!

people close (to you)

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Do you buy gifts only for people who are close to you?

'People close to you' are friends and family or people that you care about.  Notice the following:

  1. Always take care of the people close to you.
  2. I buy Christmas gifts for people close to me.

large family

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In my case, I have a large family.

The meaning of a large family changes within different cultures, but these days, a 'large family' would include about five or more children.  Notice the following:

  1. I come from a large family.
  2. In my country, large families are rare.

exchange gifts

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We buy a small present, and we exchange gifts.

When we 'exchange gifts,' we give someone a gift and they give us one in return.  Notice the following:

  1. Each year the office staff exchange gifts.
  2. Our family usually exchange gifts on Christmas Eve.

packed

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During Christmas, the shops are really packed.

'Packed' means very crowded.  Notice the following:

  1. The place was packed.
  2. The band played to a packed house.

stress

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I actually like that kind of stress.

We usually feel 'stress' when we are very worried about something or when we feel a lot of pressure.  Notice the following:

  1. The stress of my job is killing me.
  2. I always feel a lot of stress before an exam.

Vocabulary Quiz

close • large family • exchange
packed • stress
  1. The of planning this party is making her crazy.
  2. We should phone numbers.
  3. The bar was with people watching the game.
  4. I stay in contact with my friends by email when I'm away.
  5. They have such a that they have to drive two cars.
Answer the following questions about the interview.

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