Notice: Did you know you can get an instant definition of any word on this page, just by double-clicking on it?

Try it now! Double-click any word on page to see the definition!

Views #959 | Intermediate 5

Ad Space

Melissa talks about what ads influence her.

Script
Vocab
Quiz



Melissa	Todd

Todd: So, Melissa, this week we're talking about buying things. Now, in terms of shopping, are you one those people that are like a shop-o-holic? You buy things you don't need?

Melissa: Yes, but recently I've been trying to veer away from that habit.

Todd: So, what influences you most to buy something? Is it like commercials or is just impulse?

Melissa: I think it's kind of just having the money and feeling like I deserve it.

Todd: So, it's a reward?

Melissa: Yeah, it's always a reward for something.

Todd: Well, how about ... how persuaded are you to buy something by commercials or advertising or things like that?

Melissa: Defintely food commercials persuade me to buy it. Like I'll see a food commercial or even a picture of deliciously looking food and I'll want to have it, so I have two or three concrete examples over just the past month where I saw an ad for food and I went and bought it.

Todd: Oh, really. Like what did you buy?

Melissa: One was hot Hotto-Motto. It was like a kind of fast food chain and they were selling a fried chicken on rice that looked really good, and the other was a McDonald's Cinnamon Role.

Todd: And you saw it and you're like, I gotta have it.

Melissa: Yeah, and like one weird thing happened. I just say a red and yellow sign and it reminded me of Wendy's and then I was craving a chocolate milkshake ...frosty ... so I went somewhere else and bought it.

Todd: And you got it?

Melissa: Yeah.

Learn Vocabulary from the lesson

shop-o-holic

Melissa is a shop-a-holic.

A shop-o-holic is someone who shops too much. Notice the following.

In college I was a shop-o-holic. Now I save money.
My dad's a work-o-holic. He's at the office 7 days a week.

veer away

She's trying to veer away from the habit.

When we veer away from a habit, we stop doing it. Notice the samples.

After college, she began to veer away from shopping.
In high school, I veered away from pop. Now, I listen to rock.

concrete examples

Let me give you two or three concrete examples.

A concrete example is one that's very clear. Here are two samples.

He couldn't give a concrete example of why the plan wouldn't work.
In my opinion, the current economic crisis is a concrete example of the need for financial regulation.

fast food chain