Do you always buy more than you intend to?

Listen to Dan and Alice from BBC Learning English talking about this topic. And answer the questions, then try yourself to give your point of view.

1. Dan says that the _______________ of a shop has a large _________on what we buy and the money we spend.
2.If you are in a shopping mall, the more ____________________ it is the __________ you are there and the more ____________ you are to spend.
3. What is the meaning of Retail Anthropology?
4. Essential goods such as milk, bread are always places as far away from ________________ .
5. Why do most supermarkets have the section for fruit  and vegetables near the entrance?________

6.The South China Mall in China is the world's largest shopping centre. But how many shops does
it have? Is it:
a) 800
b) 1,200
c) 1,500
You can find the answers in the text.

What Irene could do to New York

Hurricane experts are warning New Yorkers that millions of people could be trapped in their homes for days, without power, transportation and phones.

Obama: Hurricane Irene 'extremely dangerous'

CBS News Special Report: On Friday President Obama warned American to take Hurricane Irene seriously and to follow evacuation orders. This is a special report from CBS News with audio remarks from President Obama.Click on the picture and watch and listen to Obama's statement. You can read Obama's statement below.

THE PRESIDENT: Good morning, everybody. I want to say a few words about Hurricane Irene, urge Americans to take it seriously, and provide an overview of our ongoing federal preparations for what’s likely to be an extremely dangerous and costly storm.

I’ve just convened a conference call with senior members of my emergency response team and directed them to make sure that we are bringing all federal resources to bear and deploying them properly to cope not only with the storm but also its aftermath. I’ve also spoken this morning with governors and mayors of major metropolitan areas along the Eastern Seaboard to let them know that this administration is in full support of their efforts to prepare for this storm and stands ready to fully support their response efforts. And we will continue to stay in close contact with them.
I cannot stress this highly enough: If you are in the projected path of this hurricane, you have to take precautions now. Don’t wait. Don’t delay. We all hope for the best, but we have to be prepared for the worst. All of us have to take this storm seriously. You need to listen to your state and local officials, and if you are given an evacuation order, please follow it. Just to underscore this point: We ordered an aircraft carrier group out to sea to avoid this storm yesterday. So if you’re in the way of this hurricane, you should be preparing now.
If you aren’t sure how to prepare your families or your home or your business for a hurricane or any other emergency, then you can visit Ready.gov -- that’s Ready.gov -- or Listo.gov. That’s Listo.gov.
Now, since last weekend, FEMA has been deploying its Incident Management Assistance Teams to staging areas in communities up and down the coast. FEMA has millions of liters of water, millions of meals, and tens of thousands of cots and blankets, along with other supplies, pre-positioned along the Eastern Seaboard. And the American Red Cross has already begun preparing shelters in North Carolina and other states.
These resources are all being coordinated with our state and local partners, and they stand ready to be deployed as necessary. But, again, if you are instructed to evacuate, please do so. It’s going to take time for first responders to begin rescue operations and to get the resources we’ve pre-positioned to people in need. So the more you can do to be prepared now -- making a plan, make a supply kit, know your evacuation route, follow instructions of your local officials -- the quicker we can focus our resources after the storm on those who need help the most.
To sum up, all indications point to this being a historic hurricane. Although we can’t predict with perfect certainty the impact of Irene over the next few days, the federal government has spent the better part of last week working closely with officials in communities that could be affected by this storm to see to it that we are prepared. So now is the time for residents of these communities -- in the hours that remain -- to do the same. And FEMA and Craig Fugate, the director of FEMA, will be keeping people closely posted in the next 24, 48 hours.
Thank you very much.

Skating: wheely good exercise

Skating: wheely good exercise!Skating is a fun outdoor exercise that helps tone and strengthen muscles
24 AUGUST 2011
The summer's beginning to wind down, but there should still be time to get in some outdoor exercise, and skating – with either in-line or quad skates – is both healthy and good fun, as well as being an activity you can do with friends or family. We all know that we're more likely to stick to an exercise routine that's fun and has a social element, so it sounds like we're onto a winner. Let's take a closer look:


Advantages
Unless you have specific skating aims, it doesn't really matter whether you go for in-line skates or quads: simply choose the skates you feel most comfortable with. Then it's just a question of balance, and practice. Calories burned will depend on exercise intensity as well as on your own weight and the surface and incline of your route. Not only will you be burning calories, though, you'll be toning and strengthening muscles and keeping fit, helping prevent osteoporosis and obesity, and lowering stress levels as you relax.
Where you'll feel it
Skating focuses mainly on the lower body: legs – ankles, calves and thighs – and buttocks, although you use your arms, too, to provide impetus. It's important to do abdominal exercises as well, to compensate any strain on the lower-back region due to skating posture.
Warm up stretch
As with any exercise, it's important to warm up first and do some preliminary stretching exercises to prepare the joints and tendons. While skating, keep your trunk steady and knees slightly bent.


Safety first
A practised skater can reach dizzying speeds, and any fall or collision entails a risk of injury, so make sure you have a full set of safety equipment: helmet, elbow, wrist and knee pads. Don't forget to check that everything – safety equipment and the skates themselves – is in perfect condition before you start. And if you listen to music while you skate, don't let it block out all other sounds, as you need to be aware of your surroundings at all times.

On Hello magazine

The Duchess of Alba to marry in October

Spanish duchess, 85 to wed much younger man

Moscow protesters wear blue buckets in traffic protest

There have been some rather unconventional demonstrations in Moscow in recent weeks.

Citizens have been out on the streets with buckets in their hands, on their heads, or attached to their cars.
They are protesting against the growing number of vehicles driving around Moscow with flashing blue lights on top and sometimes sirens too, even though they are not police or official cars at all.
The demonstrations are being organised by the Snob website. Its editor is Masha Gessen. Listen to Masha Gessen.

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