There are many shops in Singapore where customers still bargain, although prices are clearly shown on the goods. There is nothing out of the ordinary in haggling; some shopkeepers expect you to and will be surprised if you accepted their prices immediately. We know that the prices in some stores are a bit higher than those in Change Alley, but we also realize that to keep a store like Robinson’s is by no means cheap. Besides, in such places we shop in air-conditioned(空調)comfort. For all these, we pay a little extra.
It is not always true to say that things in Change Alley cost less. I once bought a Czechoslovakian glass butter-dish from Robinson’s for a little under two dollars. I then went on to Change Alley and just by chance saw an article of the same shape, design and size, in one of the shops. I then asked about its price, and was surprised when the man demanded more than four dollars for it. “How much can you offer?” he shouted at me. I offered him exactly the same price I paid for the article and his reply was shockingly rude(粗魯). I opened my bag, showed him my receipt, stared at him and walked out of his shop.
A buyer in England expects to find the price of goods clearly shown, or, to be told exactly what the price is. He knows this is the lowest price that will be accepted. If he thinks the price is beyond what he can afford, he shrugs(聳聳)his shoulders and walks away. He does not attempt to bargain with the shopkeeper. Even if he showed annoyance or surprise, he would expect to be told that if the price was unacceptable, he should try elsewhere.
56. The underlined word “hagglin9” (1ine 2, para.1) in the text most probably means _________.
A. accepting the prices immediately
B. fixing the right cost for some goods
C. arguing about the price of something
D. paying extra for comfortable shopping
57. We can learn from the text that Robinson’s is a store which sells.
A. expensive goods
B. air-conditioners
C. Czechoslovakian goods
D. goods at a bargain price
58. The writer asked about the price of a glass butter-dish in Change Alley because he wanted to____________.
A. buy it at a lower price
B. change his dish for something else
C. find out if the shop assistant is polite
D. compare the prices of the dish in two stores
59. Which of the following words best describes the feeling of a British customer when “he shrugs his shoulders and walks away” (1ine 3, para.3)?
A. Frightened.
B. Worried.
C. Annoyed.
D. Disappointed.
60. What would probably happen if a customer does bargain with a shopkeeper in England?
A. The customer would be advised to shop in other stores.
B. The customer would get the goods at a lower price.
C. They would discuss and then reach an agreement.
D. They would quarrel about the price of the goods.
【參考答案】
56. C 【解析】題幹要求選出劃線詞haggling在文章中最接近的意思。回到文章中，我們可以看到這個單詞所在的句子中提到如果顧客立刻接受了他們的價格，店主會感到很吃驚，可見他們希望顧客跟他們砍價。所以文章中提到的不會令人意外的事情就是砍價，haggling在文中的意思就是“砍價”，故C正確。
57. A 【解析】此題問的是Robinson是銷售什麼的商店。我們可以從第一段的最後三句話可以看出Robinson的商品都比較貴，而沒有明確指出具體賣什麼樣的商品，故A正確。
58. D 【解析】此題問的是作者打Change Alley詢問價格的原因是什麼。由第二段的第一句可知並不是Change Alley的所有商品都比較便宜。作者無意間在Change Alley發現了和自己買的一模一樣的商品，因此想詢問一下價格，與自己買的商品的價格進行一下比較，故D正確。
59. D 【解析】此題問的是最能說明英國人聳肩離開時的心情的詞是哪個。根據文章的內容可知英國人聳肩離開的'原因是覺得商品的價格太高，沒法接受，可見此事的心情是失落的。frightened“害怕的”;worried“擔心的，焦慮的”;annoyed“惱怒的，煩悶的”;disappointed“失望的”，故D正確。
60. A 【解析】此題問的是如果在英國與店主砍價將會發生什麼事情。文章的最後一句提到如果顧客感到煩惱或者驚，店主會建議到其他店看看。故A正確。
