Now the office workers are coming to the market to purchase lunch. One vendor is spooning a steaming, aromatic chicken stew into bowls. Another has set up tables and chairs and her customers are tucking into appetising bowls of soup. Nearby a group of tourists inspects the baskets and wooden carvings on one of the stands while the vendor eyes them hopefully. All around the market shoppers are bargaining with the vendors and filling their shopping baskets. They stop to
1 What time of day is it at the beginning of the passage? 2 Which people are preparing for the market? What are they doing? 3 Explain the meaning of the expression the town is on the move (paragraph 2). 4 Which different groups of people come to the market? 5 Which different sounds are mentioned in the description? 6 To which other senses does the description appeal? Give an example for each sense. 7 Why do you think the vendors who were arguing fell silent ? gossip with their friends before they leave. Suddenly the sound of raised voices can be heard above the buzz of the market. Two of the vendors are arguing. People turn around to look at them. Embarrassed, the vendors fall silent. Now it is almost dark. The vendors have abandoned their stalls and are on their way home. In a corner, a dog is sniffing at a pile of rubbish in search of a discarded titbit. Outside the wind scatters paper over the dusty street. Everything is quiet. In the morning, it will all begin again.
8 What do we learn from the last sentence? a) The town is always busy on market day. b) There will be another market the next day. c) It will be quiet now until the next morning.
d) There is always a lot of rubbish after the market. 9 In what ways is the market described in this passage similar to markets in your community? In what ways is it different? 10 Do you prefer going to a market or a supermarket? Why?
• Help students to identify which senses the description appeals to by providing examples, e.g. smell: freshly baked bread. • Point out the use of short sentences used for effect. Look at how adjectives and adjectival phrases to make the description effective, e.g. tasty snacks, brightly coloured tomatoes .
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