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Unit 8
TEXT I
On Buying Books
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Time spent in a bookshop can be most enjoyable, whether you are a book-lover or merely there to buy a book as a present. You may even have entered the shop just to find shelter from a sudden shower. Whatever the reason, you can soon become totally unaware1 of your surroundings. The desire to pick up a book with an attractive dust-jacket is irresistible2, although this method of selection ought not to be followed, as you might end up with a rather dull book. You soon become engrossed3 in some book or other, and usually it is only much later that you realize you have spent far too much time there and must dash off to keep some forgotten appointment — without buying a book, of course.
This opportunity to escape the realities of everyday life is, I think, the main attraction of a bookshop. There are not many places where it is possible to do this. A music shop is very much like a bookshop. You can wander round such places to your heart's content. If it is a good shop, no assistant will approach you with the inevitable4 greeting: "Can I help you, sir?" You needn't buy anything you don't want. In a bookshop an assistant should remain in the background until you have finished browsing5. Then, and only then, are his services necessary. Of course, you may want to find out where a particular section is, but when he has led you there, the assistant should retire discreetly6 and look as if he is not interested in selling a single book.
You have to be careful not to be attracted by the variety of books in a bookshop. It is very easy to enter the shop looking for a book on, say, ancient coins and to come out carrying a copy of the latest best-selling novel and perhaps a book about brass-rubbing — something which had only vaguely7 interested you up till then. This volume on the subject, however, happened to be so well illustrated8 and the part of the text you read proved so interesting, that you just had to buy it. This sort of thing can be very dangerous. Apart from running up a huge account, you can waste a great deal of time wandering from section to section.
Book-sellers must be both long-suffering and indulgent. There is a story which well illustrates9 this. A medical student had to read a text-book which was far too expensive for him to buy. He couldn't obtain it from the library and the only copy he could find was in his bookshop. Every afternoon, therefore, he would go along to the shop and read a little of the book at a time. One day, however, he was dismayed to find the book missing from its usual place and was about to leave when he noticed the owner of the shop beckoning10 to him. Expecting to be told off, he went towards him. To his surprise, the owner pointed11 to the book, which was tucked away in a corner, "I put it there in case anyone was tempted12 to buy it," he said, and left the delighted student to continue his reading.
By Robert Best (slightly altered)
TEXT II
Hallo, Good Buy
You don't have to be mean or poverty-stricken to buy second-hand13 goods. Charity shops, street markets, second-hand shops, jumble14 sales and classified ad columns are not only the places to find useful bargains, they're also a great source of rare, collectable and sometimes valuable items.
Whether you're interested in decorating your room, brightening your wardrobe, starting a collection or making some extra cash, our beginner's guide will introduce you to Britain's network of second-hand outlets15.
Buying second-hand demands a new attitude to shopping. You can't expect to walk into a shop and come out with exactly what you wanted. You have to enjoy browsing and to be able to persevere16. You'll find you develop a hunter's nose for the right sort of shop — usually it's not the one with a few wonderful bargains in the window and not much else besides, but the one with tables overflowing17 with unorganized jumble. Don't be put off by "Antique" shops that look a bit posh. They often do house clearances18 and end up with items they want to sell off cheaply because they don't fit in with their stock. And don't be alarmed by an absence of price tags. Often it shows the owner is prepared to negotiate.
It sounds obvious, but second-hand goods don't come with a guarantee or a manufacturer's recommended retail19 price. It's up to you to ensure that your purchase is all it seems to be, and that you're paying a fair price.
Books, magazines, comics and annuals fall into two categories — valuable collector's items and a good cheap read. Serious collectors must check the condition of publications: magazines with missing pages and books with torn jackets automatically lose value, whatever their contents. First editions, even recent ones are worth seeking out. If you find a hardback book with the words "First printed in Great Britain in", followed by the date and no information about reprints, you'll probably be able to make a small profit on it in a few years. Names to watch for at the moment are Martin Amis (he's taken over from his dad as a collectable author), Graham Greene, Ian Fleming, P. D. James and Angela Carter.
The most collectable old magazines are those devoted20 to music, movies and fashion. Ones with stars on the cover fetch the highest prices. News and picture magazines from earlier this century can be valuable too, but avoid the ones with stories about royalty21 — they're the ones everyone kept. If you discover a magazine featuring the sinking of the Titanic22, you could have something worth ￡ 15 — ￡ 20 on your hands.
Old comics and sci-fi magazines are great fun but not usually worth much unless they're pre-war and in good condition. If you just want to fill up your bookshelves for a rainy afternoon, go for second-hand paperbacks23. They're always cheap — but have a flick24 through to make sure there are no pages missing.
By Bridget Freer
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1
unaware
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| a.不知道的，未意识到的 | |
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irresistible
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| adj.非常诱人的，无法拒绝的，无法抗拒的 | |
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engrossed
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| adj.全神贯注的 | |
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inevitable
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| adj.不可避免的，必然发生的 | |
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browsing
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| v.吃草( browse的现在分词 )；随意翻阅；（在商店里）随便看看；（在计算机上）浏览信息 | |
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discreetly
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| ad.(言行)审慎地，慎重地 | |
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vaguely
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| adv.含糊地，暖昧地 | |
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illustrated
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| adj. 有插图的，列举的 动词illustrate的过去式和过去分词 | |
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illustrates
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| 给…加插图( illustrate的第三人称单数 )； 说明； 表明； （用示例、图画等）说明 | |
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beckoning
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| adj.引诱人的，令人心动的v.（用头或手的动作）示意，召唤( beckon的现在分词 ) | |
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pointed
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| adj.尖的，直截了当的 | |
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tempted
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| v.怂恿（某人）干不正当的事；冒…的险（tempt的过去分词） | |
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second-hand
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| adj.用过的，旧的，二手的 | |
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jumble
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| vt.使混乱，混杂；n.混乱；杂乱的一堆 | |
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outlets
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| n.出口( outlet的名词复数 )；经销店；插座；廉价经销店 | |
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persevere
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| v.坚持，坚忍，不屈不挠 | |
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overflowing
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| n. 溢出物,溢流 adj. 充沛的，充满的 动词overflow的现在分词形式 | |
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clearances
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| 清除( clearance的名词复数 )； 许可； （录用或准许接触机密以前的）审查许可； 净空 | |
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retail
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| v./n.零售；adv.以零售价格 | |
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devoted
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| adj.忠诚的，忠实的，热心的，献身于...的 | |
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royalty
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| n.皇家，皇族 | |
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titanic
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| adj.巨人的，庞大的，强大的 | |
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23
paperbacks
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| n.平装本，平装书( paperback的名词复数 ) | |
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24
flick
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| n.快速的轻打，轻打声，弹开；v.轻弹，轻轻拂去，忽然摇动 | |
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