当季热门新题中有一个引人注目的话题“Bargain”, 那么bargain 是什么意思呢？
Bargain v./n. 讨价还价（如价格，工资，工作条件等）
Definition: to try to make someone agree to give you something that is better for you, such a better price or better working conditions.
n. bargain 便宜货
It’s a bargain. = It’s a good buy.
雅思口语P1问题中涉及各种购物场所以及常用的”Bargain”妙招，很多同学平时就不太讲价，或者不知道用英语描述，往往无法开口、一筹莫展。除了大家熟知的store, shop, shopping mall, supermarket, 还有哪些购物场所呢？咱们先补充下购物相关的背景知识吧！
购物地点相关词汇：
department store 百货商店
shopping plaza 购物广场
outlets 直营店（也就是我们常听到的“奥特莱斯”）
strip mall 沿街购物中心（类似于楚河汉街）
grocery 杂货店
retailer 零售店（类似于小卖部，售卖小额商品的店子）
boutique 时装店，精品店
fair 集市，农贸市场（英式英语）
food market 菜市场
street stalls 货摊，摊位
corner shops 街头小店
“砍价”的相关表达：
ask for a lower price
ask for a discount
the rock bottom price 底价
bargain with others
haggle with others
negotiate about the price
give me a discount
make a counteroffer 还价
haggle over the price
“砍价“技巧又有哪些呢？大家可以多多结合生活中的购物经验，购物小白们也可以查询wikihow这个国外的“度娘”，可以搜索如图：
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buy something in bulk 大量购买
pretend to leave/ walk away 假装离开
over my budget 超出我的预算
have the upper hand in the negotiation 在谈判中占据上风
don’t show/project fondness or over-enthusiasm for something 不要表现出对商品的特别喜爱
pretend that you're on the fence for the item 假装对商品持观望态度
get a friend or spouse to work with you 找个朋友/伴侣跟你合作
promise to recommend more customers to storeowners 承诺介绍更多顾客给店主
tell the vendors I’m a regular 告诉商贩我是常客
point out the flaws of the item 指出商品的瑕疵
学习了这么多干货，我们来看看sample answer!
Q1: Do people in your country bargain often?
答题思路解析：这一题是典型的Yes-or-No question, 很多同学听到后回答了YES或者NO，就不知如何展开了。我们可以通过5wh 法，自主补充涉及who, why, where, when, how 等一些细节。就可以自然流利地回答问题了！我们添加了具体“what kind of people would like to bargain with others” & “why”。
A1: Yeah, people usually negotiate(协商v. 也可以指讲价) for a lower price, especially for the elderly. They are experienced and want to save a little.
答题思路解析: 答案是“No” 的同学可以参考下面这个思路，先描述一种现象，我们国家的人很bargain, 是因为大家常去的购物场所都很正式，店主都给商品定了价格，讨价还价是不被接受的unacceptable。
A2: No, people seldom bargain with sellers for they go shopping in the supermarket and exclusive stores. The commodities in these places have fixed price (固定价格). It’s unacceptable to make a counteroffer in some shopping plaza or malls.
Q2: How do people bargain in your country?
答题思路解析: 这一题是明显的WH- question (特殊疑问句)，切忌回答YES/NO。我们需要给出具体的方式以及原因，再补充说明这些策略/方式是否奏效。回想一下可以讲价的场所，我们一般会直接说“价格太贵”It’s too pricy for me. 这个超出我的预算了，That’s totally out of my budget. 或者说“我是这里的常客，你应该给我打折”I’m a regular there. You should offer me a special discount. 记住千万不要表现出你很喜欢这个商品don’t show your fondness or over-enthusiasm for the item, 这样的话，你才能在讲价的时候占据上风then you can have the upper hand in the negotiation，我们来看看可以怎样回答第2题！
A1: People just purchase something in bulk and then ask the storeowner for the rock bottom price. Sometimes customers would pretend to walk away. And it works in some street stalls since the vendors would love to make a deal as soon as possible.
A2: Some people just tell the storeowners that they are the regulars here. Then they’re very likely to get a bargain. Plus, consumers wouldn’t show their fondness or enthusiasm for the product, so that they can have the upper hand in the negotiation.
Q3: What kind of shop allows bargaining with the store owner?
答题思路解析: 这一题也不太好答，一是因为部分同学生活阅历不够，亦或是你“爱在心口难开”， 不知怎么用英语来表达。一般而言，是街边小店street stalls 可以接受讲价，因为大部分商品都没有定价no fixed price。又或者是一些卖生鲜的food market, 食物容易变质go bad, 因此店家急于脱手，愿意给低价，或者是抹去零头keep the round number (取整数)。
A: Some booths in the food market would allow bargaining. Since most foods will go bad or stale very easily. The owners are willing to offer a lower price when someone buys the food in bulk. (buy sth in bulk 大量购买 v.)
Q4: What do you feel about bargaining with others?
答题思路解析: 你还价的时候心情如何？可能有的同学会感觉不好意思，有点尴尬feel embarrassed/ awkward, 因为害怕被拒绝 be afraid of being declined/ refused, 也有可能是性格内向introverted, 还觉得浪费时间time-wasting 或者麻烦troublesome。
A1: I feel embarrassed while haggling with others. Because I’m afraid of being refused. And I’m a little bit timid in front of strangers. Also, I think it’s just time-consuming and troublesome.
答题思路解析: 有的同学可能享受这个过程，因为万一成了会很有成就感have a sense of achievement/ accomplishment, 即使失败了，也觉得没啥it’s not a big deal。
A2: I find it interesting to negotiate with others. When I succeed in it, I’d be super fulfilled. (感到满足的adj.) Even if when I fail, it’s not a big deal (不是什么大事) for me. Since I enjoy the process rather than the result.
学习了这么多的“砍价”小技巧，我们就可以多多练习，从容屠鸦啦！必备的“生存技能”+1 +1！
