UNIT 6 THE FLOATING MARKETS OF

Structure Objectives Warm Up Reading Comprehension Vocabulary Listening: Following Directions Speaking: Dialogues Grammar: Passive Voice Without An Agent Writing: Describing Places Let Us Sum Up Answers

In this unit you will be able to: read an expository piece and understand its main points comprehend new lexical items using cues from within the text make inferences from the text evaluate a situation and provide personal opinion look for patterns and generalize utilize the information gleaned from the text in real life situations use the passive without the agent. make comparisons using information given in pictures

6.1 WARM UP

The words 'market' and 'mall' are places where one can buy things. Here are a few more names of different kinds of shops or places where one can buy things. Match the words with their meanings. a) A Kiosk 1. A place which has many shops selling gold ornaments under one roof b) A Showroom 2. A market with many small shops c) A Takeaway 3. A small shop selling cigarettes, newspapers or cold drinks d) A Second's Showroom 4. A large shoplstore in which goods for sale are displayed e) A Gold Souk 5. A large store selling goods at a discounted price

f) A bazaar 6. A restaurant that cooks and sells food that you can take away and eat somewhere else The Floating Markets of Thailand Read the passage carefully In every country markets of different kinds exist. In , for instance, one can see the posh shopping areas and multi-storeyed malls on the one hand and the small weekly bazaars on the other. This bazaar is a kind of mobile market that shifts from area to area on different days of the week. The shopkeepers need nothing but some clean pavement or some open space to settle on as they carry on their transactions. Then there is the common and easy to locate shopping centre in every residential block. Though small, it has all the things that are necessary for survival It has a green grocer, a shop selling daily provisions and items of food, a stationer, a haircutting saloon, a drycleaner and a gift shop. We also have the huge whole-sale markets devoted to particular kinds of goods be it automobile spare-parts or hosiery. Just as the cities of different countries boast of markets for people to shop in, the rivers of Thailand offer colourful markets, which sell various kinds of farm produce and handicrafts. Early morning one can see a scene of hectic activity of bargaining, buying and selling here. These floating markets are called 'talaat naam' in Thai. These are nrade up of large clusters of boats, which serve the purpose of both sales counters and transport vehicles for the farmers who gather here to sell their wares every morning. As dawn breaks over the horizon, small wooden boats paddled by women snake their way towards the market. One can see these women almost always in the blue dress that is common amongst the farmers of Thailand. On their heads the women wear flat -topped conical hats that one can find in all parts of this country. Media and The boats are laden with the produce from the nearby orchards and Entertainment community farms. There are a wide variety of tropical hits, flowers and vegetables and they offer a very colourful sight. The boat vendors trade their agricultural produce largely by the traditional barter system. For the tourists there are baskets and cane products, cloth and other hand made items, which they can buy for money. Tourists throng to the markets, coming from the cities by bus. The most popular floating market is in Ratchabury province about 10 1 kilometres from , the capital of Thailand. Bangkok too has a few floating markets of its own. The Taling Chan market is right in front of the district office of Taling Chan.

The floating markets always open in the morning, some as early as 4 a.m. There is hectic trading amongst the vendors and buying and selling with the tourists till late in the morning. By about noon time all the vendors would have left only to return again early the next morning. Many of these markets open daily while some operate only on weekends. The Damnoen Saduak market is open daily, while the Taling Chan market is a weekend market. In fact, Thailand's floating markets are so popular amongst the tourists that hardly anyone ever goes away without buying something or taking a picture of the colourful market. Some of the popular markets are Damneon Saduak Floating Market, Taling Chan Floating Market, Tha Kha Floating Market and Bang Khu Wiang Floating Market. These markets give one a glimpse of the traditional way of life in Thailand. Looking at them one can imagine how daily life must have been in earlier times. Efforts are being made to revive the old markets and reorganize them to attract more tourists. So, if you want a red taste of Thailand and kish to fully appreciate a floating market, you should get up really early and hire a long tailed boat for the day. The boat ride along the river will also enable you to see Thai homes and gardens.

Activity 1 1. Read the passage carefully and answer the questions given below.

I. What are the different kinds of markets one can usually find in India?

.. 11. Thou& small, the local shopping centre serves a great purpose. Can ybu say how?

iii. How does the 'talat naam', the floating market of Thailand differ from other markets? Cite two examples. iv. What is the main commodity sold in these markets? The Floating Markets of Thailand

v. Who are the vendors in the market?

vi. What system of trade do these vendors follow? Is it the same system for the tourists as well?

vii. How does the Damnoen Saduak market differ from the Taling Chan market?

viii. What are the added benefits of taking a boat ride to the market?

Read the sentences given below and say whether they are true or false.

The vendors of a mobile market really do not need any shops to sell their goods. The 'talat naams' open by mid morning aid close by the evening. If one wishes to buy fresh flowers one must go to the floating markets. iv. These floating markets are often quite noisy places. v. Tourists can buy handicrafts of cane and the local dress material from these floating markets. vi. Going to these colourful markets gives you no idea about the traditional marketing system of Thailand. vii. If one wishes to see the 'talat naam' in full swing, one needs to get up early and go there. If there are so many floating markets then there must be many canals or rivers in Thailand.

6.3 VOCABULARY

Activity 2

1. Match the words in A with their meanings in B. Media and Entertainment 1 i. mobile I a) a lot of movement and action I 1 ii. survival I b) a person who sells things like food I outside on the street (not in a shop) iii. hectic activity c) not fmed to a place iv. horizon d) crowd, go in large numbers v. vendor e) customs that have not changed for a I I long time I I vi. traditional I fl the state of continuing to live or exist 1 vii. barter g) giving goods in exchange for goods viii. throng h) to begin something again ix. revive i) loaded with x. laden with j) the circle in which the earth and the sky appear to meet 1

2. Given below are certain action words that are thematically related to markets. Read the sentences given below and complete them using appropriate words from the list.

buying selling trading bargaining hawking dealing

1. The natives on the island sometimes came to the .. shore...... their handicrafts for items of daily use. 11. This is a very popular market for the common man and often ... there is a lot of...... before a deal is struck. 111. Nowadays one can find people ...... different kinds of things to the motorists waiting at the traffic lights. iv...... in garments has become a more profitable business. v...... a house with your life's savings makes better sense than investing it in an expensive car. vi. On the pavements one can often see people ...... things from boiled eggs to ball point pens and calculators.

3. a) Look up the word 'bargain' in the dictionary and understand the various ways the word can be used idiomatically.

b) Now read the sentences given below and complete them with appropriate phrases give below. Use the correct form of the verb wherever necessary.

bargain for drive a hard bargain bargain away in the bargain

i. The new job was well-paid. But it was demanding too. He felt that by taking it up he had...... his .. peace of mind. 11. They are smart people and will ...... over prices. iii. I had not ...... freezing nights on our expedition. iv. Children learn a lot from the internet and enjoy themselves ...... as well. 6.4 LISTENING :FOLLOWING DIRECTIONS

Activity 3 Given below is a map of a locality. You have to reach the market place. Listen to the directions carefully and trace the path that you would take to reach the Market.

Primary Comp-Soft (U1stallon School Longwell Road Longwell Road

L~brary District Hospital Cinema I theatre \

Activity 4 1. We often have to go and buy things firom the shops where only English is understood. Let us see what these people are saying at the shops. . Listen to the tape.

Listening text. 1. Lady: May I have a copy of the Oxford Dictionary? Shop Assistant: Of course. Here you are Ma'am. Lady: And could I have the latest book by Mi. Sellwell? Shop Assistant: Sorry, we have run out of copies. 2. Old man: Have you got any woollen socks? Sales Girl: Yes, what size do you want? 3. Little girl: May have I have a box of colour pencils, please? Shopkeeper: Certainly. Here you are. 4. Young Man: I'd like some shaving cream. Salesman: Sure, which kind do you want?

WorC with a partner. Select appropriate phrases from the box and ask for things. Your partner will give a suitable response. Change roles.-- Could I have...... Have you got...... please? May I have...... I'd like ...... Can I get...... 1 Media and Entertainment some tea some oranges a packet of chips a sandwich

some red kite paper a tennis ball a pair of green slacks

five stamps for Egypt two lithium batteries some bread

Sure. Here you are. Yes, certainly. How manylmuch would you like? I'm sorry but we've run out of them. What size do you want? Certainly. What kind do you want?

6.6 GRAMMAR : PASSIVE VOICE WITHOUT AN AGENT

Grammar

Look at these sentences from the passage: 1. The boats are laden with the produce from the nearby orchards and community farms. 2. These floating markets) are made up of large clusters of boats, which serve the purpose of both sales counters and transport vehicles for the farmers who gather here to sell their wares every morning. 3. Thesefloating markets are called 'talaat naarn' in the . You will find that the subjects of the three sentences namely, 'The boats', 'These (floating markets)' and 'These floating markets' are not doing the action but receive the action done by others. In the first sentence it is obvious that the doer of the action not mentioned in the sentence are 'the farmers or the sellers' who come to do business in the floating market. The second and the third too indicate that the doers of the action are the people who make up the market in the form of 'sellers' or the common people. The sentences are in the passive voice. We add a helping verb to the past participle according to the tense or the time indicated i.e. is shown, are broken, has been made etc. Activity 5 1. Read the following sentences and complete them using the passive forms of the verbs. I. The letter ...... loudly ...... (read))out for everyone's benefit. ii. When they returned to the site of the Tsunami they found that many houses...... (rebui1d)and many makeshift shops...... ,...... (erect) over the year. ... 111. Preparations ...... make) for the visit of the The Floating Markets Prime Minister. Hence no one will be free to talk to you this of Thailand week. iv. When she returned from work she discovered that her lovely cake ...... ( ruined) by the visiting monkeys. Some of it ...... (eat) and some ...... (drop) on the floor. v. Many families ...... (hit) by the downsizing of the companies. Many young men and women lost their jobs. We notice that we almost always use the passive voice without the agent in particular cases like: when the doer is not known when there are multiple doers when we do not want to disclose who the doer is in legal language in official language 2. Read the sentences below and complete them using appropriate verbs in the passive voice. I. We regret to inform you that a mistake ...... We assure you that it shall ...... as soon as possible. 11. Many flyovers and underpasses ...... to ease the flow of traffic but the problem persist.. iii. It ...... to the incumbent that he ...... hereby ...... to make the full and complete payment to the aggrieved party. iv. As I was on my way to the Mall yesterday my pocket ...... and so I ended up buying nothing. v. All the officers of the Production Wing ...... to attend the 6p.m. meeting today.

request commit built pick direct notify rectify

6.7 WRITING: DESCRIBING PLACES Activity 6 1. Look at this picture and write a description of it. Media and Enterlainment You might like to mention the following:

m The place m The shops and their structures The kind of shops and the goods they are selling. m The difference between the shops and the pavement hawkersJvendors The people seen at the different shops and your interpretation of their dress, stance, actions or what they seem to be doing.

2. Now look at the picture of this Multi-plex Mall. Compare the first market to this mall and mention how this differs from the market you have already written about.

You might like to use expressions denoting comparisons like: as....as, like/unlike the ...... this ...... it is ...... earlier (comparative degree of adjective) than the ...... etc.

You might also like to use connectors like these: while/whereas/on the other handin comparisodcontrastingly etc. The Floating Markets 6.8 LET US SUM UP of Thailand

In this unit, you read an expository piece and answered questions on it. Since the topic was the market.place, albeit with a difference, you greatly enhanced your vocabulary in this area. We also gave you practice in using certain idioms pertaining to this topic

When shopping, we often have to use polite phrases of inquiry to the shopkeeper. In the speaking section, we give you practice in the use of these phrases.

The listening section pertained to following directions based on a road map. We hope that now you will be able to give directions appropriately.

The writing part taught you the skills of comparison and contrast using a modem mall and a traditional market place.

Finally, we gave you practice in the use of the passive without the agent.

6.9 ANSWERS

Warm Up

Activity 1

The posh multi-storeyed malls on the one hand and the small weekly markets on the other. Of course, there are the local markets within each residential area. It has all the things one needs for daily life such as food stuff, stationary items, provisions, toilet goods, a hair cutting saloon and the .. . green grocer. 111. It has no fixed shops but comprises small boats laden with farm produce. The sellers are mostly women. iv. The main commodity sold here are things grown on a farm like vegetables, fruits, flowers or grain. v. The vendors are the women farmers of nearby areas who come into the market rowing the same boats. vi. They follow the barter system for the residents. For the tourists it would be different. The tourists pay in cash for the goods they buy. vii. The Damnoen Saduak market is open daily while the Taling Chan ... market is a weekend market. v111. One can see the traditional life style of the Thai people.

2. 1. The vendors of a mobile market really do not need any shops to sell their goods. (T) Media and .. Entertainment 11. The 'talat naams' open by mid morning and close by the evening. (F) iii. If one wishes to buy fiesh flowers one must go to the floating markets. (T) iv. These floating markets are often quite noisy places. (T) v. Tourists can buy handicrafts of cane and the local dress material fiom these floating markets. (T) vi. Going to these colourful markets gives you no idea about the traditional marketing system of Thailand. (F) vii. If one wishes to see the 'talat naam' in hll swing, one needs to get up early and go there. (T) viii. If there are so many floating markets then there must be many canals or rivers in Thailand. (T)

Activity 2

1. i... c 11.... f 111. a iv. j v. b vi. e uii. g viii. d ix.. h X. 1

2. i. The natives on the island sometimes came to the shore trading their handicrafts for items of daily use. ii. This is a very popular market for the common man and often there is a lot of bargaining before a deal is struck. iii. Nowadays one can find people hawking different kinds of things to the motorist waiting at the traffic lights. iv. Dealing in garments has become a more profitable business. v. Buying a hause with your life's savings makes better sense that investing it in an expensive car. vi. On the pavements one can often see people selling things fiom boiled eggs to ball point pens and calculators. 3. b i. The new job was well-paid. But it was demanding too. He felt .. that by talung it up he had bargained away his peace of mind. 11. They are smart people and will drive a hard bargain over prices. iii. I had not bargained for freezing nights on our expedition. iv. Children learn a lot fiom the internet and enjoy themselves in the bargain as well. Activity 3 The Floating Markets of Thailand Listening text (tape script)

1. You are on Longwell Road. You have the library on your right and the Metro station on your left. 2. Walk straight. Do not turn at the crossing. You will pass the Primary school, which will he on your left and the District Hospital, which will be on your right. 3. Keep walking. You will reach another turning. You will notice a huge tree with a raised platform around it. Do not turn here. Keep walking. This means you leave two turnings and you are still on Longwell Road. 4. Then you will see the Computer Software company to your left. You can't miss it. It is a big cream and blue building with Comp-Soft written on it. 5. As you look to your right you will see a road going at an angle next to a triangular park. 6. Turn right here and follow that road. You now have the cinema theatre to your right and the park to your left. 7. The market is at the end of the road. 8. The STD booth is in the sixth shop between the Dry Cleaner and the Baker.

Activity 4 Some of the dialogues would be like these; I. Could I have some oranges, please? How many would you like? ii. Have you got any slacks? Sure. What kind/colour/size do you want? iii. I'd like a sandwich. I'm sorry but we've run out of them. iv. I'd like some red kite paper. Sure. How much do you want? v. Can I get five tickets for the play? Yes. Certainly. Activity 5 1. 1... The letter was loudly read out for everyone's benefit. 11. When they returned to the site of the Tsunami they found that many houses had been rebuilt and many makeshift shops had been erected over the year. iii. Preparations are being made for the visit of the Prime Minister. Hence no one will be free to talk to you this week. iv. When she returned from work she discovered that her lovely cake had been ruined by the visiting monkeys. Some of it had been eaten and some had been dropped on the floor. v. Many families were hit by the downsizing of the companies. Many young men and women lost their jobs.

2. 1. We regret to inform you that a mistake has been committed. .. We assure you that it shall be rectified as soon as possible. 11. Many flyovers and underpasses have been built to ease the flow of traffic but the problem persists. iii. It is notified to the incumbent that he is hereby directed to make the full and complete payment to the aggrieved party. iv. As I was on my way to the Mall yesterday my pocket was picked and so I ended up buying nothing. I MeaYa and v. All the officers of the Production Wing are requested to attend Entertainment the 6 p.m. meeting today. Writing Activity 6

This is a market. Perhaps it belongs to one of the Middle east countries. It is an ordinary and common market. It has simple shops selling goods in a humble way. The shops are small and have awnings to keep the harsh sun out. If one looks carefully one will notice that the signboards are in Persian. Some shops have the signboards in two languages, either Persian and English or Persian and French.

. There is a shop selling clothes, a shop selling gadgets, another shop selling provisions, a small shop selling oils and cosmetics and an STD booth claiming internet connection. There are a few palm trees in a distance, one or two slight bushes nearby. People are moving about making their purchases. They are wearing loose fitting Arab dresses which are largely white in colour. There are women too but they are in long dark cloaks called the Burkha. The women are accompanied by children. There are a few pushcarts and a few pavement shops. The pushcarts are vending some eatables, hankies and keys, certain things like cups, saucers, plates and pots, etc.

This looks like a modem multi-plex mall. Unlike the earlier market it is a plush building. It has a cinema theatre, huge showrooms, a coffee shop and a restaurant. Whereas the earlier market was spread out on a large piece of land, this one rises up to many storeys. It has an external glass elevator, which indicates that this is not a place for ordinary people to make their purchases. But like the earlier market this one too sells things of daily requirements but the things would be quite expensive. Unlike the humble market, this market boasts of a posh building, modem gadgets and sleek shops with smart sales persons in place of the simple shopkeepers of the earlier market. There is also a small play comer for little children. In comparison to the buyers moving about on foot, this mall has a line of cars parked outside. This means that people who have come here in their cars are richer than the shoppers in the earlier market. In contrast to the simply attired men and women of the market place, the people here are dressed sleekly and seem well-to- do.