美国人的Black Friday（黑色星期五），也就是感恩节过后的星期五。这一天，不仅是感恩节后的血拼日，也是圣诞购物季的开始。美国人纷纷上街抢购圣诞礼物。即使平时赔钱的商家这一天也会转亏为盈。

　　The term "Black Friday" is said to have originated in Philadelphia during the 1960s to describe the difficulty of police and drivers to deal with exceptionally heavy traffic on that day as shoppers flooded the city's commercial center.

　　据称，“黑色星期五”这种说法在上世纪60年代起源于美国费城，用来描述感恩节过后的周五，购物者涌入城市的商业中心，导致交通拥堵，给交警和出行司机都带来不小的麻烦。

　　The phrase was laterco-opted by retailers to refer to the holiday shopping period as a time of year when their business moves into the black, or turns a profit.

　　之后，商家将这种说法引申至一年中的节日购物季，每年此时，他们的生意会进入盈利期。

　　Black在这里代表的是财务状况进入佳境，记在帐本上的数字用黑色书写表示盈利，红色则表示亏损，所以才会有我们常用的“赤字”一说，而这里的business moves into the black自然就表示“生意好，有盈利”的意思了。

　　不过用在别的地方，black的确有“黑暗不祥”的意思。美国历史上股市崩盘的灾难性的日子都是用black来形容的。比如1869年9月24日星期五，美国黄金市场大跌波及股市，人称Black Friday；还比如1929年10月29日的Black Tuesday，那一天，美国股价暴跌，国家从此陷入经济大萧条。

在黑色星期五这天，绝大多数商店都会清晨五、六点钟就开门，有的甚至更早。商家更会采取提前在感恩节几天前的报纸上刊登广告，发放优惠券，对商品大幅降价等措施来吸引顾客。很多消费者把这一天看作准备圣诞礼物或买到便宜货的黄金时刻，由于降价商品数量有限，很多热门商店（如沃尔玛）门前在前一天晚上就会排起长队。而商店开门的一刻也偶尔会由于过于拥挤争抢而酿成踩踏事件。

由于各商家要到最后一刻才公布自己的降价商品清单，并把这看作商业秘密，而网络上往往在几个星期前就出现了从各个渠道搞到的降价信息，从而引发了一些法律纠纷。

department store 百货商店

shopping centre 商业中心区

antique shop 古玩店

second-hand store 旧货店

counter 柜台

stall, stand 售货摊

show window 橱窗

show case 玻璃柜台

shelf 货架

cashier's desk 收银处

price tag 标价签

Big Sale 大甩卖

Special Offer 特价

Brighter Shopping, Brighter Prices 明智的购物，透明的价格

Buy One & Get Anyone Free 买一赠一

Buy Two Get One Free 买二赠一

Final Clear Out 清仓大甩卖

Save Up to 80%  2折起

Try Before You Buy 先试后买

Where is the shopping area in this town?

购物区在城镇的什么地方?

Where is the biggest shopping center?

哪有最大的购物中心?

Is there a department store around here?

附近哪有百货商店?

Is it far from here?

离这远吗?

Could you tell me how to get there?

能告诉我怎么到那吗?

Where is the nearest supermarket from here?

最近的超市在哪?

Where can I buy a roll of film?

在哪能买到胶卷?

I'd like to buy a leather jacket. Could you recommend a good shop?

我要买一件皮衣。能介绍个好的商店吗?

Are there any unusual things produced in this town?

这个镇有什么特产吗?

Where can I buy it?

我在哪里能买到

Is there a duty-free shop?

这有免税店吗?

What time do stores open?

什么时候商店开始营业?

I'd like to buy kitchenware.

我想买厨房用具

Which shop has the best range of goods?

哪个商店有最好的商品

Could you recommend a boutique which is popular among young people?

你能推荐我一些年轻人喜欢的流行店吗?

Where can I buy cloth?

在哪能买到布料?

What do you sell on the second floor?

你们在2楼卖什么?

Excuse me. Can you help me?

打扰一下。能帮我一下吗?

I d like to buy a swim suit. Where can I find it?

我想买件泳衣。在哪能找到?

Do you have something special in this area?

在这有什么特别的吗?

I'm looking for something for my mother.

我在为我妈妈找一些东西

Hello, may I help you?

你好，我能帮你吗?

I'm just looking. Thank you.

就是看看，谢谢

Do you have sweaters?

你有毛线衫吗?

Could you show me some small sweaters, please?

能给我看看一些小号的毛线衫吗?

I'd like to see this

我想看看这个

Could you show me something in my size?

能找个我这么大号的吗?

Can I pick it up?

我能拿下来吗?

Do you have one like this?

你有像这个一样的吗?

I d like the one in the window

我想要个橱窗里的

Could you show me another one?

能给我看看另一件吗?

What kind of colors do you have?

你们有什么颜色的?

I'm looking for a shirt for a 10 years old boy.

我在给10岁的小孩找衬衫。

Do you have anything smaller?

你有一些小号的吗?

最后，蒙贵贵再送大家一句话

You get what you pay for.

一文价钱一文货。