Intro
Black Friday is the biggest shopping day of the year in the United States. It is the day after the Thanksgiving holiday, and marks the start of the Christmas shopping season. Stores offer huge discounts on everthing rom chewing gum to fine china. People begin lining up outside of stores as early as 2 a.m. to get first dibs on the discounted stuff.When the doors to the stores open at 6 a.m,crowds of people run like madmen through the aisles,racing to get their products.
John: So,I missed Black Friday this year,but I read about it.
Dave: Yeah, it was crazy again, as it is every year.
John: Were you out in line at Walmart getting ready to buy your, your $20 microwave?
Dave: I try not to leave my apartment on Black Friday.It's probably the worst day of the year to be outside.
John: Isnt it just hordes of people bum rushing each other
Dave: Oh yeah
John: trying to get into the store
Dave: Outside of Walmart-Walmart, particularly-all across the country, people were injured and,you know, mob fights to get discounted items.
John:Yeah,well,it's those bargain hunters who shop at Walmart because everything is about five bucks cheaper.
Dave:That's right. It's absolute madness. There was a guy in Florida who reached for a computer that was discounted and people pummeled him, jumped on the guy trying to get at the computer
John:Really?
Dave:Yeah, There was,in Texas, outside of a Walmart the crowd was getting so unruly that police had to mace people.
John:oh my god! I cant believe it
Dave: Oh boy!
Discussion
Every year dozens of people are injured on Black Friday. People are so eager to get dolls and computers that they break into fights and stomp all over each other. It's insane!
Vocab
pummel
Definition
v.beat or beat up;hit
Examples
Evander Holyfield pummeled Mike Tyson during a World Heavyweight Championship match.
unruly
Definition
n.wild and uncontrollable; misbehaving
Examples
The unruly crowd of students were throwing bottles and rocks after their football team lost the game.
mace
Definition
v. spray mace, a liquid that hurts your eyes, at people
Examples
The writer Hunter S.tHOMPSON USED TO MACE STRANGERS.
dibs
Definition
n. claim or rights; saying something is yours
Examples
I've got dibs on that last piece of cake.
Alfonse has got dibs on that chair. You've got to sit on the floor
hordes
Definition
n. crowds or swarms; large amount of something
bum rush
Definition
v.push or charge into
Examples
The crowd bum rushed the stage. The band had to escape through the back door
mob
Definition
n. an uncontrollable crowd of people
Examples
The mob pushed its way through the police line and surrounded the governor's house
china
Definition
n.very nice and expensive dishware; porcelain and crystal dishware; usually used with fine as in "fine china"
discounted
Definition
adj. lowered in price;placed on sale
Examples
This coat usually costs$200, but now it's been discounted to $150
bargain hunter
Definition
n. a person who is always looking for sales and discounted items
Examples
Angie is such a bargain hunter
