Exploring Bookstores: English Learning Through a Relaxing Bookstore Visit

Welcome to English listening channel. Hello everyone. Today, we're going to look at a conversation at a bookstore.

In this video, you will follow a simple and relaxing story about [music] two friends looking for books.

Don't worry. I will speak slowly and clearly. So, [music] please relax and enjoy the story.

Before we start, I have a small question for you. >> [music]

>> Please listen carefully to find the answer. This will help you understand English

more deeply. >> [music] >> So, here is today's question.

What does in stock mean? [music] The answer is mentioned in the conversation.

If you find the answer, please write it in the comments section. >> [music]

>> By writing your answer in English, you can improve your English skills even more effectively.

All right. Let's start the video. >> [music] >> Are you ready?

Okay, let's begin. Wow, this bookstore is huge. Yes, it is. I love big bookstores like

this. They have so many books. Me too. Can you smell that? The smell of new books. I love it. Oh, yes. I love the

smell of paper. It makes me feel calm and happy. I know what you mean. Bookstores are always so quiet and

peaceful. It feels like a different world. That's why I come here sometimes even when I don't need to buy anything.

Really? You just come to walk around and look at books? Yes, I can stay here for hours. I just look at the books, read a

little bit, and sometimes sit in the corner. I do the same thing. I always say I will stay for 10 minutes, but I

end up staying for 2 hours. It happens every time. >> [laughter]

>> That's so true. I think everyone who loves books has the same problem. For sure. And I always leave the store with

a book I didn't plan to buy. Me too. Oh, look. They have a best seller corner over there. Nice. Best

sellers are the books that sell the most copies. Everyone is reading them. And there is a new arrival section, too.

Let's check those later. Sure, but first I want to find a specific book today. Oh, you have a plan today? That's rare

for you. That's true. I usually just wander around without a plan.

So, what kind of book are you looking for? I want to find a good book for studying

English. Something I can read every day. That's great. Do you want a textbook or something more fun like a novel or a

story? Hmm, I'm not sure. Maybe something like a self-help book. I heard self-help

books use simple English. That's true. Self-help books are often easy to read. They use short sentences

and everyday words. They also give you useful advice for your life. Good. Where should we go?

I don't know which section to look at. This store is so big. Let's see. Bookstores usually divide

their books by genre. Genre means the type or category of a book. Oh, I see. So, there's a fiction

section, a non-fiction section, and so on? Exactly. Fiction means stories that are

not real like novels and short stories. Non-fiction means books about real things like history, science, or travel.

And self-help books are non-fiction, right? Yes, that's right. Self-help is a type

of non-fiction. Let's walk down this aisle. An aisle is the path between the

bookshelves. Oh, the signs on top of the shelves say the genre name. That's very helpful.

Yes. And did you know that in many bookstores, especially in America, the books are arranged in alphabetical order

by the author's last name? Really? That's interesting. So, if I know the author's name, I can find the

book more easily. Right. It's very helpful when you are looking for a specific book. Oh, look.

Here is the self-help section. Let's look here. There are so many books here. I don't

know where to start. It's a bit too much. Don't worry. Let's ask the staff for

help. They can probably find the book quickly. Excuse me.

I'm looking for a specific book. Do you have this book? Sure.

I'd be happy to help. What's the title of the book? It's called Easy English for everyday

life. I saw it on the internet. Okay. Let me check on our computer. One moment, please.

Thank you very much. Okay, I found it. Good news. It is in stock.

That means we have it in the store right now. Oh, great. Where can I find it?

It's on the second floor in the language learning section. It should be on the third shelf from the

left. Look for the blue cover. Okay. Thank you so much. That's very helpful.

You're welcome. By the way, if a book is out of stock, it means we don't have it right now.

But we can always order it for you. It usually takes about 3 to 5 days to arrive.

Oh, that's good to know. I'll remember that. Can I ask one more question? How can you

find books so quickly? Great question. We use something called an ISBN.

It's a special number that every book has. It's like an ID card for books.

Each book in the world has its own unique number, so we can find it right away.

Oh, I didn't know that. That's really interesting. Thank you so much for telling me.

No problem at all. I hope you enjoy the book. If you need any more help, please don't

hesitate to ask. Did you find the book? Yes, here it is. I found it on the shelf just like the

staff said. The blue cover was easy to spot. Nice. The cover looks really pretty.

I like the blue and white design. It looks clean and modern. I know. Actually, I first saw this book online,

and the cover caught my eye right away. That's why I wanted to come see it in person.

So, you chose the book because of the cover. That's funny. Maybe. Is that bad? I think many people do the same thing.

Well, there is a famous saying in English, "Don't judge a book by its cover." It means you shouldn't decide if

something is good or bad just by looking at the outside. Oh, I know that expression. But honestly, sometimes the

cover really does tell you a lot about a book. A good cover means someone put a lot of effort into making the book.

That's a good point. Why don't you read the back of the book? The short text on the back is called a blurb. It tells you

what the book is about. Oh, so that's what it's called. A blurb. Let me read it. It says, "This book teaches useful

English phrases for daily life with simple explanations and lots of examples." That sounds perfect for me.

It looks really good. Do you want to read a few pages here before you decide to buy it? Yes, I always do that. I like

to read a little bit before I buy a book. I want to make sure the writing style is easy to understand. That's

another thing people do in bookstores, right? Standing in front of the shelf and reading for 30 minutes without

noticing the time. Yes, exactly. I do that all the time. Okay, I read a few pages and I like it. I'm going to buy

this one. So, are you going to buy the paper book or have you thought about getting the

digital version? I think I'll get the paper book, but actually I've been thinking about ebooks

recently. My friend talks about them a lot. Oh, really? Have you ever read an ebook

before? No, never. But my friend told me they are very convenient. You can carry many books on one small device.

That's true. A device like a tablet or a special e-reader can hold thousands of books. You just download them from the

internet. It only takes a few seconds. Thousands? That's amazing. And you can read them anywhere, right?

Yes, on the train, at a cafe, in bed, even on a plane. Anywhere you want. And many ebooks are cheaper than paper

books, so you can save money, too. That sounds really nice, but I think I would miss holding a real book in my

hands. I love turning the pages. I understand that feeling. Many people feel the same way. The touch of real

paper is special. But there is also another interesting option. Have you heard of audio books?

Audio books? Is that when someone reads the book out loud for you? Exactly. Someone records themselves

reading the whole book and you listen to it like music. It's great for when you are busy doing other things, like when

you are driving, cooking, or exercising. You can enjoy a book without using your eyes or your hands.

Oh, that could be really good for English practice, too. I can listen to English and learn at the same time. Yes,

for sure. That's a great way to practice. In America and Europe, ebooks and audio books are really popular. Many

people read ebooks on their phones every day. Some people listen to audio books while they walk to work.

I see. That's very different from Japan. Here, most people still prefer paper books, but maybe that is changing

slowly. I think so. Both paper books and ebooks are good. It just depends on what you

like. That's true. Maybe I'll try an ebook or an audio book sometime. But for today, I

want this paper book, for sure. Good choice. Let's go pay for it. Hello. Will that be all for today?

Yes, just this one book, please. Sure. Would you like a bag for your book?

Yes, please. A small bag would be fine. Okay. A bag will be 5 yen. Is that all right? Yes, that's fine. No problem.

Great. Your total is 1,650 yen.

Will you be paying with cash or card? I'll pay with card, please. Of course. Please tap or insert your

card here. Okay. Payment is complete. Do you have a point card with us?

Yes, I do. Here you go. Thank you. I've added your points. You now have 230

points total. Here is your receipt and your book. Thank you very much. Please come again.

Thank you very much. You know, the point card system in Japan is really interesting.

Almost every store has its own point card. You can collect points at bookstores, convenience stores,

supermarkets, everywhere. In America, we don't have that many point cards.

Really? I thought every country had point cards. I use mine all the time. I have so many in my wallet. Some stores

have them, but it's not as common as in Japan. Japanese people are very good at

collecting points. Also, the bag fee is interesting. In America, some states charge for bags,

but many stores still give bags for free. Oh, I didn't know that.

In Japan, we started paying for bags a few years ago. I just always bring my own bag now. It's become a habit. That's

a really good habit. It's better for the environment. I should start doing that, too.

That was really fun. I always enjoy going to bookstores with you, Mina. Me, too, Sam. I'm really happy with my new

book. I can't wait to start reading it tonight. You learned some new English words today, too. Do you remember what a

blurb is? Yes, it's the short text on the back of a book that tells you what the story is about. It helps you decide

if you want to buy the book. Perfect. And what does in stock mean? It means the store has the book right now. You

can buy it today. And out of stock means they don't have it, so you need to wait or order it. Great job. You also learned

about genres and sections. Fiction, non-fiction, and self-help are all different genres. And an aisle is the

path between the bookshelves. Yes, and I learned about ebooks and audio books, too. An ebook is a digital book you can

read on a device. And an audio book is a book you listen to. Exactly right. I'm amazed you remembered everything.

Thank you. I want to try an audio book soon. I think it will really help my English listening skills. I think so,

too. You know, a bookstore is not just a place to buy books. It's a place to discover new things, learn new words,

and have a good time. I agree completely. A bookstore is more than just a store. It's an experience.

That sounds like something from a self-help book. Maybe we should write our own self-help

book someday. That's a great idea. But for now, let's come again soon. There are still so many

books we haven't looked at. Yes, let's come again. I already want to buy more books. The best-seller corner is calling

my name. That's the bookstore magic. You can never leave with just one book.

How was it? I hope this video helped you improve your English.

Now, let me ask the question from the beginning one more time. What does in stock mean?

>> [music] >> The answer was mentioned in the video. Did you find it?

>> [music] >> If you did, please write your answer in the comments section.

By practicing English output like this, you can improve your English skills more [music] efficiently.

On this channel, I share stories in [music] slow and easy English with small but useful tips

>> [music] >> to help you learn. I will keep uploading videos like this.

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video and leave a comment. I also offer channel memberships. >> [music]

>> If you enjoyed this video, please consider joining as a member. All right. That's all for today.

I hope to see you in the next video. >> [music] >> See you next time.

Bye.