Places which are special to people

Laís Helena Serra Ramalho

Cultura Inglesa

Upper Intermediate 2

A. Write about places which are special to people

Most of people have their favourite places, ones which are special for one reason or another — perhaps for a good memory, or because it’s a place where people manage to have a lot of fun. For me, a special place could be a bakery.

I love going to bakeries. There are few things as pleasant as the scent of bread when it leaves the oven, filling all the corners of the building. And I can’t manage pass by the showcases without choosing one of the pleasures which lay behind, such as cakes and many types of sweets.

And, above all, I love having breakfast at bakeries — specially in rainy or cold days. My favourite dish is bread fried with butter, which is very popular in Brazil, yet I have it with milk with chocolate instead of coffee. I like eating very calmly while I watch people passing by or read a book. In a world where people mostly don’t have time for breakfast, I think it’s important to reserve some time to do it properly.

It’s because all this that bakeries turn to be very special places to me, and I wish I could have breakfast at a bakery everyday — or, at least, every week.

B. Write a letter of complaint

I am writing in order to express my dissatisfaction with products and mainly with the service at your shop, and to have my problems solved. Last month I bought a camera at your shop. When I arrived home and tried to use it for the first time, I realized it was not working properly.

I don’t know if it was a problem with the lens or with the buttons, but I wasn’t able to take photographs with it. As I couldn’t solve the problem by myself, I asked for help at your shop. The staff who talked with me at the phone was very considerate and said me to go to the shop, because a new camera would be given to me, in exchange for the one which doesn’t work.

When I arrived at the shop, however, I was told that it couldn’t be exchanged, so I should leave my camera at the shop to be fixed. But none of the staff were able to say when I could get it fixed, despite they made clear that this would take more than a few days.

I am writing directly to you in an attempt to have my problem solved soon, as I am going to travel in a few days and will need the camera for professional purposes. Furthermore, I would like to register that I am not satisfied with the service at all.