Flea Markets

Flea Markets
作者：Cath McLellan
来源：《英语世界》2023年第10期
The rise of flea markets
As the economic crisis continues， people find themselves with less disposable income. It is not a surprise， then， that flea markets are becoming more popular in cities all over the world， as bargain hunters go on the lookout for an original item with a unique history （and a small price tag！）.
Everything and anything for sale
Flea markets can be indoors or outdoors， and anyone can rent a space to sell second-hand items， from clothes and shoes to furniture， technology， toys， lamps and anything else that you can imagine. Although the origin of the word ‘flea market’ is not exactly clear， it is thought to come from the French term ‘marché aux puces’ which means ‘market of the fleas’， as these kinds of markets were popular in Paris in the 1860s， and sold mostly old， scruffy furniture which probably had fleas living in it.
An international trend
These days， there are hundreds of famous flea markets all around the world， and some of these have become popular tourist attractions. Perhaps not surprisingly， Le Marché aux Puces Saint-Ouen de Clignancourt in Paris is one of the most popular in the world， attracting over 5 million visitors per year， and it is the fourth most popular tourist attraction in Paris.
Even in cities where these types of markets didn’t exist in the past， flea markets are now appearing. Barcelona’s flea market was set up by Mark Dix and Natalia Perez. They say that t hey started the market because ‘people love to shop，but we all have so much stuff we don’t need—so it’s a good opportunity for people to get rid of good-quality stuff they don’t want and for people to keep shopping’. The Barcelona market has grown from it s first event in 2007 with ten tables to a monthly market with over 23，000 followers on Facebook.
The past life of things
It isn’t just about finding cheap things to buy though. There is something fascinating about finding an item that has a past life， and imagining its previous owner and the history behind an item. For many people， this is the excitement of shopping at flea markets.
Activity 1
Before you read， match the word or phrase to a definition.
1. bargain
2. disposable income
3. flea
4. get rid of
5. scruffy
6. second-hand
7. unique
a. a small insect that lives on other animals and bites them
b. different from everything else
c. money you have to spend after you have paid your bills/living costs
d. not very clean or tidy
e. something which has a very good price
f. already been used; not new
g. to throw away something you don’t need
Activity 2
Now complete the sentences using words and phrases from the text. Make any changes to the words that are necessary.
1. I didn’t have enough money to buy a new car， so I decided to buy a （____） one from a friend of mine—it was only two years old.
2. I have got so many shoes that I never wear—I really need to （____） some.
3. ‘I only paid 25 pounds for this silk dress—it was a real （____）！’
4. I think my cat has （____）—he keeps scratching himself.
5. I wore my jeans when we were painting the house， and now they look really （____）.
6. She wanted her website to look different from others and be （____）， so she designed it herself.
7. When I was a student I didn’t have much （____）， as I only worked part-time in a bar.
Activity 3
Decide if the following statements are true or false， according to the text. Can you correct the false ones？
1. These days， people have more money to spend on the things that they like.
2. The word ‘flea market’ comes from a French phrase.
3. The original flea markets sold high-quality furniture.
4. Flea markets are a good opportunity to buy things you don’t need.
5. A lot of people enjoy buying something which is old and has a story.
Activity 4
Use the adjectives in brackets in either the comparative or superlative form to complete the sentences.
Example： Le Marché aux Puces in Paris is one of the ... most popular ... [popular] markets in the world.
1. Going on holiday in your own country is usually （____） [cheap] than going on holiday to a different country.
2. The （____）[big] market in my town is the Saturday farmers’ market—there are always hundreds of people there.
3. I like to watch nature programmes on TV as they are （____） [interesting] than typical comedy shows.
4. Buying new furniture is always （____） [expensive] than buying second-hand furniture.
5. This is the （____） [good] meal I have ever eaten！ The food is delicious！
Activity 5
How popular are flea markets where you live？ Have you ever bought anything second-hand？ Answers
Activity 1
1. e;
2. c;
3. a;
4. g;
5. d;
6. f;
7. b
Activity 2
1. second-hand;
2. get rid of;
3. bargain;
4. fleas;
5. scruffy;
6. unique;
7. disposable income
Activity 3
1. False （F）—People have less money;
2. True （T）;
3. F—They sold scruffy furniture，probably with fleas;
4. F—Flea markets are a good opportunity to sell things you don’t need;
5. T
Activity 4
1. cheaper;
2. biggest;
3. more interesting;
4. more expensive;
5. best。