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IKEA
IKEA

Learn English meaning of ‘IKEA’

Date: Jun 30 2017

Themes: Hobbies, How To

Grammar: Count and Noncount Nouns

Intro

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2. Read and Prepare - Read the introduction and prepare to hear the audio.

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IKEA is a magical place. It is a huge store full of modern and crafty furniture. People who live in small spaces buy IKEA furniture to save space. Other people buy their furniture because it is easy to assemble. They can put it together on their own! And if you lose a piece, they have a wall full of useful bits and pieces. But IKEA is not just about the furniture. Some would say IKEA is an experience.

The store sucks you in with all of its aisles and goodies. Sometimes, they serve really good cookies as snacks for the shoppers. They even have childcare for parents who want to shop freely. Most of the time, you are in good hands when you shop at IKEA. If people complain, they usually think the instructions are cryptic and confusing. They may have a hard time assembling their beautiful new furniture!

Kelsey is having trouble assembling her IKEA dresser. Listen as she tells Marni about her troubles in today’s English lesson.

Dialog

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2. Study - Read the dialog again to see how the vocab words are used.

Kelsey

Kelsey

Marni

Marni

Kelsey:  Hey Marni, I just got home from IKEA and I’m trying to assemble this dresser and it like… I’m so overwhelmed. Can you help me?

Marni:  Absolutely. I am an expert in deciphering the cryptic instructions of IKEA furniture.

Kelsey:  I figured. I know you love IKEA.

Marni:  I do love IKEA. I mean, what’s not to love? I mean, granted it’s a giant warehouse filled with stuff and it kind of sucks you in. But… I love just wandering for hours because it is the one store I can go to and drop off my son. And then, I can just shop freely and I know that he’s being entertained with…whatever they’re doing in the IKEA childcare.

Kelsey:  Well yeah, I mean I know you love it… Do you think you can help me? Like, there’s all these bits and pieces and… I need to make sure it will like, fit like with all my other furniture. Like, I shouldn’t have even gotten it yet, I don’t know what to do.

Marni:  Well, I will come over and I will help you put it together, so don’t worry. And the wonderful thing about IKEA is if you’re missing any pieces, you can just go there and they have an entire wall of bits and pieces that you can go and just get what you need.

Kelsey:  Really?

Marni:  So, fear not, you are in good hands, I will help you get this done.

Kelsey:  Thank you.

Marni:  Your welcome.

 

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Discussion

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Kelsey got a dresser from IKEA. She is having trouble assembling it and feels overwhelmed. Marni says she is an expert at deciphering the cryptic instructions for IKEA furniture. Kelsey knows Marni loves IKEA. Marni asks, “What’s not to love?” Even though it is a huge warehouse and sucks you in, it’s a great store. You can drop off your kids at the IKEA childcare and shop freely!

Kelsey agrees that IKEA is great. But she is confused with all the bits and pieces of the dresser. She doesn’t know if it will fit with the other furniture. Marni says she will come over and help her assemble it. IKEA also has a wall with lots of bits and pieces. So if you lose any, you can just go there and buy them! Marni tells Kelsey she is in good hands. She will help her get it done.

Do you like IKEA furniture? Have you had trouble assembling furniture by yourself?

 

Comments

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Merril

United States

I do not understand those who have a problem with IKEA. Everything is intuitive when assembling furniture.

11:23 PM Mar 11 2019 |

Seiyfk

Seiyfk

Turkey

Really IKEA is very useful furniture store..ı saw it in big city in Izmir and ı bought somethings from it..really their materials,furniture,items are very good quality .it has all kind of house needings..towels,lights,chairs,tools,tables,furniture, ..list of long …


ı wondered its meaning of IKEA ..and ı learned very interesting things..


IKEA was founded in 1943 by 17-year-old Ingvar Kamprad in Sweden and it is owned by a Dutch-registered foundation controlled by the Kamprad family. IKEA is an acronym comprising the initials of the founder’s name (Ingvar Kamprad), the farm where he grew up (Elmtaryd), and his home parish (Agunnaryd, in Småland, South Sweden).


Ingvar


Kamprad


Elmtaryd


Agunnaryd


= IKEA


IKEA sells household furnishings. Its furniture comes in “knock down” form and has to be assembled by the customer. This saves space in transportation and assembly costs. The cost saving is passed on to the customer, hence prices are cheaper. If customers want their furniture assembled, the various outlets will do that - for an assembly and transportation charge.




11:02 PM Jul 01 2017 |

eduardosoutoSuper Member!

Brazil

Here in Brazil we don’t have IKEA stores, unfortunately, right? But we have HAVAN, that sells the same kind of stuff.


I have never had trouble assembling furniture because it is always my dad who deciphers the cryptic instructions that come together with the furniture I usually buy.


I just googled some pictures from IKEA store and it really sucks you in, amazing store! <3

12:07 AM Jul 01 2017 |

1 person likes this

hermitlady

China

I wonder if this is a advertisement for IKEA? (: but what’s that got to do with it? I heard of the IKEA but never used it. So, it is not like or dislike.


   No. if only me , there will be no difficult to assemble furniture by myself.  I like assembling something. I believe if it could be assembled a something, it must be assembled a something. If I felt some troubles, it must be wrong the way of assembling it, or I only didn’t find the right way. So I can assemble the bicycle, the toy, the furniture, the chair, the table, and all that I ever had done.


   But when there were somebody other ,such as my husband, my son, my male colleagues, I don’t want to do these things.  That is to say, if someone could do such things, I would not to do.



   What we can know from this, is, nothing one can’t do, only wiling ,unwilling. 

02:22 AM Jun 30 2017 |

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