Fred and Rita are in a camera shop. Fred is looking for a new camera. There's one small problem - he doesn't have any money!

Rita: Do you really need a new camera? What are you going to use it for?

Fred: To take photos.

Rita: Obviously! But what type of photos?

Fred: What do you mean?

Rita: Do you want to take creative photos? Or just pictures of you and your friends

Fred: What’s the difference?

Rita: For creative photos you think about light and composition. You use different lenses and shutter speeds. For ordinary photos you just point and click.

Fred: Can I do both with the same camera?

Salesman: You can with our new Bridge range! It’s for the casual photographer and the professional.

Salesman hands camera to Fred.

Fred: Yeah, this looks like the one for me.

Rita: It’s quite expensive, Fred. Are you sure you want to pay that much?

Salesman: There are cheaper models. But with this one you get entered for a prize draw. You can win a weekend in New York.

Fred: New York! That sounds great. I’d love to go to New York. I’ll have this one!

Rita: (whispers) Fred, are you crazy? You can't buy an expensive camera just to enter a prize draw. What are the chances of you winning?

Fred: Better than if I'm not in the draw. To the salesman Can you keep this for me until Friday?

Rita: (whispers more loudly) How are you going to pay for this. You don't have any money!

Fred: Not until Friday.

Rita: What’s happening Friday?

Fred: I’ve entered another prize draw. If I win that, I can buy this camera.

Bones
New Phone
Prize Draw






The Fred and Rita dialogues come with a glossary and activities. They first appeared in Ming Pao Daily in 2008.

Text: © 2009 Kieran McGovern
Illustrations: © 2009 George Hayford -Taylor