B1 · Intermediate · Negotiating · 195 words · ~2 min read

🌾 The Flour Supplier

Language focus: Bargaining & negotiating

The Secret Recipe of Borough Market

Mr Okonkwo had supplied flour to Ferns & Flour for over thirty years. His stall, piled high with plump sacks of golden grain, smelled wonderfully of warm wheat. “Your great-grandmother always used my finest stoneground flour,” he said, “but I’m afraid it doesn’t come cheap these days.”

Nadia was working with a very tight budget, so she had to negotiate carefully. “I honestly can’t pay that much,” she said. “Could you possibly knock the price down a little, for an old family friend?” Mr Okonkwo chuckled to himself. “You drive a hard bargain, just like your gran did.”

In the end, the two of them settled on a fair price, and he even threw in a small sack of rye for free. “For luck,” he said with a wink. They shook hands firmly, and Nadia felt a welcome flicker of her old confidence beginning to return.

Before she left, Mr Okonkwo paused thoughtfully. “There was one thing your grandmother always added,” he said. “A special ingredient she bought from someone else entirely. I never did learn what it was — but the food critic, Pemberton, just might know.” Another lead, another door to knock on.

Key vocabulary (6 words)

stallnoun
A small open shop or table at a market.
sacknoun
A large bag made of strong material.
wheatnoun
The grain used to make flour and bread.
budgetnoun
The amount of money you have to spend.
negotiateverb
To discuss something in order to reach an agreement.
confidencenoun
The feeling of being sure about your abilities.

Phrasal verbs in this episode

  • knock down — To knock down a price means to reduce it.
  • throw in — To throw in means to include something extra for free.
  • settle on — To settle on something means to decide or agree on it.

Comprehension quiz

  1. What does Mr Okonkwo supply?

    • Flour
    • Cheese
    • Paint
    Show answer

    Flour

  2. Why must Nadia negotiate carefully?

    • She has a tight budget
    • She has too much money
    • She dislikes him
    Show answer

    She has a tight budget

  3. “Knock the price down” means to…

    • reduce it
    • raise it
    • pay it
    Show answer

    reduce it

  4. “Drive a hard bargain” means to…

    • argue firmly for a good deal
    • drive a lorry
    • give up
    Show answer

    argue firmly for a good deal

  5. What does he “throw in” for free?

    • A small sack of rye
    • A loaf of bread
    • A coffee
    Show answer

    A small sack of rye

  6. Who might know the secret ingredient?

    • Pemberton, the food critic
    • The Queen
    • A tourist
    Show answer

    Pemberton, the food critic

All 20 B1 episodes

More graded reading & practice