ESL Podcast 274 – Buying Stamps at the Post Office

Clerk: Can I help you?

Tamika: I’d like to buy some stamps.

Clerk: In what denomination¹?

Tamika: I’m not sure. I need them for sending regular letters and for Priority Mail.

Clerk: The current rate for sending a first-class letter is 41 cents. With first- class service, your letter will get there in three to seven days for domestic mail.

Tamika: For the first-class stamps, how many come in a book or a roll?

Clerk: There are 20 in a book and 100 in a roll. To send a Priority Mail envelope, you can get $4.05 stamps, and delivery is usually in two to three days. How many would you like of each?

Tamika: I’ll take one book of the stamps and four Priority Mail stamps. Can I buy stamps to send an Express Mail envelope, too?

Clerk: You can. Those are $14.40 each.

Tamika: Could you add one of those, too? And how much is it to send a postcard? I don’t need any stamps for those today, but I’m just curious.

Clerk: It’s 24 cents to send a postcard. Okay, that’s a book of 41-cent stamps, four Priority Mail stamps, and one Express Mail stamp. Anything else?

Tamika: Could I pick the design of the first-class stamps?

Clerk: Yes. You can choose from these commemorative ones or the standard flag design.

Tamika: I’ll take the commemorative ones.

Clerk: Your total comes to $38.80.

Tamika: Here’s $40.

Clerk: Here’s your change and your stamps. Have a nice day.

Tamika: Thanks. You, too.


Script by Dr. Lucy Tse

1 denomination   

n.命名，取名，(度量衡、货币等的)单位

参考例句：

• The firm is still operating under another denomination.这家公司改用了名称仍在继续营业。
• Litre is a metric denomination.升是公制单位。