Getting Ready
Can you guess the price of these items in a typical American city? Write the prices in the chart. Then write the prices of the items in your city.
75¢ $1500 $9 $20 $140 $500
|
American city’s price |
Your city’s price |
|
|
1 a movie ticket |
$9 |
|
|
2 a newspaper |
||
|
3 a digital camera |
||
|
4 a DVD |
||
|
5 a pair of sneakers |
||
|
6 a laptop computer |
Show answers
Your own answers
Listening 1
People are asking about prices. Listen and write the price of each item.
Show answers & Transcript
1) $55 2) $1,899 3) $36.95
4) $26.95 5) $14.25 6) $125
Transcript
1)
A: Can I help you?
B: Yes, how much are these shoes?
A: They’re on sale, Let’s see__ They’re $55.
B: Uh-huh.
A: Do you want to try them on?
B: No, thanks.
2)
A: How much is this computer?
B: It’s on sale for $1,899.
A: $1,899!
B: Do you want to buy it?
A: That’s okay. I’m just looking.
3)
A: This tie isn’t bad. How much is it?
B: It’s $35.95.
A: $36.95. Well, maybe I don’t really need a tie. Thanks, anyway.
4)
A: These shorts are nice, aren’t they?
B: Yes, and they’re only $26.95. Do you want to take them?
A: Yeah, I think I will.
5)
A: How much are these earrings?
B: They’re only $14.25.
A: They’re nice. I’ll take them.
B: Okay.
6)
A: That camera looks interesting. How much is it?
B: It’s on sale. It was $145, but now it’s only $125.
A: Hmm. Well, I’ll think about it.
Listening 2
Task 1
Listen to cashiers in a store. Write the total amount each person needs to pay and the amount of change each person receives.
1) total: ________.
change: ________.
2) total: ________.
change: ________.
3) total: ________.
change: ________.
4) total: ________.
change: ________.
5) total: ________.
change: ________.
6) total: ________.
change: ________.
Show answers
1) Total: $7.50, Change: $12.50
2) Total: $27.90, Change: $2.10
3) Total: $9.65, Change: $10.35
4) Total: $12.15, Change: $7.85
5) Total: $12.49, Change: $7.51
6) Total: $18.25, Change: $7.75
Task 2
Listen again. What two things did each person buy? Check (✓) the correct answers.
1) soup
soap
apples
tomatoes
shampoo
2) CD
DVD
batteries
cassette
poster
3) newspapers
stamps
books
magazines
notebook
4) coat
T-shirt
shoes
socks
tie
5) chocolates
cake
soda
bread
cookies
6) stamps
magazines
newspapers
book
notebook
Show answers & Transcript
1) soup, shampoo
2) DVD, batteries
3) newspapers, magazines
4) T-shirt, socks
5) chocolates, cookies
6) magazines, book
Transcript
1)
Let’s see. Soup. That’s two for a dollar. And a bottle of shampoo – $6.50. So that comes to $7.50 and your change is $12.50.
2)
Okay, now – let me see what you’ve got. The DVD- a good one, one of favorite movies – is $22.95, and the batteries are on sale for $4.95. So, let me see__ That comes to $27.90. So here’s your change, two dollars and ten cents.
3)
Yes, can I help you? Okay. Let’s see. The newspapers are $1.50, and the magazines will cost another__ $8.15. Yes, so that’s, let me see, $9.65, right? Here’s your change, $10.35.
4)
So you’re taking the T-shirt – nice choice. The color looks good on you. Okay, that’s $8.95, then the socks. They’re another $3.20, so that’s $12.5, and here’s your change, $7.85.
5)
Mmm, I like chocolates, too. Okay, that’s $9.50 for the chocolates. And chocolate chip cookies, too. Mmm. You really do like chocolate. The cookies are $2.99. So that’s $12.49. And here’s your change, $7.51.
6)
Is this all? Okay. Let’s see. Now the magazines are $6.25. And you’re taking the book? That’s $12.00. So that comes to $18.25 altogether. And here’s your change. That’s a dollar seventy-five.
Listening 3
Task 1
People are talking about prices in the U.S. and prices in their own country. Listen and check (✓) the correct answer.
|
Cheaper in their country |
Cheaper in the U.S. |
|
|
1) cars |
||
|
2) rents |
||
|
3) clothes |
||
|
4) air travel |
||
|
5) tuition |
||
|
6) hospitals |
Show answers
1) Cheaper in the U.S.
2) Cheaper in their country
3) Cheaper in the U.S
4) Cheaper in the U.S
5) Cheaper in the U.S
6) Cheaper in their country
Task 2
Listen again. Are these statements true or false? Check (✓) the correct answer.
|
True |
False |
|
|
1) He doesn’t own a car in the U.S. |
||
|
2) She lived in a nicer neighborhood at home than the one she lives in now. |
||
|
3) He bought a lot of clothes before he moved to the U.S. |
||
|
4) She travels by plane a lot in the U.S. |
||
|
5) Public schools in his country are better than those in the U.S. |
||
|
6) Hospital and clinics are expensive in her country. |
Show answers & Transcript
1) False 2) True 3) True
4) True 5) False 6) False
Transcript
1)
I could never buy a car at home because we pay a very high tax on cars. Only rich people can really afford to buy a car at home. Here in the U.S., I drive a nice new car and I can easily afford it. You don’t have to be rich to own a car, which is great.
2)
At home it only costs about $300 a month to rent a nice apartment. That’s what I used to pay for a four-room apartment in a good neighborhood. Here in the U.S., I pay more than twice that for a much smaller apartment, and it’s not in a very nice neighborhood.
3)
I bought a lot of clothes in country before I moved to the U.S. because everyone told me how expensive American clothing is. I was kind of surprised that I could get nice clothes here for very reasonable prices. In fact, it costs me less for clothes here than it used to cost me at home.
4)
In country, not a lot of people travel by plane because it costs more than most people can afford. But the U.S. is such a big country and the population is large, so you have a lot of people traveling by plane. That’s what keeps the prices down. That means I can afford to fly here and I do it all the time. I couldn’t do that at home.
5)
Most people send their children to private schools at home because the public schools are not very good. You have to pay a lot to do that, so it’s a big expense for many people. Public schools are better in the U.S., and they’re free, so most people here send their children to public schools.
6)
Here in the U.S. you need to have health insurance because it costs a lot to see a doctor or to enter a hospital. At home, you don’t have to pay much to see a doctor or go to a hospital because most of the clinics and hospitals are run by the government.
Conversation Corner: Talking about prices
Task 1
Listen to the conversation. Write the missing words.
A: Excuse me. I need a new computer. What’s the price range for your laptops?
B: Well, our lowest-priced laptop is only ________ Our highest-priced model costs ________
A: That’s __________! Can you tell me about the low-priced one?
B: Well, it’s fine for basic use, if you don’t play games much.
A: Well, I am a big gamer, but I don’t want to spend over a __________ dollars, though.
B: This model has a lot of power, and it only costs __________ dollars. It’s very popular.
A: Hmm, let me take a look.
Task 2
Practice the conversation with a partner. Be sure to stress the correct syllables in the numbers.
Show answers & Transcript
A: Excuse me. I need a new computer. What’s the price range for your laptops?
B: Well, our lowest-priced laptop is only three hundred twenty-nine ninety-nine . Our highest-priced model costs two thousand one hundred ninety nine ninety nine .
A: That’s expensive ! Can you tell me about the low-priced one?
B: Well, it’s fine for basic use, if you don’t play games much.
A: Well, I am a big gamer, but I don’t want to spend over a thousand dollars, though.
B: This model has a lot of power, and it only costs seven hundred ninety nine dollars. It’s very popular.
A: Hmm, let me take a look.