El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Ohio Standards
Connection:
Foreign Language
Comparisons
Benchmark C
Analyze and discuss how
products, practices, and
perspectives of the
students’ own culture and
the target culture overlap
and differ.
Indicator 4
Compare and contrast
availability and
affordability of products
and services (e.g., cell
phones, cars, cable TV) in
the target culture and
students’ own culture.
Benchmark D
Discuss the concept of
culture through analysis of
products, practices and
perspectives of the target
culture and students’ own
culture.
Indicator 5
Analyze how
advertisement reflects
perspectives related to
products and practices of
the target culture and
students’ own culture.
Lesson Summary: Intermediate Level Proficiency
Students will be able to compare and contrast the
availability and affordability of products and services such
as cellular phones, cars, videogames, computers, athletic
shoes, foods, beverages, etc., in the target culture and
students’ own culture. Also, students will learn the system of
advertising products and practices in the target culture and
compare it with their own culture. Using graphic
organizers, video advertising, discussion, questions and
cooperative learning, students will have the opportunity to
discuss and analyze the aspects of advertising products in
both cultures. Finally, students will compare buying power
of average families in both cultures. Students at this level
are familiar with costs and benefits of trade with regard to
the standard of living, productivity capacity and, uses of
products and resources in U.S. culture (Social Studies
Grade 9 Economics indicators). These topics will appear
throughout this lesson in comparison with Colombian
culture.
Estimated Duration: Eight hours
The foreign language academic standards were written with
the assumption that elementary programs meet for 90
minutes per week and that secondary programs meet the
equivalent of 50 minutes per day throughout the year. Time
and intensity do matter, and programs that meet for fewer
minutes/less often will need more time to review previously
introduced material before moving forward.
Commentary:
From the writer: Students have a great deal of advertising
directed at them. With larger amounts of disposable income
than ever before, many companies invest a great deal of
money and time to persuade students to buy their products
and services. This lesson allows students to review their
own consumerism and consumerism in the target culture.
The rationale for this theme is that students will be able to
analyze, discuss and compare the standard of living in both
cultures, and how the cost of living affects different
segments of a population in different parts of the world.
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Commentary, cont.:
Students also will be able to evaluate products, practices and services made in another
culture, and compare them with the same or similar products, practices and services of this
culture. In turn, as consumers, students can make wise decisions in choosing a place to live,
and in buying and selling their products and services.
Pre-Assessment:
Students shall complete Attachment A, Pre-Assessment.
Scoring Guidelines:
The Pre-Assessment is not formally scored. Instead teacher observation will be used to revise
instruction as needed based on students’ answers and demonstrated understanding.
Post-Assessment:
After completing an advertising comparison and a study of the affordability and availability
of products and services, students will complete Attachment B, Post-Assessment, which
includes:
 Answering 12 multiple choice questions;
 Writing a short paragraph comparing and contrasting the salaries, current exchange rate,
the availability and affordability of products and services in both cultures;
 Completing a Venn diagram comparing and contrasting the advertisement of products in
the United States and in Colombia.
Scoring Guidelines:
The three parts of the Post-Assessment are scored in the following ways:
 Score two points for each correct multiple choice response;
 Score the short compare-contrast paragraphs using a four-point rubric. See Attachment C,
Rubric for Writing of Post-Assessment;
 Score one point for each correctly sorted sentence in the Venn diagram.
Instructional Procedures:
Day One
1. Administer the Pre-Assessment. Distribute a copy to each student. Advise students not to
worry if they do not know all the vocabulary as it will be presented following the PreAssessment.
2. Introduce and discuss the new vocabulary from the Pre-Assessment: productos
(products), encontrar (to look for), precios (prices), emisoras (radio station), anuncios
(ads), disponibilidad (availability), poder de compra (purchasing power), cuñas
(commercials), propaganda (commercial), almacén (department store), consumidor
(consumer), talleres de mecánica (automechanics), cobrar (to charge), arreglar (to fix),
cualquier (any), imagen del anuncio (image of the ad), credibilidad (credibility),
confianza (trust), familiaridad (familiarity), materiales de mercadeo (marketing
materials), mensaje claro (clear message), calidad del producto (product quality),
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
profesional de mercadeo (marketing professional), satisfaccón garantizada (guaranteed
satisfaction), devolución del dinero (your money back).
Day Two
3. Open class by quickly reviewing the vocabulary from the day before. Use a transparency
of either Attachment A, Pre-Assessment, or you may use Attachment D, Vocabulary
Review: Day One, for this review.
4. Present the day’s new vocabulary and expressions: disco compacto (CD), investigación
(research), impresor (printer), productos (products), cambio (change), disponibles
(available), revistas (magazines), vendedores (vendors), periódico (newspaper), ¿A
cómo está el cambio? (What is the exchange rate?), rebajas (sales), descuentos
(discounts), oferta (special), salario promedio (average salary), unidad monetaria
(monetary unit), cheques (checks) tarjeta de crédito (credit card), porcentaje
(percentage). Have students practice this new vocabulary by completing Attachment E,
Vocabulary: Day Two.
Instructional Tip:
Discuss the definition and use of these words using your preferred technique. Students also
can demonstrate comprehension of the new vocabulary through cloze exercises with a word
bank or matching vocabulary with pictures.
5.
6.
7.
8.
Make a transparency of Attachment F, Monetary System in the U.S. and in Colombia.
Use it to explain the monetary unit in Colombia and compare it with the monetary unit
of the U.S. In addition, students need to know about the minimum and average salaries
to make decisions related to buying power. Distribute Attachment G, Worksheet, and
review these monetary concepts as a class.
Distribute Attachment H, Comparison of Products, Prices and Exchange Rates. Have
students complete this sheet alone or with a partner. Review it as a class.
Use a transparency of Attachment I, Summary/Closure: Day Two, to review the day’s
main points.
Assign Attachment J, Homework: Day Two, which will be discussed and turned in the
next day.
Day Three
9. Begin by reviewing the vocabulary from the previous class, and discuss the homework
assignment. You may use a transparency to compare the prices of products in the U.S.
with those in Colombia and salaries.
10. Present the day’s new vocabulary: impresora (printer) calculadora (calculator),
computador(a) (computer), teléfono celular (cellular phone), ¿Cuánto cuesta? (How
much does it cost?), porcentaje (percentage), salario mínimo (minimum salary).
Instructional Tip:
Consider presenting this vocabulary by using open-ended questions. As review, pose these
questions using various verb tenses, such as:
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
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Present tense: ¿Cuánto cuesta una buena calculadora para un estudiante de colegio
en los Estados Unidos? ¿Y en Colombia? (How much does a good calculator for a
high school student cost in the U.S.? And In Colombia?)
Preterite: ¿Cuánto te costó el impresor que compraste ayer en Miami? Y ¿Cuánto te
costó el que compraste en Bogotá el mes pasado? (How much did you pay for the
printer that you bought yesterday? How much did the one you bought in Bogotá last
month cost?)
Imperfect: ¿Cuál era el salario mínimo en los Estados Unidos en 1980? (What was
the minimum salary in the U.S. in 1980?)
Future of probability: ¿Cuál será el salario mínimo en el año 2020 en los Estados
Unidos? ¿Y en Colombia? (What will be the minimum salary in the U.S. in 2020?
And in Colombia?)
11. Introduce the concept of bargaining. You may use this activity in connection with money
exchange rates. For example, students could bargain the price of a product and convert
the pesos they pay into dollars.
Instructional Tip:
Bargaining is more common in Spanish-speaking countries than in the U.S. We bargain here
in limited situations, such as buying a car, a house, or on Internet auctions. In the U.S., the
system of bargaining consists mainly of the seller (companies) making offers, through
coupons, discounts, or specials. In most Latin American countries, however, bargaining is a
way of life and the consumer is the one who argues for a lower price. Both parties can win,
so to speak, in such a negotiation. The buyer wants the lowest price, and the seller the highest
price for a product. The cultural interaction is more personal than in this culture. However,
you do not bargain in places like supermarkets, malls or large department stores where prices
are fixed.
12. Analyze and discuss the minimum and average salaries in Colombia and in this country.
Discuss the different social structure in Colombia and in this country. For example, in
many Spanish-speaking countries, the wealthy and middle classes are smaller
percentages of the population. Then, engage students about who can afford to buy a
popular CD player in this country and who can buy the same CD player (same value) in
Colombia.
Instructional Tip:
For example, a Sony Portable CD Player, Model SL-SX290 sells for about US$46-49. In
Colombia, the same model sells for about $119,000 pesos (just over $40). While initially,
students may think that the CD player is more affordable in Colombia, that $40 takes up a
larger percentage of the average weekly income in Colombia than the percentage of average
weekly income required in the U.S., even at a higher price. This concept of percentages will
come up repeatedly throughout the rest of this lesson.
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
13. Use Attachment K, Summary/Closure: Day Three, to summarize the main points of the
day.
14. Have students graphically organize statements based on what they now know about
affordability and availability of products and services by completing Attachment L,
Formative Assessment.
15. Distribute Attachment M, Homework: Day Three, to be completed and returned the next
day.
Day Four
16. Check homework from the previous day. You may use a transparency to discuss the
assignment.
17. Introduce new vocabulary: ¿Cuánto vale? (How much is it worth?), ¿Cuál es el precio?
(What is the price?), tocador de discos compactos (CD player), salario promedio
(average salary), vendedor ambulante (street vendor), joyas (jewelry), perfumes
(perfumes), tienda (shop), mercado (open air market), mercadeo (marketing). Use
Attachment N, Vocabulary: Day Four, to review this new vocabulary.
Instructional Tip:
Introduce the following expressions:
Lo encuentro caro. .
I think it is expensive.
¿Me lo podría dejar en ____?
Could you let me have it for ___?
Quiero algo más barato.
I want something cheaper.
¿Me lo podría envolver?
Could you wrap it?
Es una ganga.
It is a bargain.
Déjemelos por___.
Let me have them for ___.
Be sure to discuss the meaning of all vocabulary and expressions and the appropriate cultural
contexts in which they are used.
18 Continue with the concept of bargaining. Pairs of students will play the role of a client
and a vendor in the target culture. One student will bargain the price of a pair of earrings
for his girlfriend. Distribute Attachment O, Bargaining Dialogue: Day Four, so that
students can use it as a model for other bargaining situations using different products
such as cadena de oro (gold chain), zapatos (shoes), perlas (pearls), botas (boots),
sandalias (sandals), etc. Each pair of students will act out this dialogue in front of the
class after they have practiced it. If possible, use authentic money.
Instructional Tip:
While students are working with the dialog, they can also begin determining the conversions
of the prices in pesos to dollars.
19. Wrap up the day’s lesson with Attachment P, Summary/Closure: Day Four.
20. Distribute Attachment Q, Homework: Day Four, which is to be completed and returned
the next day.
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Day Five
21. Review the homework. Analyze and discuss the articles that students found online
regarding a business that uses bargaining practices in a Spanish-speaking country.
Compare it with businesses here in the U.S.
22. Have students interpret three ads. If possible, have a copy of an authentic newspaper,
magazine or Internet ads for students to use in class. Have students look for the price of
a scientific calculator or a cellular phone, for example, and then convert those prices into
dollars with the use of a calculator. After converting the prices, have students compare
those prices with the local prices of comparable products.
Instructional Tip:
Useful keywords for the Internet are: Almacenes Exito, Colombia; Al costo, Colombia,
Fotografía Japonesa, Colombia.
23. Have students compare prices, affordability and available services by completing
Attachment R, Authentic Newspaper for Products and Prices.
Instructional Tip:
Based on the products you choose for your students to compare, you may need to change the
contents of Attachment R. The products listed are only suggestions.
24. Use Attachment S, Summary/Closure: Day Five, to review the main points of the day’s
lesson.
25. Distribute Attachment T, Homework: Day Five, which is to be completed and returned
the next day.
Day Six
26. Check the assignment from the day before. Ask individual students for the answers of
this assignment. Answers may vary.
27. Introduce new vocabulary: grandes almacenes (department stores or megastores),
almacenes de electrónica (electronic stores), negocios pequeños (small businesses),
contestador(a) (answering machine), videocasetera (VCR), escasez de productos
(shortage of products), ¿Cuál de los países . . .? (Which of the countries . . .?). Use a
transparency so that students can copy these new expressions in their journals.
Instructional Tip:
There are many ways to present new vocabulary. Use strategies that work best with your
particular group of students. Some suggestions have already appeared in earlier Instructional
Tips. Consider asking open-ended questions, such as: ¿Hay escacez de aceite de cocina en
Colombia? (Is there shortage of cooking oil in Colombia?), ¿Para qué sirve un contestador?
(What is the use of an answering machine?).
28. Explain that there are not as many super-stores or magastores in most Spanish-speaking
countries. As a result, people often go to small business stores and usually pay higher
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
prices because of the shortage of many products. See Attachment U, Large Stores, Small
Stores: Day Six.
29. Watch a video with commercials for Colombian products.
30. Play a video with U.S. commercials. Ask students what similarities and differences they
notice between the two countries’ commercials. Encourage discussion in simple Spanish
sentences of how products are advertised, what the products feature, how they are
displayed, and who is the target audience.
31. Ask students to complete Attachment V, Advertisement: Day Six.
Instructional Tips:
 You may use a Venn diagram, T-Charts or other graphic organizers in order to
familiarize students with them prior to the Post-Assessment. Such graphic organizers will
aid in class discussion. For example, students may observe that the Colombian
advertisements are based on songs most of the time. This is not very typical of U.S.
advertisements. In addition, Colombian ads have a lot of European and American
influences (music, fashion, boutique, movies). This foreign influence has brought about
changes in the values and attitudes of the young Spanish-speaking generation. Teenagers
want to hear more music from the U.S. than from their own culture. In addition, people
think that foreign products are better than their own products because they are influenced
by what they see in foreign films.
 Currently, U.S. ads have a lot of Spanish influence due to the fast growing Spanishspeaking population. This influence has generated some changes in the attitudes and
values of people in the U.S. They like to dance the salsa, the merengue, and the cumbia
in areas like New York, Miami, Texas, California, and Chicago. Based on their
experiences, students will generate many ideas.
 If you do not have access to Colombian commercials, you may tape one from the
Univisión or Telemundo networks. Keep in mind that these networks are directed to a
multinational audience, so similarities to U.S. ads may be more evident, and differences
may be less obvious.
32. Use Attachment W, Summary/ Closure: Day Six, to recap the day’s lesson.
33. Assign Attachment X, Homework: Day Six.
Day Seven
34. Discuss the homework from Day Six using a transparency. Student answers may vary.
35. Review the following vocabulary before you discuss the products teenagers in both
cultures buy: ropa de cuero (leather clothes), camisa (shirt), blusa (blouse), esmeraldas
(emeralds), vinos (wines), comidas (foods), quesos (cheeses), mensual (monthly), última
moda (latest fashion), comida enlatada, (canned food), tela (fabric), prenda de vestir (an
article of clothing).
36. Have students write complete sentences using the new vocabulary. For example, ropa:
La ropa de cuero en este almacén está muy cara. (clothes: Leather clothes in this store
are very expensive.)
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
37. Discuss how imported products affect the prices in the students’ culture and the target
culture. Discuss what products are available locally and their prices. Would they pay the
same price if they were to buy that product in a Spanish-speaking country? Why or why
not? What fashion products do teenagers buy in Colombia? How do they compare with
the fashion products teenagers buy in this country? How do the prices compare?
38. Discuss how importing products is much more costly to countries that have smaller
populations or that do not buy items in quantities as large as we do in the U.S.
39. Discuss that buying through catalogues in this country is very common. In the Spanishspeaking world however, this is not a common custom because shipping costs are high.
Internet shopping is not as common either, for many of the same reasons. A sample
problem for students to solve is: If I buy a Dell Model X laptop in the U.S., the price is
about $1000. However, if I buy the same model computer in Colombia, the price is
almost $2,000.00. Why? Posible answers are:
 Import taxes and costs.
 Low supply
 Great demand
40. Ask students the following questions to discuss buying practices in the U.S. and in
Colombia:
 ¿Qué productos de America Latina encontramos en esta ciudad? (What LatinAmerican products do we find in this city?) Possible answers are: ropa (clothes),
chaquetas de cuero (leather jackets), camisas (shirts), suéteres (sweaters), blusas
(blouses), frutas (fruit), bananas (bananas), café (coffee), esmeraldas (emeralds),
vinos chilenos y españoles (Chilean and Spanish wines), comidas (foods), quesos
(cheeses), tacos.
 ¿Qué tipo de ropa usan los muchachos hispanoamericanos? (What kind of clothing
do Hispanic youth wear?) A possible answer is: la ropa de última moda, similar a la
moda de los EE.UU (clothes of the latest style, similar to the styles in the U.S.).
41. Have students, in groups of three, answer five questions related to importing products
from a Spanish-speaking country or exporting a product to that country. Pose the
questions on a transparency so that students can answer them. See Attachment Y,
Import-Exports: Day Seven.
42. Use a transparency of Attachment Z, Summary/Closure: Day Seven, to discuss imported
Latin-American products, teenager clothing fashion products and how students connect
with other cultures without noticing (e.g., foods, music, sports, Spanish language).
43. Distribute Attachment A1, Homework: Day Seven. Inform students of the upcoming
Post-Assessment.
Day Eight
44. Distribute a magazine, a newspaper, or a brochure (of authentic material), to groups of
three students. Have each group find five different products and their prices.
45. Have students prepare a short dialogue asking each other about the cost of the items they
selected. The dialogue must contain a comparison with the prices and products of this
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
culture. Students will act out the dialogue they wrote from this activity in front of the
class.
Instructional Tip:
If you do not have authentic materials, find resources on the Internet. See Attachment A2,
Dialog: Comparison of Products and Practices in Colombia and in the U.S.
Day Nine
46. Answer any final questions from students.
Instructional Tip:
Based on student questions, you may decide to extend the lesson another day as review prior
to administering the Post-Assessment.
47. Administer the Post-Assessment. Before distributing the Post-Assessment, inform
students that the assessment contains three parts.
 Part I contains 12 multiple-choice questions. Each question has only one correct answer,
and students must carefully read each question to select the best answer.
 Part II contains two sections: A) In four to five sentences, students will compare and
contrast the U.S. and Colombia in relation to salaries, exchange rates, affordability and
availability of products and services. B) Students will draw a Venn diagram and will
answer two of three questions related to product advertising in Colombia and in the U.S.
 Part III: Students use a given Venn diagram to compare the two cultures in relation to
affordability, availability and advertisements of products in both cultures.
Students will have 50-55 minutes to complete this test.
Differentiated Instructional Support:
Instruction is differentiated according to learners’ needs, to help all learners either meet the
intent of the specified indicator(s) or, if the indicator is already met, to advance beyond the
specified indicator(s).
 Visual, auditory, and kinesthetic learners will receive instruction with transparencies,
posters, music, or activity sheets. Visual aids (pictures) will be used in the formative and
summative assessment with visual and kinesthetic learners. Specifically, you may ask
students (for extra credit) to make posters with pictures of CD’s, cellular phones, tennis
shoes, VCR’s, TV sets, iPod’s, cars and currencies.
 Multiple opportunities to interpret authentic materials (texts, newspapers, videos, etc.)
are included in the lesson.
 Scaffold prompts for students who need help with organizing their ideas. Keep the
students motivated and focused on the task.
 Pair students struggling with certain aspects of language acquisition with a strong
student who will help them minimize the frustration that is apparent with the lesson.
Also, provide individual instruction, or intervention, as soon as you observe that a
student is having problems with understanding.
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
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Have kinesthetic learners practice activities such as TPR, using visual products
(Colombian bills and coins), artifacts and other realia. These strategies could be
implemented when you discuss the meaning of vocabulary.
Proficient students may work in learning centers or at the computer to do an independent
task such as finding on the Internet the minimum wages in different countries in Latin
America and compare them with the wages of their own culture.
The summative assessment will be the same for the whole class with the exception of the
writing section. Students who are having problems with the language acquisition will
replace the writing section with a series of pictures related to the standards,
benchmarks/indicators. Individual questions will be asked by the teacher to elicit
answers from students. Example: Here are two drawings with different currencies of
countries that we have studied. Match the country with the proper currency.
Extensions:
 Groups of students may write skits for buying a CD in Colombia. In other cultures, the
consumer pays for a product in one area of the store, and then you go to another area
with the receipt to claim the product.
 Students might discuss the concept of culture through comparison of products of
Colombian culture with products of U.S. culture. For example, most of the time, you can
bargain the price of a product in Colombia; in the U.S., it is not a common practice. The
Colombian transportation of products from rural areas to the markets is often done by
mules; in the U.S., it is done by trucks. The Colombian products like poultry, meats,
vegetables and fruits are fresh and do not have chemical processing. The opposite occurs
in the U.S. Also, the prices of canned foods in Colombia are three or four times the
prices of the same items in the U.S. because these products are imported and not
produced in Colombia.
 Have students create a budget based on the average weekly wages in Colombia and
discuss how their lives would be different if that were their budget.
 Have students consider places in Ohio or the U.S. where the cost of living is higher than
their own community (large cities, remote communities like Alaska, areas where
transportation is a problem, like Hawaii) and compare costs in these places to costs in
Colombia.
 Have students consider what would be challenging for them as visitors to Colombia
given the present exchange rate (dealing with fewer coins, prices with much larger
numbers, using an ATM).
 Research the average salaries for different professions in Colombia and compare them
with the salaries for the same professions in this culture.
 Explore how the local and the Spanish-speaking cultures are connected in the areas of
entertainment, music, sports, clothing and foods.
 After becoming familiar with the concept of availability and affordability of products,
have students make a list of products in shortage in both countries (U.S. and Colombia).
Then, have students explain why there is a greater shortage of products in Spanishspeaking countries.
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Home Connections:
 Have students watch some advertisements on Univisión or Telemundo and report their
findings to the class.
 Have students write an E-mail to a friend telling her or him about the cost of several
products.
 Have students read a Spanish language newspaper, magazine, Web site and get ideas
about products and services in the Spanish-speaking countries.
 Have students visit a music store to investigate the type of Latin music and Hispanic
artists available in their community.
 Have students discuss with their parents the cost, availability and affordability of three
products. Then, have students E-mail a peer in Colombia to discuss costs of the same
products, their availability and who can afford to buy those products.
 Have students determine the exchange rate of the dollar in relation to the peso ten years
ago. Then, compare that exchange rate with the exchange rate of today. Using the
Internet or newspapers, students can find the exchange rates of the dollar in relation to
the Colombian peso on a daily basis.
 Have students locate local Hispanic newspapers to see how print ads compare to ads
seen in English language newspapers.
Materials and Resources:
The inclusion of a specific resource in any lesson should not be interpreted as an
endorsement of that particular resource or any of its contents by the Ohio Department of
Education. Please note that information published on the Internet changes over time and that
links may no longer contain the specific information related to a given lesson. Therefore,
teachers are advised to preview all sites before using them with students.
Note: Some Web sites contain material that is protected by copyright. Teachers should
ensure that any use of material from the Web does not infringe upon the content owner’s
copyright.
For the teacher:
overhead projector, posters, drawings, handouts, transparencies,
CD’s, computers, copies of Attachments, textbooks, markers,
newspapers (El Tiempo, La Prensa), VCR, T.V. set, magazines
(Cromos, Caras, Vanidades), commercial videos
For the student:
handouts, books, textbooks, copies of newspapers and magazines,
Web sites, visual aids, calculators
Vocabulary and Structures:
 almacén
 analizar
 anuncios
 arreglar
department store
to analyze
ads
to fix
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cambio
calidad garantizada
cobrar
crecer
consumidor
cuñas
credibilidad
confianza
comida enlatada
cheques
desarrollado
descuento
devolución de
disponibilidad
emisoras
escacez de productos básicos
esmeralda
estantes
grandes almacenes
imagen
impresora
mensaje
mercadeo
hacer cola
negocios
poder adquisitivo
periódicos
prenda de vestir
precios
porcentaje
productos disponibles
propaganda
rebajar
revistas
regatear
ropa
salario promedio
servicios
sub-desarrollado
taller de mecánica
tarjeta de crédito
exchange rate
excellent quality
to collect
to grow
consumer
ads
credibility
trust
canned food
checks
developed
discount
return
availability
radio station
scarcity of basic products
emerald
shelves, display window
megastores
image
printer
message
marketing
to stand in line
business
buying power
newspapers
piece of clothing
prices
percentage
available products
commercials
to lower the price
magazines
to bargain
clothes
average salary
services
underdeveloped
repair shop
credit card
12
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10






tocador de discos compactos
última moda
valores
vendedor ambulante
videocasetera
vinos
CD player
latest fashion
values
street vendor
VCR
wines






Idiomatic expressions:
¿Cuánto cuesta(n)?
¿Me lo podría dejar en...?
Déjemelo por…
Es una ganga.
Lo encuentro caro.
How much does it (do they) cost?
Could you let me have it for…?
Let me have it for…
It is a bargain.
I think it is expensive.
Technology Connections:
You may coordinate some of your lessons with the librarian or media specialist. The
librarians are a good source in finding national and international information. Take the
students to the library, especially when discussing the concept of culture through analysis of
products, practices and perspectives of both cultures (Colombia and the United States). Some
uses of technology included in this lesson are:
 On line sources for data and examples. (Keywords for Internet searches include:
Colombian markets, Colombian supermercados.);
 Calculators to convert currency and find percentages;
 Television set;
 Video camera to video skits by students;
 Boom box to play music;
 Digital video and computer software.
Research Connections:
Marzano, R. et al. Classroom Instruction that Works: Research-Based Strategies for
Increasing Student Achievement. Alexandria, VA: Association of Supervision and
Curriculum Development, 2001.
Generating and testing hypotheses engage students in powerful and analytic cognitive
operations. This includes historical investigation as a structured task.
Omaggio Hadley, Alice. Teaching Language in Context. 3rd Ed. Boston, MA: Heinle &
Heinle, 2001.
“…seeks to review and summarize past and present language acquisition theories,
examines trends that have influenced teaching practice.” The emphasis is on
communication and educational technology as it relates to Foreign Language teaching.
13
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
General Tips:
 This would be a good lesson for the beginning of the second semester (January) when
students have learned the use of preterite, imperfect, and future tenses. Another time to
use this lesson would be during Foreign Language Week in the month of February. Also,
this lesson can be modified for any country using many of the same elements.
 You will need to locate sample print and video ads in advance of implementing this
lesson. For example, seek assistance from university foreign language departments,
community colleges, or public libraries.
 Throughout the implementation of the lesson, use the following graphic organizers to
help students organize information for storage in the long-term memory and to recall
information to produce texts: idea cards (flash cards), interactive notes (short skits),
timelines, outline notes, lists of semantically related words (weather, sport activities,
music and dances, crafts, games, movies), flow charts, organizational charts,
comparative and contrastive maps.
Attachments:
Attachment A, Pre-Assessment
Attachment B, Post-Assessment
Attachment C, Rubric for Writing Section of Post-Assessment
Attachment D, Vocabulary Review: Day One
Attachment E, Vocabulary: Day Two
Attachment F, Monetary System in the U.S. and in Colombia
Attachment G, Worksheet
Attachment H, Comparison of Products, Prices, Exchange Rates
Attachment I, Summary/Closure: Day Two
Attachment J, Homework: Day Two
Attachment K, Summary/Closure: Day Three
Attachment L, Formative Assessment
Attachment M, Homework: Day Three
Attachment N, Vocabulary: Day Four
Attachment O, Bargaining Dialog: Day Four
Attachment P, Summary/Closure: Day Four
Attachment Q, Homework: Day Four
Attachment R, Authentic Newspaper for Products and Prices: Day Five
Attachment S, Summary/Closure: Day Five
Attachment T, Homework: Day Five
Attachment U, Large Stores-Small Stores: Day Six
Attachment V, Advertisement: Day Six
Attachment W, Summary/Closure: Day Six
Attachment X, Homework: Day Six
Attachment Y, Import-Exports: Day Seven
14
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment Z, Summary/Closure: Day Seven
Attachment A1, Homework: Day Seven
Attachment A2, Dialog: Comparison of Products and Practices in Colombia and in the U.S.
15
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment
Nombre: ______________________
A. De acuerdo a lo que usted ha oído acerca de los anuncios (radio, televisión, periódicos) de
la disponibilidad y poder adquisitivo de productos y servicios, escoja una de las siguientes
palabras que corresponde al contexto de la oración.
imagen del anuncio, credibilidad, confianza, familiaridad, materiales de mercadeo, mensaje
claro, mejor calidad del producto, profesional de mercadeo, calidad garantizada, devolución
del dinero.
1.
¿Es usted un excelente CEO, un experto en el campo de los negocios, un padre que se
preocupa por sus hijos, un Michael Phelps?. Estas personas han creado una imagen
positiva para la propaganda de muchas compañías. Las personas tienden a creer lo que
otros dicen en una conversación, o lo que dice un experto, un profesor o un amigo. La
gente no les cree a los políticos o charlatanes, o a las personas que no son semejantes.
Esta es la verdad sobre la_______________________________
2.
La imagen del anuncio debe crear _______________ y ____________________.
3.
El mensaje debe tener un _________________ y ser fácil de comprender.
4.
La compañía ofrece la mejor_____________________________de productos a sus
clientes.
5.
Los anuncios y el nombre de la compañía le darán _______________________a los
clientes.
6.
Es recomendable que usted tenga contacto con un ______________________________.
Él puede ofrecer buenos _________________ para mejorar las ventas a través de los
anuncios.
7.
Si el producto es de calidad y valor para el consumidor, la compañía debe tener el
eslogan: “Satisfacción _____________________ o la __________________________.”
B. Subraye la palabra que corresponda al contexto de la oración.
1.
Comparando los ( precios / productos / cuñas ) de la fruta en Chicago con los de la fruta
en Bogotá, usted paga el doble en Chicago que en Bogotá.
16
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A (Continued)
Pre-Assessment
2.
Generalmente un comprador de cualquier cultura tiende a ( buscar / radio / propaganda )
el mejor producto a un precio bajo.
3.
Un contraste interesante en la venta de productos de Colombia y Estados Unidos es que
los almacenes ofrecen ( ofertas especiales / computadoras / radios ) durante días festivos
como el día de la independencia, el día del trabajo, el día de la madre, la Navidad, etc.
4.
Un tocador de discos compactos en Colombia cuesta ( menos / más / lo mismo ) que un
CD player en los Estados Unidos.
5.
Analizando los ( anuncios / propaganda / cuñas ) en la radio y televisión en Colombia y
en los Estados Unidos, observamos que son convincentes y ayudan al consumidor en la
decisión de comprar un producto.
6.
Mis padres no tienen la ( publicidad / disponibilidad / comprar ) de comprar un teléfono
celular.
7.
El ( propaganda / precios / poder de compra ) del dólar es más fuerte que el del peso.
8.
Las emisoras en Colombia y en los Estados Unidos tienen muchas ( anuncios / cuñas /
propaganda ) y por eso a los chicos no les gusta escucharlas.
9.
Los almacenes en Colombia y EE.UU. tienen excelentes ( televisión / radio / productos )
para los consumidores.
10. Hay mucha ( anuncios / propaganda / productos ) de artículos deportivos en la tele tanto
en los Estados Unidos como en Colombia.
11. A la gente de ambas culturas les gusta ir de compras a un centro comercial porque hay
toda clase de productos ( servicios / disponibles / consumidor ) y a precios muy
razonables.
12. Los talleres de mecánica en Colombia no cobran tanto como en los EE.UU. por los
(servicios / mecánica / arreglar ) de arreglar un carro, una computadora o cualquier
servicio manual.
C. Diga si las siguientes oraciones son verdaderas (V) o falsas (F).
17
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A (Continued)
Pre-Assessment
1.
Me encanta ver la televisión los fines de semana porque los anuncios ofrecen muchas
ofertas especiales. _____
2.
Oigo (escucho) las emisoras de radio cuando estudio. La música me relaja cuando
estudio. _____
3.
Me gustan y compro los productos que veo en la T.V. porque los anuncios me dan
mucha confianza. Me encanta el anuncio de “Una nueva manera de perder 10 libras en
diez días.” _____
4.
En el centro comercial hay mucha disponibilidad de productos diferentes para los
jóvenes. Yo soy joven y me emociono cuando voy de compras. Actúo con mis
emociones y no con la lógica. Compro lo que no necesito. _____
5.
Lo que más me gusta de los anuncios son las fotos de mis ídolos como Michael Jordan o
Shakira._____
6.
Lo que me gusta de las cuñas en la radio es que son muy largas. _____
7.
Me gusta comprar los productos que anuncian en la radio y la tele porque las compañías
ofrecen grandes descuentos o especiales cada mes. _____
8.
Lo que recuerdo mucho de las cuñas de la radio son las comidas rápidas. Por ejemplo:
“¿Tienes hambre? Pruebe nuestras hamburguesas dobles a 90 centavos.” _____
9.
Me gustan los anuncios en los periódicos y revistas porque me dan curiosidad. _____
10. No me gustan los anuncios de la televisión porque me hacen reír y a veces llorar. _____
18
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment, Translation
Name: ___________________________
A. Choose one of the following phrases which corresponds to the context of the sentence.
These phrases are related to advertisement of products and services to the consumers.
image of the ad, credibility, familiarity, trust, marketing materials, clear message, best quality
of product, marketing professional, guaranteed quality, money back.
1.
Are you an excellent CEO, an expert in business, a father who worries about your
children, a Michael Phelps? These people have created a positive image for the
advertisement of many companies. People tend to belive what others say, an expert, a
teacher, a friend. People do not believe the politicians, charlatans or people who are not
similar. This is true about ____________________________________________
2.
The image of the ad must create _________________________ and
_______________________________.
3.
The message must have a _________________________ (clear message) and easy to
understand it.
4.
The company offers the best_________________________ of products to the
consumers).
5.
The ads and the name of the company will give ________________ to its clients.
6.
It is advisable that you contact an__________________. He may offer you good
___________________________ to increase your sales through advertisement.
7.
If your product is of good quality and has value for the consumer, the company should
have the slogan “Satisfaction ______________________ or ______________.”
B. Underline the word that corresponds to the context of the sentence.
1. In comparing the ( prices / products / ads ) of fruit in Chicago with the prices in Bogotá,
you pay twice as much in Chicago as in Bogotá.
2.
Generally, a buyer of any culture ( looks for / radio / ads ) the best product at the lowest
price.
19
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A (Continued)
Pre-Assessment, Translation
3.
An interesting contrast in product sales of Colombia and the U.S. is that stores offer
( specials, computer, radio ) during holidays like Independence Day, Labor Day,
Mothers’ Day, Christmas, etc.
4.
A CD player in Colombia costs ( less / more / the same ) than the same CD player in the
U.S.
5.
Analyzing the ( advertisements / ads / commercials ) on radio and T.V., in the United
States and in Colombia, we observe that they are credible, convincing and they help the
consumer in making decisions about buying of a product.
6.
My parents do not have the ( publicity / affordability / to buy ) to buy me a cellular
phone.
7.
The ( commercial / prices / buying power ) of the dollar is stronger than the peso.
8.
The radio stations in Colombia and in the U.S. have many ( announcements /
advertisements, / commercials ) and therefore the young people do not like to listen to
the radio.
9.
Stores in both cultures have excellent ( TV / radio / products ) for the consumers.
10. There is a lot of ( advertisement / commercial / products ) of sport articles on T.V., in the
U.S. as well as in Colombia.
11. People of both cultures love to go shopping to the mall because there are all kinds of
products ( services / available / consumers ) at reasonable prices.
12. The mechanic shops in Colombia do not charge as much as in the U.S. for ( mechanics /
services / to fix ) in fixing a car, a computer or any other manual service.
C. Say if the following sentences are True or False:
1.
I like to watch T.V. on weekends because the advertisements offer good sales. _____
2.
I listen to radio stations when I study. Music relaxes me._____
3.
I like and I buy the products that I see on TV because the ads give me confidence. I like
the ad “A new way to loose 10 pounds in ten days.” _____
20
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A (Continued)
Pre-Assessment, Translation
4.
There is a lot of availability of different products for young people in the malls. I am
young and I get excited when I go shopping. I act with my emotions and not with logic. I
buy what I don’t need. _____
5.
What I like most about the ads is the fotos of my idols such as Michael Jordan and
Shakira. _____
6.
What I like about the ads is that they are very long. _____
7.
I like to buy the products announced on radio and TV because the companies offer great
discounts or specials every month. _____
8.
What I remember about the radio ads is the fast food. For example: “Are you hungry?
Try our double 90 cent hamburgers.” _____
9.
I like the ads in the newspapers and magazines because they make me curious. _____
10. I don’t like the television advertisements because they make me laugh and sometimes
cry. _____
21
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A
Pre-Assessment, Answers and Translation
Part A.
1. imagen del anuncio (advertisement image)
2. credibilidad y confianza (credibility and trust)
3. mensaje claro (clear message)
4. calidad del producto a sus consumidores (quality products to its consumers)
5. familiaridad (familiarity)
6. profesional en mercadeo (marketing professional / materiales de mercadeo (marketing
materials)
7. satisfacción garantizada (guaranteed satisfaction) / devolución de su dinero (your money
back)
Part B.
1. precios (prices)
2. buscar (to look for)
3. ofertas especiales (sales)
4. más caro (more expensive)
5. anuncios (ads)
6. disponibilidad (availability)
7. poder de compra (affordability)
8. cuñas (advertisement)
9. productos (products)
10. propaganda (commercials)
11. disponibles (available)
12. servicios (services)
Part C.
1. V
2. V
3. V
4. V o F
5. V
6. F
7. V
8. V
9. V
10. F
22
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment B
Post-Assessment
Nombre: __________________
PARTE I. Respuestas múltiples
En las siguientes oraciones hay solo una respuesta correcta de acuerdo a lo que usted
aprendió en esta unidad. Escoja la respuesta que usted cree es la correcta. (2 puntos por cada
respuesta correcta).
1.
El salario promedio diario de un trabajador colombiano es de ___.
a) siete dólares
b) tres dólares
c) setenta dólares
d) diez dólares
e) un dólar
2.
¿A cómo está el cambio del dólar en relación al peso de Colombia?
a) dos mil pesos
b) dos mil seiscientos pesos
c) diez pesos
d) diez mil pesos
e) un peso
3.
Una computadora como la que tenemos en esta clase puede costar en Colombia __.
a) más que en EE.UU.
b) menos que en EE.UU.
c) lo mismo que en EE.UU.
4.
Un automóvil que aquí en EE.UU. cuesta $20,000.00, en Colombia cuesta
aproximadamente ___.
a) $25,000.00 pesos
b) $30,000.00 pesos
c) $60,000.00 pesos
d) $15,0000.00 pesos
e) $100,000.00 pesos
5.¿Cómo se dice “affordability” en español?
a) que no se puede pagar
b) que se puede pagar
c) poder de compra
d) pagar
e) vender
23
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment B (Continued)
Post-Assessment
6. ¿Cuántos pesos debes recibir por $US50.00?
a) tres pesos
b) trescientos pesos
c) trece mil pesos
d) cuarenta pesos
e) cincuenta pesos
7.
Dos productos hispano-americanos que podemos encontrar en nuestra comunidad
pueden ser___.
a) comida y música
b) papel y jabón
c) tractores y maquinaria
d) pasta de dientes y cepillos
e) carros Toyota y Mercedes Benz.
8.
¿Por qué son la comida, la medicina y los servicios de reparación más baratos en
Colombia que en los EE.UU.?
a) porque los salarios de los empleados colombianos son bajos.
b) porque no hay muchos intermediarios para obtener los productos.
c) el transporte de los productos no es tan caro como en EE.UU.
d) a, b, y c, son correctas.
9.
En los EE.UU., muchos jóvenes pueden adquirir su teléfono celular, tener su propio
televisor en la casa, y aún tener su propio auto. ¿Quiénes pueden adquirir estas cosas en
los paises hispano-hablantes?
a) la clase media
b) la clase baja
c) un bajo porcentaje de la clase media y la clase alta
d) cualquier clase social
10. ¿Qué diferencias nota usted en los anuncios de la televisión hispana y los anuncios de la
T.V. en EE.UU.?
a) No hay diferencias
b) Los anuncios hispanos emplean a muchachas jóvenes y bonitas para anunciar sus
productos.
c) Los anuncios hispanos utilizan mucho la música y canciones para la promoción de sus
productos
d) Los anuncios en los EE.UU. usan a todo tipo de personas para anunciar sus productos
e) b, c, y d son correctas
24
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment B (Continued)
Post-Assessment
11. Al pagar un producto en los EE.UU. se toma del estante y se paga directamente en a
registradora. ¿Cuál es el sistema de pago en los paises hispanos?
a) El consumidor debe hacer cola (stand in line) para pagar y recibir un recibo de pago.
Luego pasa a otro lugar y con ese recibo puede reclamar el producto.
b) Es lo mismo que en EE.UU.
c) No se paga. Toma el producto y se lo lleva
d) En algunos paises hispanos el sistema de pago es diferente.
e) a y d son correctas
12. Los precios de servicios manuales en Colombia (e.g. mecánica, reparación de
computadoras, etc.) son ___.
a) más baratos que en los EE.UU.
b) igual que en los EE.UU.
c) más caros que en los EE.UU.
PART II
A. Escriba un párrafo (4-5 oraciones) y haga una comparación y contraste sobre los
salarios, cambio oficial del dólar, disponibilidad y poder de compra en la cultura
colombiana y en la cultura estadounidense.
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
______________________________________________________________________
B. Conteste dos de las siguientes preguntas relacionadas con los anuncios de productos en
Colombia y en los Estados Unidos.
1.
¿Cómo son los anuncios colombianos comparados con los anuncios de los Estados
Unidos? (más largos, más cortos, lo mismo, etc.)
2.
¿Qué influencias extranjeras tienen los anuncios colombianos? ¿Cómo afectan los
valores y actitudes de los jóvenes de esta generación?
25
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment B (Continued)
Post-Assessment
3.
¿Cuáles son algunos aspectos positivos o negativos de los comerciales en Colombia y
en los EE.UU? (por ej., tienen credibilidad, no tienen credibilidad, son fáciles de
comprender, etc.).
PART III
De acuerdo a lo que usted aprendió acerca de la disponibilidad, poder adquisitivo de
productos y servicios, del sistema de propaganda (anuncios o cuñas) en las culturas de los
Estados Unidos y Colombia, haga una comparación y contraste de las dos culturas usando el
Venn Diagram de abajo. En el círculo a la izquierda escriba la letra de las frases que son
apropiadas para la cultura de Colombia. En el círculo a la derecha escriba las letras de las
frases que son apropiadas para la cultura de los Estados Unidos. En el centro del diagrama
escriba las letras de las frases que son comunes para los dos paises.
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
Hay escacéz de muchos productos en este pais.
La unidad monetaria es el dólar
Hay pocos almacenes grandes y la disponibilidad de los productos es pequeña.
El salario promedio de un trabajador (worker) es de $140 al mes.
El promedio de salario para un empleado (employee) es de dos mil dólares
mensuales.
Esta unidad monetaria es débil (weak) en relación al dólar.
Solo se acepta el dólar cuando usted compra un producto.
Se aceptan dólares y pesos al comprar un producto.
La propaganda de productos se hace por radio y televisión.
Los anuncios de este pais contienen mucha música y los actores son gente
joven.
Los anuncios se dirigen a toda clase de personas (familia, niños, jóvenes y
viejos).
El porcentaje del salario que una persona gasta al comprar un producto es más
alto que el porcentaje de salario de una persona que gana en dólares.
Los precios de los automóviles son muy baratos en relación al otro pais.
Muchas personas compran productos si los anuncios son excelentes.
A los jóvenes les gustan los anuncios de los deportes y de ropa de última
moda.
Los almacenes ofrecen ofertas especiales antes de ciertos días festivos.
Un producto de mala calidad es generalmente barato.
26
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
VENN DIAGRAM
COLOMBIA
ESTADOS UNIDOS
27
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment B
Post-Assessment, Answer Key with Translation
Part I
1. a
2. b
3. a
4. c
5. c
6. c
7. a
8. d
9. c
10. e
11. e
12. a
Part II
(Answers may vary).
A.
Comparaciones (Comparisons):
 El salario mínimo en Colombia es de $140.00 dólares mensuales. El salario mínimo en
los Estados Unidos es de $1,000 dólares mensuales. (The minimum salary in Colombia
is $140.00 per month. The minimum salary in the U.S. is $1000 a month.)
 El poder adquisitivo del dólar es mayor que el poder de compra del peso colombiano.
Por eso la gente en los Estados Unidos puede comprar y tener muchos productos en sus
hogares. El colombiano no puede darse el lujo de tener muchas cosas porque el valor
del peso es menos fuerte que el dólar.(The purchasing power of the dollar is stronger
than purchasing power of the peso. Therefore, people in the U.S. can buy and have many
products in their homes. The Colombian does not have the luxury of having many things
because the value of the peso is less strong than the dollar.)
 Estados Unidos es un país de grandes producciones. Colombia tiene solo dos o tres
productos como café, flores y esmeraldas. (United States is a country of great
production. Colombia has just two or three products such as coffee, flowers and
emeralds).
 Los precios de la mayoría de productos electrónicos son más caros en Colombia que en
los Estados Unidos. (The prices of electrical appliances are more expensive in Colombia
than in the United States).
Contrastes (Contrasts):
 Estados Unidos es un país industrializado. Colombia es un país sub-desarrollado.
(United States is an industrialized country. Colombia is an underdeveloped country).
28
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment B (Continued)
Post-Assessment, Answer Key with Translation

Aunque unos productos cuestan menos en Colombia que en los Estados Unidos, el
porcentaje del salario que se gasta en Colombia es mayor que el porcentaje que se gasta
en los Estados Unidos. (Although some products cost less in Colombia than in the
United States, the percentage of the salary that is spent in Colombia is greater than is
spent in the U.S.)
B.
1. Los anuncios en Colombia son más cortos que los de los Estados Unidos. También, los
anuncios colombianos tienen más música y canciones que los de los Estados Unidos.
Generalmente los anuncios van dirigidos a los niños, jóvenes y a la familia. Los
anuncios de los Estados Unidos van dirigidos a todas las clases sociales. (The ads in
Colombia are shorter than in the U.S. Also, the Colombian ads have more music and
songs than in the United States. Generally, the ads are directed to children, young people
and the family. The ads in the U.S. are directed to all social classes.) Los comerciales
colombianos generalmente hacen reir o llorar a los consumidores. Esto tambien ocurre
con los anuncios de los Estados Unidos. (The Colombian ads make people laugh or cry.
This also occurs in the ads from the United States).
2.
Los anuncios colombianos tienen influencia de Europa y de los Estados Unidos. Estos
anuncios afectan los valores y actitudes de los jóvenes hispano-hablantes. Por ejemplo,
los jóvenes hoy en día escuchan más la música extranjera que la de su propio país. (The
Colombian ads have influence from Europe and from the U.S. These ads affect the
values and attitudes of the Spanish-speaking young people. For example, young people
nowadays listen more to foreign music than their own). Los anuncios de los Estados
Unidos tienen influencia hispanoamericana porque la población hispana está creciendo
rápidamente. Los anuncios muchas veces están en inglés y en español. (The U.S. ads
have Spanish influence because of the fast Spanish growing population. The ads often
are in English and in Spanish).
3.
Un aspecto negativo de los anuncios colombianos es que no se comprenden porque los
anunciadores hablan muy rápido. Muchos anuncios ofrecen poca confianza y
credibilidad. (A negative aspect about the Colombian ads is that we do not understand
them because the announcers speak too fast. Many ads do not offer confidence or
credibility).
Part III
Colombia: A, C, D, F, H, J, L
EE.UU (U.S.): B, E, G, K, M
En común (In common): I, N, O, P, Q
29
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
ATTACHMENT B
Post-Assessment, Translation
Name: __________________
PART I. Multiple Choice:
In the following sentences there is only one correct answer according to what you learned in
this unit. Choose the answer you believe is correct for the following questions (2 points for
each correct answer).
1. The average salary for a Colombian worker is ___.
a) $7.00
b) $3.00
c) $70.00
d) $10.00
e) $1.00
2. What is the exchange rate of the dollar in relation to the Colombian peso?
a) two thousand pesos
b) two thousand six hundred pesos
c) ten pesos
d) ten thousand pesos
e) one peso
3. A computer like the one we have in our classroom would cost in Colombia___.
a) more than in the U.S.
b) less than in the U.S.
c) the same
4. A $20,000.00 car in U.S. would cost in Colombia approximately ___.
a) $25,000.00
b) $30,000.00
c) $60,000.00
d) $15,000.00
e) $100,000.00
5. How do you say “affordability” in Spanish?
a) you can not pay
b) be able to pay
c) affordability
d) to pay
e) to sell
30
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
ATTACHMENT B (Continued)
Post-Assessment, Translation
6. How much would you get for $US50.00 in pesos?
a) three pesos
b) three hundred pesos
c) thirteen thousand pesos
d) forty pesos
e) fifty pesos
7. Two Spanish-American products that we can find in our community are ___.
a) food and music
b) paper and soap
c) tractors and machinery
d) tooth paste and tooth-brushes
e) Toyota and Mercedes Benz cars
8. Why are certain products, like foods or medicine, cheaper in Colombia than in the U.S.?
a) Colombian salaries are low.
b) There are not intermediaries to obtain the products.
c) Product transportation is not as expensive as in the U.S.
d) All previous answers are correct.
9. Young people in the U.S. can get their cellular phones, have their own T.V. in their room,
and even they are able to afford their own car. Who can afford these products in the
Hispanic-American countries?
a) the middle class
b) the lower class
c) a small percentage of the middle class and the wealthy class
d) any social class
10. What differences do you notice in the television ads in the U.S. and in the Hispanic
countries?
a) There are no differences.
b) Generally the Hispanic countries employ young and beautiful girls to advertise the
products.
c) The Hispanic ads use music and songs to promote their products.
d) The ads in the U.S. use all kinds of people to advertise their products
e) b, c, and d are correct.
31
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
ATTACHMENT B (Continued)
Post-Assessment, Translation
11. When you buy a product in U.S., you take the product from the shelf and pay for it at the
cashier desk. What system of paying is a custom in the Hispanic countries?
a) The customer must stay in line to pay and get a receipt. Then she goes to a different
place to claim the product.
b) It is the same as in U.S.
c) You just don’t pay. You take the product and run away.
d) In different countries the system of paying is different.
e) a and d are correct.
12. Manual services (manual labor) in Colombia are ___.
a) cheaper than in U.S.
b) the same price
c) more expensive than in U.S.
PART II
A. Write a paragraph (4-5 sentences) to compare and contrast the Colombian and the U.S.
cultures in relation to salaries, exchange rates and affordability of products and services.
B. Answer two of the following questions related to product advertisement in Colombia and
in the United States.
1.
2.
3.
How do you compare the Colombian ads with those of the U.S.? (longer, shorter, the
same, etc.).
What foreign influences do Colombian ads have? How does this affect the values and
attitudes of young people of this generation?
What are some of the positive or negative aspects of product advertisement in Colombia
and in the U.S.? (For ex., they are credible, non-credible, easy to understand.)
PART III
According to what you learned about availability, affordability, and advertising in the two
cultures, compare and contrast using a Venn Diagram. In the circle to the left, write the
letters that correspond to Colombia. In the circle to the right, write the letters that correspond
to U.S. In the center of the diagram, write the letters that correspond to both cultures. (1 point
each correct answer = 17 points.)
A.
B.
C.
D.
E.
There is scarcity of many products in this country.
The monetary unit is the dollar.
There are few department stores and the availability of products is small.
The average salary of a worker is $140.00 per month.
The average salary of an employee is $2,000.00 per month.
32
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
ATTACHMENT B (Continued)
Post-Assessment, Translation
F.
G.
H.
I.
J.
K.
L.
M.
N.
O.
P.
Q.
This monetary unit is weak in relation to the dollar.
The monetary unit accepted in buying a product is the dollar.
Pesos and dollars are accepted in buying a product.
Product advertisement is done through radio and T.V.
Generally, the ads in this country have a lot of music and the announcers are young
people.
The ads are directed to all kinds of people (family, children, young people, old
people).
The percentage of the salary that a person spends on a product is higher than the
percentage of the salary of a person that earns in dollars.
The prices of automobiles are cheaper in this country in relation to the other country.
Many people buy the product if the ads are excellent.
Young people like the ads of sports and fashion.
Stores offer specials before certain celebrations.
A product of poor quality is generally cheap.
33
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment C
Rubric for Writing Section of Post-Assessment
4
The prompt is directly addressed. The responses indicate excellent understanding of the
material. The responses, with good examples for clarification, use coherent sequence and
structure of ideas. The responses contain effective word choices.
3
The prompts are directly addressed and the responses contain good examples.
The vocabulary is generally adequate, but the response does not employ impressive word
usage.
2
The prompts are marginally addressed. The responses are mostly incomprehensible and
the use of proper vocabulary is incorrect.
1
There is a weak attempt made to address the prompts. The responses show little
understanding of the material. Erroneous use of language impedes comprehensibility.
0
The answers to the prompts are off task or no response at all. Student is unable to
respond most of the time.
34
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment D
Vocabulary Review: Day One
Vocabulary review: Match column A with column B.
A
____1. imagen del anuncio
B
a. your money back
____2. credibilidad
b. trust
____3. confianza
c. product quality
____4. familiaridad
d. credibility
____5. mensaje claro
f. marketing professional
____6. materiales de mercadeo
e. quality guaranteed
____7.calidad del producto
g. clear message
____8. profesional de mercadeo
h. satisfaction guaranteed
____9. satisfacción garantizada
i. familiarity
____10. devolución del dinero
j. image of the ad
____11. calidad garantizada
k. marketing materials
____12. emisoras
l. radio stations
____13. propaganda
m. commercial
____14. talleres de mecánica
n. repair-shop (auto mechanics)
____15. almacén
o. department store
35
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment D
Vocabulary Review: Day One, Answers
Answers:
1. j
2. d
3. b
4. i
5. g
6. k
7. c
8. f
9. h
10. a
11. e
12. l
13.m
14. n
15. o
36
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment E
Vocabulary: Day Two
1.
Nosotros escuchamos un _______________________________ en un tocador de discos
compactos.
2.
Los estudiantes pueden hacer una __________________ en la biblioteca.
3.
Una _________________________ para mi computadora cuesta unos 350 dólares en
Colombia.
4.
Los empleados en ese almacén son buenos__________________________.
5.
¿A como está el _________________?
6.
No hay muchos ____________________________________ en este almacén.
7.
El _________________ está a $2,780 pesos por un dólar.
8.
Hay muchos anuncios en este________________.
9.
Durante los días festivos hay muchas _________________ en los almacenes.
10. Si un artículo originalmente cuesta 5,000 pesos y sólo pago 3,500 pesos, tengo
un__________________________ del __________%.
11. El ___________________ ___________________ en Colombia es de $358,000 pesos al
mes.
12. La _____________ ______________ de Colombia es el peso.
13. Usted puede pagar con un ______________ o con una ____________ de crédito.
14. El ___________________ de pobres es muy alto en Colombia.
15. Los teléfonos celulares están en ________________especial.
37
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment E
Vocabulary: Day Two, Answers and Translation
Answers:
1. disco compacto (CD)
2. investigación (research)
3. impresora (printer)
4. vendedores (vendors)
5. cambio (change)
6. productos (products)
7. cambio (change)
8. periódico (newspaper)
9. rebajas (discounts)
10. descuento (discount)
11. salario promedio (average salary)
12. unidad monetaria (monetary unit)
13. cheque (check), tarjeta (card)
14. porcentaje (percentage)
15. oferta (sale)
Translation:
1. We listen to a ____________in a CD player.
2. The student can do ____________in the library.
3. A _________ for my computer costs some $350.00 in Colombia.
4. The employees in that store are good_____________.
5. What is the ___________________?
6. There are not many___________ in this store.
7. The _________ is at $2,680.000 pesos for a dollar.
8. There are many ads in this_____.
9. There are a lot of ____________during holidays.
10. If an article costs 5,000 pesos and I pay only 3,500 pesos, I have a
____________of___________%.
11. The___________ __________in Colombia is $358,000 pesos monthly.
12. The ______ ______ of Colombia is the peso.)
13. You can pay with____________ or with a___________card.
14. The ________of poor people is very high in Colombia.
15. The cellular phones are on_______________.
38
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment F
Monetary System in the U.S. and in Colombia
EE.UU. usa el dólar
Colombia usa el peso
U.S. $1 = cien centavos
Col $1 peso = cien centavos
U.S.$1 = Col $2,780 pesos (esto es lo que se llama el “cambio”)
50 dólares = $137,500 pesos (50 x 2,780)
salario promedio en U.S. = $560.00 por semana.
salario promedio en Colombia = $140.00 por semana.
Nota: El cambio del dólar cambia diariamente. Usted debe mirar en los periódicos o en el
Internet para saber el cambio oficial.
39
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment F (Continued)
Monetary System in the U.S. and in Colombia
The U.S. uses the dollar.
Colombia uses the peso.
Col $1 = one hundred cents
U.S.$1 = Col $2,780 pesos (this is called the exchange rate)
$50 dollars = $137,500 pesos (50 x 2,780)
average salary in U.S. = $560.00 per week
average salary in Colombia = $140.00 per week
Note: The exchange rate changes daily. You must check with the newspaper or the Internet to
verify the daily exchange rates.
40
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment G
Worksheet
Conteste las siguientes preguntas de acuerdo a la informacion dada en la transparencia.
Ejemplos:
A) If a person in this culture spends $60.00 on a product, this represents 10% of his/her
weekly salary ($ 60 divided by $560).
B) If a person in Colombia spends the same $60.00 on a product, this represents 43% of
his/her income ($60 divided by $140).
The buying power of the dollar is stronger than the peso due to difference in earnings.
Ahora usted:
1.
If you earn $200 per week and you buy a CD that costs $15.00, what percentage of your
salary did you spent?_____________________________
2.
You live in Colombia and earn $70.00 per week ($194,600 pesos) and you buy the same
CD with a cost of $11.00. What percentage of your salary did you spend? ___________
3.
If you rent an apartment in Colombia for $300 a month and you make $450 dollars per
month, what percentage of your salary went to rent? _______________ Do you have
enough money to live a decent life? _______
4.
What is the exchange rate of today in relation to the Colombian peso?
_______________________
5.
How much money in dollars would you receive for $2,408,000 pesos? _________
6.
If you work for McDonald’s and your earn $49 in one day, how much is that amount in
Colombian pesos? ________________
7.
If a person works in Medellin, Colombia, and earns $58,380.00 pesos in one day, how
much is that amount in dollars? _______________
41
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment G
Worksheet, Answers and Translation
Answers:
1. 15 / 200 = 0.075%
2. 15%.
3. 67%
4. $US1 =COL$2,780
5. $600.00
6. $136,220 pesos
7. $21.00
Translation:
Answer the following questions according to the information given on the transparency.
Examples:
42
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment H
Comparison of Products, Prices, Exchange Rates
Using the facts from the transparency, fill out the blanks to compare the monetary unit,
exchange rate, wages, and prices of four products of Colombia and the U.S. Look at
http://www.carrefour.com.co to find these prices.
COLOMBIA
U.S.
Monetary Unit
________________
_________________
Exchange rate
________________
Weekly minimum wage
________________
__________________
1. Tennis racket
_______________
___________________
2. CD player
_______________
___________________
3. X-Box
_______________
___________________
4. Videocámara digital
Sony DCR-HC30
______________
___________________
$1.00
Price of a:
5. Printer Hewlet Packard _______________
T525M
___________________
43
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment I
Summary/Closure: Day Two
1.
Veamos si usted recuerda el significado de las siguientes palabras:
anuncios
cuñas
emisoras
poder de compra
salario promedio
cambio del dólar
2.
¿Cuál es la moneda de Colombia?
3.
¿Cuántos pesos debe recibir por $85.00?
4.
Un CD cuesta $50.00 en U.S. El mismo CD cuesta en Colombia $45.00. Para una
persona que trabaja en Colombia y gana en pesos, es caro este CD?
Compare and contrast availability and affordability of products and services in Colombia and
in the U.S. culture.
A. Comparaciones:
1. El salario mínimo en Colombia es de___________________ dólares. En EE.UU. es de
___________________dólares.
2.
El poder adquisitivo del dólar es mayor que el poder adquisitivo del
________________________________.
3.
Los Estados Unidos tienen una economía productiva en grandes cantidades y con precios
muy____________________.
4.
Colombia tiene pocos productos y los precios son _____________ en comparación con
los precios de los Estados Unidos.
B. Contrastes:
1. Estados Unidos es un país industrializado. Colombia es un país sub-desarrollado.
2.
El sitema de crédito (tarjetas de crédito, préstamos bancarios) está bien desarrollado en
los Estados Unidos y la mayor parte de la gente puede tener crédito si tiene un trabajo.
3.
El sistema de crédito en Colombia está limitado para la gente profesional o con recursos
económicos altos.
44
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment I (Continued)
Summary/Closure: Day Two
4.
Aunque un producto es más barato en Colombia, el porcentaje que se gasta por un
producto es más alto que el porcentage de una persona que gana en dólares.
5.
No todas las cosas son más baratas en Colombia que en los Estados Unidos. Por
ejemplo, un automovil que aquí cuesta $20,000 dólares, en Colombia cuesta por lo
menos tres veces más. La razón es por los impuestos o tarifas internacionales.
45
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment I
Summary/Closure: Day Two, Translation
1.
2.
3.
4.
Let’s see if you remember the meaning of the following vocabulary:
ads
ads
radio stations
affordability
average salary
rate of exchange
What is the monetary unit of Colombia?
How much money in pesos can you get for $85 dollars?
A CD costs $50.00 in U.S. The same CD costs $45.00 in Colombia. For a person who
works in Colombia and earns in pesos, is this CD expensive?
Compare and contrast availability and affordability of products and services in Colombia and
in the U.S. culture.
A. Comparisons
1. The minimum salary in Colombia is___________________. The minimum salary in the
U.S. is _______________________________.
2. The purchasing power of the dollar is greater than the ___________________.
3. The United States has a productive economy in large quantities and with ____________
prices.
4. Colombia has a few products and the prices are_____________ in comparison with the
prices in the United States.
B. Contrasts
1. The U.S. is an industrilized country. Colombia is an underdeveloped country.
2. The credit system (credit cards, bank loans) in the U.S. is well developed and most of the
people can obtain credit if they hava a job.
3. The credit system in Colombia is limited to the professionals or to people with high
economic resources.
4. Although a product is cheaper in Colombia, the percentage that is spent on a product is
higher than the percentage of a person who earns in dollars.
5. Not everything is cheaper in Colombia than in the United States. For example, a car that
here costs $20,000.00 dollars, in Colombia costs at least three times as much. The reason
is the taxes or the international tarffs.
46
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment J
Homework: Day Two
Nombre ___________________
A. Conteste las siguientes preguntas:
1. ¿Cuánto cuesta un par de tenis de marca Nike en Colombia? (en dólares).
2.
Y ¿cuánto cuestan esos tenis en EE.UU? (en pesos colombianos)
3.
¿Cuál es el salario mínimo en Colombia?
4.
¿A cómo está el cambio del dólar con respecto al peso colombiano hoy?
5.
¿Cómo se dice “affordability” en español?
6.
¿Cómo se dice “availability” en español?
7.
¿Cuáles son cuatro expresiones para “advertisement” en español?
B. Vaya al Internet y busque:
 el precio de un tocador de discos compactos de marca Sony (en dólares y en pesos)
 el salario mimimo mensual de un empleado aquí en los EE.UU.
 el cambio del dolar con respecto al peso colombiano
 el precio más bajo y el precio mas alto de un iPOD (en dólares y en pesos)
47
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment J
Homework: Day Two, Answers and Translation
Answers:
1. Cuesta unos ochenta dólares (about $80.00)
2. En los Estados Unidos un par de tenis Nike cuesta unos $50.00 (about $50.00).
3. El salario mínimo es de $140.00 mensuales ($140.00 per month).
4. El cambio está a dos mil seiscientos ochenta pesos ($2,580).
5. Se dice “poder costearse” o “tener los medios financieros de pagar” (you say “poder
costearse” or “tener los medios financieros de pagar).
6. Se puede pagar
7. anuncios, propaganda, cuñas, hacer publicidad
Translation:
A. Answer the following questions:
1. How much does a pair of Nike tennis shoes cost in dollars?
2. What is the price for the same shoes in U.S., in pesos?
3. What is the minimum salary in Colombia?
4. What is the rate of exchange today?
5. How do you say “affordability” in Spanish?
6. How do you say “availability” in Spanish?
7. What are four expressions for “advertisement” in Spanish?
B.




Go to the Internet and look for
the price of a CD in dollars and in pesos
the minimum monthly salary for a U.S. employee
the current exchange rate in relation to the Colombian currency
the minimum and maximum price if an iPOD (dollars and pesos).
48
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment K
Summary/Closure: Day Three
1. Most of the prices are variable in the Spanish-speaking world. Therefore bargaining is a
way of life in that culture.
2. Prices are fixed in the United States and bargaining of prices is not common.
3. In the Spanish-speaking culture you feel compelled to bargain otherwise you would feel
that you are paying a high price and not a fair price.
4. You feel good about arguing for a lower price of a product.
5. In the United States people feel embarrassed to bargain for the price of a product.
Bargaining is not a way a life in this culture.
6. Prices in the big stores (shopping centers or malls) are fixed in Spanish-speaking
countries and you do not bargain there.
7. A good way to start bargaining is to make an offer of about 60% to 70% of what the
vendor is asking.
49
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment L
Formative Assessment
Escriba las siguientes oraciones en el país correspondiente de acuerdo a lo que usted aprendió
sobre disponibilidad de productos y poder adquisitivo del producto:
El salario promedio mensual en este pais es de $560 dólares.
La mayoría de la gente en este pais le encanta regatear.
El porcentaje del salario al comprar un producto es más alto en este pais que en el otro.
Muchos colegios tienen computadores para los estudiantes en las clases.
Las calculadoras científicas no son muy caras.
Se regatea poco. No es muy común
EE.UU.
COLOMBIA
50
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment L
Formative Assessment, Answers and Translation
Re-write the following sentences in the proper country according to what you learned about
availability and affordability of products.
The monthly average salary for this country is $560.00.
Most of the people in this culture like to bargain.
The percentage of the salary on buying a product is higher in this country than in the other
country.
Many high schools have computers in the classrooms.
The scientific calculators are very expensive.
It is not common to bargain.
U.S.
The monthly average salary for this country
is $560.00.
Many high schools have computers in the
classrooms.
It is not common to bargain.
COLOMBIA
Most of the people in this culture like to
bargain.
The percentage of the salary on buying a
product is higher in this country than in the
other country.
The scientific calculators are very
expensive.
51
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment M
Homework: Day Three
Nombre ___________________
A. Compare los precios de los siguientes productos de los Estados Unidos con los precios de
Colombia. Use el presente y el futuro de probabilidad..
Ejemplo:Una computadora: Una computadora cuesta en Los Angeles $1,200.00 dólares. En
Colombia costará unos $1,600.00 dólares.
1. una calculadora
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
2. un teléfono celular
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
3. un tocador de discos compactos
__________________________________________________________________________
__________________________________________________________________________
4. un iPOD
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
5. un disco compacto
___________________________________________________________________________
___________________________________________________________________________
B. Escriba tres situaciones donde usted puede regatear en los Estados Unidos y tres
situaciones en Latino-America donde no se puede regatear.
52
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment M
Homework: Day Three, Answers and Translation
Answers:
Answers will vary for 1 – 5.
Answers for B: En the U.S. se puede regatear:
1. al comprar un carro
2. en el mercado de “las pulgas”
3. al comprar a través del Internet
En Latino-America no se puede regatear en:
1. un centro commercial
2. un supermercado
3. una farmacia o en un almacén como Sears
Translation:
Compare the prices of the following products from the U.S. with the prices in Colombia. Use
the present and future of probability.
Example: A computer: A computer is worth $1,200.00 in Los Angeles. It will cost $1,600.00
in Colombia.
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
a calculator
a cellular phone
a CD player
an iPOD
a CD
B. List three situations where you can bargain in the U.S. and three where you cannot bargain
in Latin America.
In the U.S. you can bargain:
1. on buying a car
2. at a flea market
3. through the Internet
In Latin America you cannot bargain:
1. in a mall
2. in a supermarket
3. in a pharmacy or in a department store like Sears
53
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment N
Vocabulary: Day Four
Empareje la palabra de columna A con la palabra correcta de columna B.
A
____ 1. calculadora
____ 2. computador
____ 3. impresora
____ 4. teléfono celular
____ 5. ¿Cuánto vale?
____ 6. ¿Cuánto cuesta?
____ 7. ¿Cuál es el precio?
____ 8. tocador de discos
compactos
____ 9. porcentaje
___ 10. salario promedio
___ 11. salario mínimo
___ 12. vendedor ambulante
___ 13. joyas
___ 14. perfumes
___ 15. tienda
___ 16. almacén
___ 17. mercado
___ 18. mercadeo
B
a. What is the price?
b. open-air market
c. perfume
d. shop (small store)
e. cellular telephone
f. street vendor
g. jewelry
h. How much does it cost?
i. printer
j. calculator
k. marketing
l. How much is it worth?
m. computer
n. minimum salary
o. average salary
p. CD player
q. store
r. percentage
54
El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment N
Vocabulary: Day Four, Answers
1. j
2. m
3. i
4. e
5. l
6. h
7. a
8. p
9. r
10. o
11. n
12. f
13. g
14. c
15. d
16. q
17. b
18. k
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El Costo de la vida
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Attachment O
Bargaining Dialog: Day Four
Bargaining is a way of doing business in the Spanish-speaking world. People do not feel
embarrassed in asking to lower the price of a product. This is not very common in the United
States. Generally the prices of products are fixed.
DE COMPRAS
Cliente:
Buenas tardes. ¿Se puede regatear en este lugar?
Vendedor:
Sí, como no. ¿En qué puedo servirle?
Cliente:
Necesito un par de tenis de buena calidad.
Vendedor:
Aquí tenemos de toda clase de marcas.
Cliente:
¿Cuánto cuestan estos?
Vendedor:
Esos cuestan $200 mil pesos ($66.00 dólares)
Cliente:
Le doy 120 mil pesos (($40.00 dólares)
Vendedor:
No señor. Su prico es de 150 mil ($50.00 dólares). Menos, no!
Cliente:
Bueno, déjemelos por 135 mil pesos ($45.00 dólares)
Vendedor:
No, no, no, no. 145 mil pesos es el precio mínimo ($48.00 dólares)
Cliente:
Bueno, le doy 140 mil. Es mi última oferta.
Vendedor:
Está bien. Esto es una verdadera ganga! ¿Algo más?
Cliente:
No, no. Me voy ahora mismo porque no quiero gastar el dinero que no
tengo.
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment O
Bargaining Dialog: Day Four, Translation
Bargaining is a way of doing business in the Spanish-Speaking world. People do not feel
embarrassed in asking to lower the price of a product. This is not very common in the United
States. Generally the prices of products are fixed. The following is a simple real situation of
bargaining in a Spanish country:
Client:
Good morning (good afternoon, good evening). Can you bargain in
this place?
Salesperson:
Yes, of course. How can I help you?
Client:
I need a pair of tennis shoes of good quality.
Salesperson:
Here we have different brand names.
Client:
How much are these?
Salesperson:
They cost $200,000 pesos ($66.00 dollars)
Client:
I will give you $120,000 pesos ($40.00 dollars)
Salesperson:
No sir! $150,000 ($50.00 dollars). Not less.
Client:
All right, how about $135,000 pesos ($45.00 dollars)
Salesperson:
No, no, no, no. $145,000 pesos ($48.00 dollars)
Client:
All right, I’ll give $140,000 pesos. It is my final offer.
Salesperson:
Fine. It is a real bargain! Anything else?
Client:
No. No. No. I have to go. I don’t want to spend the money I don’t
have.
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment P
Summary/Closure: Day Four
A. Cinco expressions que usted puede usar para regatear son:
 Lo encuentro muy caro.
 Me lo podria dejar en…
 Esto es una ganga.
 Déjemelos por…
 ¿Me lo podría envolver?
B. ¿Por qué regatea la gente?
 para ahorrar dinero
 Es una interacción cultural en muchos paises del mundo.
 Puede ser una profesión lucrativa.
C. El regatear es un concepto cultural muy común en los países latino-americanos y en otros
países del mundo como en el Japón y China. En los Estados Unidos también se regatea pero
en situaciones muy limitadas como al comprar un carro, una casa o en el “Mercado de las
pulgas.”
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment P
Summary/Closure: Day Four, Translation
A. Five expressions used to bargain are:
 I think it is expensive.
 Could you lower the price?
 It is a bargain.
 Let me have them for….
 Could you wrap it for me?
B. Why do people bargain?
 to save money
 It is a social interaction in many countries in the world.
 It can be a lucrative profession.
C. Bargaining is a common cultural concept in Latin-America and in other countries like
Japan and China. In the United States you can also bargain, but in limited situations such
as in buying a car or a house, or in a flea market.
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment Q
Homework: Day Four
Nombre __________________
A. ¿Cómo se dice en inglés?
1.
Es una ganga.
____________________________________
2.
¿Me lo podría dejar en mil pesos? ____________________________________
3.
Déjemelos por cinco mil pesos.
____________________________________
4.
Quiero algo más barato.
____________________________________
5.
¿Cuánto vale?
____________________________________
B. Ahora conteste en español.
6.
¿Qué se puede comprar en una boutique?
7.
¿Qué hace un vendedor ambulante?
8.
¿Dónde puedo comprar unas sandalias?
9.
¿Puede usted regatear en un supermercado en Detroit?
C. Go to the Internet and find an article about a business in a Spanish-speaking country
where bargaining practices are used. Share it with the class tomorrow.
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El Costo de la vida
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Attachment Q
Homework: Day Four, Translation
Name_____________________
A. How do you say these in English?
1.
It´s a bargain.
_______________________________
2.
Could you let me have it for a thousand pesos?
_______________________________
3.
Let me have them for five thousand pesos.
_______________________________
4.
I want something cheaper.
_______________________________
5.
How much is it worth?
_______________________________
B. Now, answer in Spanish.
1.
What can you buy in a boutique?
2.
What does a street vendor do?
3.
Where can I buy sandals?
4.
Can you bargain in a supermarket in Detroit?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment R
Authentic Newspaper for Products and Prices: Day Five
A. Using the given newspaper, look for the prices of:
1. calculadora científica
_______________________
2. un teléfono celular
_______________________
3. un tocador de discos compactos
_______________________
B. Ahora conteste:
1. ¿Cuánto vale la calculadora en dólares?
2. ¿Cuánto cuesta el teléfono celular? (¿en dólares?).
3. ¿Cuánto cuesta el tocador de discos compactos? (¿en dólares?)
4. ¿Tiene usted suficiente dinero para comprar un teléfono celular y pagar las cuentas cada
mes?
5. ¿Dónde cuestan menos estos artículos, en Colombia o en EE.UU.?
6. ¿Por qué son más caros estos productos en Colombia?
7. ¿Dónde hay más ofertas especiales, en los Estados Unidos o en Colombia?
8. ¿Dónde son más baratas las drogas, en EE.UU. o en Colombia?
9. ¿Dónde ofrecen mejores servicios personales, en Colombia o en los Estados Unidos?
10. ¿Dónde hay más artículos de marca, en EE.UU. o en Colombia?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment R
Authentic Newspaper for Products and Prices: Day Five, Translation
A. Using the given newspaper, look for the prices of :
1. a scientific calculator
2. a cellular phone
3. a CD player
B. Now answer:
1. What is the price of the calculator in dollars?
2. What is the price of the cellular phone?
3. What is the price of the CD player in dollars?
4. Can you afford to buy a cellular phone and pay your bills every month?
5. Where is it cheaper to buy these items, in Colombia or in the U.S.?
6. Why are these products more expensive in Colombia?
7. Where do we find more specials, in the U.S. or in Colombia?
8. Where are drugs cheaper, in Colombia or in the U.S.?
9. Where are better personalized services offered, in Colombia or in the U.S.?
10. Where are there more brand names, in the U.S. or in Colombia?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment S
Summary/Closure: Day Five
1.
Generalmente los precios de las calculadoras en Colombia son más altos que en los
Estados Unidos. La razón es porque Colombia no tiene producción de estos productos o
porque las tarifas internacionales son muy altas en comparación a las tarifas de
importación en los Estados Unidos.
2.
Es dificil para un estudiante en Colombia tener una calculadora. En contraste, casi cada
estudiante en los Estados Unidos puede comprarse una calculadora a bajo precio. Una
razón es porque en Estados Unidos la oferta es alta y los precios son muy bajos. En
Colombia sucede lo contrario; la oferta es baja y los precios son muy altos. Además, la
mayoria de los colegios en los Estados Unidos recibe ayuda estatal o federal. En
Colombia los padres son los que tienen que pagar por los utencilios escolares.
3.
El costo de la vida es más alto en Colombia que en los Estados Unidos. La razón es
porque los salarios son bajos y los precios de los productos son muy altos. En
comparación, el costo de la vida en los Estados Unidos es más bajo que en Colombia
porque los salarios son altos y los precios de los productos son bajos.
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment S
Summary/Closure: Day Five, Translation
1.
Generally, the prices of calculators in Colombia are higher than in the U.S. The reason is
because Colombia does not have production of these products or because the import
taxes are very high in comparison to the import taxes for the United States.
2.
It is difficult for a Colombian student to have a calculator. In contrast, almost every
student in the U.S. can buy a calculator at a low price. One reason is because in the U.S.
the supply is high and prices are low. In Colombia the opposite happens: the supply is
low and the prices are high. Besides, the majority of the high schools in the U.S. receive
state and federal aid. In Colombia the parents are the ones who have to pay for
educational supplies.
3.
The cost of living is higher in Colombia than in the U.S. The reason is because the
salaries are low, and the prices are high. In comparison, the cost of living in the U.S. is
lower than in Colombia because the salaries are high and the prices of the products are
low
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment T
Homework: Day Five
Nombre ________________
A. Vaya al Internet (Almacenes Exito, Colombia) y busque el precio de los siguientes
artículos:
1.
un par de blujeans
2.
Un iPOD,
3.
una cámara digital.
B. Luego compare estos precios con los precios en los Estados Unidos.
¿Qué artículos son más caros en Colombia que en Los Estados Unidos?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment T
Homework: Day Five, Translation
Name____________________
A. Go to the Internet, Almacenes Exito, Colombia, and find the price for the following
articles:
1. a pair of blujeans,
2.
an iPOD,
3.
a digital camera.
B. Then compare those prices with the same items from the U.S.
What articles are more expensive in Colombia than in the U.S.?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment U
Large Stores – Small Stores: Day Six
There are big stores and large distributors in Colombia but not the size of the Super-stores or
megastores in the U.S. People go to small stores if they want to buy a T.V. set, a computer or
a DVD player. The cost of these items are higher than in this culture because most of those
products are imported from other countries such as Japan, Europe, China or the United
States. Most electronics are expensive in relation to the prices in this country. For example, a
computer that costs $400.00 in this country may cost up to $700.00 in Bogotá.
Preguntas. Contesta las siguientes preguntas:
1. Si usted quiere comprar una casetera en Bogotá, ¿Adónde va?
2. ¿En cuál de los dos países (EE.UU. o Colombia) son los precios de los electrodomésticos
más caros? ¿Por qué?
3. ¿Por cuánto puedo vender un televisor si lo llevo a Colombia? Digamos que el valor del
televisor aquí cuesta $350 dólares.
4. Si quiere comprar verduras frescas, ¿adónde va?
5. Si quiere comprar un vestido o un traje, ¿adónde va?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment U
Large Stores – Small Stores: Day Six, Answers and Translation
Possible answers:
1. Voy a un almacén pequeño/negocio pequeño. (I go to a small business.)
2. Los electrodomésticos son más caros en Colombia porque hay escaséz (scarcity) de
estos productos. (Appliance products are more expensive in Colombia because there is
scarcity of these products.)
3. Usted puede venderlo fácilmente por $600.00 (You can sell it easily for $600.00)
4. Voy al mercado. (I go to the open air market)
5. Voy al centro comercial. (I go to the mall)
Translation:
There are big stores and large distributors in Colombia but not the size of the Super-stores or
magastores in U.S. People go to small stores if they want to buy a T.V. set, a computer or a
DVD player. The cost of these items are higher than in this culture because most of those
products are imported from other countries such as Japan, Europe, China or the United
States. Most electronics are expensive in relation to the prices in this country. For example, a
computer that costs $400.00 in this country may cost up to $700.00 in Bogotá.
Questions: Answer the following questions.
1.
If you want to buy a VCR in Bogotá, where would you go?)
2.
In which country, the U.S. or Colombia, are the electrical appliances more expensive?
Why?
3.
If I take a TV set to Colombia, how much can I get for it? Let’s say that the cost here in
U.S. is $350.00.
4.
If you want to buy fresh vegetables, where will you go?
5.
If you want to buy a dress or a suit, where will you go?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment V
Advertisement: Day Six
1. What conclusions can you draw about Colombian culture based on the advertisements
from Colombia you have seen, and what conclusions can you draw about US culture
based on U.S. advertisements?
2. What products do teenagers from both cultures buy because they are influenced by
foreign advertising?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment V
Advertisement: Day Six, Answers and Translation
Answers and translation
1.
a)
Los anuncios son más largos en los Estados Unidos. (The ads are longer in U.S.)
b) Los anuncios tienen influencia extranjera en los dos países. (The ads have foreign
influence in both countries)
c)
Los anuncios colombianos tienen más música que los anuncios de EE.UU. (The ads
in Colombia use more music than in the U.S.)
d) Los anuncios colombianos se dirigen a las familias y a la gente joven. (The ads in
Colombia are directed at families and young people)
e)
Los anuncios de los EE.UU. se dirigen a toda clase social. (The ads in the U.S. are
directed at all social classes.)
2.
ropa de última moda (latest fashion clothes)
música (music)
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Attachment W
Summary/Closure: Day Six
Analyze how advertisement reflects perspectives related to products and practices of the
target culture and students’ own culture.
1.
Los anuncios de los países hispano-hablantes están basados en la música. Esto no es muy
común en los Estados Unidos.
2.
Los anuncios latino-americanos tienen mucha influencia Europea (España, Francia) y de
los Estados Unidos (música, modas, cine, deportes).
3.
Los anuncios en esta cultura tienen influencia hispano-americana debido al crecimiento
de la población hispana especialmente en Nueva York, Florida, Texas, California, y
Chicago. En estos estados hay muchos programas de radio y televisión en español y por
lo tanto los anuncios van dirigidos al segmento de la población hispano-americana.
4.
La economía hispano-americana podría sobrevivir sin anuncios. La economía de los
Estados Unidos no podría sobrevivir sin los anuncios. Por ejemplo, los anuncios que
vemos en las carreteras en los Estados Unidos son increíbles. En los países hispanoamericanos no vemos tantos anuncios.
5.
Los anuncios en ambos países van dirigidos a toda clase de gente pero especialmente a la
gente joven (niños y teenagers).
Preguntas de repaso:
6.
¿Qué productos hispano-americanos encuentra usted en su comunidad?
7.
Si usted fuera a Colombia, ¿cuántos pesos recibiría por doscientos dólares?
8.
¿Cuánto gana un profesor de un colegio nacional en Colombia? ¿En EE.UU?
9.
¿Cuáles son algunos productos con los que estamos conectados con la cultura hispanoamericana en nuestra vida diaria?
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
ATTACHMENT W
Summary/Closure: Day Six Translation
Analyze how advertisement reflects perspectives related to products and practices of the
target culture and students’ own culture.
1.
The advertisements in the Hispanic culture are based on music. This is not very common
in the United States.
2.
The Latin-American ads have a lot of influence from Europe (Spain, France) and from
the United States (music, fashion, movies, sports).
3.
The ads in this culture have Hispanic influence due to the fast growth of the Hispanic
population especially in New York, Florida, Texas, California and Chicago. In these
states there are many radio and television programs in Spanish. Therefore, the ads are
targeted to the Spanish-American population.
4.
The Hispanic economies could survive without advertisements. The economy of the
United States could not survive without ads. For example, the advertisements that we see
in the highways in the Unites States are incredible. In the Hispanic countries we do not
see so many ads.
5.
The advertisements in both countries target all audiences but especially the young people
(children and teenagers).
Review questions:
6.
What Hispanic-American products can you find in your community?
7.
If you went to Colombia, how many pesos will you receive for $200.00 dollars?
8.
How much does a secondary teacher in Colombia earn? In U.S.?
9.
What are some of the products in our daily life that are connected with the HispanicAmerican culture?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment X
Homework: Day Six
Nombre: ____________________
Conteste las siguientes preguntas.
1. ¿Hay escaséz de productos básicos en Colombia? Y ¿en los Estados Unidos?
2. ¿Adónde va usted si quiere comprar una computadora o una impresora?
3. ¿Hay almacenes de tipo “mega” en Colombia?
4. ¿Cómo compara usted los anuncios de la T.V. de Colombia con los de los EE.UU.?
5. ¿Qué influencia extranjera encuentra usted en los anuncios colombianos?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment X
Homework: Day Six, Translation
Name ___________________
Answer the following questions.
1.
Are there shortages of basic product in the U.S. and in Colombia?
2.
Where would you go if you wanted to buy a computer or a printer?
3.
Are there megastores in Colombia?
4.
How do you compare the T.V. ads from Colombia with those of the U.S.?
5.
What foreign influence do you find in the Colombian advertisements?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment Y
Import-Exports: Day Seven
Conteste las siguientes preguntas sobre importaciones y exportaciones de los EE.UU. con
Latino-America.
1. Haga una lista de tres productos importados de Latino-America.
2. ¿Cuánto cuesta una libra de café en los EE.UU?
3. ¿Cuánto cuesta esa misma libra de café en Colombia?
4. Haga una lista de tres productos que EE.UU. exporta a Colombia.
5. ¿Cuánto cuesta un par de Levis en los EE.UU y en Colombia?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment Y
Import-Exports: Day Seven, Answers and Translation
Possible answers:
1. bananas, café, ropa (bananas, coffee, clothes)
2. about $2.50
3. US 55 cents
4. computadoras, televisores, máquinas (computers, TV sets, machinery)
5. about $50 dollars in the U.S.; about $70 dollars in Colombia
Translation:
Answer the following questions related to imports and exports from the U.S. to LatinAmerica.
1.
Make a list of three products that are imported from Latin-America.
2.
How much is a pound of coffee in U.S.?
3.
How much is that same pound of coffee in Colombia?
4.
Make a list of three products that the U.S. exports to Colombia.
5.
How much is a pair of jeans in the U.S.? In Colombia?
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment Z
Summary/Closure: Day Seven
1. Algunos productos de Latinoamérica que encontramos en tu ciudad son:






ropa como chaquetas de cuero, camisas, suéteres, blusas
frutas como bananas
café
esmeraldas
vinos de Chile
comidas como quesos y tacos
2.
El cambio oficial del dólar hoy está a $2,780 pesos colombianos.
3.
El promedio de salario mensual de un profesor en un colegio en Latinoamérica es de
$600 dólares.
4.
El promedio del salario de un profesor en EE.UU. es de $2,000 mensuales.
5.
La ropa de última moda de los muchachos hispanoamericanos es similar a la moda de los
jóvenes en EE.UU.
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment Z
Summary/Closure: Day Seven, Translation
1.
Some of the Latin-American products that we find in your city are:






clothes such as leather jackets, shirts, sweaters, blouses
fruits such as bananas
coffee
emeralds
wines from Chile and Spain
foods such as cheese, and tacos
2. The exchange rate today is $2,780 Colombian pesos for one dollar.
3. The average monthly salary for a secondary teacher in Latin-America is $600.00 dollars.
4. The average monthly salary for a secondary teacher in the U.S. is about $2,000.00
dollars.
5. The latest fashion in clothing for Spanish-speaking teenagers is similar to the fashion of
the teen-ageers in the United States.
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El Costo de la vida
The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A1
Homework: Day Seven
Nombre ___________________
A.
1. ¿Cuántos dólares recibes por treinta mil pesos colombianos?
2. ¿Cuál es un producto similar que a los jóvenes de ambas culturas les gusta comprar?
3. ¿Qué comidas hispano-americanas encuentras en tu comunidad?
4. ¿Por qué son más caros en Colombia que en EE.UU la mayoría de productos?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
5. Escriba tres productos que exportamos a Latino-America.
B.
1. Watch a commercial in English about a product you like.
2. In your journal, write the name of the product and the number of seconds or minutes the
commercial lasts.
3. What is the product and audience that the commercial is targeting?
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The Cost of Living – Grade 10
Attachment A1
Homework: Day Seven, Answers and Translation
Possible answers:
1. $10.70
2. música (music)
3. taquitos (tacos), arroz con pollo (rice with chicken), enchiladas (enchiladas)
4. no hay mucha producción de estos artículos (there is not a lot of production of these
articles)
5. electrónicos (electric appliances), música (music), comida enlatada (canned foods).
Translation:
1. How much money in dollars will you receive for 30,000 pesos?
2.
What is a similar product that teenagers of both cultures like to buy?
3.
What kinds of Spanish-America foods do you find in your community?
4. Why are the majority of products more expensive in Colombia than in U.S.?
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
____________________________________________________________________
5.
Write three products that we export to Latin-America.
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Attachment A2
Dialog: Comparison of Products and Prices in Colombia and in the U.S.
Roberto:
¿Cuánto cuesta una cámara de video en Colombia?
Marta:
Bueno, ésta de marca Sony cuesta 1,500,000 pesos.
Roberto:
Y en dólares ¿cuánto es?
Marta:
El cambio está a tres mil pesos por un dólar. Entonces en dólares debe
costar unos $500.
Roberto:
Pues mira, esa misma cámara de video y la misma marca cuesta unos
$350 dólares en los Estados Unidos.
Marta:
Sí, claro. Aquí tenemos muchas rebajas porque tenemos mucha
producción y hay mucha competencia.
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Attachment A2
Dialog: Comparison of Products and Prices in Colombia and in the U.S.,
Translation
Roberto:
What is the price of a videocamera in Colombia?
Marta:
Well, this Sony costs 1,500,000 pesos.
Roberto:
How much is it in dollars?
Marta:
The exchange rate is about three thousand pesos to one dollar.
Therefor, it is about $500.00 dollars.
Roberto:
Look, the price of the same camera and the same brand is about
$350.00 dollars in the United States.
Marta:
Of course! Here we have many specials because we have a lot of
production and the competition is fierce.
83