Lesson 1: Cost of Living
The bus fares here are dirt cheap.

I can listen to and understand the cost of living in a foreign country.

INTRODUCE

When you travel to a foreign country, it’s important to know the cost of living there so you can bring enough money for your trip.

PRESENT

STEP A EXPRESSIONS

I. Go over the expressions with your tutor.  

    1. To cost an arm and a leg means to be very expensive.

     

    Staying at a five-star hotel will cost an arm and a leg.

     

     

    2. Something that costs a fortune requires a lot of money.

     

    The taxi ride from the airport cost a fortune last night!

     

     

    3. Dirt cheap means very inexpensive.

     

    The souvenirs I bought were dirt cheap.

     

     

    II. What’s the last place you traveled to? Talk about the prices there using the expressions above.

STEP B PRONUNCIATION

When one word ends with a consonant sound and the next word starts with a vowel sound, they are often linked together.
Phrase Example

cost a fortune

/ cos-ta fortune /

The taxi ride from the airport / cos-ta fortune /!

cost an arm and a leg

/ cos-ta-nar-man-da leg /

Staying at a five-star hotel will / cos-ta-nar-man-da leg /.

UNDERSTAND

LISTENING

Charlie is in Peru for a week-long vacation. He’s listening to his hostel roommate, Zack, talk about the cost of living there.

TRIVIA

Now you’ve learned the phrases dirt cheap and cost an arm and a leg, but do you understand why native speakers say them? Dirt cheap means something is so cheap that it’s like you’re paying with dirt, not money.  Cost an arm and a leg comes from the idea that you have to give your arm and leg as payment—now that’s really expensive!

PRACTICE

STEP A EXERCISE

Choose the correct answers.

1. These souvenirs _____. I can’t afford them.

  • are dirt cheap
  • cost a fortune

 

2. I booked the hotel while it _____ so I could save money.

  • was dirt cheap
  • costs an arm and a leg

 

3. The resort _____. It’s out of my budget.

  • is dirt cheap
  • costs an arm and a leg

 

4. It’s better to take the train on a weekday because the tickets _____.

  • cost a fortune
  • are dirt cheap

 

5. I’ll run out of money if I eat there. Their meals _____.

  • cost a fortune
  • are dirt cheap

STEP B EXERCISE

What do you think of the prices? Talk about them using the expressions in the box. More than one answer is possible, and the form of the expressions may need to be changed.

cost an arm and a leg
cost a fortune
dirt cheap

ex. airfare from Tokyo to Sapporo: ¥65,000

→ The airfare from Tokyo to Sapporo costs an arm and a leg.

1. bus fare: $0.25

2. 30-minute guided tour: $200

3. grilled salmon: ¥350

4. hotel room (one night): $2,000

CHALLENGE

Challenge 1

You just arrived in a foreign country for a business trip. On your way to the hotel, listen to a podcast of an expat who lives there. Then, call your friend to say that you’ve arrived at your hotel safely and talk about what you learned from the podcast.

Today's Expressions

  • cost an arm and a leg
  • cost a fortune
  • dirt cheap

Challenge 2

Discuss your ideas.

If Time
Allows
1

COST OF LIVING
2

TRAVELING ON A BUDGET
3

HOSTELS
1

COST OF LIVING

  1. Is the cost of living in Japan cheap or expensive?
  2. What’s really cheap in Japan?
  3. What’s really expensive there?
  4. Which is cheaper, living in the city or in the countryside? Which do you prefer?

2TRAVELING ON A BUDGET

  1. Do you like to travel on a budget?
  2. If you were traveling on a budget, what country would you visit?
  3. If you were traveling on a budget, what would you prioritize (ex. food, hotel)?
  4. Do you think traveling on a budget is safe?

3HOSTELS

  1. Have you ever stayed at a hostel?
  2. Do you think hostels are safe?
  3. Should hostels have an age limit?
  4. Should hostels have curfews?

FEEDBACK

I can listen to and understand the cost of living in a foreign country.

LESSON GOAL ACHIEVEMENT

  • 4
    Very Good

    Could complete the task with ease

  • 3
    Good

    Could complete the task with some clarifications

  • 2
    Fair

    Could complete the task with additional instructions

  • 1
    Poor

    Could somehow complete the task with difficulty

PERSONALIZED FEEDBACK