1. Read the text and decide on the genre.

Is it…

a. a book on finance?

b. a short story?

c. a newspaper article?

2. Read again and complete the text with appropriate words.

marketing rip-off luxury products label brands bargain

advertisements customers status symbol afford promoting

There was once a shopping center that teenagers loved visiting. It had lots of shops

with a wide range of products and ____________(1). One sunny afternoon, a group of

friends named Sarah, Mark, and Lisa decided to explore the shopping centre together.

As they were walking around, they were fascinated by the products in the shop windows

and the ____________(2) on the walls. Sarah, who was always careful with money, knew

she couldn't ____________(3) luxury brands. Her parents had given her only a small

amount of money, so she had to be wise about her choices.

First, they entered a popular clothes shop where ____________(4) could rent elegant

clothes for special occasions. Mark, who had recently been chosen as the president of

the student council, wanted to look his best for the next school dance. He liked a black

suit on display, but when he saw the price on the ____________(5), he was shocked…

the suit was a complete ____________(6)!

Meanwhile, Lisa was fascinated by the latest technological gadgets. She spotted an

advertisement for a new smartphone which was supposed to be a real

_________ _________(7) among teenagers. Lisa desperately wanted to change her old

phone, but the smartphone in the shop was too expensive. Were the product’s features

worth the cost?

In the meantime, Sarah came across a small shop where a man was ____________(8) a

revolutionary hair straightener. The salesman told her it was a ____________(9)

compared to other more expensive brands, and that it was really useful. So, Sarah

decided to buy the straightener. Good for Sarah! She got a valuable product at an

affordable price.

Meanwhile, Mark and Lisa came across a shop that sold ____________(10) watches.

Mark was fascinated by the beauty of such devices. The shop owner told them that the

watches were really popular now, and that they were a status symbol in many cities.

However, the watches were too expensive. Were they really worth their value?

After hours of exploring, the three friends met in a café to talk about their shopping

experiences. Sarah was pleased and she showed her new hair straightener to Mark and

Lisa. Mark and Lisa realized that it was more important to find ____________(11) that

met their personal needs, and not to spend all their money on luxuries they didn’t really

need.

At the end of the evening, they left the shopping center, satisfied with the day's

adventures. They had learned that ____________(12) sometimes influenced them to buy

more they could afford, and that being careful with their money was crucial.

3. Read the text again with your answers. Does it make sense? Then, listen to the

recording and check your work.

4. Now, choose the best title.

a. The importance of luxury brands for teenagers.

b. Teenage Shopping: Learning how to spend money.
c. Marketing strategies to encourage teenage spending.