Worksheet on Value and Cost of Things

Nowadays people know the price of everything and the value of nothing. Oscar Wilde

People focus far too much on the price or cost of things instead of what they’re actually worth.

I’ll give you an example from my life, something that happened recently.

I came back to Vietnam after a lovely holiday in warm and sunny Cambodia to find that temperatures had  plummeted  and the thin blanket on my bed was no longer enough to keep me warm at night. I was reluctant  to buy a duvet (a French word, pronounced ‘doo-vay’)  because I’m trying to save money and only have 3 weeks left before I fly down south to warmer climes.  However,  after a couple of nights of shivering and broken sleep, I decided that I would have to face facts, dip into my savings and fork out for some warmer bedding. I was  lucky  enough to find a duvet on sale but it was still £25 and it was money I resented having to spend.

Fast  forward  two weeks and I woke up this morning after another very satisfying night’s sleep to  realise  that the £25 was money well spent. The  mistake  I had made was to focus on the price, or cost of the duvet rather than on the value  or worth  of it.  The  warm, comfortable, snuggly feelings it gives me are worth way more than £25 and the peaceful, deep sleeps I’m experiencing as a result of my purchase are priceless.

The  word  ‘values’  is  a synonym  for  ‘beliefs’. Our values are beliefs which we emotionally invest in, which we hold dear and which reflect our ethics and morals.

Reading comprehension questions

1 Where  did the writer experience a change in temperature?

2 Why did the writer find it  necessary to buy a duvet?

3 What made him reluctant in his decision to buy the duvet?

4 What changed his mind ?

5 How does  the whole experience of the writer relate to Oscar Wilde’s quote at the top of the page?

6 Name at least 3 values which reflect the ethics and morals of your country.

Money – Banking

Money – Buying

1 We paid for the car by/ in  monthly………………….

2  In the market dealers were ………………………..with growers over the price of coffee.

3  Tickets cannot be exchanged or money …………………………

4 The equipment can be ……………………………by your local supplier.

5 We ran up a massive hotel ……………..

Money – Earning

1 The particular amount of  money you earn before tax has been taken off it is your ………………. Income.

2  The ………………. Weight of something is the weight without its container or the material it is wrapped in.

3 …………………… are paid on Fridays.

4 He decided to ask his boss for a ………………

Money – Giving

1 They were given a……………….to start the clinic of $250,000.

2 Does the bank charge a …………………. For setting up an account?

3  The verb for “ come into” is …………………….

4  He  gave the waiter a generous ……………………

Money – Related Adjectives

1 Children of ………………..families further their studies after graduating from High School.

2 I was really ……………………. three months ago  as a result of my jobless situation   . Bills were piling up and there was nothing I could do.

3 Being thrifty or frugal is good as opposed to being ……………..

Form the correct version of the word using the word root to the right of the phrase. Click on the arrow to see if you have answered correctly.

1 I,ve just bought a new ……………. policy.               INSURE

2 He has just spent all his …………….on a brand new car.    SAVE

3 The old violin proved to be …………………..      WORTH

4 The bank ……………….. asked to see my passport.        CASH

5 This is not his …………………….on the check            SIGN

6 $ 50 000 ! Thank you for your ………………….           GENEROUS

7 We had to take out a …………………from the bank to purchase our house.      LEND

8 Unfortunately , my business is not very …………………..         PROFIT

9 I’ve always wanted to stay in a …………………. hotel.        LUXURY