Reader 12
The Total at the Register
Priya, her husband Nate, and their teenage son Evan were checking out at a grocery store. The cashier scanned their items quickly while Priya placed the bags in the cart.
When the cashier announced the total, Nate looked at the screen. “That total doesn’t add up,” he said calmly. “I thought it would be lower.”
The cashier paused. “Let me check the items.”
Evan studied the screen and pointed to a bag of rice. “I think that rang up at the wrong price.”
Priya opened the store advertisement on her phone. “Here it is,” she said. “The rice is on sale for two dollars less.”
The cashier checked the screen again. “You’re right. I’ll call the manager so we can correct it.”
A manager came over and compared the advertisement with the price on the register. “The sale price didn’t go through,” she explained. “I’ll fix it now.”
After the manager corrected the price, the total changed. The cashier handed Nate the receipt and said, “Thank you for pointing that out.”
“No problem,” Nate replied. “We just wanted to make sure the total was correct.”
Priya checked the receipt before placing it in her bag. The family thanked the cashier and left the store with their groceries.
VOCABULARY
Write the words or expressions from the story that are new to you or that you want to review.
DISCUSSION QUESTIONS
Share your thoughts. Use details from the story to support your answers.
How do Nate, Evan, and Priya each contribute to finding the mistake? Explain how their actions turn a concern about the total into evidence of a specific error.
What details show that the family and the store employees treat the mistake as a problem to solve together? Explain how their words or actions support this approach.
Why might Priya check the receipt even after the manager corrects the price? What does this final action suggest about how she makes sure the problem is resolved?
LISTEN
Listen to the recording and respond in complete sentences.
What did the speaker say?
Do you agree or disagree with the speaker? Why?
