Arthur's TV Trouble
Arthur gets into TV trouble when he insists on buying The Amazing Treat Timer, a gadget that would help him feed his dog. Will it be worth using his hard-earned cash to purchase the Timer? See what happens to Arthur in this amusing story.
Interested in using this resource in your classroom? Check out the posters that go along with this book: Opportunity Cost, Supply & Demand.
Author: Marc Brown
Published: 1995
Accelerated Reader Level/Points: .5
Publisher: Little Brown
Comprehension Questions
What is an advertisement?
Actions/information provided by sellers to influence you to purchase their products.
What are some examples of advertisements?
Ads in newspapers, on TV or radio, signs, flyers, yellow pages, etc.
What kind of advertisements influenced Arthur? Why?
Catchy ads for an Amazing Treat Timer he saw on TV and also in the newspaper and radio.
How did Arthur earn money to buy the Timer?
He stacked newspapers for a neighbor, who paid him 50 cents per stack. (Bonus question: How many sacks of newspapers did Arthur take to the corner to earn $12.00?)
Was Arthur pleased when he bought the Timer?
No. It scared his dog, and the Timer didn’t seem to work right. All sales were final so he couldn’t return it.
When you are thinking about buying something, what must you consider in your decision?
Consumers must weigh carefully if the benefit they will receive from a purchase is really worth the cost.
Typically, when you purchase a good, are all sales final?
No. Typically you can return a good if it is defective. If the sale of a good is indeed final, you must be very careful to make sure that you really want to purchase the good, realizing that if there are problems, you will not get your money back.
Must advertisers be honest?
Yes, there are rules/laws about being truthful in advertising, and most businesses that advertise are basically honest. However, some advertisers may stretch the truth, or there may even be some sellers that are indeed dishonest, so their ads may be fraudulent (e.g. ads promoting fraudulent financial investment to unsuspecting senior citizens). Consumers must always be careful in making purchases.
How is advertising helpful?
It provides valuable information to consumers. This information includes what kinds of goods or services are available or are on sale, where they can be purchased, etc. Imagine how difficult it would be finding a house to buy without some form of advertising. It would be very costly, as buyers would have to drive around trying to find out which houses were for sale!
Have you ever advertised anything? Explain.
Answers will vary.