La lámpara de la caja
The Lamp in the Box
El jueves por la tarde, Clara visitó una tienda cerca de su trabajo. Necesitaba una lámpara para su mesa de estudio. Su lámpara vieja ya no funcionaba. En la tienda vio varios modelos y eligió uno amarillo. Costaba menos que los otros y tenía un tamaño perfecto.
Un empleado buscó una caja en un estante. Clara miró la foto amarilla y llevó la caja hasta la entrada. Tuvo que hacer fila durante cinco minutos. Después decidió pagar en efectivo. Guardó el recibo dentro del bolso y caminó a casa con su compra.
Al abrir la caja, encontró una lámpara azul. Primero pensó en dejarla sobre su mesa. Sin embargo, quería el color amarillo. Clara revisó el recibo y miró el horario de la tienda en su celular. Todavía tenía tiempo para volver.
En la tienda habló con el mismo empleado. "Quiero cambiar la lámpara. La foto muestra otro color". Él abrió otra caja y encontró una lámpara amarilla. "Esta sí es amarilla", dijo Clara. El empleado probó la lámpara y cerró la caja.
Clara volvió a casa sin pagar más. Esa noche puso la lámpara sobre su mesa. Encendió la luz y empezó a estudiar.
On Thursday afternoon, Clara visited a store near her workplace. She needed a lamp for her study table. Her old lamp no longer worked. In the store she saw several models and chose a yellow one. It cost less than the others and was the perfect size.
An employee looked for a box on a shelf. Clara looked at the yellow picture and carried the box to the entrance. She had to wait in line for five minutes. Then she decided to pay in cash. She put the receipt inside her bag and walked home with her purchase.
Upon opening the box, she found a blue lamp. First she thought about leaving it on her table. However, she wanted the yellow color. Clara checked the receipt and looked at the store's hours on her phone. She still had time to go back.
At the store she spoke with the same employee. "I want to exchange the lamp. The picture shows a different color." He opened another box and found a yellow lamp. "This one really is yellow," Clara said. The employee tested the lamp and closed the box.
Clara returned home without paying more. That night she put the lamp on her table. She turned on the light and started studying.
Key Phrases
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hacer fila
to wait in lineA common expression for waiting behind other people for a service.
Tenemos que hacer fila para comprar las entradas.
We have to wait in line to buy the tickets.
pagar en efectivo
to pay in cashDescribes paying with bills or coins.
Voy a pagar en efectivo por estas frutas.
I am going to pay in cash for this fruit.
revisó el recibo
checked the receiptDescribes looking at a receipt to check purchase details.
Luis revisó el recibo antes de salir del supermercado.
Luis checked the receipt before leaving the supermarket.
cambiar la lámpara
to exchange the lampHere, cambiar means returning a purchase and receiving another item in its place.
Necesito cambiar la lámpara por un modelo más pequeño.
I need to exchange the lamp for a smaller model.
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