Zapatos viejos

[laepelba]

Las direcciones: Una persona desconocida se enfrentó a cinco situaciones hipotéticas. Responde qué habrías hecho tú en esas situaciones.

No entiendo a o b en número 3:

3) Devolvió los zapatos después de usarlos una semana.
a) Habría pedido un par nuevo.
b) Me habría quedado con los zapatos viejos.

Does it mean:
He/She returned shoes after using them for a week.
a) I would have asked for a new pair.
b) I would have kept the old shoes.
???

I really don't understand. Choice "a" is supposed to be the virtuous choice. Choice "b" is supposed to be the less-than-honest choice. I don't see how "a" is the virtuous, unless I don't really understand the meaning. And I don't see what in the world "b" has to do with the context.

Help! (Thanks!)

[JPablo]

Well, I try to understand it myself, but I am hitting the same 'conundrum'... Your translations seem accurate...
(Do you have any more context?)
Option a) may be "virtuous" if you return the old shoes, and 'order' a new pair. I.e., I guess you send back the shoes (even if they are used for a week) and then pay for a new pair (?) [I take you don't get your money back from the ones you used for a week, and these can be given to someone... as in charity...]

Like Italians say "Bo! No lo so!" (Well, I don't know...)

(Let's see some more context, and/or see if another 'forero' has more inspiration.)

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

Las direcciones: Una persona desconocida se enfrentó a cinco situaciones hipotéticas. Responde qué habrías hecho tú en esas situaciones.

No entiendo a o b en número 3:



Does it mean:
He/She returned shoes after using them for a week.
a) I would have asked for a new pair.
b) I would have kept the old shoes.
???

I really don't understand. Choice "a" is supposed to be the virtuous choice. Choice "b" is supposed to be the less-than-honest choice. I don't see how "a" is the virtuous, unless I don't really understand the meaning. And I don't see what in the world "b" has to do with the context.

Help! (Thanks!)

There is no context as you have presented it. Much of the explanation of what the exercise is unknown....

Now you surmise that choice "b" is a less-than-honest one. Why?

Just the way it is presented I can make this out:

The person returned the shoes after a week of using them ( trying them out)

A) the person asked for a new pair to try.
B) the person realized that these are not good shoes or whatever...

[Perikles]

The only way I can make any sense of this is to assume two choices:

1. Demand new shoes
2. Put up with the shoes bought last week.

In which case los zapatos viejos are only one week old, which is not very old for shoes. Although a woman might think otherwise....

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by JPablo

Well, I try to understand it myself, but I am hitting the same 'conundrum'... Your translations seem accurate...
(Do you have any more context?)
Option a) may be "virtuous" if you return the old shoes, and 'order' a new pair. I.e., I guess you send back the shoes (even if they are used for a week) and then pay for a new pair (?) [I take you don't get your money back from the ones you used for a week, and these can be given to someone... as in charity...]

Like Italians say "Bo! No lo so!" (Well, I don't know...)

(Let's see some more context, and/or see if another 'forero' has more inspiration.)

Originally Posted by chileno

There is no context as you have presented it. Much of the explanation of what the exercise is unknown....

Now you surmise that choice "b" is a less-than-honest one. Why?

Just the way it is presented I can make this out:

The person returned the shoes after a week of using them ( trying them out)

A) the person asked for a new pair to try.
B) the person realized that these are not good shoes or whatever...

Originally Posted by Perikles

The only way I can make any sense of this is to assume two choices:

1. Demand new shoes
2. Put up with the shoes bought last week.

In which case los zapatos viejos are only one week old, which is not very old for shoes. Although a woman might think otherwise....

I gave you as much of the context as I was given. There were five questions. Each presented a one sentence statement of a conundrum, followed by two choices, (a) and (b). You were supposed to choose which (a or b) you would do in the given situation. At the end of the exercise, it says that if you chose (a) 3 to 5 times, "eres un(-a) ciudadano(a) responsable, generoso(a) y hoesto(a)" ... and that if you chose (a) 1 or 2 times, "tienes dudas en cuanto a tus responsabilidades como ciudadano(a)."

I know that there are some people who will buy a new item of clothing, wear it briefly, and then return it for full cash refund. Many women do that with dresses that they cannot afford but they need something "nice" for a special event. They buy the dress they cannot afford, wear it to the event, then return it for a refund. I assume that this question is asking something along those lines: Would I return a pair of shoes I have worn for a week, expecting a refund? What I don't understand is exactly what the (a) and (b) mean in this situation.

By the way, in a "vocabulario útil" box next to the exercise, it says that "quedarse con" means "to keep"...

[Perikles]

I see why you are baffled. I think they must have their responses the wrong way round.

[chileno]

Originally Posted by Perikles

I see why you are baffled. I think they must have their responses the wrong way round.

I agree. It doesn't make sense. Can you post the rest of the questions?

[laepelba]

The rest of them are super-obvious....

1) La vendedora le entregó diez dólares extra.
a) Habría devuelto el dinero.
b) No habría dicho nada.

2) Rompió una lámpara en la sección de muebles.
a) Habría avisado al gerente.
b) Habría ido a otro departamento.

3) **El número en la primer entrada**

4) Ganó un premio de cinco mil dólares.
a) Habría donado una cantidad a la Cruz Roja.
b) Habría puesto todo el dinero en el banco.

5) Vio a un ladrón salir de una joyería.
a) Habría cooperado con la policía.
b) No habría dicho nada a nadie.

Does that help?

[chileno]

Originally Posted by laepelba

The rest of them are super-obvious....



Does that help?

Yes, but still the one being discussed not get any clearer...

[laepelba]

Originally Posted by chileno

Yes, but still the one being discussed not get any clearer...

Exactly! That's why I didn't include the others in my original post. I am just going to drop it. If my friends who are native Spanish-speakers think the exercise is confusing, then I will disregard it.