What is the main idea of the passage?

A shop tracks inventory to balance having useful shoes available against the money and space held in unsold stock. (The passage describes both shortage and excess, making balance the inventory goal.)

Why can ten pairs still be unhelpful?

The available sizes may not fit the customer. (The second paragraph warns that total quantity does not reveal whether the needed size is present.)

What does “inventory” mean here?

goods a business has available or stored for sale (The opening defines the unsold shoes on shelves as inventory.)

What may happen when a style no longer sells?

The shop may reduce its price. (The second paragraph names price reduction as one possible cost of excess outdated stock.)

Why a Shop Counts Unsold Shoes: Level 1 Reading Comprehension Questions

At closing time, a shoe shop counts pairs still on its shelves. These unsold goods are inventory. They tie up money and storage space, but they also let a customer find a needed size today.

Too little inventory creates empty shelves and missed sales. Too much can leave the shop paying for crowded storage or reducing prices on styles that no longer sell. The owner must also track sizes, because ten pairs are not useful if none fit the customer.

Counting helps the shop decide what to reorder and what to stop buying. The goal is not an empty stockroom or a full one. It is a useful balance between availability and the costs of waiting goods.

Comprehension questions