Afford vs. calculate

[Goran]

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #5 "Learning tips and instructions", question 7

If you can ......... the cost of travel, there is of course no substitute for visiting the country itself.

(a) afford
(b) spend
(c) expend
(d) calculate

English Language Proficiency Tests, Advanced Level

ESL/EFL Test #5 "Learning tips and instructions", answer 7

If you can afford the cost of travel, there is of course no substitute for visiting the country itself.

Correct answer: (a) afford

Your answer was: incorrect
If you can calculate the cost of travel, there is of course no substitute for visiting the country itself.
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why should use afford?

Goran

[Mister Micawber]

.
You must look at the context: the second clause indicates that actually visiting the country is the best experience. Visiting a country, however, is expensive, so you must decide whether you can afford (= have enough money) to travel. Merely calculating the expense is not an adequate activity to rationalize the 'then' clause of this conditional sentence.
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Native English teacher at Mister Micawber's

[Alan]

Hi Goran,

The two verbs have a relationship with one another. If you want to buy somehting (in this case a holiday), you first have to calculate (work out the details) the cost. Having made that calculation, you then have to decide whether you can afford it - whether you have sufficient money.

Alan
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English as a Second Language
You can read my ESL story Present Simple

[Hoadong]

Hello teacher,

Please explain the meaning of this sentence: "If you can afford the cost of travel, there is of course no substitute for visiting the country itself."
I can understand the meaning "If you can afford the cost of travel", but I don't understand "there is of course no substitute for visiting the country itself."

Many thanks.
Hoa
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Hoadong

[Beeesneees]

Hello Hoa,

Some additional punctuation in that phrase might help you to break it down:
there is, of course, no substitute for visiting the country itself.

If we remove 'of course' then we are left with:
there is no substitute for...
There is no substitute for = there is no better/other way to do

In other words, if you can afford it, then the best thing that you can do is to visit the country. There is no better way (to learn the language).
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Cheers m' dears!

[Hoadong]

Beeesneees, thank you!

You've made it easy to me to understand. "There is no substitute for = there is no better/other way to do".

If you don't understand any new word, there is of course no substitute for asking the native speaker to explain it. (I don't know if Ive made a right example or not). Please correct if I make a mistake.

Hoa
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Hoadong

[Beeesneees]

Hello Hoa,

That example is correct.
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Cheers m' dears!

[Hoadong]

Beeesneees, thank you!
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Hoadong