Two Businessmen

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 STEP 3

Listening and Checking with transcription

In this last step, listen to the conversation again while you read the transcription. Finally, read the glossary information and notes at the bottom. This step also means good practice for your reading comprehension skills.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Do you think the new system'll work?

BUSINESSMAN 2

I don't know. I hope so.

BUSINESSMAN 1

It seems like we've tried everything else.

BUSINESSMAN 2

You know, we tried this system, too, a few years ago.

BUSINESSMAN 1

How did it work?

BUSINESSMAN 2

A dismal failure.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Seems like a good idea in some ways. Why didn't it work?

BUSINESSMAN 2

Well, I think it would've if everyone had cooperated and really tried to make it work.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Don't you think, though, that with the new guidelines we might do better this time?

BUSINESSMAN 2

Uh-huh. The details have been worked out so much more carefully this time.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Everybody in my department... well, nearly everybody... is amazingly optimistic about it. I don't know when I've seen so much real enthusiasm and hopefulness.

BUSINESSMAN 2

Really? Sounds like a good sign.

BUSINESSMAN 1

Uh-huh. As a matter of fact, I wouldn't be surprised if that's what just might make the whole difference.

BUSINESSMAN 2

You mean the attitude of the...

BUSINESSMAN 1

Sure. When you come right down to it, with a thing like this it's the human factor that's crucial. If we can just...

BUSINESSMAN 2

... just keep up the initial enthusiasm, until...

BUSINESSMAN 1

... until the thing has a chance to work...

BUSINESSMAN 2

... then it'll prove itself and everybody'll do their part to make a go of it.

BUSINESSMAN 1

... a go of it. Certainly seems worth a try.

GLOSSARY & NOTES

phase = stage, step.

outcome like = consequence, effect

It seems like... There has been considerable controversy in recent years over the question of like used as a conjunction introducing a clause (in place of as or as if). As and as if are definitely preferred in formal usage (It seems as if we've tried everything else), but like is increasingly used in informal speech. Notice that the use of like in the sentence Seems like a good idea... (which occurs later in this conversation) is quite another matter: this use of like, as a preposition, is not only correct at all levels of formality, but no other preposition could be properly substituted for it (although it could be omitted altogether: Seems a good idea).

dismal failure: sadly, depressingly, miserably unsuccessful. failure =/= success

guidelines: rules or principles

everybody'll do their part: everybody should cooperate

make a go of it = make it succeed.

seems worth a try: it deserves to try it

Source: English Teaching Forum - Authors: Kathleen Seley & Lewis Barnett