W: Hey, you doing anything special for spring break?
M: I might go to the beach. My sister and her husband want me to go to their beach house with them. My brother will be there too. I’d really like to go because I just want to relax and have some fun. But I’m torn between doing that and going on this biology trip, you know, the one in the rainforest?
W: Biology trip? You mean the one that your professor is leading?
M: Yeah, it’s a study of the rainforest ecosystem. It costs money, but I know I’d learn a lot. I’d get some experience doing field research.
W: Oh, wow. That’s a hard decision. The beach sounds great, but so does the rainforest. That seems like an opportunity you shouldn’t pass up.
M: My family will be disappointed if I don’t go to the beach. I haven’t seen them in a long time, and the beach is a special place for us.
W: But you can go to the beach with your family
anytime. You might not get another chance to go to the rainforest. You should talk to your family, explain that you have a great opportunity to do some research. You might not get another opportunity like this.
M: Hmm. Maybe not.
W: You need to think about your future. An experience like this might help you later, I mean, when you look for a job after graduation. You should stress that you did field research. That would look good in your record.
Describe the man’s problem and the suggestions the woman makes about what he should do. What do you think the man should do, and why?
