Listen to a conversation between two students.
(man) Tina, I'm so glad I bump into you.
(woman) Hey, Bob, what's up?
(man) Well, you know how I told you I could work for you tonight? Cover you shift at the dining hall later?
(woman) Yeah, thanks so much for that. Friday night dinner shifts are tough to find substitutes for.
(man) Well, actually,
(woman) Oh, no! Don't tell me something came up and you're canceling?
(man) Um, yeah, I'm afraid I forgot tonight I've got a music rehearsal for the bend I'min.
(woman) Music rehearsal?
(man) Yeah, I play keyboards for Little Rock Band here on campus and we've got practice tonight to prepare for a concert we're doing that's coming up. It's really kind of important.
(woman) Well, I don't know what to do now because I already made plans to go to the school's play with some friends tonight.
(man) Oh!
(woman) Yeah, and there's no way I can find someone to work my shift now. It's so last minute.
(man) I'm really sorry, Tina.
(woman) Well, I guess I could cancel my plan to see the play. Go see it another time by myself since my friends are seeing it tonight. I think it's playing for another week.
(man) Or, you know, I guess I could talk to the band leader explain to him that I can't make the band practice tonight.
(woman) Yeah?
(man) Yeah, I mean, it's my fault I forgot and I want to do the right thing here since I did say I'd work for you. It's just that some of the songs are new to me and tonight's our last practice before the concert. I don't want to sound bad at the show.
Briefly summarize the problem the speakers are discussing. Then state which of the two solutions from the conversation you would recommend. Explain the reasons for your recommendation.
Well, the man's got a problem that he has a musical rehearsal in his band but he promised the woman to cover her shift in the dining hall at the same time. Accordingly, there're two solutions for the man's problem: first the woman could cancel her plan and go to the night shift by herself, or the man could talk to the band leader to take a leave for covering the woman's shift. Well, I guess, the man should go to his rehearsal and let the woman go to her night shift for two main reasons. Firstly, it's the man's last chance to practice his new songs. If he misses it, he will probably sound bad in the performance and that will negatively affect the team play. Second, I think the woman should understand the man. After all, there will be another play on some other time and the man's work must come first. So I believe the man should choose the first solution. (164 words)
