In
this third step, listen to the conversation again while you read
the transcription. Finally, read the glossary information, phrasal
verbs (highlighted in yellow) and notes at
the bottom. This step also means good practice for your reading
comprehension skills. To get information in Spanish, just place the
arrow of your mouse on any highlighted word without clicking.
Hello?
John Martin here. Yes, Mr. Wiles is here, Ted. What! Oh, no. How
frightful! Is the man all right? Yes, come on up... That was Ted
Fielding. He's been phoning for you all over the building. There's
been an accident in the fitters' shop.
PETER
Oh
Lord! Why didn't he go straight to the Personnel Manager? That's his
business.
JOHN
Ian
Hampden's away.
PETER
Oh, I'd
forgotten
he was
going away this week. Then I suppose it is my
responsibility. Is it serious?
JOHN
Ted
didn't say. He seemed anxious to come up and see you right away. Ah,
here he is... come in, Ted.
PETER
Good
Heavens, man, you look awful. It's not a fatal accident, is it?
It's
Reg Arnold in the fitters' shop.
He didn't
put on goggles when he was
using the grinding‑machine and a lot of
steel filings flew up.
Oh, he looks terrible; one eye's very bad.
The
foreman called me, and I sent for Robinson, who's trained
in
first aid. I called you as soon as I could.
PETER
Where
is Reg now?
TED
They've
taken him to the first‑aid room, until the ambulance arrives.(ambulance
coming in) Ah,
there's the ambulance now.
For
goodness sake!!
Surely we can see the poor chap into the ambulance.
PETER
I think
we'll all stay here. An industrial accident can be a tricky affair.
It's best
to keep out of the way.
JOHN
Surely
not. It was the man's own fault by the sound of it.
PETER
My
experience is that when there's an accident it's never the man's
fault; anyway, in the opinion of our own particular shop steward.
You'll see, Jack Green will make the most of this. He'll suggest that
the
supervisor should have noticed that he wasn't wearing
goggles and insisted that he put them on. It could cost the firm a lot
of money.
(An
hour later, in Peter Wiles's office)
JANE
Oh, Mr.
Wiles, Jack Green, the shop steward, is waiting to see you.
PETER
Ah, the
inevitable! All right. Ask him to come in.
JANE
Yes.
PETER
Ah,
Jack, I've been expecting you.
(Later
that day, John comes into Peter's office)
JOHN
Hello,
Peter! You've had a visit from Green, I gather.
Surely
they can't be. After all, there's a notice hanging over every machine
warning the men to wear goggles.
PETER
Yes,
but Green wants a full-time safety manager. I wonder what H.G.
will say to that!!
JOHN
Well,
you haven't got to worry about Reg Arnold sueing the company. H.G.
asked me to go down to the hospital to see him. I did, and he admitted
it was entirely his fault.
PETER
What
did he say?
JOHN
He was
almost apologetic. As if we were the ones who were suffering!
He said he was sorry he'd caused so much trouble.
PETER
Hmm...
Did anyone else hear him say that, apart from you?
JOHN
Yes.
Ted Fielding, who came with me, and two nurses.
PETER
Good.
Arnold won't be able
to make out a case of negligence against us, when
Green gets hold of him.
JOHN
I never
realised how tough you could be. You haven't given a thought to the
poor unfortunate man. All you care about is the politics of the
affair. You're as bad as Jack Green.
PETER
Well,
someone's got to be tough if you want to stay in business.
JOHN
I
couldn't disagree with you more. Where are you going? Golf, I suppose.
PETER
Not a
bad idea on a lovely afternoon like this. No, as a matter of fact I
thought I'd
call at the hospital on my way home to see Reg Arnold. But
I'll get the Personnel Department to
check up first how many weeks at
full pay
he's entitledto under the company
sick‑pay
scheme. You know, it
makes up the difference between National
Insurance payments and his normal basic rate.
That should
cheer him up!!
GLOSSARY
& NOTES
record sales week
This
means that more goods were sold in this week than ever before. To break
this record the sales will have to be even higher in the future(semana de ventas que supera el record).
to go away
To leave
(irse de viaje).
very nasty
Awful, terrible (espantoso, horrible).
to put on
To dress oneself in or to put accesories on(vestirse, ponerse, colocarse algo encima).
steel filings
Small
particles of steel(partículas de acero).
foreman
The
employee responsible for the work of the men under him, the efficiency
of the department and the quality and quantity of the work produced.
Also,
man in charge of a department or group of departments(capataz).
first aid
Emergency care given before regular medical aid can be obtained (primeros auxilios).
don't rush things
Don't hurry up
(No apures las cosas).
to keep out
To stay outside
(no entrometerse, conservar la distancia).
supervisor
In
a large department there may be several foremen under a supervisor, each
with a special responsibility(supervisor).
safety precautions
A
precaution is something you take to prevent a potentially dangerous
situation from causing an accident. The regulation which made it
obligatory to wear goggles when using certain machines was a safety
precaution(medidas de seguridad).
full-time
One
who works permanently at this job only
(jornada completa). You can either work full-time,
that is, full working day, or part-time, part of the day only(jornada incompleta).
to be
apologetic
To offer or express apologies (pedir disculpas).
to call at
To stop for a short visit
(hacer una corta visita).
to check up
To verify (comprobar,
verificar).
to be entitled
to
To be qualified for by right according to law
(tener derecho a, estar autorizado a).
to make out
To pretend (simular,
fingir).
sick-pay
Wages paid to an employee who is on sick leave
(licencia por enfermedad).
