B1-02 / CEFR B1 / EPISODE 02

Crisis at Work

Keeping a work conversation on track

SceneIt's late at night in the office. Frank and his coworker, Priya, are racing to meet a deadline for an important client. The pizza arrived an hour ago.

Frank and a coworker with papers and pizza in a late-night office.
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STORY English with optional Japanese translations

Narrator

It's late at night in the office. Frank and his coworker, Priya, are racing to meet a deadline for an important client. The pizza arrived an hour ago.

深夜のオフィス。フランクと同僚のプリヤは、重要な顧客のための締め切りに追われている。ピザは1時間前に届いた。

Priya01

Okay, status. The data section?

さて、状況確認。データセクションは?

Frank02

Done. Checked twice. But the printer jammed on the charts, so I opened the side panel, and—

完成。2回確認済み。でも、グラフのところでプリンターが詰まって、側面のパネルを開けたら——

Priya03

—Sorry to cut you off. Just the status.

——話の途中でごめん。状況だけで。

Frank04

Let me just finish that thought. The printer jammed. I'll fix it. It fears me.

その話だけ、最後まで言わせて。プリンターが詰まった。僕が直す。あれは僕を恐れてるからね。

Priya05

Good luck with that. Ben's part?

じゃあ、頑張ってね。ベンの分は?

Frank06

He finished it before he left. Sarah needs another twenty minutes for her summary.

帰る前に終わらせたよ。サラは要約を仕上げるのに、あと20分かかる。

Priya07

And the cover letter?

で、送り状は?

Frank08

Here. I kept it to one page. Clients stop reading after one page.

ここに。1ページに収めたよ。顧客は1ページを超えると読むのをやめるからね。

Priya09

True. Last slice of pizza is yours. You've earned it.

確かに。最後のピザはあなたのよ。それだけ働いたんだから。

Frank10

Let's split it. I need to text Tina first — I told her I'd be back by ten.

半分こにしよう。先にティナにメッセージを送らないと——10時には戻るって言ったんだ。

Priya11

It's almost one. What are you telling her?

もうすぐ1時よ。何て送るの?

Frank12

"Still alive. Report nearly done. Pizza acquired. Home by two."

「まだ生きてる。報告書ほぼ完成。ピザ確保。2時までに帰宅」。

Priya13

You text like you write reports.

あなた、メッセージまで報告書みたいに書くのね。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“Sorry to cut you off.”

Cut someone off means to interrupt them. Sorry to cut you off. politely acknowledges an interruption, often when time is short and the speaker needs the main point.

“Let me just finish that thought.”

Let me just finish that thought. reclaims the floor after an interruption. That thought is the idea left unfinished, and just suggests it will take only a moment, softening the request.

“Good luck with that.”

Here Good luck with that. is mildly exasperated irony, rather than sincere encouragement. It lightly challenges Frank's claim that the printer fears him. The phrase can also be sincere; tone and context distinguish the meanings.

“You've earned it.”

Earn means to receive something through effort or deserve it. You've earned it. encourages someone to accept a reward. Priya gives Frank the last pizza after his work late into the night.