B2-51 / CEFR B2 / EPISODE 51

Annual Report

Comparing costs and time in a purchase decision

SceneFrank is presenting the lab's annual report to the faculty committee. They're reviewing his request to replace an old freezer.

Frank presenting annual-report charts to a committee. — Select the illustration to view it at full size in a new tab.

Narrator

Frank is presenting the lab's annual report to the faculty committee. They're reviewing his request to replace an old freezer.

フランクが学部委員会で研究室の年次報告をしている。委員たちは、古い冷凍庫の買い替え申請を検討している。

Dean01

You're requesting six thousand dollars for a freezer. Why replace it now?

冷凍庫の購入に6,000ドルを申請しているね。なぜ今、買い替える必要があるんだい？

Frank02

It's twenty years old and broke down nine times last year.

20年使っていて、去年は9回故障しました。

Dean03

Repairs cost eight hundred a year. Wouldn't another repair be cheaper?

修理費は年間800ドルだね。もう一度修理するほうが安いんじゃないか？

Frank04

Up front, yes. But each breakdown delayed experiments by two days. That's eighteen days lost last year.

目先の支出なら、そうです。ただ、故障のたびに実験が2日遅れました。去年だけで計18日です。

Member05

Couldn't you use another lab's freezer during repairs?

修理中は、ほかの研究室の冷凍庫を使えないのかい？

Frank06

When there's space. But it doesn't prevent delays, and we can't count on another lab having room.

空きがあれば使えます。ただ、それでも実験は遅れますし、いつも場所を借りられるとは限りません。

Dean07

So replacement would save time rather than pay for itself immediately?

つまり、すぐに元が取れるというより、研究の時間を確保するための買い替えなんだね？

Frank08

Exactly. I'd rather buy a reliable freezer than keep paying for repairs and losing research time.

その通りです。修理費を払い続け、研究の時間も失うより、安定して使える冷凍庫を購入したいと考えています。

Member09

Have you included delivery and installation in the six thousand?

その6,000ドルに、配送と設置の費用も含まれているかい？

Frank10

Yes. Both are included in the quote on page two.

はい。どちらも、2ページ目の見積もりに含まれています。

Dean11

All right. Send me the purchase request and that quote by Friday.

分かった。購入申請書と、その見積もりを金曜までに送ってくれ。

Frank12

I'll send them Thursday. Shall I attach the full repair history too?

木曜に送ります。これまでの修理履歴も全部添付しましょうか？

Dean13

Just a summary. That freezer doesn't need a biography.

要約だけでいいよ。冷凍庫の伝記までは要らないからね。

WORDS & CONTEXT

Words & context

“Up front, yes.”

Up front means paid or incurred at the beginning; an up-front cost is an initial expense. Frank concedes that another repair is cheaper if only the immediate spending is considered. After But, he introduces the other cost: experiments delayed by failures.

“pay for itself”

Pay for itself means to recover an initial cost through savings or revenue. The dean checks that replacement is an expense to protect research time, rather than one that will quickly recover its cost through reduced repair bills.

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STORY English with optional Japanese translations

Words & context

“Up front, yes.”

“pay for itself”