Thursday, January 22, 2009

Capitulo 7, Scenas 5 e 6, Curso de conversation


(Languages of this post: Interlingua, English)


SCENA 5: Geneva, in le suite del senior Chahine: Martijn explica a Mohammed le multe avantages del systemas que illes pote offerer a ille. Mohammed vole saper si le parte administrative del projecto consumera multo tempore, ma Catherina le assecura que le quatro de illes pote facer progredir le projecto multo rapidemente. Martijn adde que illes pote seliger inter multe optiones pro arrivar al precios le plus basse.

Mohammed pare imprimite, e ille vole saper quando illes potera producer un offerta detaliate. Catherina estima que illes habera besonio de unes octo a dece septimanas e suggere que illes anque poterea preparar duo o tres projectos alternative. Illa dice que pro facer lor travalio illes habera besonio de certe information, como le costo de combustibile, le natura del systema de electricitate local, e altere simile cosas.

Catherina anque dice a Mohammed que illa e su equipa non vole facer gratis omne iste travalio, e illa essaya persuader le a dicer si finalmente illes recipera le contracto. Mohammed responde que ille ha demandate offertas de tres altere companias e que le probabilitate que Catherina recipera le contracto final es bon ma que ille non pote promitter ullo. Ma a causa de lo que ille ha dicite, Catherina crede que il ha rationes pro optimismo.

Martijn: Iste systema functiona con electricitate. Illo es un systema que on ha probate, e nos sape que illo functiona ben. Naturalmente, illo require multe spatio. Multe spatio.

Mohammed: Illo non es un problema. Nos ha multe spatio in le parcella ubi nos va construer iste citate.

Martijn: Nos ha apprendite multo ex le errores del prime installationes de iste systema in Europa e in Nord America. E vos habera le avantage de lo que nos ha apprendite del problemas que illos nos ha offerite. Vos anque potera planificar vostre rete de transporte al mesme tempore que vos designa le plan del citate mesme. Isto assecura que finalmente vostre systema de transporte essera multo ben integrate con le altere partes de vostre citate e plenara su necessitates de transporte etiam plus efficacemente.

Mohammed: Que typo de systema es illo?

Martijn: Illo es un systema de multo alte technologia. Illo es multo rapide, e multo efficace. Ma, naturalmente, su installation mesme essera assatis car. Illo es magnetic.

Mohammed: E vos pote nos fornir omne iste systemas?

Martijn: Si. Nos pote vos los fornir multo rapidemente. Nos pote usar le servicios de cinque o sex del melior companias del mundo. E naturalmente, nos pote proponer altere solutiones differente.

Mohammed: E esque il habera problemas con demoras admnistrative?

Catherina: Oh, no, de nulle maniera. Como vos pote vider, il ha solmente quatro personas in nostre equipa administrative. Illo tunc es multo mobile e pote facer omne multo rapidemente.

Mohammed: Illo pare esser un multo bon systema.

Martijn: E como nos pote seliger inter multe optiones, nostre precios es multo competitive. Nos cerca le precios le plus avantagiose, e nos passa le beneficios de iste precios basse a nostre clientes.

Mohammed: Bon. Que nos vade nunc al question le plus crucial: Quando potera vos inviar a me un offerta detaliate?

Catherina: Vos dispone de quante tempore?

Mohammed: Inter octo e dece septimanas.

Catherina: Io crede que nos pote hacer le travalios necesse in iste periodo de tempore. Ma nos habera besonio de un idea de vostre budget pro iste projecto.

Mohammed: Naturalmente nos vole fundar iste projecto le plus economicamente possibile. Io non pote dar a vos un quantitate exacte in iste momento.

Catherina: Nos poterea tunc dar a vos un description general de duo o tres solutiones.

Mohammed: Si, illo esserea perfecte.

Catherina: Ben. Pro iste projecto nos anque ha besonio del costos de combustibile, le typo de installation electric que vos ha, e altere simile informationes sur vostre infrastructura.

Mohammed: Multo ben.

Catherina: E, naturalmente, nos anque habera besonio de vostre costos de labor local.

Mohammed: Si. Io jam ha apportate hic ille informtion.

Catherina: Ben. E postea, Mohammed, ...

Mohammed: Si?

Catherina: Francamente, nos non volera facer tante travalio durante octo septimanas gratis.

Mohammed: Si, io comprende.

Catherina: In vostre opinion, esque nos ha un bon probabilitate de obtener iste contracto?

Mohammed: Naturalmente, io non pote dicer a vos si o non in iste momento. Ma io ha demandate que tres companias prepara offertas differente. Io crede que vostre probabilitates es bon. Ma io simplemente non pote promitter [a] vos ullo ante haber vidite vostre offertas detaliate.

Catherina: Io comprende, si.

Mohammed: E nos non pote pagar le costos del travalio de preparation de un offerta, si illo es lo que vos me demanda.

Catherina: Io comprende.

Mohammed: Ma inter vos e me, io non pensa que le altere companias pote offerer le servicios que vos nos offere, ma io non pote dar a vos un responsa definite ante vider vostre offertas.

Catherina: Lo que vos ha dicite, naturalmente, io trova assatis incoragiante.

EXERCITIO 5: Discussion de periodos de tempore pro completar projectos.

Guida: Durante le reunion inter Mohammed e le equipa de Catherina, illes ha discutite problemas de periodos de tempore pro completar projectos. Il ha unes expressiones que illes ha usate que pare multo utile.

Un femina: Illes vole un prototypo.

Un homine: Quando? Quando lo vole illes?

Un femina: Le data de limite es le fin de junio.

Un homine: Illo nos lassa quante tempore?

Un femina: Unes sex septimanas.

Un homine: Sex septimanas. Io crede que nos habera besonio de plus que sex septimanas.

Un femina: Quante tempore tunc? Vos habera besonio de quante tempore?

Un homine: Il essera necesse que nos lo fabrica.

Un femina: Quante tempore? Quante tempore essera necesse pro fabricar lo?

Un homine: Duo o tres septimanas. Nos tunc debera assecurar nos que illo functiona ben.

Un femina: Quante tempore essera necesse pro illo?

Un homine: Plus o minus un altere septimana. Tunc nos debera transportar lo.

Un femina: Quante tempore essera necesse pro transportar lo?

Un homine: Oh, duo septimanas, plus o minus.

Un femina: Multo ben. Il essera un question de six septimas pro omne le projecto.

Un homine: Si, ma solmente si omne vade ben. On non pote esser completemente confidente que le projecto essera finite intra six septimanas.

Un femina: Quante tempore, tunc? Quanto tempore crede vos que vos debe reservar pro iste projecto?

Un homine: Io crede que il esserea plus prudente reservar octo septimanas.

Un femina: Octo septimanas. Multo ben. Ma nos debera completar omne iste projecto in octo septimanas sin falta.

Un homine: Io facera omne lo que io pote facer pro assecurar illo.

Guida: Le negotiationes con le senior Chahine ha progredite ben. Io volerea saper si Catherina e le alteres es tan optimiste.
SCENA 6: Geneva, in un automobile e in le offico: Post le reunion con Mohammed, Catherina, Petro, e Martijn discute le possibilitates de obtener le contracto. Catherina es optimistic e crede que si omne depende de Mohammed solmente, illes probabilemente lo obtenera.

Petro essaya invitar Catherina a dinar con ille, ma illa responde que il esserea melior non facer isto proque Petro probabilemente vadera a Mexico. Petro vole saper si Alan Tanner anque ha habite un certe influentia sur iste decision, e Catherina confessa que isto es ver. De facto, Alan telephona Catherina in le medio de iste conversation, e Catherina dice que illa vole parlar con ille in su officio.

Post isto, Petro decide que ille definitemente vadera a Mexico. Catherina essaya a continuar lor conversation post parlar con Alan, ma Petro non coopera, e Catherina es enoiate. Illa tunc vade via con Martijn pro comenciar lor travalio sur le projecto egyptian.

Petro: Catherina, esque vos crede que le reunion vadeva ben?

Catherina: Il me pare que omne vadeva ben.

Petro: Ma usque nunc nos non ha ulle contracto.

Catherina: Si. Vos ha ration. E nos anque non lo habera ante le fin del estate. Ma io crede que nos vermente ha impressionate Mohammed con le qualitate de nostre servicios.

Petro: Illo esseva bon, le prandio.

Catherina: Si. Mohammed es un gourmet.

Petro: Ille pareva multo contente quando nos finiva le reunion.

Catherina: Si. Io pensa que si ille esseva le sol persona que facerea le decision, nos haberea le contracto sin difficultate. Ma mesmo in le circumstantias existente, io crede que nos ha un bon probabilitate de finalmente reciper le contracto.

Petro: Catherina, e pro iste vespere, esque vos crede que il esserea possibile ...

Catherina: Vos parla de sortir a dinar?

Petro: Si, exactemente.

Catherina: Oh no, Petro, que nos non parla plus sur illo.

Petro: Proque non? Esque il es a causa de Alan Tanner?

Catherina: In parte si. Ma il non es solmente a causa de Alan.

Petro: Proque dice vos illo?

Catherina: Eh ben, vos va partir a Mexico, e ...

Petro: Que?

Catherina: Eh ben, le cosas esserea differente si vos restava hic in Geneva. Ma como vos ha decidite vader a Mexico pro travaliar ...

Petro: Ma ...

Martijn: (Entrante in le officio) Ah, como va toto? E le reunion, que pensa vos del possibilitates?

Catherina: Io crede que omne vadeva ben. E vos, Martijn, que crede vos de illo?

Martijn: Oh, io anque lo trovava multo incoragiante, specialmente quando ille diceva a vos "Entre nos, io crede que vostre probabilitates es bon." E le prandio. Illo esseva fantastic.

Petro: Catherina, pro me le cosas ha cambiate.

Catherina: Que ha cambiate?

Petro: Toto.

Martijn: Ah, si? Pro que?

Petro: Vos sape, io voleva quitar Geneva pro vader ...

(Le telephono sona.)

Martijn: Hello? Si, si. Illa es hic. Catherina, illo es pro vos. Le senior Tanner vos telephona.

Catherina: Alan?

Petro: Ma Catherina!

Catherina: Hello, Alan? Si. Io va con vos. Attende un momento. Io es in le officina de reception. Io va vader a mi officio. Io vole parlar con vos illac. Martijn, pote vos connecter Alan con le telephono in mi officio?

Martijn: Hello? Illa nunc es in su officio. Io vos connecte con illa. Remane in le linea. Catherina, vos le ha in le vostre linea.

Petro: Bon. Io nunc sape lo que io va facer.

Martijn: E que es illo?

Petro: Io habeva ration. Geneva non es vermente un bon loco pro me.

Martijn: Vos va a Mexico tunc.

Petro: Si.

Martijn: Si, nos jam credeva illo. Tu jam habeva decidite illo ante un septimana o duo.

Petro: No, non vermente. Pro dicer le veritate, io faceva iste decision solmente ante cinque minutas.

Martijn: Tu jam ha signate le papiros?

Petro: No, ma io va facer lo immediatemente.

Catherina: (Retornante de su officio) Gratias, Martijn.

Petro: Illo non ha durate multe tempore.

Catherina: Que vole vos dicer, Petro?

Petro: A que subjecto?

Catherina: Vos parlava de certe cosas que habeva cambiate.

Petro: No, no. Nullo. Nullo ha cambiate.

Catherina: Petro, vos es vermente le homine le plus exasperante que io unquam ha cognoscite.

Petro: Vos es troppo gentil!

Catherina: Veni con me, Martijn. Que nos comencia nostre travalio sur le offerta.

Martijn: Con placer, chef.

Guida: Il me pare que Petro es troppo fer. Ille pote attraher a se problemas un pauco difficile. Ma a vices veni dies quando nullo se resolve como illo debe resolver se.

---

SCENE 5: Geneva, in Mr. Chahine's suite: Martijn explains to Mohammed the many advantages of the systems that they can offer him. Mohammed wants to know if the administrative part of the project will take up a lot of time, but Catherina assures him that the four of them can keep the project going very rapidly. Martijn adds that they can select among many options to arrive at the lowest prices.

Mohammed seems impressed, and he wants to know when they will be able to come up with a detailed offer. Catherina estimates that they will need from about eight to ten weeks and suggests that they could also prepare two or three alternative projects. She says that to do their work they will need certain information, such as the cost of fuel, the kind of local electricity system they have, and other similar things.

Catherina also tells Mohammed that she and her team don't want to do all this work for nothing, and she tries to persuade him to say if they will finally get the contract. Mohammed answers that he has asked for offers from three other companies and that the probability that Catherine will get the final contract is good but that he can't promise anything. But because of what he has said, Catherina believes that there are reasons for optimism.

Martijn: This system works with electricity. It is a system that has been tested, and we know that it works well. Naturally, it requires a lot of space. A lot of space.

Mohammed: That's not a problem. We've got a lot of space in the parcel where we're gonna build this city.

Martijn: We have learned a lot from the mistakes made in the installations of the first version of this system in Europe and North America. And you will have the advantage of what we have learned from the problems they have caused us. You also will be able to plan your transport network at the same time that you design the plan for the city itself. This makes sure that finally your transport system will be very well integrated with the other parts of your city and will fulfill your transport needs even more effectively.

Mohammed: What kind of system is it?

Martijn: It is a very high-tech system. It is very rapid and efficient. But naturally installing it is rather expensive. It is magnetic.

Mohammed: And you can furnish us all these systems?

Martijn: Yes. We can furnish them very rapidly. We can use the services of five or six of the best companies in the world. And naturally, we can propose other different solutions.

Mohammed: And will there be problems with administrative delays?

Catherina: Oh, no, no way. As you can see, there are only four people on our administrative team. It is thus very mobile and can do everything very rapidly.

Mohammed: It seems to be a very good system.

Martijn: And since we can select among many options, our prices are very competitive. We look for the most advantageous prices, and we pass the benefits of these low prices on to our customers.

Mohammed: Fine. Let's go on now to the most crucial question: When can you send me a detailed offer?

Catherina: How much time do you have?

Mohammed: Between eight and ten weeks.

Catherina: I think that we can do the necessary work in this period of time. But we will need an idea of your budget for this project.

Mohammed: Naturally we will want to fund this project in the most cost effective way possible. I can't give you an exact amount at this moment.

Catherina: We could then give you a general description of two or three solutions.

Mohammed: Yes, that would be perfect.

Catherina: Fine. For this project we also need fuel costs, the kind of electrical installation that you have, and other similar information on your infrastructure.

Mohammed. Fine.

Catherina: And, naturally, we will also need your local labor costs.

Mohammed: Yes. I have already brought that information here.

Catherina: Fine. And afterwards, Mohammed, ...

Mohammed: Yes?

Catherina: Frankly, we don't want to do so much work for eight weeks without getting paid.

Mohammed: Yes, I understand.

Catherina: In your opinion, do we have a good chance of landing this contract?

Mohammed: Naturally, I can't tell you yes or no at this moment. But I have asked three other companies to prepare different offers. I think that your chances are good. But I simply can't promise you anything before seeing your detailed proposals.

Catherina: I understand, yes.

Mohammed: And we can't pay you for the costs of preparing an offer, if that is what you are asking.

Catherina: I understand.

Mohammed: But between you and me, I don't think that the other companies can offer the services that you are offering us, but I can't give you a definite response before seeing your proposals.

Catherina: What you have said, naturally, I find rather encouraging.

EXERCISE 5: Discussion of time periods for finishing projects:

Guide: During the meeting between Mohammed and Catherina's team, there was a discussion of time periods for finishing projects. There are some expressions they used that seem very useful.

A woman: They want a prototype.

A man: When? When do they want it?

A woman: The deadline is the end of June.

A man: That leaves us with how much time?

A woman: Some six weeks.

A man: Six weeks. I think that we will need more than six weeks.

A woman: How much time then? How much time will you need?

A man: We will have to manufacture it.

A woman: How much time? How much time will be needed to manufacture it?

A man: Two or three weeks. We then will have to make sure it works well.

A woman: How much time will be needed for that?

A man: Another week, more or less. Then we will have to transport it.

A woman: How much time will be needed to transport it?

A man: Oh, two weeks, more or less.

A woman: Very well. Then six weeks will be needed for the entire project.

A man: Yes, but only if everything goes well. You can't be completely confident that the project will be finished within six weeks.

A woman: How much time, then? How much time do you think that we should put aside for this project?

A man: I think that it would be safer to put aside eight weeks.

A woman: Eight weeks. Very well. But we will have to finish this entire project in eight weeks with no excuses.

A man: I will do everything I can to make sure of that.

Guide: The negotions with Mr. Chahine have gone well. I would like to know if Catherina and the others are as optimistic.

SCENE 6: Geneva, in a car and in the office: After the meeting with Mohammed, Catherina, Petro, and Martijn discuss the possibilities of getting the contract. Catherina is optimistic and thinks that if everything depended on Mohammed alone, they would probably get it.

Petro tries to invite Catherina to go out to eat dinner with him, but she responds that it would be better not to do this because Petro probabily will be going to Mexico. Petro wants to know if Alan Tanner also has had a certain influence on this decision, and Catherina confesses that this is true. As a matter of fact, Alan calls Catherina up in the middle of this conversation, and Catherina says that she wants to talk to him in her office.

After this, Petro decides that he definitely will go to Mexico. Catherina tries to continue their conversation after talking with Alan, but Petro does not cooperate, and Catherina is annoyed. She then goes away with Martijn to start their work on the Egyptian project.

Petro: Catherina, do you think the meeting went well?

Catherina: It seems to me that everything went well.

Petro: But up to now, we don't have a contract.

Catherina: Yes, you're right. And we also will not have it before the end of summer. But I think that we have really impressed Mohammed with the quality of our services.

Petro: The lunch at least was good.

Catherina: Yes. Mohammed is a gourmet.

Petro: He seemed very happy when we finished the meeting.

Catherina: Yes. I think that if it were up to him alone, we would have the contract with no trouble at all. But even with things as they are, I think we have a good chance of finally landing it.

Petro: Catherina, and this evening, do you think it would be possible ...

Catherina: You're talking about going out to dinner?

Petro: Yes, exactly.

Catherina: Oh, no, Petro, let's not say anything further about that.

Petro: Why not? Is it because of Alan Tanner?

Catherina: Partly, yes. But it's not only because of Alan.

Petro: Why do you say that?

Catherina: Well, you're gonna go to Mexico, and ...

Petro: What?

Catherina: Okay. Things would be different if you stayed here in Geneva. But since you have decided to go to Mexico to work ...

Peter: But ...

Martijn: (Entering the office) Ah, how's everything? And the meeting, what do you think of the possibilities?

Catherina: I think everything went well. And you, Martin, what do you think of it?

Martijn: Oh, I also found it very encouraging, especially when he said to you "Between us, I think that your chances are good." And the lunch. It was fantastic.

Petro: Catherina, for me things have changed.

Catherina: What has changed?

Petro: Everything.

Catherina: Oh yeah? Why?

Petro: You know, I wanted to leave Geneva to go ...

(The phone rings.)

Martijn: Hello? Yes, yes. She's here. Catherina, it's for you. Mr. Tanner is on the line.

Catherina: Alan?

Petro: But Catherina!

Catherina: Hello, Alan? Yes. I'm going with you. Wait a minute. I'm in the reception area of our offices. I'm gonna go to my office. I want to talk with you there. Martijn, can you connect Alan with the phone in my office?

Martijn: Hello? She's now in her office. I'm gonna connect you with her. Stay on the line. Catherina, you have him on your line.

Petro: Good. I now know what I'm gonna do.

Martijn: And what is that?

Petro: I was right. Geneva is not really a good place for me.

Martijn: You're going to Mexico then.

Petro: Yes.

Martijn: Yes, we already thought so. You made the decision already a week or two ago.

Petro: No, not really. To tell the truth, I made this decision only five minutes ago.

Martijn: Have you signed the papers yet?

Petro: No, but I'm gonna do so immediately.

Catherina: (Returning from her office) Thanks, Martijn.

Petro: That didn't last very long.

Catherina: What do you mean, Petro?

Petro: About what?

Catherina: You were talking about certain things that had changed.

Petro: No, no. Nothing. Nothing has changed.

Catherina: Petro, you are really the most exasperating man that I have ever met.

Petro: You're much too nice!

Catherina: Come with me, Martijn. Let's start our work on the offering.

Martijn: With pleasure, boss.

Guide: It seems to me that Petro is too proud. He may run into some fairly difficult problems. But sometimes there are days when things don't work out the way they should.

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