Keep contributions connected to the issue
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
Residents discussing a shared laundry room needed relevant information about opening times, machine access, and the space available for folding clothes. One resident questioned the pertinence of a long account about the building's old garden, since it did not help answer any laundry question. A suggestion to compare two possible booking methods was apropos of the immediate problem. The chair welcomed varied contributions while asking speakers to explain how a detail connected to the decision they had gathered to make.
When the discussion shifted to noise near the laundry room, the garden account became relevant only at the point where it described an adjacent quiet seating area. Its pertinence came from that connection, not simply from being an interesting story about the same building. A resident's brief reminder about nearby evening activities was also apropos because it helped the group consider opening times. The chair noted that a detail's usefulness can depend on which question is currently under consideration.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.