Make room for a difficult subject
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
The community garden committee's agenda listed seeds, tools, and weekend opening hours, but not the noise from evening gatherings. Lena wanted to broach that sensitive subject because several neighbors had mentioned it privately. She proposed a dialogue in which gardeners and nearby residents could describe their experiences before anyone suggested a rule. The chair added time for that exchange, explaining that introducing the concern did not mean the committee had already decided whose account was most persuasive.
At the next meeting, the agenda placed the noise discussion before routine purchases so participants would have time to listen. Lena chose to broach it with a specific question about the latest gathering, avoiding a broad accusation about the garden's members. The resulting dialogue included accounts from people who had enjoyed the event and people who had struggled to read nearby. Their exchange gave the committee a clearer problem to consider, even though it did not immediately produce agreement.
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.