Answering without a script
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
After the presentation, Elias gave an extemporaneous answer to a question about how objects were selected. His first explanation became convoluted as he described several exceptions before stating the ordinary process. An incisive follow-up from a listener brought him back to the central issue: who had authority to accept an item? Elias paused, answered that question directly, and then added the one exception that mattered to the example the listener had raised.
The extemporaneous exchange taught Elias something about the prepared talk as well. His colleague's incisive review identified a paragraph that followed the same convoluted route, moving through qualifications before explaining the basic rule. Elias revised that paragraph for the next event and kept a short list of likely questions beside his notes. Preparation would help him respond clearly, even when the exact wording of the next conversation could not be predicted in advance.
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.