A concession that makes room
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
One designer was willing to concede that the original scoring chart was difficult to read, although she still defended its basic aim. Her support for the replacement was contingent on preserving a reward for shared decisions. The other designer had resisted that condition, creating an impasse that prevented the instruction writer from finishing the booklet. A tester suggested comparing two short examples that differed only in the disputed reward, giving both designers something concrete to assess.
The examples helped the second designer concede that the shared reward could work without making the chart longer. The first designer's approval remained contingent on clear wording, so the team assigned a final editing pass before printing. Their impasse ended when each could identify what mattered most and accept a change elsewhere. Neither person needed to claim that the original disagreement had been foolish; it had revealed a feature the revised game needed to explain more carefully.
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.