DUO S07

(The chairman cut me off, saying,)

The chairman cut me off, saying,

(Time to wind things up. Let's take a vote.)

Time to wind things up. Let's take a vote.

(We exchanged frank opinions in the meeting,)

We exchanged frank opinions in the meeting,

(but consensus is yet to be reached regarding this matter.)

but consensus is yet to be reached regarding this matter.

(Do you agree or disagree with him? I'm on his side.)

Do you agree or disagree with him? I'm on his side.

(Strictly speaking, his view differs somewhat from mine.)

Strictly speaking, his view differs somewhat from mine.

(Could you go over it again?)

Could you go over it again?

(I couldn't make out what you were getting at.)

I couldn't make out what you were getting at.

(No one backed me up at first,)

No one backed me up at first,

(but eventually I talked everyone into going along with my plan.)

but eventually I talked everyone into going along with my plan.

(I admire your perseverance, courage and wisdom.)

I admire your perseverance, courage and wisdom.

(You flatter me!)

You flatter me!

(In making a decision, I rely not on logic but on instinct.)

In making a decision, I rely not on logic but on instinct.

(He came up with an ingenious, sensible solution and immediately put it into practice.)

He came up with an ingenious, sensible solution and immediately put it into practice.

(From an objective viewpoint, the former is inferior to the latter.)

From an objective viewpoint, the former is inferior to the latter.

(Your idea sounds marvelous in theory,)

Your idea sounds marvelous in theory,

(yet I don't think it will work in practice.)

yet I don't think it will work in practice.

(We expected him to defeat his opponent, but he failed to live up to our expectations.)

We expected him to defeat his opponent, but he failed to live up to our expectations.

(Ironically,)

Ironically,

(despite their best endeavors, their mission resulted in complete failure.)

despite their best endeavors, their mission resulted in complete failure.