Magnus Blake has called Ivan into his office for a talk. Read what he says, and Ivan's replies and try to answer the questions.
Magnus Blake: "Hello young Ivan, I just thought I'd ask you to stop in for a minute. I hope you don't mind." Why does Blake say "young Ivan?"
Ivan: "Um, no, of course not." What is the significance of the hesitation at the start of this reply?
Magnus Blake: "It's just with Mike Bardwell being sick, and everything, I'd like a chance to chat with you about how things are going." Why does Mr Blake use the word "chat"?
Ivan: "Fine. I've made a couple of investments, but it's early days yet - I haven't really had a chance to see how they are going to perform." Why does Ivan's reply start with the word "Fine"?
Magnus Blake: "Ah, yes. Your investments. I've been looking at them. What's your opinion?" What is Mr Blake asking Ivan to do?
Ivan: "I've chosen three so far. A football club, a solar power start-up and the Wuffy thing. I'm looking at AZB music next." Has Ivan answered the question?
Magnus Blake: "Who are AZB music? I've never heard of them. Another of your obscure companies?" Why is Mr Blake being rather aggressive?
Ivan: "Heavy metal fusion stuff. It's going to be the next big club thing. They have the sole rights to the rock band Cottobis. I reckon Cottobis will be in the top ten inside a month, and stay right up there for about a year. We get in early on their recording company, and make a fat profit." Is this the right response?
Magnus Blake: "A rock band. Very original. I have to ask you, Ivan … what do all these investments of yours have in common? I don't see any link between them, except they are all a bit chancy. What does "very original" mean here?
Ivan: "Well, if my research is right, they are all going to make a good profit. Well, at least they should. I'm in different market sectors to reduce risk. My instructions are to choose speculative shares, so I reduce my risks in this way. Why does Ivan repeat the words "reduce risk"?
Magnus Blake: "H'm. Personally, I think you should take at least one blue chip on board. How about Ross Cullen? Just to balance your portfolio." What is the motive for this suggestion?
Ivan: "Yes, I've been looking at them. They are safe, but the returns are lower than our client would like. Could I suggest Global Provident instead? They are a good company with a good record, but returns are higher." Is this a good answer?
Magnus Blake: "Ah, yes. Provident. Good idea. Yes, do that. By the way, how are you getting on with the others in the office?" Why has Mr Blake changed the subject?
Ivan: "Oh, fine. Sally's very friendly and helpful." hy does Ivan only mention one of the people in his office?
Magnus Blake: "Good to hear it. Well, make sure you get those Provident shares. I'll be watching the rest of your shares with great interest, Ivan. We'll see if your faith in them is justified." Did the "chat" go well for Ivan?
Analysis.
(Remember: this analysis is particularly true about British language and culture, though mostly it is the same for other English-speaking countries like Australia and the United States.)
Sentence by Sentence analysis.
Magnus Blake: "Hello young Ivan, I just thought I'd ask you to stop in for a minute. I hope you don't mind." (Blake says "young Ivan" to show he is senior. A junior person would never call a superior "young" even if he was much younger.)
Ivan: "Um, no, of course not." (Ivan hesitates to show that he might mind, but he and Blake both know this does not matter.)
Magnus Blake: "It's just with Mike Bardwell being sick, and everything, I'd like a chance to chat with you about how things are going." (A chat is a friendly informal talk. Blake wants to show that this is not an official questioning. (But if Ivan does not give the right answers, that will be next.)
Ivan: "Fine. I've made a couple of investments, but it's early days yet - I haven't really had a chance to see how they are going to perform." (Ivan starts with the word "fine" because Blake asked him an indirect question, which Ivan correctly understood as "how are things going?")
Magnus Blake: "Ah, yes. Your investments. I've been looking at them. What's your opinion?" (Mr Blake is asking Ivan to explain why he has made these investments.)
Ivan: "I've chosen three so far. A football club, a solar power start-up and the Wuffy thing. I'm looking at AZB music next." (Ivan knows that Blake knows what investments he has made. He wants time to think about what this "chat" is for.)
Magnus Blake: "Who are AZB music? I've never heard of them. Another of your obscure companies?" (Mr Blake does not like Ivan trying to buy time. "Obscure" here is negative. Blake is starting to attack Ivan.)
Ivan: "Heavy metal fusion stuff. It's going to be the next big club thing. They have the sole rights to the rock band Cottobis. I reckon Cottobis will be in the top ten inside a month, and stay right up there for about a year. We get in early on their recording company, and make a fat profit." (Ivan is trying to show Mr Blake how he chooses companies to invest in. He also now understands that Blake is not happy with his choosing small risky companies, so he tries to show his thinking clearly.)
Magnus Blake: "A rock band. Very original. I have to ask you, Ivan … what do all these investments of yours have in common? I don't see any link between them, except they are all a bit chancy. ("Very Original" is not a positive response. It means that Ivan is doing something different, and Mr Blake is not very happy with it.)
Ivan: "Well, if my research is right, they are all going to make a good profit. Well, at least they should. I'm in different market sectors to reduce risk. My instructions are to choose speculative shares, so I reduce my risks in this way. (Ivan repeats the words "reduce risk" to show that he is being as careful as possible with a high-risk, high-return portfolio.)
Magnus Blake: "H'm. Personally, I think you should take at least one blue chip on board. How about Ross Cullen? Just to balance your portfolio." (Mr Blake wants to see if Ivan is unsure of himself, and will take an unsuitable company, just because he has suggested it.)
Ivan: "Yes, I've been looking at them. They are safe, but the returns are lower than our client would like. Could I suggest Global Provident instead? They are a good company with a good record, but returns are higher." (Ivan has seen the trap and politely said "no" to the suggestion. Instead he has offered something of the same type but with better returns on investment.)
Magnus Blake: "Ah, yes. Provident. Good idea. Yes, do that. By the way, how are you getting on with the others in the office?" (Mr Blake has decided that Ivan is sure of himself (though he might be wrong). He now wants to see if the criticisms he has been hearing about Ivan are caused by personal problems with his colleagues.)
Ivan: "Oh, fine. Sally's very friendly and helpful." (Ivan says one of the people in his office is friendly and helpful. Mr Blake will understand that the other one is not.)
Magnus Blake: "Good to hear it. Well, make sure you get those Provident shares. I'll be watching the rest of your shares with great interest, Ivan. We'll see if your faith in them is justified." (The "chat" went quite well for Ivan. But Mr Blake has given him a warning that if he is wrong about the investments he has made, then there will be trouble.)
