تمرین مکالمه

The Businessman And The Fisherman

While on vacation in one of the southern isles, a wealthy businessman was taking a morning stroll along the beach after breakfast.

Who was on vacation? A wealthy businessman was on vacation. What was he doing after breakfast? He was taking a morning stroll along the beach after breakfast.

He arrived at a pier just as a small boat was docking.

Did he arrive a pier just as a large ship was docking? No, he didn’t arrive at a pier just as a large ship was docking. He arrived at a pier just as a small boat was docking.

Inside the vessel was a young fisherman with two freshly caught tuna fish.

Was an old fisherman inside the vessel? No, an old fisherman wasn’t inside the vessel. A young fisherman was inside the vessel. What did the fisherman have? He had two freshly caught tuna fish.

The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of the fish, asking how long it had taken him to catch them. The fisherman said, “Oh, not so long.”

What did the businessman complement the fisherman on? The businessman complimented the fisherman on the quality of the fish. And what did the businessman ask the fisherman? The businessman asked the fisherman how long it had taken him to catch the fish. And what did the fisherman say? The fisherman said, “Oh, not so long.”

Then the businessman asked why didn’t he stay out longer and catch more fish, to which the fisherman replied that two fish were enough to support his family’s needs for the day.

Why didn’t the fisherman stay out longer and catch more fish? The fisherman didn’t stay out longer and catch more fish because two fish were enough to support his family’s needs for the day.

“So what do you do with the rest of your day?”

Who asked this question? The businessman asked this question.

The fisherman said, “Well, I sleep in, I fish a little in the morning, then eat lunch with my lovely wife, take a nice long nap in the afternoon, and then wander down into the village each evening to drink wine with my friends and have a few laughs.”

What does the fisherman do in the morning? The fisherman sleeps in and fishes a little in the morning. And who does the fisherman eat lunch with? The fisherman eats lunch with his lovely wife. And does the fisherman take a short nap in the afternoon? No, he doesn’t take a short nap in the afternoon. He takes a nice, long nap. And then where does the fisherman go each evening? He wanders down into the village each evening. What does he do in the village? He drinks wine with his friends and has a few laughs.

The businessman shook his head and scoffed at the fisherman.

Did the businessman nod his head and praise the fisherman? No, the businessman didn’t nod his head and praise the fisherman. He shook his head and scoffed at the fisherman.

He said, “Look, let me help you. You’re doing this all wrong.”

Did the businessman think the fisherman was doing things right? No, he didn’t think the fisherman was doing things right. He thought the fisherman was doing things all wrong.

The businessman said, “What you should be doing is spending more time fishing each day. Then you can sell the extra fish you catch for a profit, which you can use to buy a bigger boat.”

What did the businessman think the fisherman should be doing each day? The businessman thought that the fisherman should be spending more time fishing each day. And what did the businessman think the fisherman could buy with his profits? The businessman thought the fisherman could buy a bigger boat.

“And with the proceeds from the bigger boat, you could buy several more big boats and start operating a whole fleet of fishing boats.”

What did the businessman think that the fisherman could buy with proceeds from the bigger boat? The businessman thought that the fisherman could buy several more big boats with the proceeds from the bigger boat. And then what could the fisherman start operating? The fisherman could then start operating a whole fleet of fishing boats.

“And then instead of selling your fish to a middleman, you can open your own cannery. Then you can control the entire catch, processing, and distribution.”

Instead of selling his fish to a middleman, did the businessman think the fisherman could open his own shop? Well, not exactly, no. The businessman thought that instead of selling fish to a middleman, the fisherman could open his own cannery. Then, could the fisherman control the entire catch, processing, and distribution? Yes, then the fisherman could control the entire catch, processing, and distribution.

“From there you can move to New York or Hong Kong, expanding your operations around the globe.”

From there, to where could the fisherman move? From there the fisherman could move to New York or Hong Kong. And what could the fisherman do from New York or Hong Kong? The fisherman could expand his operations around the globe from New York or Hong Kong.

The fisherman thought about this for a moment and then asked how long it would take. “About 20 years. “ the businessman replied.

According to the businessman, how long would developing a global fishing operation take? According to the businessman, developing a global fishing operation would take about 20 years.

“And then what?” asked the fisherman.

What did the fisherman ask? “And then what?” asked the fisherman.

The businessman laughed. “That’s the best part. At just the right time, you can announce an IPO, sell your stock to the public, and make millions. You’ll be rich!”

Did the businessman cry? No, the businessman didn’t cry. The businessman laughed. What did the businessman think the fisherman should do at just the right time? At just the right time, the businessman thought the fisherman should announce an IPO, sell his stock to the public, and make millions. Would the fisherman then be poor? No, the fisherman wouldn’t be poor. The fisherman would be rich.

“Rich, huh? And then what?”

The businessman replied, “And then you can retire and move to a small village near the coast, where you can sleep in, fish a little in the morning, eat lunch with your lovely wife, take a nice long nap in the afternoon, and then go into the village to drink wine with your friends and have a few laughs.”

What do you think the fisherman said next?