Defend a choice
Speak to a fictional council before it selects one proposal.
Two-minute council statement
You are a resident speaking at Pontechiaro’s public meeting. The council has €120,000 for one project: three library evenings a week for an estimated €90,000, or shade at six bus stops for an estimated €110,000. Give a two-minute statement to the councillors. Choose one proposal, give two reasons, state one cost or access risk, and explain what evidence the council needs before approval. Use one real condition and one imagined condition. These are proposals, not completed projects.
- Sostengo la biblioteca perché potrebbe aiutare chi studia dopo il lavoro.· I support the library because it could help people who study after work.
- Se il consiglio sceglie la biblioteca, dovrà controllare gli accessi serali.· If the council chooses the library, it will need to check evening visits.
- Se il costo aumentasse, rivedrei la mia scelta.· If the cost increased, I would reconsider my choice.
- Prima del voto chiederei dati sugli spostamenti degli utenti.· Before the vote, I would ask for data on users’ travel.
Answer an objection
A councillor asks why you did not choose the other project. Give a 30-second reply that acknowledges one real benefit of that option and explains your priority without inventing results. Repeat your statement with fewer notes. Check the two se-clause patterns and keep a respectful public register.
- Capisco il valore delle fermate ombreggiate.· I understand the value of shaded stops.
- Tuttavia, oggi non sappiamo quante persone userebbero il servizio serale.· However, today we do not know how many people would use the evening service.
- Se avessimo più risorse, potremmo valutare entrambe le proposte.· If we had more resources, we could assess both proposals.
- Propongo di raccogliere i preventivi prima di decidere.· I propose collecting quotes before deciding.