Decision-Making Verbs

Resume: to continue or start again after a pause [pɔz].

After a short interruption, our work resumed and we worked for another hour.

Work on the project resumed once we passed the safety inspection.

When we lost electricity everything shut down, but a few minutes later the power returned and we resumed our work.

lost electricity = 断电

停电 = power cut / power failure / black out / power outage

Interrupt: to stop something in progress.

I hate to be interrupted when I'm working, but sometimes it's necessary.

It's difficult to have a conversation with her because she always interrupts.

Be careful not to interrupt the boss when he's speaking.

Reconsider: to reassess or think again about changing something.

I was planning to vote against him, but after hearing him speak, I'm going to reconsider.

I didn't want to hire her at first, but then I reconsidered and offer her the job.

I'm glad I reconsidered your plan because it's turning out to be a big success.

Conclude: to reach a decision; to end something or summarize the main points.

To conclude my presentation, here is a summary of my recommendations.

After hearing arguments for and against the project, we have reached a conclusion.

We have concluded that there are too many risks, so we're going to cancel the project.

Anticipate: to think in advance; to predict what's ahead.

I won the game because it was easy to anticipate my opponent's next move.

He tried to anticipate what we were going to do, but he was completely wrong, so he lost.

Exercises:

1. Even though he tried to anticipate our attack, we were able to overwhelm his defenses.

2. To continue or start again after a pause —— to resume.

3. To reach a decision; to end something or summarize the main points —— to conclude.

4. To think in advance; to predict what's ahead —— to anticipate.

5. After a short interruption, our work resumed and we worked for another hour.

6. I was planning to vote against him, but after hearing him speak, I'm going to reconsider.

7. After hearing arguments for and against the project, we have reached a conclusion.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. I hate to be interrupted when I'm working, but sometimes it's necessary.

2. Are you sure you won't reconsider your decision?

3. We have concluded that there are too many risks, so we're going to cancel the project.

4. We resumed watching the movie as soon as the wireless connection was restored.

5. I'm asking you to reconsider your decision, or I'll have no choice but to sue you.

Status of Affairs

Permanent: to be fixed or unchanging, the opposite of temporary.

He plans to stay there permanently.

He has decided to become a permanent resident of China.

Once they established permanent boundaries, they have to fight to defend their territory from invaders.

Temporary: only lasting for a short time, the opposite of permanent.

We can only offer him a temporary position in the company.

This isn't the kind of job he wants, but it's okay as something temporary, until he can find something better.

Until we move into the new building we'll use this office as our temporary base.

Definite: well defined, precise, certain, unchanging.

We can't begin the project until you give us a more definite schedule.

We can't give you a definite answer until we get more information.

Until we have more definite information about your plans, we can't make any promises.

Obvious: easy to see, stands out.

Of the job candidates we interviewed, he was the obvious choice.

It's obvious that he can't afford to buy that house.

It was an obvious lie, but some people still believed it.

Trivial: of little or no importance, insignificant.

It's a trivial detail, so there's no need to worry about it.

Those problems are not trivial, so we need to find a solution.

Exercises:

1. She spends her time worrying about trivial details, so she wastes a lot of time.

2. Only lasting for a short time —— temporary.

3. Easy to see, stands out —— obvious.

4. Of little or no importance, insignificant —— trivial.

5. It's obvious that he can't afford to buy that house.

6. We can't give you a definite answer until we get more information.

7. He has decided to become a permanent resident of China.

Repeat & Read Sentences:

1. We can only offer him a temporary position in the company.

2. We need you to be more definite about your plans for the next six months.

3. From her facial expression, it was obvious that she really disliked him.

4. She spends her time worrying about trivial details, so she wastes a lot of time.

5. Humans lived as nomads until they decided to settle down and build permanent communities.

nomads = 游牧民（nomad的复数形式）