Silence Is Not Consent

Dialogue script

Each entry shows the English sentence first, with the translation on the line below it. To practise speaking, cover the translation and repeat after the audio.

1. Emma 0:00

   In yesterday's meeting, everyone assumed Jia agreed because she stayed quiet, but later she raised major concerns.

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2. Tom 0:08

   Was she hesitant to speak, or did the meeting structure make silence the easiest option?

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3. Emma 0:13

   Probably both, because senior people were speaking quickly and the decision sounded half settled already.

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4. Tom 0:19

   Then silence didn't equal consent, since she may have had limited opportunity to join the conversation.

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5. Emma 0:25

   That's how I see it, although some people still say she should have interrupted if it mattered.

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6. Tom 0:31

   In theory maybe, but interruption feels very different across hierarchy, language confidence, and team norms.

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7. Emma 0:39

   Exactly, and if we keep rewarding speed, only the most comfortable voices will shape decisions.

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8. Tom 0:45

   So what rule would separate real agreement from unspoken uncertainty in a fairer way?

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9. Emma 0:51

   We could end major topics with a round where each person is asked for concerns, not just quick approval.

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10. Tom 0:58

    That would slow meetings somewhat, but it might prevent hidden objections from exploding later.

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11. Emma 1:03

    Another idea is a short written comment window for people who think more clearly after the room quiets down.

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12. Tom 1:10

    That helps only if the decision isn't treated as final the second everyone leaves the meeting.

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13. Emma 1:16

    Then let's define a twenty-four-hour review window for non-urgent decisions before execution begins.

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14. Tom 1:23

    And we can mark truly urgent cases separately, so speed is chosen consciously rather than by habit.

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15. Emma 1:29

    If we do both, silence becomes a cue to check rather than proof that everyone agrees.

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16. Tom 1:36

    That's a much safer rule, especially in teams where confidence and status are unevenly distributed.

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Native audio, line-by-line recording and pronunciation scoring for this dialogue are in the EngTalk app.

Key vocabulary

Content words from this dialogue, ranked by the CEFR level at which they appear across the whole 500-dialogue library. Function words and proper nouns are excluded.

• raised /reɪzd/ verb, adjective

  lifted, increased, or brought up

• settled /ˈsɛtəld/ adjective

  resolved, calm, or established

• unspoken /ʌnˈspoʊkən/ adjective

  understood without being said

• fairer /ˈfɛrɚ/ comparative adjective

  more fair

• somewhat /ˈsʌmˌwʌt/ adverb

  to a small or moderate degree

• objections /əbˈdʒɛkʃənz/ noun

  reasons for disagreeing or opposing something.

• exploding /ɪkˈsploʊdɪŋ/ verb

  bursting violently or increasing suddenly

• comment /ˈkɑmɛnt/ noun

  a remark or written opinion

• quiets /ˈkwaɪəts/ verb

  makes less noisy or calmer

• twenty-four-hour /ˈtwɛnti fɔr ˈaʊər/ adjective

  lasting or using a full 24 hours

• consciously /ˈkɑnʃəsli/ adverb

  with awareness; deliberately

• unevenly /ʌnˈivənli/ adverb

  in an unequal or irregular way

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