[originaltext]W: Oh, hello, John. Are you using your dictating machine this mor

W: Oh, hello, John. Are you using your dictating machine this morning? I’ve got a long report. I must dictate. Can I borrow your machine?
M: Of course. But can you spare me a second? It’s the message you sent me about the delivery delay on the control desks. What’s gone wrong?
W: Everything, John. We have to get the steel sheets we need for these desks from new suppliers. Well, the suppliers have got some trouble or other. They say they’ll be a bit late with delivery.
M: But they can’t be. Those control desks are a special order. They are wanted for one of the big computer companies. It’s a very important contract.
W: When did we promise delivery?
M: On Thursday next week. And there’s a penalty clause. We stand to lose 10 percent of our price for each week of overdue delivery.
W: Oh, these penalty clauses! Why do you sales people accept them?
M: We have to accept them, otherwise we don’t get the contracts.
W: Well, let’s get on to the Buying Department. I only heard about the delay yesterday because we kept the production line clear to handle these special sheets. It’s a dreadful nuisance.
M: It will be more than a nuisance if we don’t meet on delivery date. It’ll cost us a lot of money.
W: Keep clam, John. We can perhaps claim compensation from the steel suppliers for failure to deliver on time. That’ll offset the penalty clause.
M: Well, if you can.
Questions 1 to 4 are based on the conversation you have just heard.
1. Why did the woman send the message to the man?
2. What does the woman say about the new suppliers?
3. How did the man get the contracts?
4. What does the woman suggest they do?