I am questioning this answer

[jasonlulu_2000]

Source: Cambridge FCE listening exam paper:

Interviewer: When we watch a great 100 metre race on television, part of the excitement comes from the skill of the person describing the action. Well, today we
have the athletics commentator Paul Murphy with us. How did you start commentating,Paul?
Paul: It was for a local radio station covering an athletics championships. Their regular commentator dropped out suddenly and they needed a replacement. The producer, who was a friend, asked if l'd have a go. I had nothing else on, so I said yes. You'd think they'd have given me some good guidance- instead they gave me a microphone and a few notes, and told me to get on with it. It was one of those things - I was in the right place at the right time and they must've really liked what I did.

How does Paul feel about his first job as a commentator?
A. proud of the way he handled it
B. lucky to have been offered it

The answer given is B, but I think A is more sensible.

What does a native English speaker think of it? Do you agree with me?

Thanks!

Jason

 

[Tarheel]

How does Paul feel about his first job as a commentator?
A. proud of the way he handled it
B. lucky to have been offered it

The answer given is B, but I think A is more sensible.

What does a native English speaker think of it? Do you agree with me?

No, I don't.

[STRIKE]Thanks![/STRIKE]

Jason

Where does it say he was proud of the way he handled it?

 

[jasonlulu_2000]

Where does it say he was proud of the way he handled it?

He believes that he was in the right place at the right time and they must've really liked what he did. From here, I guess the author is proud of being a natural in this profession. After all, he didn't get any professional guidance in the first place.

 

[Glizdka]

Not a teacher
------

"The wrong/right person in the wrong/right place at the wrong/right time" usually expresses randomness, coincidence, or luck.

I'm with Cambridge here; the right answer seems to be B, not A.

 

[jasonlulu_2000]

Not a teacher
------

"The wrong/right person in the wrong/right place at the wrong/right time" usually expresses randomness, coincidence, or luck.

I'm with Cambridge here; the right answer seems to be B, not A.

Thank you for your good explanation. But why does the author say "Instead, they just gave me a microphone...." "They must have liked what I did"? Doesn't it show that the author is quite satisfied with his debut performance without any professional support?

 

[Glizdka]

I don't think so. "They must have liked what I did" sounds more like an expression of a surprising conclusion, as in "I have no idea what I did right, but it seems to have done the trick", especially considering the context.

 

[probus]

I think Jason is right in a sense: both answers are reasonable because the presenter is proud of his natural talent. But, Jason, you have to remember that the context is an examination paper. Given a choice of two reasonable answers you must choose the better one. And B is clearly better than A.

 

[Glizdka]

I think Jason is right in a sense: both answers are reasonable because the presenter is proud of his natural talent. But, Jason, you have to remember that the context is an examination paper. Given a choice of two reasonable answers you must choose the better one. And B is clearly better than A.

It's precisely why I'm not particularly fond of this type of question. I believe exam answers should be exclusive. Something like "Paul got into his job thanks to his great performance and natural talent rather than just luck and happenstance - true or false?" would be better in my opinion. Nothing stops Paul from feeling both proud and lucky. What we have to do is look for the hints left by the designer of this question, such as "The producer asked if I'd have a go. I had nothing else on, so I said yes" that point you towards the "correct" answer, that it was luck.

 

[Rover_KE]

Glizdka, what happened to your 'Not a teacher' declarations in your last two posts here and in this earlier thread?

Why don't you include it in a signature line like some other members do?

(Click on Settings and Edit Signature.)

 

[Tdol]

If you're in the right place at the right time, you are lucky and get a surprise job, even one you are a natural to do. If you're in the wrong place at the wrong time, something undeserved and unpleasant happens to you, like being mugged. It has nothing to do with pride.

 

[Glizdka]

Glizdka, what happened to your 'Not a teacher' declarations in your last two posts here and in this earlier thread?

It's a mixture of laziness and forgetfulness on my part, sorry.

Do you approve of my brand new signature?

 

[tedmc]

Nothing was mentioned about how Paul fared in handling the job, other than the fact that he was only given a microphone and a few notes.
To say that he was proud of the way he did it would be presumptuous. It was logical to deduce that he felt he was lucky as he said he was in the right place at the right time.