Question

【題目】C

It’s been called the “hardest word,” but some women seem to use the word “sorry” as everything from a way to interject their thoughts into a conversation to a way of prefacing any request for help. Yesterday, Pantene even released a video about how often women apologize in everyday situations.

Apologizing unnecessarily puts women in a subservient（恭順的） position and makes people lose respect for them, says executive coach and radio host Bonnie Marcus. Sylvia Ann Hewlett, founder of the Manhattan-based think tank, Center for Talent Innovation and author of Executive Presence: The Missing Link Between Talent and Success, says using “sorry” frequently undermines our gravitas and makes them appear unfit for leadership.

It’s not like women don’t know it’s a bad habit. So, why do they do it?

Business consultant Kathryn D. Cramer, author of Lead Positive: What Highly Effective Leaders See, Say, and Do, says women are socialized from an early age to focus on relationships and nurturing. Any sign of strength can be off-putting, so they’re conditioned to soften communication that can be construed as assertive or aggressive. Apologizing before speaking—or in any situation where women must show strength or where there is potential for conflict—is one way of doing so.

She adds that workplace culture contributes to its use, too. In many cases, strong women need to find ways to temper（使溫和） their personalities or risk being called “rude,” “abrasive,” or even risk their jobs if they don’t find ways to soften others’ perception, she says. But saying “sorry” too often can be more career-killing than being disliked. So, it’s time to purge the word unless you really have something to be sorry about.

Marcus suggests keeping a log（日志） of when you “sorry,” what the situation was, and how you felt. Sometimes, “sorry” is just a verbal tic（言語抽搐）, but some usage patterns may indicate a situation or person who makes you feel insecure, she says. Being aware of those triggers and how they influence your language can help you be more vigilant in “changing your communication so you’re coming from a position of strength and equality,” she says.

Trusted friends can help you break the habit by quietly letting you know when you’re using “sorry” inappropriately, Cramer says. Knowing that you’re under another watchful eye is also going to make you more aware of your speech, she says.

Sometimes, saying “sorry” is easier than thinking about the word you really want to say, or becomes a way of softening your words or opinion before they’re even out of your mouth, Cramer says. If either is the case, be more careful to choose the word or phrase you really mean to say. “Start your statement with, ‘Let me say this…’ or some other word or phrase that reflects your meaning better than saying ‘sorry,’” she says.

Sometimes, instead of saying “sorry,” it’s best to not say anything at all. Hewlett encourages women to embrace the power of silence. Using silence deliberately makes people uncomfortable, but not in an aggressive way,” she says.

【1】According to the passage, women’s habitual apologies .

A. make it hard for them to start a new conversation

B. are a barrier to displaying their hidden talents

C. prove it is brave of them to admit mistakes

D. show they are in socially inferior positions

【2】What does the underlined word “so” in Paragraph 4 probably refer to?

A. Making statements less aggressive.

B. Following workplace culture.

C. Realizing full potential.

D. Voicing complaints.

【3】The author uses the last three paragraphs mainly to .

A. provide typical examples

B. make comparisons

C. offer suggestions

D. analyze effects

【4】Which would be the best title for the passage?

A. Why are women always apologizing?

B. What are the techniques for apologizing?

C. Women should have a place in the modern world

D. I’m sorry, but women really need to stop apologizing

Answer 1

【答案】

【1】B

【2】A

【3】C

【4】D

【解析】

如今“sorry”一詞常被女性掛在嘴邊。文章分析了這種現(xiàn)象的原因，并給出了相應的建議。

【1】B 細節(jié)理解題。根據第二段中的“using “sorry” frequently undermines our gravitas and makes them appear unfit for leadership”可知選B項。

【2】A 篇章結構題。根據第四段內容可知，女士們說話前習慣性地先表示歉意是為了使交流不那么具有侵略性，故選A項。

【3】C作者意圖題。根據倒數第四段中的“Marcus suggests…”，倒數第二段中的“be more careful to choose the word or phrase you really mean to say”及最后一段中的“instead of saying “sorry,”… embrace the power of silence.”可知，作者主要是針對“sorry”一詞常被女性掛在嘴邊這一現(xiàn)象提出了建議，故選C項。

【4】D 標題歸納題。文章從現(xiàn)象入手，分析了女性愛說的“sorry”一詞的原因及后果，最后作者又提出了建議，故選D項。