Sandy:Well,it’sthecarburetoragain.Wejusthaditfixedlastweek,butitmustbeclogged
upagainsomehow.
Russell:I’msorrytohearthat.Well,Icanseeyouinmyofficesometimelaternextweek.
HowaboutMondayat9o’clock?
Sandy:OK,fine.Sorryabouttheinconvenience.I’llseeyouMondayat9.
’tworryaboutit.Seeyouthen.Russell:DonDon’Sandy:Thanks.Bye.DiscussionQuestions:
1.Sandysaysshewon’tbeabletomakeittonight.WhatdoesITprobablyreferto?2.WhenRussellsaysheissorry,isthisanapology?PartThree
SpeakingOut
FunctionalExpressions
Offeringapologies:Ibegyourpardon,sir.(Ididn’trealizeyouwerespeakingtome.)Pardonme,please,for...(steppingonyourfoot.)Ihopeyou’llforgive...(myabsenceyesterday.Iwasill.)Pleaseacceptmyapologyfor...(nottellingyouthetruth.)Excusemefor...(beinglate.Iforgotaboutthetime.)
I(wouldliketo)apologizefor...(knockingoveryourcup.Ididn’tseeit.)I’mvery(really/terribly/awfully)sorry...(thatIwokeyou.)I’msorry.Ididn’tmeanto...(hurtyou.)
Sorryabout...(thesteak.I’llbegladtoprepareyouanotherone.)Ohno!DidIdothat?I’msorry.Oh!Sorry!Sorryaboutthat.Oops.
Acceptingapologies:That’squiteallright.Iunderstandcompletely.
Youreallydon’thaveanythingtoapologizefor.Youdon’tneedtoapologize.It’snotyourfault.
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Oh,well,that’slife.Don’tworryaboutit.Noharmdone.That’sokay.It’sOK.Noproblem.Forgetit.Nobigthing.
Nosweat.(veryinformal)SectionA
Suggestedreasons,excusesorremedies:
1.I’mafraidIoversleptandmissedthebus.Iwon’tletithappenagain.
2.I’vebeentoobusywithmycomputer.IpromiseI’llgetstraightA’snextsemester.
3.Iwasinabitofabadmood.Welostthecontracttobuildfiftyplanes.Ishouldlearntobemoreself-controlled.I’llfixthesuppertoday.YoulikeChinesefood?
(Snappingatsomeonemeansspeakinginafast,usuallyannoyed,way.Wesometimessnapatpeoplewhenwe’reinabadmoodorwhensomethingbothersorannoysus.)4.Theseafoodtransportcompanyisonstrike.Wehavenomoresuppliesoffish.PartFourSectionA
Therearemanydifferentsituationsthatrequireanapology,buttheyallhavesomethingincommon:Somethingundesirableoruncomfortablehashappened.Americansapologizeforhurtingsomeone’sfeelingsorcausingamisunderstanding.Theyalsoapologizeforbeingimpolite,suchasinterruptingaconversationormeeting.IfanAmericantakessomeoneelse’spropertybymistakeordamagesanotherperson’spropertyheisexpectedtogivehisapologytoo.Apologizingforcausinginconvenience,forexample,beinglateforameeting;callingsomeoneearlyinthemorning;ordialingawrongnumberonthephone,takesplaceallthetimeinanAmerican’sdailylife.Bumpingsomeoneaccidentallywhilewalkingonthestreetyoushouldsay“Excuseme.”Apologyisevenrequiredfortellingasecretaccidentally(“lettingthecatoutofthebag”).Inaddition,Americansalsoapologizewhensomepersonoranimalforwhomtheyhaveresponsibility(forexample,theirchildren,guests,relatives,orpets)makesasocialerror.
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ComprehensivePractice
Whensomeonehasdonesomethingwrongandhasapologizedtoyoufortheinconvenienceorhurt,youcanaccepttheapologybysayingsomethinglike:“That’sOK”or“Itcouldn’tbehelped.”Incertaincases,apersonwillcontinuetobeangryeventhoughtheotherpersonhasapologized,ormayevenrefusetoaccepttheapology.Thisisextremelyrude.Anegativeresponseisnottheusualwaytoreacttoanapologyandcanmakethesituationworseandgenerallyonlyescalatestheconflict.Offeringremediesorpromisingitwon’thappenagainisonewaytodealwithsomeone(usuallyanauthority)whorefusestoacceptanapology.Howpeoplerespondtoanapologydependsonthenatureofthewrongdoingordiscourtesyandthemoodtheyareinwhentheyreceivetheapology.Suggestedanswerstotheguidednote-takingexercises:1.Somethingundesirableoruncomfortablehashappened2.1)someone’sfeelings2)impolite
3)someoneelse’spropertybymistake
onthephone5)someoneaccidentally6)asecretaccidentally
7)forwhomtheyhaveresponsibility3.canmakethesituationworse
thenatureofthewrongdoingandthemoodtheyareinSectionB
:AnswerstotheQuestionsQuestions:1.F
2.T
3.F
4.T
anotherperson’sproperty
4)beinglateforameeting;callingsomeoneearlyinthemorning;dialingawrongnumber
amisunderstanding
DiscussionQuestions:
1.HaveyounoticedanytimeswhenanapologywouldhavebeenrequiredintheChineseculturebutnotinAmericancultureorviceversa?
2.Howdoyoufeelwhensomeoneshouldapologizetoyoubutdoesnot?
3.ArethereanysituationsinwhichAmericanssay“I’msorry”or‘Excuseme”butarenotreallyapologizing?
(Youcanusethesetwoexpressionsifyouwalkbetweentwopeopletalkinginthehallway,orifyoucough,burp,belch,sneeze,hiccup,oryawn.Youcanalsosay“Pardonme”ina
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moreformalsituation.“I’msorry”isalsousedtoexpresssympathy.)4.Haveyoueverrefusedtoacceptanapology?Underwhatcircumstances?
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