How many ways are there to say “No” without offending anyone’s feeling? Well, there are “No, I can’t”, “No, I don’t have time” and “No, I don’t want to”. But the problem is that many of us try to avoid situations that require us to say “No” to people. In almost every culture this little word is associated with rejection, failure, egoism and a lack of tact and empathy (感同身受) towards others.I cannot recall how many times I have eaten burnt, undercooked, bland (淡而无味的) and poorly tasting dishes simply because I did not want to hurt the feelings of the person who had cooked them. Or the times when I bought something I did not need, because I felt guilty leaving a shop empty-handed after spending 20 minutes of the shop assistant’s time.Whether it is our manager, a customer service representative or an acquaintance asking for a favor, for some unexplainable reason many of us feel mental resistance when we have to voice a straight-forward “No”.1. What does saying “No” mean in most cultures according to the passage?A. It is a mild word without offending anyone’s feeling.B. It helps us avoid situations that we may get hurt.C. It suggests refusal and self-centeredness towards others.D. It is associated with the sense of failure and getting hurt.

How many ways are there to say “No” without offending anyone’s feeling? Well, there are “No, I can’t”, “No, I don’t have time” and “No, I don’t want to”. But the problem is that many of us try to avoid situations that require us to say “No” to people. In almost every culture this little word is associated with rejection, failure, egoism and a lack of tact and empathy (感同身受) towards others. I cannot recall how many times I have eaten burnt, undercooked, bland (淡而无味的) and poorly tasting dishes simply because I did not want to hurt the feelings of the person who had cooked them. Or the times when I bought something I did not need, because I felt guilty leaving a shop empty-handed after spending 20 minutes of the shop assistant’s time. Whether it is our manager, a customer service representative or an acquaintance asking for a favor, for some unexplainable reason many of us feel mental resistance when we have to voice a straight-forward “No”. 1. What does saying “No” mean in most cultures according to the passage? A. It is a mild word without offending anyone’s feeling. B. It helps us avoid situations that we may get hurt. C. It suggests refusal and self-centeredness towards others. D. It is associated with the sense of failure and getting hurt.