Unit19AcceptingandDecliningEtiquette接受与婉谢礼仪

UnitNineteenAcceptingandDecliningEtiquette接受与婉谢礼仪FocalPoints1.Howtorespondtoaninvitationproperly2.Howtodeclineaninvitationproperly3.HowtoacceptordeclineajobofferContentsLeadin1ReadingA2ReadingB3ReadingC45ExercisesHowwouldyouanswerthefollowingquestionspolitely?Warming-upHomeNextBackWouldyoulikesomecake?Wouldyouliketogoseeamovie?Howaboutsomemorepie?Howaboutgoingskiingthisweekend?Yes,please./Sure.ThanksNo,thankyou./No,butthanksforoffering.Okay.Soundsgood./Sure.I'dloveto.I'msorry,butIcan't./No,butthanksforinvitingme.Allright.Thanks/Looksgood.Thanks.No,thanks./I'mreallyfull.Thanksanyway.Great.Whattime?/Allright.Whenandwhere?Sorry.Idon'tthinkIcan./Howaboutsomeothertime?RSVPRSVPstandsfortheFrenchphrase“répondezs'ilvousplaît”andincolloquialEnglishmeans“pleasereply.”Itisusedwhensomeoneissuesyouasocialinvitationandwantstoknow--andsoon--whetheryouintendtocomeornot.Here'showtogivetheinviterthepropercourtesywhenaskedtoRSVP.Steps1.Checkyourcalendar.Seeifyouarefreeontheappointeddateandtime.Ifyoupreviouslyacceptedanotherinvitationforthattime,youwillhavetodeclinethenewone.2.Makeupyourmindbythedatespecifiedontheinvitation;ifa“replyby”datewasnotlisted,replywithin24hoursofreceivingtheinvitation.WhatifReadingAHomeNextBackRSVPsomethingbettercomesuplater?Thatdoesn'tmatter.Maybeitwill,maybeitwon't,butitisrudenottoreplyquicklytoanyinvitationandshowupaspromised.3.Don'tleaveyourpotentialhostsinsuspense.Ifyouwanttoholdyourscheduleopen,theproperresponsetoaninvitationis,“Thankyoufortheinvitation,butI'mafraidIwillnotbeabletoattend”--saying,“Nothanks,”insteadof,“PleasewaituntilIseewhatelsecomesalong.”True,youmightnotgetabetterofferafterall,andifyouturndowntheinvitation,youcouldenduphavingnothingelsetodothatnight,butyouareabusingthegraciousnessofyourhostsifyoukeepthemonthestringasyourback-upplan.ReadingAHomeNextBackRSVP4.Replyinwritingorinkind.Tobemostproper,onewouldreplyinwriting,byhand.Butonemayreplyinthesameformatthatonewasinvited;forexample,anemailinvitationcanbeansweredbyemail.5.Communicatelast-minutechanges.Whatifthetimecomesandyoucan'tattendafterall?Maybeyou'renotfeelingwell,oryourcatbrokeitsleg,ortherewassomerealemergency.Then,assoonasyouknow,youmustgetintouchwiththehost(bytelephoneisfine)toletthemknowyoucan'tcome,andapologize.Acceptanceofasocialinvitationdidnotconstitutealegalobligation;yourRSVPjustcommunicatedyourbestintentions.ReadingAHomeNextBackRSVPTipsNoreplycard:Becauseexasperatedhostsweremakingalotoffollow-upphonecallstoinconsiderateinvitees,the“replycard”wasinventedandisoftenconsideredstandardandevennecessary.However,ifareplycardisnotincludedwithaformalinvitation,youstillneedtoreplyinwritingandprovidethestamp.Scheduleuncertainty:Ifyouhaveotherplansbrewingbutnotfinalized,youcanphonethehostsandsay,“ImaybeinMexicoatthattime,butI'llknowbythe20th.Wouldthatbeenoughtimetoletyouknow?”Theymayhavetosayno(iftheyneedaheadcountforthecatererbythe15th,forexample)buttheywillprobablysayyes.WriteanoteonyourcalendartoRSVPbythedateyousaidyouwould.ReadingAHomeNextBackRSVPBringingotherguests:Ifyouwanttobringextrapeople,re-readtheinvitation.Itmayallowforyourguests,inwhichcaseyoucanrespondforyourparty.“Hi,Jane,yes,Iwouldliketocome,andmysisterisalsoavailable;thanksforthinkingofus.”Ifnot,youcancallthehostsandaskforclarification.Iftheinvitationsays“andGuest”or“AndFamily”,yesyouareinvitedtobringadateorthekids.Ifitisjusttoyou,thismeansjustyou.Invitationsfrombusinessesandnon-profits:IfyouareamajordonortoacharityandtheyaskforanRSVPtoafancysit-downbanquet,doreplyifyouexpecttoattend,anddon'tshowupunannouncedifyoudidn'treply.Ifaninvitationdoesn'tsayRSVP:IfyoureceiveasocialinvitationthatdoesnotindicatetoRSVP,youshouldstillreply.Itispolitetoacceptordeclineallinvitations.ReadingAHomeNextBackHowtoDeclineanInvitationtoDinnerorOtherSocialEventsHaveyoueverbeeninvitedtoadinneryoudidnotwanttoattend?Orperhapsafriendinvitesyoutoasocialfunctionthatyouwouldratheravoid?Ifyouhaveexperiencedanyofthesesocialsituations,youmayknowhowdifficultitistodeclinetheoffer.Acceptinganinvitationisagoodwaytogetoutofyourcomfortzoneanddeveloprelationships,butsometimesturningdowntheofferistheonlyrealisticsolutionforthosewithabusyscheduleorpersonalreasons.1.Understandwhyyouwereinvited.Isyourfriendinvitingyou?Doyouworkinasmallcompany,andyourbossisinvitingyoutodinner?Areyouexpectedtoattendthisinvitation?Whatwouldtheconsequencesbeifyoudidn'tattend?ReadingBHomeNextBackHowtoDeclineanInvitationtoDinnerorOtherSocialEvents2.Weightheimportanceofthisinvitation.Therearemanysocialobligationswefacethroughoutlife,somemoreimportantthanothers.Asocialeventthattypicallyoccursonceinalifetime,suchasa“comingofage”partyorsomeone'swedding,shouldhavemoreimportanceoveranightatthemovies.Howdoesthisinvitationratecomparedwithyourexistingobligationsandpriorities?3.Thanktheperson.Someoneistakingtheirtimetoinviteyoutosomeeventtheyfeelisworthwhile.Thankthepersonfortheirconsideration.4.Createadelayifneeded.Ifyou'reconfrontedinpersonwithaverbalinvitation,respondwitharequesttocheckyourschedule.Thismaybecommunic