【正文】 Unit Nieen Accepting and Declining Etiquette接受與婉謝禮儀 Focal Points 1. How to respond to an invitation properly 2. How to decline an invitation properly 3. How to accept or decline a job offer Contents Lead in 1 Reading A 2 Reading B 3 Reading C 4 5 Exercises How would you answer the following questions politely? Warmingup Would you like some cake? Would you like to go see a movie? How about some more pie? How about going skiing this weekend? Yes, please./Sure. Thanks No, thank you./No, but thanks for offering. Okay. Sounds good./Sure. I39。d love to. I39。m sorry, but I can39。t./No, but thanks for inviting me. All right. Thanks/Looks good. Thanks. No, thanks./I39。m really full. Thanks anyway. Great. What time?/All right. When and where? Sorry. I don39。t think I can./How about some other time? RSVP RSVP stands for the French phrase “r233。pondez s39。il vous pla238。t” and in colloquial English means “please reply.” It is used when someone issues you a social invitation and wants to know and soon whether you intend to e or not. Here39。s how to give the inviter the proper courtesy when asked to RSVP. Steps 1. Check your calendar. See if you are free on the appointed date and time. If you previously accepted another invitation for that time, you will have to decline the new one. 2. Make up your mind by the date specified on the invitation。 if a “reply by” date was not listed, reply within 24 hours of receiving the invitation. What if Reading A RSVP something better es up later? That doesn39。t matter. Maybe it will, maybe it won39。t, but it is rude not to reply quickly to any invitation and show up as promised. 3. Don39。t leave your potential hosts in suspense. If you want to hold your schedule open, the proper response to an invitation is, “Thank you for the invitation, but I39。m afraid I will not be able to attend” saying, “No thanks,” instead of, “Please wait until I see what else es along.” True, you might not get a better offer after all, and if you turn down the invitation, you could end up having nothing else to do that night, but you are abusing the graciousness of your hosts if you keep them on the string as your backup plan. Reading A RSVP 4. Reply in writing or in kind. To be most proper, one would reply in writing, by hand. But one may reply in the same format that one was invited。 for example, an invitation can be answered by . 5. Communicate lastminute changes. What if the time es and you can39。t attend after all? Maybe you39。re not feeling well, or your cat broke its leg, or there was some real emergency. Then, as soon as you know, you must get in touch with the host (by telephone is fine) to let them know you can39。t e, and apologize. Acceptance of a social invitation did not constitute a legal obligation。 your RSVP just municated your best intentions. Reading A RSVP Tips No reply card: Because exasperated hosts were making a lot of followup phone calls to inconsiderate invitees, the “reply card” was invented and is often considered standard and even necessary. However, if a reply card is not included with a formal invitation, you still need to reply in writing and provide the stamp. Schedule uncertainty: If you have other plans brewing but not finalized, you can phone the hosts and say, “I may be in Mexico at that time, but I39。ll know by the 20th. Would that be enough time to let you know?” They may have to say no (if they need a head count for the caterer by the 15th, for example) but they will probably say yes. Write a note on your calendar to RSVP by the date you said you would. Reading A RSVP Bringing other guests: If you want to bring extra people, reread the invitation. It may allow for your guests, in which case you can respond for your party. “Hi, Jane, yes, I would like to e, and my sister is also available。 thanks for thinking of us.” If not, you can call the hosts and ask for clarification. If the invitation says “and Guest” or “And Family”, yes you are invited to bring a date or the kids. If it is just to you, this means just you. Invitations from businesses and nonprofits: If you are a major donor to a charity and they ask for an RSVP to a fancy sitdown banquet, do reply if you expect to attend, and don39。t show up unannounced if you didn39。t reply. If an invitation doesn39。t say RSVP: If you receive a social invitation that does not indicate to RSVP, you should still reply. It is polite to accept or decline all invitations. Reading A How to Decline an Invitation to Dinner or Other Social Events Have you ever been invited to a dinner you did not want to attend? Or perhaps a friend invites you to a social function that you would rather avoid? If you have experienced any of these social situations, you may know how difficult it is to decline the offer. Accepting an invitation is a good way to get out of your fort zone and develop relationships, but sometimes turning down the offer is the only realistic solution for those with a busy schedule or personal reasons. 1. Understand why you were invited. Is your friend inviting you? Do you work in a small pany, and your boss is