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Exercise 5: Refusing Continuing Requests/Invitations　

 

Despite your initial refusal, some interlocutors may pursue their agenda a little further and try to get you to help or to accept their invitation. You may find yourself in a dilemma, wanting to help or accept the invitation, yet knowing that it is impossible. What are some strategies to deal with such situations without hurting your interloctors’ feelings or offending them?

Listen to the sample dialogues below to identify the effective strategies and the language being used.

 

Situation 1

You are a new employee at a local restaurant. Today the boss at your part-time work invites you to an in-house bounenkai, or year-end party in two weeks. Although he seems to expect everyone working at the restaurant to be present at his party, you have another year-end party with your club members taking place at the same time, and you have already committed yourself to attending it.

Listen to Sample Dialogue 1

Now find 3 of the strategies the second speaker uses while refusing the invitation. Write down your characterization of each strategy and then also write down the actual language that realizes that strategy.

Strategy 1
Your description of the strategy:

    

Language used:

    

 

Strategy 2
Your description of the strategy:

    

Language used:

    

 

Strategy 3
Your description of the strategy:

    

Language used:

    

 

View Trancript

 

Listen to another sample dialogue. What is the strategy that is new in this dialogue?

Click to Listen

View Transcript


Situation 2

You attend most of your classes regularly and take pretty good notes. A friend of yours, Shigeru, takes a class with you on international relations taught in English. He is a close friend, but the only problem is that he often misses classes and asks you for your notes. Since the class is discussion-based, you really don’t think your notes are very helpful. Besides, you don’t think it is fair for him to depend on you this way, nor does it help his English any since he clearly needs some practice with the language.

Listen to Sample Dialogue 1

Strategy 1
Your description of the strategy:

    

Language used:

    

 

Strategy 2
Your description of the strategy:

   

Language used:

    

 

Strategy 3
Your description of the strategy:

    

Language used:

    

View Transcript

Listen to another sample dialogue. What is the strategy that is new in this dialogue?

Click to Listen

View Transcript

Your section (if applicable)/Your last name, Your first name:
Example: (in a box) 010/Smith, John

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