How a response can close a door
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
During preparations for a local exhibition, the temporary director adopted an autocratic approach, making every decision without allowing discussion. His cavalier treatment of deadlines concerned the volunteers, who had already arranged time off. When one person described the difficulty, his dismissive reply was that everyone worried too much. The unanswered concern soon became the main topic of the planning meeting.
The coordinator asked the director to reconsider the autocratic arrangement and share decisions affecting volunteers' schedules. She also explained that a cavalier attitude toward their commitments made cooperation harder. A less dismissive response would acknowledge the concern before explaining what could change. The director agreed to circulate the revised timetable and invite corrections before announcing the final installation date.
Before you move on
Look away from the passage. Can you explain each focus word in your own words?
Original fictional passages for vocabulary practice.