State a concern without losing composure
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
At a student magazine meeting, Leena was assertive about the need for a clearer editing schedule: she named the missed handoffs and asked for specific deadlines. She remained composed when another editor interrupted, pausing before returning to the dates on her list. His acerbic reply mocked the team's supposed talent for confusion. Leena recognized the useful question beneath the sharp remark, but she asked him to express it without turning a discussion of the schedule into an attack on the volunteers.
Leena's assertive manner did not depend on speaking more loudly than the other editor. She stated her position directly and continued to request an answer, while her composed behavior kept frustration from taking over her delivery. The acerbic remark had a different effect: its biting tone made several volunteers defensive before they considered the scheduling issue. After the chair invited a more precise objection, the group could discuss whether the proposed deadlines left enough time for revisions.
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.