Choose how to handle an objection
Read for meaning first. Select a highlighted word if you want a closer look.
As the schedule discussion continued, one editor became combative, treating each suggestion as an invitation to argue. Another was captious, repeatedly objecting to tiny formatting choices that did not affect when any work would happen. The chair judged it politic to acknowledge their interest before asking each to identify one change that would improve the schedule. Her tactful approach gave them a useful way to contribute while allowing the meeting to move beyond opposition for its own sake.
The chair did not assume that every objection was captious; a concern about an impossible deadline deserved careful attention. She distinguished that issue from petty faultfinding, just as she distinguished an energetic discussion from a combative readiness to oppose every proposal. It was politic to explain those distinctions without embarrassing either editor in front of the group. Once the objections were stated in terms of actual work, the volunteers revised two deadlines and agreed on the next handoff.
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.