It’s OK to Say No

说“不”没问题

本篇阅读材料的难度属中等，全文约628词，因此建议阅读时间（含做题）为11分钟。阅读要求：认真阅读短文，从短文后各题所给的A、B、C、D四个选项中，选出最佳选项。

Are you the type of person who always says yes? I’ve come to learn that it is very important to learn to say NO! It’s ok. People are still going to like you. They may even respect you more because they know you are being authentic.

I’m not saying to say no to someone who really needs your help. I’m talking about turning down that meeting that you really do not want to attend or that birthday party that you don’t want to be a guest at because it’s the same weekend as your sister’s shower or the Playoffs.

Think for a moment how you feel when you say YES to something that you really don’t want to do. If you’re like I once was, you can’t sleep at night and you think about it too much. It weighs on your mind. You try to find ways out. You start thinking that it’s not so bad, it will make him/her happy. Maybe I’ll have fun. Maybe I won’t be bored. Whatever it is that you’re saying to yourself, if you really wanted to go, you wouldn’t have all these thoughts.

So, why not just say NO from the beginning? Perhaps out of guilt. I am here to tell you that you have to leave guilt in the past. The past is not meant to be part of the present.

Maybe you feel like if you don’t show up at the meeting, your boss isn’t going to like you or your co-workers won’t respect you. You need to do what is right for you. Of course we do have real obligations (义务) in life to fulfill but we do not have to do everything everyone wants us to do. Do you feel as if you can breathe already, just hearing that?

Maybe you feel like your daughter won’t call you anymore if you don’t give her money every time she calls and asks for it, even though that’s the only time she calls.

Maybe you feel like your son won’t communicate with you as much if you don’t listen to his whining for hours and hours on end, about the same thing, over and over again.

Maybe you feel as if your mom, dad or siblings (brothers and sisters) won’t love you as much if you don’t do everything for them that they ask or attend every occasion.

If these people are your true friends, family members, or a good boss, they will like or love you the same no matter what. People treat you the way you teach them to, and if you’re someone who always says yes then that’s what they’re expecting.

I learned you can say NO!!

Do what feels right for you. Be authentic. If you don’t like a certain kind of music, don’t go to that concert. Don’t get me wrong. I’m not saying don’t compromise (妥协) if someone does something you like and you want to give in return. Sometimes relationships need compromise. I’m just saying don’t say yes to everything.

Do you buy Girl Scout cookies from every friend’s daughter? Do you buy chocolate bars from every Boy Scout that you know? It’s fine if you really want them and can afford them but do you buy them just out of obligation (强迫)? This is what I mean.

Learn how to say no. IT’S OK! If a friend comes to you and says, ‘Hey, I need $100 until Friday.’ Do you give it to them even though you are going to be short of cash and you don’t know how you’re going to get through the week, and now your bills are late? I’m here to say you do not have to.

1. What does the underlined word “authentic” in Paragraph 1 probably mean?

A. Busy. B. Confident. C. Honest. D. Special.

2. It is all right to refuse others _______.

A. when they need your timely help

B. if you would like to attend a birthday party

C. when you can’t sleep well at night

D. if you do something just out of obligation

3. What is the function of Paragraph 5 to Paragraph 8?

A. To support the idea that people feel guilty if they say no to someone.

B. To tell readers how to treat family members and friends.

C. To show people treat you the way you teach them to.

D. To make the article more attractive to readers.

4. Which of the following is TRUE according to the passage?

A. You can lend some cash to others even if you can’t get through the week.

B. Your child will love you if you do everything for him or her.

C. You are expected to help others if you have never refused them before.

D. Your boss will fire you if you refuse to obey him.

5. Where can you probably find the passage?

A. In a textbook. B. On someone’s blog.

C. From science news. D. On a TV report.

【文章大意】

本文旨在说明一个道理：学会说“不”，不必对一切都说“yes”。拒绝你不想做的事，人们还是会尊重你的！但对真正需要帮助的人不要说“不”！

【解析】

1. 词义猜测题。根据上下文尤其是倒数第三段可知authentic 为“真实的，诚实的”意思。

2. 细节判断题。根据倒数第二段推断。

3. 篇章结构题。第四段作者发表了“out of guilty”的观点，下面四段为支撑这一观点的论据。

4. 细节理解题。见倒数第五段最后一句：People treat you the way you teach them to, and if you’re someone who always says yes then that’s what they’re expecting.

5. 文章出处题。根据全文推断这很可能是网络上某篇博客，其他选项都不符合。

【词汇聚焦】

1. turn down 拒绝；将（音量）调小

例如：He felt sorry that his proposal had been turned down. 他的提议被拒绝，他很难过。

2. on one’s mind 担忧，牵挂，挂念，惦记

例如：If you have something on your mind, you can’t sleep well at night. 如果你有什么事情担忧的话，你晚上会睡不好觉。

3. show up 露面，出场

例如：The best player failed to show up at the game, which made the audience disappointed. 最佳运动员没能在比赛中露面，这使观众很失望。

4. be short of缺少

例如：He is always short of money. 他总是缺钱用。

5. get through 完成；渡过（困难时期）

例如：Have you got through with your work? 你完成工作了吗？

【长难句解析】

1. I’m talking about turning down that meeting that you really do not want to attend or that birthday party that you don’t want to be a guest at because it’s the same weekend as your sister’s shower or the Playoffs. 我说的是拒绝你真不想参加的会议或者不想做客某个生日派对，因为那个周末正好是你妹妹的（新娘）送礼会或季后赛。

主句中的谓语动词turn down有两个宾语，一个是that meeting，另一个是that birthday party，that you really do not want to attend与that you don’t want to be a guest at都是定语从句，分别修饰meeting和party，because引导的是原因状语从句。

2. Whatever it is that you’re saying to yourself, if you really wanted to go, you wouldn’t have all these thoughts. 不管你心里怎么想，如果你真的想去，你就不会有所有这些想法。

句中whatever引导的从句作让步状语，it is that为强调结构，if从句为非真实条件状语从句。

3. Maybe you feel like your daughter won’t call you any more if you don’t give her money every time she calls and asks for it, even though that’s the only time she calls. 也许你感觉如果你女儿打电话要钱，你不是每次都给的话她就不会再打了，即使她只在那时才会打电话。