To pass this unit, please study the 20 vocabulary words below.
- apologize
- awkward
- breach of contract
- bullying
- derogatory
- harassment
- inappropriate
- keep one’s cool
- mediate
- misconduct
- offensive
- procrastinate
- professional
- put on the spot
- report someone
- reputation
- stand up for
- take credit for
- take the high road
- whistleblower
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to express regret over a mistake or an inconvenience that one caused
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"Martha apologized for falsely accusing Jared of stealing her food from the communal fridge."
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lacking in grace, causing embarrassment and discomfort
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"Nobody wanted to take responsibility for the blunder, which led to an awkward silence before Ellen finally spoke up."
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an act that violates or goes against the terms agreed on at a certain point, which were specified in a binding agreement
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"When the farmer failed to deliver the agreed upon amount of grain, the brewery sued him for breach of contract."
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deliberately intimidating, hurting, or frightening someone in order to aggressively exert dominance over them
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"The marketing manager was notorious for bullying his subordinates, always belittling them and shouting at them in front of other employees."
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belittling and hostile
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"Some people question why it's not okay to say certain words anymore, including ethnic slurs, because they don't realize that they are derogatory and harmful in nature."
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uninvited and unwelcome behavior that causes someone to feel uncomfortable, intimidated, or violated
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"Sexual harassment comes in many forms and can range from inappropriate verbal comments to physically touching somebody intimately without their consent."
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unsuitable or unacceptable especially in a particular situation
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"Ed received a formal warning for making inappropriate comments about his co-workers' appearance."
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to remain calm and even-tempered in a stressful situation
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"I admire my colleague for his ability to keep his cool whenever he encounters a problem because I see that he is much more efficient at solving it."
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to act as the middleman in a conflict or argument in order to help resolve it
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"My co-workers are quite short-tempered, so I usually end up mediating for them."
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wrongful, improper, or unacceptable behavior, often dangerous or illegal in nature
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"He was forced to resign for serious misconduct, including embezzlement and fraud."
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actively aggressive and disrespectful, causing somebody else to feel upset, hurt, or angry
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"There are many terms that used to be considered socially acceptable but are now considered offensive, and should not be used."
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to put off doing something until later
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"I know that I have a tendency to procrastinate, so I set myself deadlines a week before the actual deadline so I won't miss it."
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being very good at one's job, with high standards, acting in a way not led by emotion but by rational
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"When the clients she was negotiating with lost their temper and started shouting, Sarah remained professional and managed to de-escalate the situation through mediation."
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to be forced to quickly make a difficult statement when one is not expecting it
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"When Jolene was unexpectedly asked to present at the meeting, she felt like she was put on the spot and struggled to keep her cool."
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to inform a higher authority about another person's misconduct
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"When Peter wouldn't stop making inappropriate and offensive comments about Lana, she threatened to report him to their supervisor."
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public image, the collective idea, beliefs, or opinion that other people have of a specific person or entity
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"An important reason why I'm applying to this company is that they have a great reputation."
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to speak or act in order to defend someone
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"I used to be very shy and let people push me around, but I have been working on standing up for myself."
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to let others believe one was responsible for something worthy of praise and attention
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"I worked really hard on this project, but my colleague took all the credit for it by presenting it as his own work."
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to choose a noble and moral course of action when the actual temptation or desire is to behave badly, or rudely
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"Even though he fired insults at her, she decided to take the high road and walked away gracefully."
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a person who reveals secret information about an organization's illegal or immoral activity to the public
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"Edward Snowden became one of the most infamous whistleblowers of this millennium when he leaked classified information about the NSA in 2013."