2026届高考外刊打卡阅读day 18 当你在“去”与“不去”之间犹豫时，“再说吧”不是好答案

When you’re caught between ‘yes’ and ‘no,’ here’s why ‘maybe’ isn’t the way to go

当你在“去”与“不去”之间犹豫时，“再说吧”不是好答案​​

词数：430

改编自：对话

Article

Main idea

Getting a concert ticket is exciting—until your friend answers your invitation with a single word: “Maybe.” Suddenly your joy turns into anxiety. You cancel other plans, refresh your phone, and wait. By the time the friend finally says “No,” the only thing left is disappointment.

以“maybe”回复邀请引发焦虑与失望，引出话题。

As a consumer psychologist, I have spent ten years studying how people make social choices. Our new research shows that “maybe” is not neutral; it quietly damages relationships. In five experiments with 1,800 adults, we asked participants to imagine either sending or receiving an invitation. Again and again, two facts appeared.

作者以研究者身份亮出中心论点：“maybe”暗中伤害人际关系。

First, invitees overestimate how much hosts welcome a tentative answer. In one study, 62 % of guests thought the host would rather hear “maybe” than “no,” yet only 18 % of hosts agreed. Second, hosts feel more disrespected by a “maybe” than by a clear refusal. The delay signals, “Your event is my backup plan,” which most people find insulting.

揭示认知落差——客人高估“maybe”被欢迎度，主人却觉受辱。

Why do smart adults keep using this risky word? The reason is “motivated reasoning”—a biased way of thinking that protects our own wishes. A “maybe” keeps the invitee’s options open and postpones the pain of missing out. Saying “no” feels final, so the brain kindly rewrites the story: “The host probably prefers a soft answer anyway.”

解释人们仍用“maybe”的心理机制：动机性推理维护自身选择权。

Yet the illusion can be broken. When we asked invitees to spend thirty seconds taking the host’s perspective, the use of “maybe” dropped by 34 %. In another experiment, we described the event as “a charity meeting that starts at 7 a.m.” Because no one feared missing a dawn lecture, motivated reasoning disappeared; 83 % refused immediately.

实验证明换位思考可减少34 %“maybe”；当事件无吸引力时，动机性推理消失。

Recent work by other labs points in the same direction. A 2024 paper found that people expect hosts to feel “angry” or “hurt” after a refusal, but real hosts report only mild inconvenience. Another study ranked excuses: “I’m broke” wins more sympathy than “I’m busy,” probably because money problems seem less controllable.

补充其他研究——主人实际情绪比客人预期温和，具体理由影响同情度。

The lesson is simple but hard: clarity is kindness. A fast “no” gives the host time to invite someone else, sell the spare ticket, or simply stop checking the phone. It may feel awkward (尴尬的) for five seconds, yet it saves hours of limbo (悬而未决的状态) for everyone else. Next time you receive an invitation, remember that the word “maybe” is not a polite cushion; it is a hidden thorn (刺). Pull it out quickly, and the friendship will bleed far less.

总结号召——快速拒绝是善意。

【基础版 · 90 分学生】
1. What does the author mainly want to tell us?
A. Saying “maybe” is more polite than saying “no”.
B. Invitations should always be accepted to keep friendships.
C. A quick “no” is kinder than a long “maybe”.
D. Missing a concert is the worst thing for a host.

1.                             2. The underlined word “tentative” in paragraph 3 probably means ______.
   A. final B. unclear C. welcoming D. repeated
2.                             In the experiments, most hosts felt ______ when they got “maybe”.
   A. respected B. excited C. disrespected D. curious
3.                             3. What can reduce the use of “maybe” according to paragraph 5?
   A. Telling invitees the event is early in the morning.
   B. Giving invitees more time to decide.
   C. Promising another gift to the guests.
    

D. Letting the host pay for the tickets.

4.                             4. Which of the following is TRUE based on the text?
   A. “I’m busy” wins more sympathy than “I’m broke”.
   B. Real hosts usually feel only a little troubled by a refusal.
   C. Motivated reasoning helps people make fair decisions.
   D. The research surveyed only college students.

【提高版 · 130 分学生】
1. What is the primary purpose of the author in writing the passage?
A. To prove that rejections damage fewer friendships than ambiguity.
B. To encourage readers to attend every social event they are invited to.
C. To explain why people overestimate the negative impact of refusing.
D. To argue that motivated reasoning is unavoidable in daily life.

1.                             2. The word “illusion” in paragraph 5 refers to the belief that ______.
   A. hosts secretly prefer a soft refusal
   B. guests are always honest with their friends
   C. saying “maybe” keeps friendships safe
   D. early events are unpopular with everyone
2.                             3. Which of the following findings is mentioned as a complementary support to the author’s conclusion?
   A. Excuses based on lack of money receive more understanding.
   B. People who refuse early are usually excluded from future events.
   C. Hosts feel angrier about a late “no” than an immediate “no”.
   D. Motivated reasoning disappears when money is involved.
3.                             4. By describing “maybe” as “a hidden thorn”, the author implies that it ______.
   A. appears harmless but actually causes pain
   B. protects the invitee from being blamed
   C. should be pulled out and never used again
   D. grows naturally in every friendship
4.                             5. Which action would the author most probably recommend?
   A. Reply “I’ll try” to keep your options open.
   B. Always accept if you have no schedule conflict.
   C. Put yourself in the host’s shoes and answer decisively.
   D. Offer a financial excuse even when it is not true.

【答案与解析】

基础版

1.                             C 主旨题。文章反复强调快速拒绝比长久“也许”更体贴。
2.                             B 词义题。“tentative answer”指不确定的回答，即 unclear。
3.                             C 细节题。第三段末尾指出 host 觉得“maybe”是 insulting，对应 disrespected。