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How to respond to a question that asks for a list of possible answers?

choice_questions clever_questioning leading_into_words passive_information sales_tactics
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How to respond to a question that asks for a list of possible answers? By Anonymous | Published on December 18, 2024

Recently, I've encountered several people asking these "choice questions." Online, I only found that it's a clever way to ask questions that others cannot refuse. However, when I come across them, I often feel led into the other person's words, as they usually don't mean what they say. Yet, I don't want to be passive or reveal the information they are seeking. So, I'm asking everyone, are there any good ways to break out of this situation?

For example: Salespeople often use a tactic where they replace "Do you want to buy this?" with "Do you want this one or that one?"

"Have you sent out your paper?" becomes "Have you sent it to a first-tier or second-tier journal?"

"Did you receive the interview notification from a certain company?" turns into "Where are you taking the test on Saturday?"

Damaris Damaris A total of 1416 people have been helped

Hello, question asker. I am honored to answer your question and I am certain that my sharing will be of help to you.

The questioner's example had a strong sense of imagery. I've encountered this kind of problem too. When I was about to blurt out, "My house is a bungalow," I recovered and said, "First floor." I was probably eager to gain the approval of others during my school days. Now, if someone asks me this kind of question again, I'll depend on my mood and

"Why should I tell you?" or "Take a guess?" or "What about you?" or silence without rushing to give an answer... or showing weakness.

You can be open, interesting, and relaxed, no matter how you respond. The prerequisite is simply being accepting of yourself.

The questioner can also respond with a playful attitude, choose not to answer, ask questions back, or interact with the other person in ways like joking around.

When we accept ourselves, we will no longer be afraid of the other person. We can turn passivity into initiative.

Practice responding to the person in the mirror (the imaginary other person) in different ways in front of a mirror. When you can do this naturally, you have broken through and accepted them.

You must be able to deal with it calmly in real life.

Furthermore, those who use techniques to ask questions may also feel apprehensive and afraid of being rejected.

When we meet our own needs, we can also recognize the rich, endearing side of others. We will no longer be hostile towards others, but will instead be open, flexible, and caring towards ourselves and others.

I know we can create a win-win interpersonal relationship. It's not about answering questions. It's about making the relationship healthy.

That's all I have to say on the matter. Best wishes. The world and I love you.

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Freya Kennedy Freya Kennedy A total of 7574 people have been helped

Hello! I'll give you the best 360-degree hug ever!

From your question description, it seems like you're excited to learn how to answer the "multiple choice questions" given by others!

Multiple-choice questions are a fantastic communication strategy! They allow the other person to answer within the circle they have drawn, which is great for getting a clear idea of what they want.

Let's say you want to buy something. You're setting a premise with the other person that you've already decided to buy it. It's just a matter of choosing this or that! No matter which one you choose, as long as you choose, the other person will make a profit.

But the great news is that we can answer without being confined by the circle drawn by the other person. We can jump out of the circle and not be restricted by the other person. We can answer as we wish, or simply not answer. Not answering is also a kind of answer!

It's clear you're ready to chart your own course. You don't need to be led by the other person. You can simply say, "I won't buy it," or you can just not answer. You know you can refuse, and you're ready to do it! You're excited to see what happens if you do.

You are worried about the consequences. That is, if I don't answer the other person's question, the consequences may be something I don't want to see.

In other words, you are afraid of rejecting others, and you are afraid that the relationship will break down or that causing others to feel unhappy will make you feel bad. But guess what? It's not the other person who will feel bad if you reject them. It's you! So, let's do it!

Guess what? It's actually really easy to say "no." But many people find it difficult because they're worried about the consequences.

Now, think about what it means to you to say no to someone. Could it be that you're afraid of not being accepted?

Are you feeling isolated? It's time to uncover the hidden truths behind your fear of rejection and discover the root of your fear. Or, you can explore what motivates you to conform to others and learn how to confidently say "no."

The great news is that you can go and talk to a counselor. This problem probably didn't form over just a few days or weeks, so there's plenty of time to make a change!

I am a counselor who is often both Buddhist and pessimistic, but I'm also occasionally motivated and positive! The world is a wonderful place, and I love you all!

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Emma Woods Emma Woods A total of 5630 people have been helped

Hello, my name is Duo Duo, and I just wanted to say hello!

I get the feeling you just don't want to be manipulated by those rhetorical techniques with a design, not that you don't want to share your thoughts or privacy. After all, the easiest and most effective way to deal with these rhetorical techniques is silence.

"Social influence – the change in an individual's behavior as a result of the actions of others. We are all free to make our own decisions, but we are all immersed in a social environment and are influenced by others to a greater or lesser extent, which in turn affects our choices.

We're often happy to be influenced by people who are intelligent, fair, and care about us.

We all want to make our own decisions, and we don't want to be influenced by others. It's natural to want to resist the influence others exert on us.

When I encounter this, I often feel like I'm being led into the other person's words because the other person is often not interested in the same thing as you. It can be a bit confusing!

Asking questions is a great way to get information. If you think "alcohol" = "concern," then it really isn't about caring about you. It's just a way to try to understand someone else's choices!

"Do you want this or that?"

I'm just wondering, is this product more attractive to you, or this one?

Asking such a question already shows that you're interested in buying the product, but it's up to you whether you want to buy it. Maybe the salesperson would rather know which product sells better than whether you want to buy it.

I can see how this could be a tricky situation. If the seller is trying to figure out the best way to move forward with the sale, asking questions is probably the best way to get the information they need.

If it's not about alcohol, what is it about? If you want to know, you may only be able to find out by putting yourself in the other person's shoes, or even more complexly, by understanding certain professional theories.

How do you answer, or how do you resist the influence of others? I'd love to know your thoughts on this!

As I said before, silence is often the easiest answer, and vague answers can sometimes avoid giving a definitive answer (ignoring the salesperson's questions and looking at a third product – body language).

"Are you sending Zone 1 or Zone 2?" "I'm still thinking about it, thanks for asking!"

The other person may be asking the question to find out which district is better, and your answer will be a great reference for them! You can answer directly by saying, "I can't provide an answer either."

"Where were you on Saturday for the exam?" This one presupposes that you've received a written exam notification from the company.

"Guess." (Perhaps with a meaningful smile.)

It's really quite simple! The effect of resisting questions on you depends on whether you want to share your information with others. And if you're in a stressful situation, it's a whole other ballgame. But, if you do find yourself in that situation, you can always share incorrect information and mislead others.

We can't always be sure that the information we get is totally accurate, right?

"Oh, do you have a boyfriend (girlfriend)? I'm so happy for you!"

"Why don't you bring your boyfriend home?" "Oh, we broke up. He was cheating on me. I just don't want to get involved in a relationship for a few years."

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Miles Wilson Miles Wilson A total of 8928 people have been helped

It's so easy to get caught up in the idea of "cheat" and "fool" that we forget to recognize the bigger picture.

Let's take the two characters for "diligence and frugality" (勤俭) as an example. If you only recognize the first character (勤) and ignore the second (俭), it's likely you'll do things differently.

It's true that putting in the work will pay off! But it's also important to think about what you should and shouldn't be doing.

This is why "frugality" is so important! If you work hard every day and don't see any growth in other areas, you haven't saved anything frugally.

If I were a security guard, I usually don't guard the front door. This means that people often enter the owner's room to steal things. Unfortunately, the surrounding thieves have already become familiar with the routes. There are many thieves gathered in this community. I'm familiar with adjusting the surveillance, though. I work overtime every day to adjust the surveillance. I'm afraid that I'm just a security guard and that I'll be retaliated against if I collect evidence without reporting to the police. Is my hard work "diligent"? That's for sure. I work overtime every day, after all.

But if you keep an eye on things and do your job right, you can keep those thieves out. No theft means no need to work overtime to adjust the surveillance.

Here, "diligence" should be our friend, preventing theft rather than dealing with the aftermath. If there is no prevention, then the more work you do, the more you will have to do.

Frugality is one of those helpful tools we can use to figure out what's been added and what's been subtracted.

You can expand the meaning of the thesis and increase its indivisibility. If you engage in "bundled sales," then the other party must first meet your conditions.

This will help you avoid being tricked or cheated, which I'm sure you'd prefer!

The other person: "Do you want to buy this?" Replace with: "Oh, I don't know! Do you want to buy this or that?"

".

If it's a vegetable, you might say something like, "Hey, it might be worth checking if you can get it cheaper somewhere else before you buy it." If it's a car, you might say, "I'll be using it to get to work, so I'd better check how the mileage is."

If it's a room, you might say something like, "I'm using it to get married, so it depends on the location and transportation."

Even if the other person asks, "Did you send off your thesis?" or "Did you send it to zone 1 or zone 2?"

You: My tutor once said that I should use a font size of 4 for my thesis. What font size did your teacher teach you to use? I'd love to show you my thesis if you'd like!

Oh, the computer is in the east district, and I'm still finishing up a few experiments. I'd love to show you, but I just don't have time! Let's get together next time, though.

You: "Have you received a written test notification from a company?" I'd love to know where you're taking the written test on Saturday!

You: The company sends out the written test notifications, so I'll be able to receive it when HR has time to send it to me. It seems like the company is short of talent to recruit, which is understandable!

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Comments

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Fernanda Miller Forgiveness is a way to heal the broken bonds between people.

These "choice questions" can indeed be tricky. Instead of directly answering, you could steer the conversation back to your terms by asking what makes them think you're at that stage.

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Hudson Thomas Life is a dialogue between your higher self and your ego.

Redirecting the question back to the asker can be effective. You might ask why they are curious about such details or how it impacts them.

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Patricia Thomas A well - informed and well - studied person can make connections others overlook.

Sometimes, humor can diffuse the situation. You could joke about having a third option that doesn't fit their question at all.

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Buster Davis The essence of teaching is to make learning contagious, and teachers are the carriers.

Being straightforward and honest without giving too much detail can also work. Just say you prefer not to discuss specifics on the topic.

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Salvador Miller Honesty is a rare jewel that should be protected at all costs.

You could always change the subject to something related but less intrusive, gently guiding the conversation away from sensitive areas.

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