Practice: Avoiding Offensiveness

Edit or rewrite the following sentence to eliminate (1) language that may be offensive to the people involved, (2) language that treats women or minorities unequally compared to white men or (3) language that excludes people because of sex, race, age, disability and so on. For help with this topic, see Chapter 14 in Working With Words, 9e.

Question 14.7

1 of 28
The man charged with rape was defended by a lady lawyer.

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Question 14.8

2 of 28
The mayor was dressed in a gray business suit and pumps as she welcomed the trade delegation.

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Question 14.9

3 of 28
A manager needs to know his people as well as his job.

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Question 14.10

4 of 28
She’s a coed at the University of Michigan.

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Question 14.11

5 of 28
Mrs. John (Linda) Ferris, 62, died Oct. 10, 2015, of a heart attack.

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Question 14.12

6 of 28
A man and his wife seem to find it harder these days to stay married.

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Question 14.13

7 of 28
Altobelli is a male secretary at the law firm of Prescott and Heineman.

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Question 14.14

8 of 28
Ms. Smith never married.

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Question 14.15

9 of 28
Thomas Sowell is an eminent black scholar and newspaper columnist.

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Question 14.16

10 of 28
The suspect was described a Hispanic male of average build his late teens.

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Question 14.17

11 of 28
A Vietnam veteran held his wife and two children hostage for four hours today in Gary, Ind., before releasing them and committing suicide.

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Question 14.18

12 of 28
A grandmother of three announced Monday that she would run for the City Council.

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Question 14.19

13 of 28
Spend a few hours with Regina Esparza, and her sense of humor is so infectious, you soon forget she’s a cripple.

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Question 14.20

14 of 28
She quit work when her child was born and became a housewife.

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Question 14.21

15 of 28
Irishmen have contributed much to this nation.

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Question 14.22

16 of 28
Emily Dickinson is well-thought-of as a poetess.

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Question 14.23

17 of 28
At a garage sale, you can usually Jew the price down below what they’re asking.

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Question 14.24

18 of 28
He’s still spry at 80.

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Question 14.25

19 of 28
Don’t be an Indian giver!

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Question 14.26

20 of 28
After the auto accident, he became a Holy Roller.

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Question 14.27

21 of 28
Janice? She’s the woman over there with the butch hair.

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Question 14.28

22 of 28
She’s a highly respected actress despite being deaf and dumb.

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Question 14.29

23 of 28
Mankind has been around for at least 100,000 years.

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Question 14.30

24 of 28
Washington doesn’t seem to care about the common man and his troubles.

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Question 14.31

25 of 28
Barbara Ohmstead, an attractive blond physician, said she never felt as though she had been discriminated against because she’s a woman.

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Question 14.32

26 of 28
Has the garbageman made his pickup yet?

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Question 14.33

27 of 28
Harvard’s alumni contribute a great deal to the school.

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Question 14.34

28 of 28
She’s a real craftsman in her writing.

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