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Suppose you're in a rush, feeling tired, not paying attention to your screen, and you send an e­mail that could get you in trouble. Realization will probably set in seconds after you've clicked “send”. You freeze in horror and burn with shame. What to do? Here are four common e­mail accidents, and how to recover.

Clicking “send” too soon.

Don't waste your time trying to find out if the receiver has read it yet. Write another e­mail as swiftly as you can and send it with a brief title explaining that this is the correct version and the previous version should be ignored.

Writing the wrong name.

The sooner you notice, the better. Respond quickly and briefly, apologizing for your mistake. Keep the tone measured: don't handle it too lightly, as people can be offended, especially if your error suggests a misunderstanding of their culture (i.e. incorrect ordering of Chinese names)£®

Clicking “reply all” unintentionally

You accidentally reveal(͸¶)to the entire company what menu choices you would prefer at the staff Christmas dinner, or what holiday you'd like to take. In this instance, the best solution is to send a quick, light­hearted apology to explain your awkwardness. But it can quickly rise to something worse, when everyone starts hitting “reply all” to join in a long and unpleasant conversation. In this instance, step away from your keyboard to allow everyone to calm down.

Sending an offensive message to its subject

The most awkward e­mail mistake is usually committed in anger. You write an unkind message about someone, intending to send it to a friend, but accidentally send it to the person you're discussing. In that case, ask to speak in person as soon as possible and say sorry. Explain your frustrations calmly and sensibly—see it as an opportunity to clear up any difficulties you may have with this person.

21£®After realizing an e­mail accident, you are likely to feel ________£®

A£®curious      B£®tired     C£®awful     D£®funny 

22£®If you have written the wrong name in an e­mail, it is best to ________£®

A£®apologize in a serious manner           B£®tell the receiver to ignore the error

C£®learn to write the name correctly         D£®send a short notice to everyone

23£®What should you do when an unpleasant conversation is started by your “reply all”e­mail?

A£®Try offering other choices.       B£®Avoid further involvement.

C£®Meet other staff members.        D£®Make a light­hearted apology.

D£®By talking to the receiver face­to­face.