Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C, or D to indicate the correct word or phrase that best fits each the numbered blanks

Cultural beliefs differ as to whether directness or indirectness is considered positive. In the mainstream American culture, the ideal form of communication includes being direct rather than indirect. "Ideal" here means that the culture values this style, (39) _____ not everyone speaks directly. There are several expressions in English (40) _____ emphasize the importance of being direct: "Get to the point! Don't beat around the bush! Let's get down to business!" These sayings all indicate the importance of dealing directly with issues rather than (41) _____ them. One way to determine whether a culture favors a direct or indirect style in communication is to find out how the people in that culture express disagreement or how they say, "No". In Japan, there are at least fifteen ways of saying "No", without actually saying the word. Similarly, in Japan, it would be (42) _____ rude to say directly "I disagree with you" or "You're wrong".

(43) _____ Americans believe that "honesty is the best policy" and their communication style reflects this. Honesty and directness in communication are strongly related. It is not a surprise, then, to find out that cultural groups misjudge each other based on different beliefs about directness and honesty in communication.