1. Which is less emphatic?
a. One division’s profits decreased last quarter.
b. Profits in consumer electronics dropped 15 percent last quarter.
2. Which sentence de-emphasizes the credit refusal?
a. We are unable to grant you credit at this time, but we welcome your cash business and encourage you to reapply in the future.
b. Although credit cannot be granted at this time, we welcome your cash business and encourage you to reapply in the future.