Scene to read · Empathy, Communication
Nine days of mail
You live in an apartment building.
Pablo, 83, lives alone on your floor and has not collected his mail in nine days. You are on the stairwell landing holding his envelopes with Alex, a neighbor from upstairs, when Pablo's door opens a few inches. He looks thinner than you remember.
The scene
Alex: Just leave it on the mat. Pablo, you like being left alone, right?
Pablo: I'm fine. Just tired of the stairs lately. Don't trouble yourselves.
Alex: There you go. Ten years I've lived above you, I know.
Pablo: Thank you for the mail. Really, I'm fine. Good night.
The two questions
- 1What would you do, and why?
- 2Describe a time you were worried about someone who told you they were fine. How did you respond?
What raters look for
- Empathy
- Recognizes what others feel and need, and lets that shape the response without losing judgment.
- Communication
- Listens first, speaks clearly and respectfully, and adapts the message to the listener.
Answer scenarios like this on the real timers
Answer both questions on the clock, and get each one scored 1–9 the way raters score. Your first set is free, no card.
Practice free
