Word: aback
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...Episcopal Church reacted angrily to the communiqué. It was seen as interference and colonialism. I was a bit taken aback because I didn't see it as the primates trying to dictate terms, but to say, look, here is a scheme which we think you could work with. But I've occasionally thought - rather mischievously - that the issue could be described [to the Americans] in terms of a good American slogan: No taxation without representation. That is, in some parts of the world, the decisions of the Episcopal Church are [incorrectly] taken to be decisions that the local Anglican...
...sound like I’m unnecessarily bashing New England, perhaps it’s because I arrived at Harvard somewhat taken aback that my Texas roots made me an enemy. I was initially stoked for leaving my Dallas residence for an area of the country that I thought was a haven of tolerance and liberalism. I was shocked, however, at the number of “I’m sorry’s” that I received upon telling people I came from Texas. Not only was I surprised, but I was offended that my entire state...
...watering hole during a typical Austin political shindig. A local county official from east Texas, "some old racist judge," as Molly called him, approached. Bullock, who had yet to swear off drinking, introduced the official "to my good friend Molly Ivins." The man was aghast, but he was taken aback further when Bullock introduced him next to his personnel director, Miles, an African American. Then Richards leaned forward, proffered a hand, according to Molly, and said, "How do you do, I'm Mrs. Miles...
...Fallon was a surprise, few were taken aback by the news that Army Lieut. General David Petraeus will take over Gen. George Casey's job as the on-scene commander in Iraq. Petraeus served in Iraq twice, has a Ph.D in international relations, and comes loaded with the optimism the job requires, not to mention support for the surge option Bush favors. Some Marine officers were pulling for one of their own: Lt. Gen. James Mattis, one of the military's most seasoned combat veterans (he led the complex but successful invasion into Afghanistan and then took the 1st Marine...
...didn't become one of the world's richest men, and by far its biggest steel baron, by shying away from controversy. Even so, the Indian-born businessman Lakshmi Mittal says he was taken aback by the fury that greeted his announcement in late January that he was bidding to buy European steelmaker Arcelor, formed in 2002 out of what was left of the French, Luxembourgian, Belgian and Spanish steel industries. "We really didn't expect such a violent reaction," Mittal told Time. "A lot of people were obviously not happy at all." [an error occurred while processing this directive...