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本帖最后由 图书馆 于 2015-11-2 20:53 编辑
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How to respond to "How are you?", "What's up?", and other conversation starters2 q. V! m4 p+ z- T
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There are a few questions that English speakers ask at the beginning of a conversation. These questions are simple tools to find out if there are any interesting topics to discuss.6 q! F- Q0 e' b8 T) G7 `9 L. P
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You've certainly heard these questions, but you might be confused about how to answer. Here's a list of common answers to the questions "How are you?", "How's it going?", "What's up?", and "What's happening?"" ^7 W. K+ @( O+ G% H/ C( x
' S+ Q! J; e* e: h( z# u, B7 |9 L; g* zHow are you?
9 A; T+ N ~9 {; W, }; hFine.
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This is a simple, straight answer. If you don't say anything else, though, it might be a signal that you don't want to continue the conversation.# p+ m: J. ^4 T4 e
+ M! [3 x& l& `9 iNot bad.
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# k/ A+ K$ v7 e) f+ ~ ~- x2 GThis is a more friendly-sounding answer than "fine".
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Fine, thanks.7 G6 B2 t& ^1 K8 Y( f
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This answer is formal. You might answer this way if someone you don't know, like a waiter at a restaurant, asks how you are.: B" n- |$ @1 C; b( ~5 O$ n
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Very well, thanks.% y1 Y% q/ y- g. g
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A person who likes to be grammatically proper might answer this way. Technically, the question "How...?" should be answered with an adverb. However, a lot of English speakers don't know or care about this. The people who do are "by the books" types who insist on using grammatically correct language.5 l4 ?5 h% V4 K' y& d
8 M/ E+ V9 x& c9 c# P8 ?8 z, }4 _& WPretty good.5 n! l+ s/ m) D" O: A
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If you don't care as much about grammar, you can answer "Good" or "Pretty good". It's more common and much, much more casual.( S- D. W, F- y& w }1 `
W: {. g& X3 GGreat! How are you doing?
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+ m) e( W2 ^- L- t0 [! n* eThis is an enthusiastic, excited response. It's always good to ask a question back to the other person if you want to continue the conversation.- z3 _& x$ N7 o) \! j! `
- p! M( j' d" \1 t% TI'm hanging in there./ p5 C& l' S$ G
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This answer makes it sound like you're having a tough day.& W8 i3 X& ]6 g" W0 @/ }2 y# D2 r
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I've been better.# Z9 P. Y6 v% ~3 O- a
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People usually give positive answers to the question "How are you?" If you give a negative answer like this one, it usually means that you want to tell the listener your sad story. So they'll usually ask what's wrong:
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A: How are you?
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B: I've been better.' ?% [8 q9 Q4 y
$ m( n9 i! W& @! W L: t5 EA: What's wrong?
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9 x8 Z1 x2 _+ W% W$ l* rB: I just found out that I'm being laid off.1 `$ w- f: X* `- t( d/ F" i1 M
6 h6 z& l3 F8 B" }How's it going?4 v3 s% u3 H7 D+ J- X- k# ]" H
This question is similar to "How are you". The answers discussed above all work for "How's it going?" as well.) I' z1 p) h; m% U% b6 C
" l8 x: a) Q) R. U KHere's another answer that will also work for "How's it going", but not for "How are you?"
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It's going well.
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This is a friendly, polite answer that's suitable for coworkers, clients, and acquaintances that you haven't seen in a while. 4 y. a+ O9 e8 p5 }5 s* Q
# x# ]8 ? _, N1 N! R3 TWhat's up?
; {% r$ h1 ]7 AThis question means "What's happening in your life?" But you don't have to answer honestly. If you don't want to start a long conversation, you can use one of these standard replies:1 A% u G3 M0 d i# E
+ J+ H, ~9 g1 e; _. sNothing much.
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This is the most common answer. You can follow it by sharing something interesting that's happening: "Nothing much. Just getting ready for Vanessa's graduation."
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Not a lot.
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This is another really common answer. It's just a bit fresher than "Nothing much" because it's a little less common.
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8 ?$ `5 L: p* k% S5 e) MNothing.
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; ?& R5 w7 {8 V8 ]This is more to-the-point. It might make you seem a little angry or rude.
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' N: f! O) v2 N7 Z. A) x6 mOh, just the usual.
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Answer this way if you do mostly the same things each day./ ?, a5 E$ Z) ^
4 X+ n" U* T8 b1 {% b1 TJust the same old same old.
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9 ^- S6 p- Q3 {9 K$ _" bThis phrase means that you're doing the same things every day, and you're a little bored of it.
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Oh gosh, all kinds of stuff!* S- ^/ h/ y! I/ K
# z' @7 H# [; Q% PYou can answer this way if your life has been really busy and exciting lately.
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What's happening?; b+ k. a! H3 {9 i/ X; P6 q2 O! O
This question means the same thing as "What's up" and can be answered in the same way.' y2 w5 ~+ O q5 _3 ]
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