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本帖最后由 图书馆 于 2015-11-2 20:53 编辑 ( g9 ?2 a; K/ m& `$ M* x
( L8 w1 \# m4 sHow to respond to "How are you?", "What's up?", and other conversation starters/ o: {2 P% L+ B5 T: m- U
; [$ n: d0 y! M% T7 k$ ~5 g4 u; {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.1 t3 z) p7 |0 q2 Q9 @. K
) r. @7 D3 d. W' O# U4 eYou'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?"
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" i5 r: p2 t/ qHow are you?
. E8 S0 X. u: |2 G# EFine.
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3 p# D- {0 s+ X2 Z# d* y2 dThis 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.& a) e- ], ^# Y: ~
) c! j* @6 u% o6 v9 T% dNot bad.. o3 B' G* Y9 b( o
& P- Q0 { L% \This is a more friendly-sounding answer than "fine".
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3 `! W4 A8 T1 [3 q7 cFine, thanks.4 l* U1 z! o3 [8 Y
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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.7 _6 J* u) R0 _- g5 N# K
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Very well, thanks.$ A- \. T) o: r, [: Y
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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.- q& o7 b: l( e; V% Z
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Pretty good.) R# p+ z* a& x+ m
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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.9 g( ^: Z8 k3 H* Y, \: M
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Great! How are you doing?/ r1 z5 H3 P, F$ b* V9 H
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This 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.4 I3 @5 r" _* z5 J/ c% `
2 B7 }7 w( K: bI'm hanging in there.. q: q: J8 ?3 h& U
) S q2 y* A, |1 KThis answer makes it sound like you're having a tough day.& V% w: }( |+ N
4 J4 x8 t; q B$ N" n- }I've been better." P& P9 u6 X/ b' t: ^& z; h
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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:1 ]5 v. C, k) P: W( |1 H
8 e) @6 \3 {' ] AA: How are you?
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B: I've been better.
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- u N* }1 T2 ~3 H9 Y/ SA: What's wrong?
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, Y& }: ^$ K! L4 I3 D6 X$ MB: I just found out that I'm being laid off.
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" M/ q8 e. B @; u* fHow's it going?! \% k, U0 K* f% e$ ]
This question is similar to "How are you". The answers discussed above all work for "How's it going?" as well.
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Here'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. * t' S6 ]3 D. C
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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.
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! `: M2 y5 g' Q5 I% U1 jWhat's up?
0 H6 J7 {/ H R. T! @This 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:( s" T5 Z( J% B& {
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Nothing 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.2 j; l {( t0 S+ ^3 ]! Q( C
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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.0 o( t. {: q: ?8 e: N2 S8 a
2 y0 J" d8 R. I4 I4 KNothing.- i/ h% }' X$ H, |; s1 T
8 z4 y: z* l# aThis is more to-the-point. It might make you seem a little angry or rude.# c! Y# m5 p P( n/ D
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Oh, just the usual.
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Answer this way if you do mostly the same things each day.2 L; G/ i: Y x
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Just the same old same old.) c4 Q8 f+ ]' K) C- {
: j6 L) \) [3 }This phrase means that you're doing the same things every day, and you're a little bored of it.# f; Z0 b! B1 Q7 ^
( Z, {( H! Y {. H V' w) _Oh gosh, all kinds of stuff!
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( j8 L6 V* P' S+ j) h% m" K/ OYou can answer this way if your life has been really busy and exciting lately.
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# W3 P3 Y. V) b0 UWhat's happening?2 B1 W3 Q* |% }
This question means the same thing as "What's up" and can be answered in the same way.3 u9 a5 o/ e- C- Y
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