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第7輯 第5課 Is that what you are asking?
有時候我們會聽到一些令人啼笑皆非的對話,我們稱之為「雞同 鴨講」。人家分明問你的是選擇題,但你卻把它當是非題來回答,一會Yes、Yes、Yes,一會No、No、No,其實你在會議期間發白日夢,根本沒有聽 清楚人家的問題。假如你不確定對方的問題,最穩妥的做法是先把自己的理解覆述一次,然後問: "Is that what you are asking?"「這是你要問的問題嗎?」
其實這樣的問法能夠確立這個問題的本質,是非常恰當的表達方式。但是如果你根本連問題都沒有聽清楚的話,那又是另外一回事了。你只要再問他:"Would you mind repeating your question?"「介不介意再把問題問一次呢?」
對話
A:Well, I´m a little bit hazy about your question. How much is the national income per capita - is that what you are asking?
甲:嗯,我對你的問題不是很清楚。
「每年的國民收入有多少」你要問的是這個嗎﹖
B:No, it´s not. What I´d like to know is if it has been rising in this country of late?
乙:不是。我想問這個國家的國民收入最近是增加了多少﹖
A:I understand. May I draw your attention to this chart?
Here, obviously it´s increasing rapidly.
甲:我明白了。請你看看這個統計圖好嗎﹖這兒,很明顯,增長得非常快。
你說甚麼?
人家說話,偶然聽不清楚並不奇怪。希望他再講一次,你可以說:I beg your pardon?, Pardon (me)?, Excuse me?, Sorry?, I´m sorry. I missed that, What did you say?, What was that?, Could you please repeat that?, Could you please repeat yourself?, What?等。
以上說法之中,What?的語氣最隨便,甚至可說沒有禮貌。Repeat oneself是「再說一次」的意思,例如:It is boring to hear him talk. He is always repeating himself.(他反反覆覆都是說那些話,使人厭煩。)I missed that的miss則有「未能聽到」或「未能了解」的意思,例如:I was late, and missed a lot of what he said.(我遲來,他的話很多都沒聽到。)
假如你不是聽不到人家的話,而是聽到了卻不明白,那你不妨馬上請他講清楚:I don´t follow (you) / I don´t get it. / I´m not sure I get your point. / I´m not sure I know what you mean. / Get 和 follow都是「明白」的意思。
人家問你Could you please repeat that?你可用I was just asking / saying...這句式回答,例如:
(1) I was just saying we are making good progress.(我剛才說我們進展順利。)
(2) I was just asking how things are getting on.(我剛才是問事情有甚麼進展。)
人家請你把意思講清楚,則可以用What I mean is...句式回答:What I mean is the company has to undergo some downsizing.(我的意思是公司得裁員了。)

 

 


 資料來源:生活美語(點我看真人對話)

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