But we feel like we have to do it.

但我們都覺得那是必須做的事。

So, today, we're going to really focus on some questions you can ask people when you're in a small talk conversation.

所以說，我們今天要真正聚焦在一些你在與人寒暄時可以問的問題。

And these are all related to the topic of work.

而且它們都跟工作這個主題有關。

One of the easiest things to talk about is your job, your work, your career, your studies.

最好聊的主題之一就是你的職業、工作、職涯、研究。

Along with travel, I think those are the most common small talk conversations.

這些以及旅遊主題都是我認為最普遍的閒聊對話。

So, today, I just have some really simple questions that you can ask people in a small talk conversation to, hopefully, make it a little bit easier for you.

所以我今天我單純是要提供一些非常簡單的問題，你可以在閒聊對話中問別人，希望能讓你輕鬆點。

And then we get talking. Let's say we're talking with this person; we've build up a bit of a rapport.

然後我們就開始說話，假設我們在和某個人對話，已經建立了一點關係。

Now what we want to do is keep them talking.

現在我們要做的是讓他們繼續說話。

Maybe they've mentioned their career; maybe you want to ask them what they do.

也許他們已經提到了自己的職業，或許你想想問問他們是做什麼的。

Easy question: What do you do?

簡單的問題：What do you do?（你是做什麼的？）

Let's say this person is a lady, and she says she's a doctor.

假設對方是一位女子，她說自己是醫生。

After she said that she's a doctor, she may then ask you, "What about you?"

表明自己是醫生後，她可能會接著問你：What about you?（那你呢？）

This phrase is extremely useful, and you can use it yourself in small talk.

這句話非常有用，你自己也可以在閒聊中使用。

Essentially, what this question does is, it turns the question back on the person who asked you that question.

本質上，這個問題的作用就是，把問題反過來問你這個問題的人。

So, they're asking you now, "What do you do?"

所以他們現在是在問你：What do you do?（你是做什麼的？）

Well, then you answer the question.

那麼，接著就由你回答這個問題。

Maybe, then, you want to ask more questions.

也許你會想再繼續問更多問題。

So, why not this one?

何不用這一題呢？

How long have you been doing that for?

How long have you been doing that for?（你做那個工作多久了？）

So, this is a way to open up the conversation.

這也是展開話題的一種方式。

How long have they been doing it for?

對方做那個工作多久了？

It shows that you're interested in what they're talking about.

這顯示你對他們所談論的東西感興趣。

Something I always recommend during small talk is to react to everything they say.

我一直建議在閒聊時做的一件事是，對對方所說的每句話作出反應。

So, for example, if they say, "Oh, I've been doing it for about 10 years,"

舉個例子，如果對方說：「哦，我已經做了 10 年左右了。」

respond with a "Oh, wow!" "Really?" "Nice!"

你可以用「Oh, wow!（哇！）」、「Really?（真的嗎？）」、「Nice!（不賴！）」等字詞來回應。

Little words like this just show a reaction.

這樣的簡短字詞單純地展現一個反應。

And then maybe you can follow up with another question.

然後也許你可以再追問一個問題。

For example, "How did you get into that?"

例如：How did you get into that?（你是怎麼進到那一行的？）

How did you get into that?

你是怎麼入行的？

This essentially means, "How did you start that job? What made you want to do that job?"

這基本上就等於：你怎麼開始做這個工作的？是什麼讓你想要做這行？

Now, if they're a talkative person, this is definitely a way to get someone to talk for quite a long time.

如果對方是一個健談的人，這絕對是一個能讓人暢談許久的方法。

Do you think you'll stick with it forever?

你覺得你會一直堅持下去嗎？

Do you think you'll stick with it forever?

你覺得你會一直堅持下去嗎？

To stick with something means to stay with.

Stick with 的意思就是 stay with，表示「與⋯⋯一起」。

Stick, like when we have glue and we stick things together.

Stick 就是我們拿膠水把東西黏在一起的「黏」這個字。

Stick with it⏤well, that simply means, "Do you think you'll stay in this job forever?"

間單地說，stick with it 就表示：你覺得你會一直做這份工作嗎？

Really, it's a yes/no question, but in small talk, they might explain why.

這其實是個是非題，但閒聊時，對方可能會說明原因。

Now, a lot of the time with "Do you...?" questions, we use the weak forms of "do" and "you".

很多時候，在 Do you... 開頭的問題中，我們會用弱化形式的 do 和 you。

The reason why is because "do" and "you" are what we would call "function words"⏤they're not really very important in this sentence.

這個原因是，do 和 you 是我們所謂的「功能詞」，他們在這句話中並不是很重要。

So, we've replaced the vowels with the schwa (ə) sound.

也就是說，我們用混母音（ə）取代了母音。

Do you think; do you think?

Do you think; do you think?（你認為⋯⋯？）

Do you think?

Do you think?（你認為⋯⋯？）

This makes you sound a little bit more like a native.

這會讓你聽起來更像母語人士一點。

You'll also notice I'm dropping the "t" on "it": with it forever.

你可能也注意到我省略了 it 的 t 音：with it forever。

That's just a common native thing to do.

那只是常見的母語用法。

You could say, "Do you think you'll stick with it forever?"

你可以清楚地發音：Do you think you'll stick with it forever?（你覺得你會永遠堅持下去嗎？）

It's entirely up to you what you want to do there.

你要怎麼發音完全取決於你。

It's just my native way of pronouncing it⏤I like to drop t's at the end of words sometimes.

這只是我母語人士發音的方式，我有時喜歡省略字尾的 t。

Oh, OK. Have you always worked there?

Oh, OK. Have you always worked there?（喔，好，你一直都是在那裡上班嗎？）

Have you always worked there?

你一直都是在那裡工作嗎？

And that simply is a way of asking someone if they've done any other jobs in the past, maybe what their first job was.

而這不過是一種問別人過去是否做過其它工作的簡單方式，或許了解他們的第一份工作。

Let's talk about the /kt/ sound; what's that?

我們來聊聊 /kt/ 這個因，那是什麼？

That's what we call a "constant cluster", the k and the t combination at the end of "worked", OK?

那就是我們所謂的「複輔音」，worked 結尾的 k、t 音組合，懂嗎？

I hear lots of different variations of this from my students taking my pronunciation course.

我從我發音課學生們口中聽到了很多不同的版本。

And, uh, I actually did just add a new video to my pronunciation course,

而我其實剛剛在我發音課程中增加了一部新的影片，

all about these constant clusters with [pronunciation] and, you know, things like [pronunciation], and things like that, right?

全部都是跟這些複輔音有關的內容，好嗎？

All of these sounds that happen at the end that are really difficult.

所有字尾那些難發的音。

Now, this one is a very common one: worked.

Worked 是一個非常普遍的字。

We need to create pressure to create that /k/ sound, and then we need to very quickly release that sound to spit that /t/, OK?

我們需要製造壓力來發出 /k/ 這個聲音上，然後需要非常快速地釋放那個聲音來吐出 /t/ 的音，懂嗎？

So, /kt/.

所以說是 /kt/。

Now, when we create the /k/ sound, our tongue is up high, it's kind of bent, and the back is touching the top.

當我們發 /k/ 聲時，我們的舌頭會高高翹起、有點彎，然後舌根頂著上顎。

So, what we quickly need to do is, as soon as we create that /k/ sound, the tongue needs to flick the front to the roof of your mouth, and we create the /t/.

所以我們製造 /k/ 的音後，要馬上把舌頭彈到你嘴巴上顎前端，接著發出 /t/ 這個音。

/kt/, worked, worked.

/kt/，worked、worked。

Their response might just be, "No"⏤now, hopefully, they'll say, "No, I actually did this job before."

他們的回答可能只是簡短的 No，不過希望對方會說：「不，我其實以前做過這個工作。」

But if they don't do that, then say, "Ah, right. Well, what else did you do before this job?" OK?

但如果他們沒那樣做，那就說：「好吧，那你在做這份工作之前還做過什麼？」，懂嗎？

So, always be ready to ask more questions.

所以說，要隨時準備好多問幾個問題。

If they say no, why did they say no?

如果他們說不，他們是為什麼說不？

If they said yes, why did they say yes?

如果他們說是，為什麼會說是呢？

And, also, is there anything you can agree with or relate to that they're saying?

此外，他們說的話，有什麼是你能同意或者有共鳴的？

Maybe you've had a similar situation to what they're talking about.

也許你也有過對方所講的類似情況。

Well, tell them; they want to know.

那就跟他說，他們會想知道的。

So, don't be afraid to talk about things which are similar in your life to what they're saying.

所以說，不要害怕談論你生活中與他們所說相似的事情。

Anyway, that's it for today's video.

好了，今天的影片就這樣。

And, like I said, I do have a pronunciation course, which has over 100 people.

就像我說的，我有一個發音課程，有超過一百個學員。

It's doing really well; I've had some great feedback.

它非常受歡迎，我也收到一些很棒的回饋。

So, if you want to join the course and also have the bonus of talking to me on WhatsApp with voice recordings, then I hope to see you soon.

所以，如果你想加入課程，還能在 WhatsApp 上用語音和我對話，那麼我希望能盡快見到你。

You can go to etjenglish.com and start learning perfect British pronunciation right now.

你可以前往 etjenglish.com，現在就開始學習完美的英式發音。

You might have noticed that this video is available on a Friday.

你可能已經發現這部影片是在週五上傳的。

That's right, I have now changed my days.

沒錯，我更改我的時程了。

I release YouTube videos every Friday now, just because I like Fridays⏤is that OK?

我現在每週五上傳 YouTube 影片，只因為我喜歡週五——這是可以的嗎？

Anyway, thanks again; I will see you next week.

總而言之，再次謝謝你們，我們下週見。

And cheers, guys; bye.

大家掰掰，再見了。