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Introduction to "small talk”
“闲聊”攻略
A. Small talk is relaxed dialog that helps people pass the time when they meet others.
聊天是一种人们相遇时为了打发时间而进行的对话。
Empty silences often make us feel nervous so this is a way of filling those periods.
无言的沉默往往让我们感到紧张，因此这是一种可以填补这种时段的方式。
In English, people often say it "reaks the ice". You can make small talk when waiting in line at an airport or bus stop.
在英语中，人们常常说它是“打破沉默”。在机场或车站排队等候时你可以聊一聊。
Though the things we talk about are not usually important, small talk itself is. It makes others feel relaxed and it passes time nicely.
虽然我们谈论的事情通常都是不重要的，但闲聊本身就是这样。它可以使人放松，并很好地打发时间。
B. For some, small talk is a common form of communication.
对一些人来说，聊天是一种常见的沟通方式。
Business travelers, for example, always meet new people and usually make small talk before discussing serious business.
例如，商务旅行者总是会遇到生人，通常他们在谈论严肃的业务之前都会闲聊一会儿。
They might be asked about how they got to the meeting or if their hotel is comfortable.
他们可能会被问及时怎样到会的，或者宾馆是否舒适。
Workers in shops or restaurants also find small talk helpful when they are serving customers.
商店或餐馆工作人员发现闲聊对他们为顾客提供服务也有帮助。
C. People make small talk in almost every country. What they say may be very different, but the basic rules of small talk are often the same.
几乎每个国家的人都会闲聊。他们说的内容可能是差异很大的，但闲聊的基本规律往往是相同的。
In most cultures, it is important to smile and keep the conversation light and humorous. Making other people smile can make them feel relaxed.
在大多数文化中，微笑和保持谈话的轻松幽默是很重要的。让其他人笑起来会让他们感到放松。
D. Things we should not discuss can also depend on culture. In China, we can ask people if they are married or whether they have children.
我们不应讨论的话题也取决于文化。在中国，我们可以询问他们是否结婚或是否有子女。
However, many Western people think these are private subjects, so they should be avoided.
然而，许多西方人认为这些是私事，所以应该避免谈论这些内容。
Also, the common Chinese greeting "Have you eaten yet?" would seem strange to an English speaking person.
另外，中国人常见的问候语“你吃了吗？“对说英语人来说似乎很奇怪。
E. Therefore,we should usually discuss "safe" subjects like the weather, which is common in many cultures.
所以，通常我们应该谈论一些“安全”的话题，比如天气。这一点在许多文化中是共同的。
People in England often talk about the weather, probably because it changes so much.
英国人经常谈论天气，可能是因为天气多变吧。
However, the most important thing is to give the other person a chance to speak and listen to what they have to say.
不过，最重要的是要给别人说话的机会，聆听他们有什么要说的。
