"Howareyou?"isanicequestion.It'safriendlywaythatpeopleintheUSAgreeteachother.But"Howareyou?"isalsoaveryunusualquestion.It'saquestionthatoftendoesn'tneedananswer.Thepersonwhoasks"Howareyou?"hopesto
"Howareyou?"isanicequestion.It'safriendlywaythatpeopleintheUSAgreeteachother.But"Howareyou?"isalsoaveryunusualquestion.It'saquestionthatoftendoesn'tneedananswer.Thepersonwhoasks"Howareyou?"hopestoheartheanswer"Fine"eveniftheperson'sfriendisn'tfine.Thereasonisthat"Howareyou?"isn'treallyaquestionand"Fine"isn'treallyananswer.Theyaresimplyotherwaysofsaying"Hello"or"Hi".
Sometimespeopledon'tsayexactlywhattheymean.Forexamplewhensomeoneasks"Doyouagree?"theotherpersonmightthink"NoIdisagree.Ithinkyou'rewrong..."Butitisn'tverypolitetodisagreesostronglysotheotherpersonmightsay"I'mnotsure."It'sanicerwaytosaythatyoudon'tagreewithsomeone.
Peopledon'tsayexactlywhattheyarethinkingwhentheywanttofinishtalkingwithotherpeople.Forexamplemanytalksoverthephonefinishwhenonepersonsays"I'vetogonow."Oftenthepersonwhowantstohangupgivesanexcuse:"Someone'satthedoor.""Somethingisburningonthestove."Theexcusesmightberealornot.Perhapsthepersonwhowantstohangupsimplydoesn'twanttotalkanymorebutitisn'tpolitetosaythat.Theexcuseismorepoliteanditdoesn'thurttheotherperson.
Whethertheyaregreetingeachothertalkingaboutanideaorfinishingatalkpeopledon'tsayexactlywhattheyarethinking.It'sanimportantwaythatpeopletrytobenicetoeachotherandit'spartofthegameoflanguage.
1.WhenapersoninAmericaasks"Howareyou?"heorshewantstohear"________"
A.Howareyou?B.Hello.
C.Idon'tknow.D.Fine.
2.Whenapersondisagreeswithsomeoneitispolitetosay"_________"
A.Youarewrong.Idisagree.B.I'mnotsure.
C.I'msureIdisagree.D.Idon’tagreewithyou.
3.Apolitewaytofinishatalkistosay"__________"
A.Youhavetogonow.
B.Iwanttohangup.
C.Ihavetogonow.
D.Idon'twanttotalkanymore.
4.Whenapersonsays"I'vegottogonow.Someone'satthedoor."thepersonmaybe_______.
A.givinganexcuse
B.hurtingsomeone'sfeelings
C.talkingtoapersonatthedoor
D.goingtoanotherplace
5.Theruleofthegameoflanguageisprobably