VOA慢速英语2018--询问某人关于他的职业

Asking Someone About Their Job

Have you ever wanted to ask someone in English about the kind of work they do but were unsure how? Many cultures have ways of doing this.

Today on Ask a Teacher, our question comes from Azra in Turkey.

Question:

Is it polite to ask people about their jobs? How can I ask someone without sounding impolite¹? - Azra, Turkey

Answer:

Hello Azra and thanks for writing to us!

In the United² States, asking someone about their job is one of the most common things to do when meeting that person for the first time. But in some other cultures, this question may be considered disrespectful, so be careful.

Although questions such as “What is your job?” and “What are you?” seem like the most direct³ ways to ask, we do not use them. The questions are structured⁴ correctly but, to Americans, they can sound impolite and unnatural⁵.

Ways to ask

Instead, we have a few ways to ask that sound more natural.

When you meet someone in a social situation, and you want to know what kind of work they do, the most common question is this:

What do you do?

It is a shorter way of asking:

What do you do for a living?

Listen to both questions and some answers you might hear. Pay close attention to the pronunciation of “What do you do?” as it usually sounds like “Whaddya do?” when said quickly:

What do you do?

I’m a teacher.

What do you do for a living?

I work in photojournalism.

What do you do?

I run an arts program for teenagers.

What do you do for a living?

I’m a musician.

Compare the question “What do you do?” to “What are you doing?” They sound similar, but the second is not work-related. It is asking what the person is doing right now, this minute.

Two other friendly ways to ask some about their work are “What kind of work do you do?” and “What line of work are you in?” You can answer in the same way, saying something like, “I run an arts program for teenagers” or “I’m a musician.”

Following up

After the person answers the question, it is a good idea to ask one or two more questions. Listen to an example:

What do you do for a living?

I run an arts program for teenagers.

Nice! How long have you been doing that?

For about five years now.

Where do you work?

At the city’s arts and culture division⁶.

What not to ask

Despite how common job-related questions are in social situations in the U.S., situations differ. Some people may find these questions too personal if asked too soon. If you’re ever unsure, you can start a conversation in other ways, such as asking what the person does for fun in that city. Or, you can comment on something interesting or funny at the event or activity.

You should avoid asking the questions “What is your profession?” and “What is your occupation⁷?” They sound too official, so we do not use them in friendly situations. You would probably only hear them during a job interview or in an office environment.

Another thing to know is that, in American culture, we do not ask about a person’s wages. Even some close friends and relatives do not discuss this subject. So, unless someone shares this information with you or asks for wage advice, avoid asking this question.

And that’s Ask a Teacher.

I’m Alice Bryant.

Words in This Story

polite – adj. having or showing good manners⁸ or respect for other people

pronunciation – n. the way in which a word or name is said

interview – n. a formal meeting with someone who is being considered for a job or other position

profession – n. a type of job that requires special education, training, or skill

run – v. to direct the business or activities of something

teenager – n. someone who is between 13 and 19 years old

1 impolite   

adj.无礼的，粗鲁的

参考例句：

• It is impolite to get a word in.别人谈话时插嘴是不礼貌的。
• It is very impolite of you to do so to customers.你这样做对顾客太不客气了。

2 united   

adj.和谐的；团结的；联合的，统一的

参考例句：

• The whole nation is closely united.全国人民紧密团结。
• The two men were united by community of interests.共同的利益使两个人结合在一起。

3 direct   

adj.直接的；直达的；v.指挥；知道；监督；管理

参考例句：

• This train is direct,you do not have to change.这辆火车是直达的，你不必换车。
• The army is under the king's direct command.军队由国王直接统帅。

4 structured   

adj.有结构的v.组织( structure的过去式和过去分词 )；安排；制定

参考例句：

• She hoped that more activities like this could be structured. 她希望能组织更多这类活动。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• It was Mann who structured the agenda for maximum efficiency. 是曼制定这个取得最大效率的议程的。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 unnatural   

adj.不自然的；反常的

参考例句：

• Did her behaviour seem unnatural in any way?她有任何反常表现吗？
• She has an unnatural smile on her face.她脸上挂着做作的微笑。

6 division   

n.区分，分开，除法，公司，部门，师(军队里)

参考例句：

• Have you learnt division?你学会除法了吗？
• The division commander ordered that we start the attack before dawn.师长令我们在拂晓前发起攻击。

7 occupation   

n.职业，工作；占领，占据；占用

参考例句：

• I haven't entered up your name and occupation yet.我尚未记下你的名字和职业。
• Reading is a useful occupation to us.阅读对我们是一种有益的消遣。

8 manners   

n.礼貌；规矩

参考例句：

• You should mend your manners.你的态度应当纠正。
• His manners are rough,but he is a kind man at heart.他虽然举止粗鲁，但心地善良。