商务英语：询问个人问题 Business English: Asking personal questions

Hello! I’m Feifei and welcome to another episode of 6 Minute English! .In today’s programme we’re talking about stress, and here with me in the studio today is the very lovely Neil.How are you today Neil, not too stressed I hope?
大家好！我是Feifei，欢迎再一次来到BBC6分钟英语！今天我们讨论一下压力的问题，今天和我一起的是非常可爱的Neil。你今天怎么样啊，Neil，希望你压力没太大吧？
You know me Feifei, always cool as a cucumber!
你知道我的Feifei，我一直都是很冷静的！
Ha! Yes, I do. I’m pleased to hear it and have you brought a stressrelated business fact to talk about?
Ha！是的，我了解。很高兴你能那么说，你有跟压力相关的报告吗，给大家说一下吧？
I have. It’s a report from the Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development here in the UK.Apparently up to 50% of employersare saying that stress-related absence from work has gone up.
有啊。这是英国Chartered Institute of Personnel and Development一份报告。 报告中多达50%的雇主表示,与压力相关的工作缺口已经增大。
Really? We’re losing more and more work time due to stress?!
真的吗？由于压力我们正在失去越来越多的工作时间吗？！
Yes Feifei, so don’t stress me out or I’ll be going home before we get to the end of the programme…
是的，Feifei，不要给我压力，不然在节目结束前我就回家了...
I’ll do my best to be nice to you Neil.
我会尽力对你好的，Neil。
Good, because sometimes, you know, things get a bit too much for me and –
好的，因为有时候，你知道，事情变得有点对我太重要了，而且--
So Neil, if it’s not too personal a question, what do you do to reduce your stress levels at work?
所以Neil，如果不是太隐私的话我想问你个问题，你工作的时候是怎样减轻工作压力的？
Well, I always deal with problems with colleagues face-to-face before things get too serious.
嗯，我和同事间的问题解决方法就是在事情变得严重前面对面的解决。
Problems with colleagues?Neil you are such a lovely person - I can’t imagine you having problems with colleagues…
和同事的问题？Neil，你是这么可爱的一个人--我很难想象你会和同事之间有问题...
I know it’s hard to believe, isn’t it? But it’s the best way, person to person, face to face... you just have to choose your words carefully, especially when you’re asking personal or sensitive questions.
我知道你很难相信，对吧？但是，人对人，面对面，这是最好的方式了...你只需要说话的时候选词谨慎一些，尤其是当你问隐私或者敏感的问题时。
I think we need to ask Business Betty to tell us more.
我觉得我们需要 Business Betty 的帮助。
And here she is!
她来啦！
It’s Business Betty!
是Business Betty!
It’s good to see you Betty, looking stunning as always.
很高兴见到你，Betty，和以往一样令人惊叹。
Thanks. What can I help you with today?
谢谢。今天我能帮上什么吗？
Can you give us some advice on asking personal questions Betty?
Betty，你能给我们一些关于怎样问个人问题的建议吗？
I’d be very happy to Feifei. I’m going to start with a cultural tip. Generally speaking, it’s OK to ask personal questions in British culture, when the situation is right and when you choose your words carefully. Now, when asking personal questions, the first thing to do is to give a warning that you’re going to talk about something personal. You could say something like: ‘I wanted to talk to you about a personal matter. Is that OK with you?’
乐意效劳，Feifei。我从文化提示开始。一般来说，在英国文化里当时机合适并且说话恰当的时候问个人问题是OK的。当问个人问题的时候，要做的第一件事就是给一个警告，你要谈点有关个人的问题。你可以这样说“我想和你谈谈个人的私事。你看这个可以吗？”
I wanted to talk to you about a personal matter. Is that OK with you?
我想和你谈谈个人的私事。你看这个可以吗？
That’s a very good way to start, Feifei. And to introduce a personal question, you can say: ‘If you don’t mind me asking…’
Feifei这是一个很好的开头方法。要问一个私人问题，你可以这么说“如果你不介意我问...”
If you don’t mind me asking, have you been feeling stressed at all?
如果你不介意我问，你最近感觉有压力吗？
Well done. Another useful phrase to use either before or after a personal question is ‘If it’s not too personal a question.’
很好。另一个在一个私人的问题使用之前或之后有用的短语是“如果这不是太私人的问题。”
If it’s not too personal a question, is everything alright at home?
如果这不是太私人的问题，家里一切都还好吧？
Good one! And finally, a really easy one, just say ‘May I ask…’ and then say what you want to know.
很好！最后，很简单的一个短语，只需说“我可以问...”你就可以问你想知道的问题了。
May I ask what the problem was?
我想问一下问题在哪吗？
Good! So to sum up: first give a warning, and then use phrases like ‘If you don’t mind me asking’, ‘If it’s not too personal a question’, and ‘May I ask?’ So Feifei and Neil, how’s that?
不错！总结起来就是：首先给个警告，然后使用：“如果你不介意我问”，“如果这不是太私人的问题”和“我想问”这样的短语所以Feifei和Neil，感觉怎么样？
That’s great - thanks Betty!
太棒了--谢谢你Betty！
Thank you Betty!
谢谢你Betty！
You’re welcome. If there’s nothing else, I’ll be on my way. Bye!
不客气。如果没别的什么事，我走了。拜~！
Bye!
再见！
She’s a wonderful woman, Business Betty!
Business Betty她真实一个很棒的人！
She really is.
的确如此。
I think it’s time for our role-play.
我想是到我们进行角色扮演的时候了。
So do I. I think it’s coming…
我也是这么想的。我觉得它...
Yes, and do you know what that means? It means it’s my turn to be the boss.
是的，你知道那是什么意思吗？意思就是轮到我演老板了。
No it’s not, it’s my turn.
不是的，轮到我了。
It was your turn last time, it’s always your turn to be the boss.
上次就是你，一直就是你演的老板。
No, it wasn’t. It’s my turn this time. Let’s start, are you ready?
不是的。这次轮到我演了。开始吧，你准备好了吗？
Bossy! Bossy equals boss!
专横 ！专横等于老板 ！
Come in! Ahhh, Neil! Come in and sit down. What can I do for you today?
请进！啊，是Neil！进来坐吧。我能为你做什么今天？
Well actually, you asked to see me.
嗯，实际上，是你要我来的。
Did I? Oh yes, that’s right, yes I did.OK, Neil I wanted to talk to you about a personal matter. Is that OK with you?
是么？Oh，是的，是我要你来的。是这样的，我想和你谈谈个人的私事。你看这个可以吗？
OK…
可..以
Well, I’ve noticed that you’ve been looking a bit worried lately. So if you don’t mind me asking, have you been feeling stressed at all?
嗯，我注意到你有点担心最近。因此，如果你不介意我问，你最近感觉有压力吗？
No, not really.
没，不是的。
Oh good. Because the thing is, the other day you looked a bit upset. If it’s not too personal a question, is everything alright at home?
很好。因为问题是有一天我看你有点不高兴。如果这不是太私人的问题，家里一切都还好吧？
At home, well, we did have a problem last week, but it’s OK now.
家里，嗯，上周确实遇到了一个问题，但是现在好了。
Oh good, good. May I ask what the problem was?
Oh，很好很好。我可以问一下是什么问题吗？
Oh my daughter’s goldfish died. She was quite upset, but she’s OK, we are pulling through.
我女儿的金鱼死了。她很不高兴，但是已经好了，我们已经过来了。
Good, good, well if it happens again you will let me know, won’t you?
很好，很好。额如果有类似的事情发生你会告诉我的，不是吗？
Yes of course. Thank you.
当然。谢谢。
You’re welcome.
不客气。
OK Neil, that was today’s role-play. How did I do?
好了Neil，这就是今天的角色扮演。我表现的怎么样？
That was pretty good! You’re not bad actually.
非常好！你演的不赖。
I told you I would be!
我告诉过你我会演好的！
That’s it for today’s topic. May I ask if you enjoyed the programme?
这就是今天话题的所有的内容了。我想知道你喜欢这个节目吗？
I enjoyed it very much! It’s been good and not at all stressful.
我非常喜欢！这个节目一直很棒，并且没有一点压力。
So you won’t be taking any time off work because of stress?
所以你不会因为压力而在任何时间停止工作的，对吧？
No, I don’t think so.
不会的。
Good! Join us again for another episode of 6 Minute English.
很好！欢迎再次加入BBC6分钟英语。
Bye!
再见啦！