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“Hi there.How's it going?”
“Oh,fine.Fine.How about this weather,huh?”
“Well,I guess we can always use the rain.”
What's that?This story?Oh,just a little look at small talk.You know,those seemingly meaningless conversations you have dozens of times a day,Maybe you're waiting for the elevator.
Or in a line at the bank.It all seems pretty trivial.Idle chatter about traffic doesn't do much more than fill the air with empty words that are quickly forgotten.But you should know that small talk actually has a big place in our lives.
Pat Oliver,assistant professor on arts,says that,“Left unchecked,small talk can be an invasion.It's so powerful.It does something to you.”“Every morning after spending an hour and a half on the freeway I start the day with small talk with my secretary,”Oliver says,“If I don't make small connection with another person,I can't work.”
What causes it?As a rule,you're either trying to force something into your life,or you're using conversation as an invisible force field to keep them out.You can be wanting to connect with another person,and small talk is your introduction to more meaningful conversation.
The way people use small talk is usually determined by where they happen to be at the time.
Take the elevator,for instance.Now there's prime territory.Nobody knows anyone and there's no reason to start a conversation,but invariably,someone does.Making conversation in such peaceful social settings,according to Oliver,“can confirm your territory.It's a way of feeling liked and accepted.”
The topics of small talk don't matter.In fact,you don't want anything more taxing than the weather or the traffic.It's non-threatening talk in a threatening situation.However,the rules change quickly when you're with lots of people doing lots of talking.
Let's say you're at a party.Now it's time to use small talk as a way of making others feel more comfortable around you,so you don't look silly standing by the food table alone all night.
1、According to the author,topics of small talk may include comments on________.
A.some political issues
B.one's physical condition
C.other's ways of dress
D.the traffic jam
参考答案：D
参考解析：推理题.文中说琐谈一般都是关于天气和交通的无实质内容的、轻松的话题，故选D.
3、According to the author,small talk is often used ____________.
A.to invade other's private affairs
B.to share a secret between intimate friends
C.to open and maintain channels of communication
D.to protect one's own privacy
参考答案：C
参考解析：推理题.由文章倒数第四段第二句话“You Call be waning to connect with another person，and small talks is your introduction to more meaningful conversation.”可知，当我们想与他人进行交流时，琐谈可把我们引入更为严肃、正式的话题，由此可判断琐谈可起到建立和维持沟通渠道的作用，这与C项表述一致.故选C.
3、According to the author,at a big party,small talk is used with the purpose of_______.
A.making both others and yourself feel at ease
B.excluding those you don't like from joining you
C.keeping your voice low so only your friends can hear you
D.comforting those who feel lonely.
参考答案：A
参考解析：推理题.最后一段意思是“利用琐谈来使你周围的人感到舒服，这样你也不会独自在餐桌旁站一个晚上了，看上去傻乎乎的”.A项“使自己和别人都感到放松”与此相符.故选A.
4、Why is small talk described as“non-threatening talk in a threatening situation”?
A]It is used by people to encourage those who are confronted with danger.
B.It is used to show that one is enthusiastic and hospitable.
C.It is used to create a more friendly atmosphere and to avoid embarrassment.
D.It is used by people to protect others in the threatening situation.
参考答案：C
参考解析：推理题.从文章最后一段可以看出，琐谈的一个重要作用就是在一些场合使得自己和周围的人感到放松.且从谈话的内容来看，说话的人只是想营造一种气氛.故选C.
5、“Small talk”,as interpreted by the author,________.
A.has no real function in communication at all
B.is usually meaningless and therefore useless
C.is not as idle as it may seem to be
D.is restricted to certain topics only
参考答案：C
参考解析：主旨题.从整篇文章来看，作者的意思是说琐谈看上去没什么意义，但是却能起到很重要的作用，例如将交谈双方引入一些更重要的谈话或者是打破冷场的局面.这与C项表述一致.A、B两项曲解了文意.D项“琐谈的话题有严格的限制”，与文章倒数第二段第一句“The topics of small talk don’t matter.”相悖.故选C.
参考译文
“你好.最近怎样?”
“哦，很好，很好.今天天气怎么样，哈?”
“我想我们这儿会一直下雨.”
上面讲的是什么?一则故事?噢，这只是关于琐谈的一瞥.你知道，每天你碰到几十次这种看上去没什么意义的琐谈，或在等电梯的时候.或是在银行排队的时候.这种谈话都显得很琐碎.打发时间的谈谈交通和不说话没什么两样，转眼就被遗忘了.但是你要知道这样的琐谈在我们的生活中具有重要的地位.
帕特.奥利弗是艺术学的教授助理，他说“虽然没被证实，但是琐谈可以是一种进攻，它的力量很强大，会对你造成影响.”“每天早上在高速公路上花一个半小时到达办公室之后，我跟我的秘书进行一些琐谈来开始一天的工作，”奥利弗说，“如果不跟别人进行一些简单的交流的话我就没办法工作.”
这种情况是怎么造成的呢?按规律来说，你不是想要利用谈话强行将一些东西带进自己的生活，就是把谈话当作一种无形的力量将某些事物排除在你的生活之外.你也许是正想与某人交流，琐谈可将你们引入更有意义的谈话.
人们进行琐谈的方式通常是由当时所处的环境所决定的.以搭电梯的时候为例，现在这是一片原始的领域，谁也不认识谁并且也没有理由开始一次交谈，但总是会有人第一个说话.根据奥利弗的说法在这样一个平和的社会环境下交谈“可以巩固自己的领域.你可以通过它感受自己是否被别人喜爱和接受”.
琐谈的主题并不重要.实际上，你不会想要任何比天气或者是交通更沉重的话题.这是在具有威胁性的情形下进行的没有威胁的谈话.然而.当你同时跟很多人在一起进行大量交谈的时候，规则是在飞快的变化的.
让我们假设你参加一次聚会.现在是时候利用琐谈来使你周围的人感到自在和放松了，这样你也不会傻傻地独自在餐桌边站一个晚上了。
