Zhang Ming is traveling in the USA. He wants to go to a small town but he doesn't know the way. What should he do?

Zhang Ming is traveling in the USA.

He wants to go to a small town but he doesn't know the way.

What should he do?

Hi! Where is the East Town?

Sorry. I can’t help you.

Excuse me. Could you please tell me where the East Town is?

Sure. Take No. 23 Bus and you will get there.

The culture of a nation is in its language. It is not enough to only know correct grammar. It is also very important to know how to choose suitable language for every situation.

If you need help with your homework,

how would you ask?

If you need help with your homework,

how would you ask these people?

1. your mother or father:_______________

2. your best friend:____________________

3. a teacher:_________________________

Discuss the language you used to make this request. Was it the same each time? If not, discuss why.

Read the article and underline the topic sentences for each paragraph. Para 1: When you visit a foreign country, it

is important to know how to ask for help politely.

Para 2: Good speakers change the way they speak in different situations.

Para 3: Usually polite questions are longer.

Para 4: However, it is important to learn how to use the right language in different situations.

2b

Read the following sentences about the passage and give the correct logical order.

a. importance of language appropriacy

b. features of polite language

c. seems difficult, but still important

d. what is language appropriacy?

____ _____ _____ _____A d b c

Read again and discuss these questions.

1. Is it enough to speak correctly?

2. What are the features of polite language?

3. Is it necessary to ask indirect questions to all the people around you?

4. In the second picture, why does the man say “Sorry, I can’t help you.”? Can you change the question to a more polite one?

5. What is the writer’s purpose?

Read again and complete the blanks using words in the box.

important direct difficult good

correctly longer impolite well

It is enough to just ask a question ________. We also need to learn how to be polite when we ask for help.correctly

________ speakers change the way they speak in different situations. The expressions they use might depend on whom they are speaking to or how _________ they know each other. For example, it is all right to ask ________ questions to your classmates. But it will sound _________ to ask your teachers direct questions.

important direct difficult good

correctly longer impolite well

Good

well

direct

impolite

Polite questions are usually ________ and sometimes they sound like a kind of request. It seems ________ to speak politely, but it is very _________ to learn how to use the right language in different situations.

important direct difficult good

correctly longer impolite well

longer

difficultimportant

Find all the direct questions and polite requests from the passage.

2c

1.

2.

3.

Direct questions

Where are the restrooms?

When is the school trip?

Where’s the post office?

1.

2.

3.

4.

Polite requests

Could you please tell me where the restrooms are?

Excuse me, Mr. West. Do you know when the school trip is?

Peter, could you please tell me your e-mail address?

Pardon me, could you please tell me where to park my car?

Read the requests below. In the second column, write A if you would say it to someone you know and B if you would say it to a stranger. In the last column, write where you think these people are.

2d

1. A, restaurant / home2. B, street3. A / B, any public place / home4. B, street5. B, movie theater / concert hall6. A, home7. B, street

Keys:

Imagine you are going on a short study vacation at a school in an English- speaking country. What would you like to know before you go? Write some polite, indirect questions about the following topics.

3a

Topic Question

The course you will study

The time of the course

Where and what you can eat

Where you will stay

Could you please send me the introduction of the courses?

Could you tell me how long the course lasts?

Do you know where students usually eat and what kind of food they eat?

Could I find out more about where students can stay, please?

Topic Question

What activities you can do

Travel to the school

Other

Can you please tell me the kinds of activities students can do?

Could you please tell me how students usually travel to school?Could you tell me how much the course costs?

Write a polite letter to the school asking for the information you want to know. Use your notes in 3a.

In your letter, you should:• introduce yourself• say when you are coming• politely ask for information• thank the person for helping you

Useful expressions

1. My name is … and I’m from …2. I’ll be coming to your school for …3. I’d like to know about …4. I would like to thank you for …5. I’m looking forward to your reply.

Dear Sir / Madam,My name is Li Jie and I’m from Beijing, China. I’ll be coming to your school for a short study vacation this year. I’d like to know more about your school and the course I can take.First, I would like to find out exactly how long the course is and when it will begin. I wonder if you could send me the course outline and some information about the course fees.

Could you please also give me some information about student housing and transport to your school? In addition, it would be interesting for me to know about the activities that students can take part in and the places where they can hang out and have their meals after school.I would like to thank you for your help and I’m looking forward to your reply.Yours faithfully, Li Jie

Make a polite request using the pictures below.

Make a polite request using the pictures below.

Make a polite request using the pictures below.

Pair workPair work

Role-play the following situations. Think about the relationship between the speaker and the listener. Decide how to make the request.

1.A teenager wants to stay out late, and asks a parent about it.

2. A foreign friend is interested in your new video game, and asks about it.

3. Some students want to hand in their homework later than the teacher asked for it.

4. You want to change the time you asked a friend to come for a meal at your house.

Exercise

BAD

GOOD

Where are the corn chips?

There's no milk left?

How does this work?

Slice it thicker / thinner.

Give me a pound of that.

How to ask politely?

Could you tell me where the corn chips are, please?

Is there any more milk, (please)?

Can you show me how this works? (e.g. a coffee grinder)

I'd like it sliced thicker / thinner, please.Will you give me a pound of that, please? Can / Could I have a pound of that, please?

Translate the phrases. make polite requests ask for help sound less polite a direct question such as e-mail address communicate with sb.Pardon me.an underground parking lot

提出客气的请求求助；寻求帮助听起来不太礼貌直接的问题例如；比如电子邮件地址 和某人交流对不起地下停车场

1. make polite requests request n. 要求；请求It is my last request. 这是我最后的请求。He seemed disappointed when the man refused his request. 当那个人拒绝了他的要求时 , 他看起来很失望。I bought it at / by your request. 我应你的要求买下来。

Language points

I knew I shouldn’t accept anything from such a person, but I found it difficult to turn down his _____.

A. offer B. suggestion

C. request D. plan

表示主动提供，用 offer 。

A

request vt. 请求；要求He requested help from the librarian to find the book he wanted.

他请求图书管理员帮他寻找他想要的书。I requested him to come before ten.

我要求他十点以前来。The boy requested to go boating with his schoolmates.

那男孩要求与同学一道去划船。

知识拓展

2. choice n. 选择；挑选He is careful in his choice of words.

他措辞很谨慎。He went abroad at his own choice.

他出国是自愿选择的。You have no choice but to give up.

你别无选择 , 只能放弃。The shop has a wide choice of hats.

那家商店出售各式各样的帽子。 choose v. 选择；决定

guide a choice 指导选择make a choice 作出选择offer a choice 提供选择have a free choice 可以任意选择have a / the choice between A and B / have the choice of A or B

在 A 和 B 之间作选择without choice 无分别地 , 不分好歹地

知识拓展

(2013 江苏连云港 ) --- It's a wise _______ to wear the white tie. It matches your shirt well.

--- Thank you very much.

　 A. choice B. support

C. mixture D. honour

解析： choice“ 选择”， support“ 支持”， mixture“ 混合”， honour“ 荣誉”。根据句意：“戴白色领带是明智的选择，它与你的衬衫很搭”“非常感谢”，所以选择 A 。

A

3. direction n. 方向；方位Which direction does your room face?

你的房间面向哪个方向？He drove away in the direction of London.

他开车向伦敦方向驶去。He hurried away in the opposite direction.

他急忙朝相反的方向离去。If I had asked for directions, I will not have got lost.

如果我问一下方向，我就不会迷路了。

ask for directions 问路；请教 , 请求指导follow sb's directions 听从某人的指教 ( 指示 , 指挥 )

give directions 发出指示keep sb's directions in mind 记住某人的指示 ( 指导 )

in all directions 四面八方in every direction 四面八方in the direction of 朝…方向

知识拓展

He set off ______ the direction of the river.　 A. for B. to C. on D. in

I am sure Cindy will be able to find the hotel --- she has a pretty good _____ of direction. A. idea B. feeling C. experience D. sense

D

D

It used to take me an hour to get to work, but since I changed my _______, it takes me about 45 minutes.

A. direction B. way C. route

C

4. Both are correct, but the first one sounds less polite.

“less+ 形容词或副词原级”构成劣等比较，作“较不…”，“更不…” 。Don't you have any less expensive shirts?  

　　　　 你们没有便宜点儿的衬衣 ?

This programme is less interesting than the previous one.  

这个节目不如上一个节目有趣。

这个故事没那个故事有趣。　　　　This story is ________ _______ than that one.

less interesting

5. a very direct question

direct adj. 直接的；直率的He gave me a direct answer.

他给了我一个直截了当的回答。Which is the most direct way to London?

到伦敦哪一条路最近 ?

She has a direct way of speaking.

她说话直爽。He is very direct, so you always know what his real views are.

他为人很直率 , 所以你总能知道他的真实想法。

indirect adj. 间接的；迂回的；次要的；不坦率的director n. 导演direction n. 方向；方位direct v. 对准；指挥；指示He directed the building of the new bridge.

他指挥修建新桥。

知识拓展

6. The expressions they use might depend on whom they are speaking to …

depend on 取决于；随 ... 而定It all depends on how you deal with the problem.

那要看你如何处理这问题。In fact this depends on what he will say.

这实际上取决于他将怎么说。Our plans depend on the weather.

我们的计划要看天气而定。

(2010福建三明 ) --- It is very kind of you to _______ my grandpa when I went to Fuzhou on business.--- It's a pleasure.　 A. look after B. play tricks on C. depend on D. look forYou may depend ＿＿＿ him. He is ＿＿＿ honest man. A. on; a B. in; an C. on; an D. at; the

A

C

—When shall we have the sports shows?

—Any day next week, ______________ (因为它取决于 ) the weather. (depend)

【答案】 because / as / for / since it depends on

【解析】 it 是第三人称单数； depend on“依靠、依赖、取决于”。

7. Could you please tell me your e-mail address? address n. 住址；地址；通讯处Please write your home address on the form. 请在这张表上写下你的家庭住址。Please ask him to leave his address. 请他把地址留下。He put the wrong address on the package. 他把包裹上的地址写错了。She copied the phone number into her address book. 她把那个电话号码抄写在自己的通讯录上。

8. I’m sorry to trouble you, but …

trouble 在这里作动词，意思是“麻烦 ; 使烦恼”May I trouble you to move your chair a bit?

麻烦你把椅子挪一挪行吗 ?

You needn't trouble to answer the letter.

你不用费事回信了。He had no idea what was troubling her.

他不知道什么事情使她烦。

能麻烦你关上门吗？

打扰您一下，请问到车站怎样走？

Can I trouble you to close the door?

I’m sorry to trouble you, but can you tell me the way to the station?

trouble还可以用作名词 , 意为“困难；烦恼；麻烦”。Did you have much trouble (in) finding the house?

你找到那栋房子有困难吗 ?

The old lady next door was telling me all her troubles.

隔壁的老太太正在对我诉说她的种种烦恼。His wife is a great trouble to him.

他妻子是个常给他添麻烦的人。

知识链接

【 2012贵州毕节 　—　】 I have ______ in learning English and I’m so worried. Could you help me with it?— Sure, I’d love to. A. joy B. interest C. trouble D. fun【答案】 joy“快乐” ; interest“兴趣” ; trouble“困难” ; fun“ 有趣”。根据“我很担心”以及“你可以帮助我吗”可知此处表示“我英语学习有困难”，故选 C 。

C

9. …, could you please tell me where to park my car?

park 在这里作动词，意思是“停车；停放”Don't park bicycles on the pavement.

人行道上不准停放自行车。You can park your car over there.

你可以把汽车停放在那儿。

parking 是不可数名词 , 意为“停车 , 泊车”。There is no parking here between 9 a.m. and 5 p.m.

上午 9 点至下午 5 点此处禁止停车。 parking还可以意为“停车场 , 停车位” , 相当于 a parking lot 。He drove the car into the parking (lot).

他把车开进了停车场。

知识拓展

park还可以用作可数名词 , 意为“公园”。

What about going for a walk in the park?

去公园散步怎么样？

知识链接

根据句意及首字母提示 , 用单词的正确形式填空。

1. I believe that she can make a wise c_______ between the two men.2. Excuse me. Where should I p______ my car?3. His d______ answer made the girl very embarrassed.

choice

parkdirect

4. I w______ when you will get to my house.

5. You should try to l______ your discussion

back to the main problem.

6. It is my last r________. I shall never ask

you anything again.

7. There is no return a________ on this

letter.

wonder

lead

request

address

把下列汉语翻译成英语。

1.你不能把车停在这儿。

__________________________________

2. 你能告诉我现在几点吗？_________________________________

You can’t park your car here.

Could you please tell me what time it is now?

3. 在一天之内完成这项任务是不可能的。

_________________________________________

4. 那要看你住在哪里。

____________________________________________________________________________________

5. 我想知道我是不是必须那样做。 __________________________________________

__________________________________________

It’s impossible to finish the task in a day.

That depends on where you live.

I wonder if / whether I have to do it like that.