Small Talk

夏晓倩

In most languages， people often start small talk after a greeting. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a conversation. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about the weather： “Nice day， isn't it？” “Terrible weather， isn't it？” But there is something special about small talk. It must be about something that both people have the same opinion about. The purpose（目的） of small talk is to let both people agree on something. This makes meeting people easier and more comfortable. People usually agree about the weather， so it is a safe topic for small talk. But people often disagree about religion （宗教） or politics （政治）， so these are not suitable（合適的） topics for small talk. The topic for small talk also depends on where the conversation is taking place. At football matches， people make small talk about the game they are watching： “Great game， isn't it？” At bus stops， people may comment about the transport system： “The bus service is terrible， isn't it？”

Small talk is an important part of conversation in any language. People in different countries start small talk in different ways. This shows that when we learn a language， we should learn the vocabulary and the grammar as well as the social behavior of the people who speak it.

根据短文内容填空，补全句子。（每空词数不限）

1. Small talk means the little things we talk about at the start of a ________.

2. The purpose of small talk is to make meeting people ________.

3. In English-speaking countries people often make small talk about ________.

4. Small talk must be about something that both people have the ________ opinion about.

5. When we learn a language， we should not only learn the vocabulary and the grammar， but also ________ of the people who speak it.