This week, we answer a question from a VOA listener who writes:
本周，我们回答了一位美国之音听众的问题，他写道：
I work with some native speakers of English. I want to practice speaking with them so I improve my English. But sometimes, I get nervous , so our conversation ends quickly. How can I talk with these friends for a longer time? – VOA fan
我和一些以英语为母语的人一起工作。我想和他们练习口语，这样我就能提高我的英语水平。但有时，我会感到紧张，所以我们的谈话很快就结束了。怎样才能和这些朋友聊得更长久呢？ – 美国之音粉丝
Dear VOA fan,
亲爱的美国之音粉丝：
You are right. It is not always easy to keep a conversation going in English. You might not be sure about what to say. Or maybe you are afraid that your pronunciation is not good.
你是对的。用英语进行对话并不总是那么容易。您可能不确定该说什么。或者也许你担心自己的发音不好。
Listen and follow up
倾听并跟进
First, remember the importance of listening. Listen to the other person carefully, so that you can ask a follow-up question. For example, let’s say the other person tells you, “I just got back from a trip to Canada.”
首先，记住倾听的重要性。仔细听对方说话，以便你可以提出后续问题。例如，假设对方告诉您：“我刚从加拿大旅行回来。”
You can follow up with a question using Who, What, Where, When, Why, or How:
您可以使用 Who、What、Where、When、Why 或 How 来跟进问题：
Where did you go in Canada? What was your favorite place there? How was the food there?
你去加拿大哪里了？你最喜欢那里的哪个地方？那里的食物怎么样？
Avoid simple ‘yes’ or ‘no’ questions
避免简单的“是”或“否”问题
If you want to keep a conversation going, it’s a good idea to ask questions that cannot be answered with a simple ‘yes’ or ‘no.’
如果你想让谈话继续下去，最好提出一些不能用简单的“是”或“否”来回答的问题。
If the other person asks you a ‘yes’ or ‘no’ question, try to give a longer answer to help keep the conversation going.
如果对方问你“是”或“否”的问题，请尝试给出更长的答案，以帮助对话继续下去。
For example, a friend might ask, “Hey, have you seen the new Star Wars movie?”
例如，朋友可能会问：“嘿，你看过新的星球大战电影吗？”
You could just answer, “No, I haven’t.” Or, you could say more.
你可以直接回答：“不，我没有。”或者，你可以说更多。
You could answer: “No, but I plan to see it soon. How about you?”
你可以回答：“不，但我打算很快就去看。你呢？”
Be brave and practice often
勇敢并经常练习
Do not worry about your pronunciation. If your pronunciation is a little different, the other person will still understand your message if you try speaking slowly and clearly. When you are traveling in an English-speaking country and have some free time, be brave and speak in English with someone who does not look too busy. You may make a new friend.
不用担心你的发音。如果您的发音有点不同，只要您尝试缓慢而清晰地说话，对方仍然会理解您的信息。当您在英语国家旅行并有一些空闲时间时，请勇敢地与看起来不太忙的人用英语交谈。你可能会结交一个新朋友。
Do you have a question for the teacher? We want to hear from you. Please understand that we cannot answer all of the questions our listeners send us. Write to us at learningenglish@voanews.com .
你有什么问题要问老师吗？我们希望收到您的来信。请理解，我们无法回答听众向我们提出的所有问题。请写信给我们learningenglish@voanews.com。
If you are interested in speaking with an online partner, please read our Education Tips story, Five Tips for Great Language Exchanges .
如果您有兴趣与在线合作伙伴交谈，请阅读我们的教育技巧故事“良好语言交流的五个技巧”。