實用商務英語20：問與答的技巧

問與答的技巧 Asking & Answering

音頻試聽：

英文正文

Mary: We all agree that Wang has been doing a good job for us making our watches, right?

Others: Right.

Mary: What they are doing is selling in a market that we don't. They are selling to people that want the same name, quality and design, but don't want such high prices. So Wang just sells the watches at high enough prices to keep their heads above water.

Bob: That's right. But we already know that, Mary. I'm not sure what you're saying has any relevance here.

Mary: The answer is sitting right under your nose. If we ask Wang to sell cheaper watches for us, they won't really be knockoffs anyMore. We can share the profits with them.

Dave: How can we sell our watches with two different prices?

Mary: People who buy the fake watches never buy the expensive ones. People who buy the expensive ones don't buy the fake ones.

Bob: But won't our regular customers be angry if they find we're selling the same watches at much lower prices? Won't they know we're pulling the wool over their eyes?

Mary: We could use a different name that sounds almost the same, and change the designs a little. Umm... nobody would know. Dave, wasn't there a German company that did this, about ten years ago?

Dave: Hm. I can't really recall; I'll have to get back to you on that.

Mary: OK. Would anyone like to add anything to what I've said?

作業：看到劃線的句子了嗎？請翻譯。 

句型總結

●　 表達質疑
1. I'm not sure what you're saying has any relevance here.
2. I'm not sure if what you're saying has anything to do with our problem.
3. I'm not sure if what you're saying really matters in this case.
4. I'm not sure if what you're saying is relevant to our problem.

"relevance"是‘關聯；適切'，詞組用法爲"have relevance to..."－‘與...有關'。這句話適用於正式場合，表示對方所言對議題並無意義。開頭語由於是"I'm not sure"而不是"I don't think"，因此可避免直接對峙的場面。不過這句話易造成不是對就是錯的局面，因此若對方辯護有效，自己會有全盤皆輸的危險。

●　 暫不回答
1. I can't really recall; I'll have to get back to you on that.
2. I can't quite remember; I'll need to do a little checking and get back to you.
3. I can't fully remember; I'll have to check up on it.
4. I can't recall all the facts; I'll have to get back to you.

"recall"是‘想起'；"get back to someone on something"的意思是‘下次再和某人談某事'。這句型適用於想避而不答，以免不慎的回答落人口實之時。它能讓對方不再把矛頭指向你，使你有機會脫身，找時間準備數據，延長到下次再爲自己答辯。

●　 詢問意見
1. Would anyone like to add anything to (what I've said)?
2. Would anyone care to comment?
3. Would anyone like to give their ideas on this?
4. Would anyone care to add their thoughts (to the discussion)?

"add"是‘增加；附言'；這句話是請他人發表意見，來補充自己的看法。由於用的是"add"（補充）而非"comment"（批評），暗示請發言者站在自己的角度或看法，再作補充，而非給予大家較大的空間，任由批評。這即是"add"一字所暗藏之玄機。

●　More 邀詢意見

在會議桌上，身爲主持會議者，通常都需要主動且積極地徵詢各路英雄的想法及提案；在集思廣益下決定出最適當的方案。

適合對個人的邀詢
What are your views on...?
What are your feelings about...?
What are your feelings on this?
What do you think about...?
What's your opinion about that?

適合對全體的邀詢
Any reaction to that?
Has anybody any strong feelings about/ views on that?
What's the general view on/ feeling about that?
Has anybody any comments to make?

重點提示

A. 座前有桌子時，把手放在桌下是不禮貌的。

小時候長輩教訓的‘站有站相，坐有坐相'，不無道理。挺胸而坐不但有精神，也是尊重他人的表現。癱坐在椅子上，會讓對方覺得不正式、缺乏誠意，或甚至不尊重。如果您是坐在桌前，就將手肘輕放在桌上，讓人看到，以表示無所隱藏；此時，手掌可交握，或手指相碰，不慌不亂，這種姿態代表專注與尊重。

B. 說話時，不自覺地摸鼻子，表示對對方有所保留，不願坦誠。

如果對方有摸鼻子的習慣，或不經意地觸摸臉部，從潛意識的觀點來看，這表示對方正築一道牆，隱藏真心，不贊同你的意見。而搔頭，除了表示頭皮癢，還有不懂的含意。此時，不妨輕描淡寫地把話再說一次，避免直接問對方是否不懂。

C. 如何利用姿勢強調說話的語氣?

過去生意人所採取最強勢的身體姿態，即是將雙手擱在腰際，一副隨時要拔槍的樣子；除此之外，雙腿還要分立，相隔一尺半。不過時代變了，現在所強調的是合作與協調，新的強勢姿勢是用手握住另一隻手，將手靠在身體一側，這表示坦誠、彈性。此外，利用姿勢可以強調說話的語氣，如雙腿分立，右腳微微向前，強調重點時前傾；而放鬆時則可後傾將重心放在左腳。