Small Talk Matters

We' ve all been there: in a lift, in line at the bank or on an airplane,

我们都有过这样的经历：在电梯里，在银行排队 或在飞机上，

surrounded by people who are, like us, deeply focused on their smartphones or, worse,

struggling with the uncomfortable silence.

周围的人都跟我们一样全神贯注地看着自己的智能手机，或者更糟的情况下，我们还会与

一种令人不适的沉默斗争。

What's the problem? It's possible that we all have compromised conversational intelligence.

问题何在呢？很可能是因为我们都有一种折中的对话智慧。

It's more likely that none of us start a conversation because it's awkward and challenging,

or we think it's annoying and unnecessary.

我们更加倾向于不做挑起话题的人，因为这很尴尬，很有挑战性，或者我们觉得挑起话题

很烦人，是不必要的。

But the next time you find yourself among strangers, consider that small talk is worth the trouble.

但是，下次你发现自己在一群陌生人中间时，认为闲谈是值得费心的。

Experts say it's an invaluable social practice that results in big benefits.

专家说，这是一种非常宝贵的社会实践，会带来巨大的好处。

Dismissing small talk as unimportant is easy, but we can't forget that deep relationships

wouldn't even exist if it weren't for casual conversation.

认为无关紧要的闲谈不重要是容易的，但是我们不能忘记，如果没有闲聊，深厚的人际关系

甚至是不可能存在的。

"Small talk is the grease for social communication," says Bernardo Carducci, director of the

Shyness Research Institute at Indiana University Southeast.

印第安纳大学东南分校羞怯研究所主任波尔纳多·卡杜西说：“闲谈是社交润滑剂。”

"Almost every great love story and each big business deal begins with small talk," he explains.

“几乎每一个伟大的爱情故事和每一笔大生意都始于闲谈的。”他解释说。

"The key to successful small talk is learning how to connect with others, not just communicate with them."

“成功闲谈的关键是学会如何与他人建立联系，而不是仅仅是与他们交流。”

In a 2014 study, Elizabeth Dunn, associate professor of psychology at UBC, invited

people on their way into a coffee shop.

在2014年的一项研究中，不列颠哥伦比亚大学心理学副教授伊丽莎白·邓恩邀请人们走进一家咖啡店。

One group was asked to seek out an interaction with its waiter, the other, to speak only when necessary.

一组人被要求寻找与服务员互动的机会；另一组人则被要求只在必要时说话。

The results showed that those who chatted with their server reported significantly higher

positive feelings and a better coffee shop experience.

结果显示，那些与服务员聊天的人报告了明显更积极的感受和更好的咖啡店体验。

"It's not that talking to the waiter is better than talking to your husband." says Dunn.

“并不是与服务员谈话比与你丈夫谈话更好。”邓恩说道。

"But interacions with peripheral members of our social network matter for our well-being also."

“而是与我们社交网路中的边缘人物打交道对我们的幸福也很重要。”

Dunn believes that people who reach out to strangers feel a significantly greater sense of belonging,

a bond with others.

邓恩认为，那些与陌生人接触的人会明显地感受到更强烈的归属感，一种与别人的联系。

Carducci believes developing such a sense of belonging starts with small talk.

卡杜西认为，这种归属感的产生始于闲谈。

"Small talk is the basis of good manners," he says.

他说：“闲谈是良好礼仪的基础。”

2018年全国II卷D