Ask naturally
В баре двое пилотов обсуждают рейс, который после трёх уходов на второй круг сел в Manchester с почти пустыми баками. Женщина за соседним столиком слышит знакомое название: завтра она летит в Edinburgh. Ей интересно не только то, что произошло, но и как пилоты смотрят на эту историю. Один прочитал отчёт, второй знает общую картину и вспоминает собственный опыт.
В упражнениях ты говоришь за новую знакомую: задаёшь вопросы пилотам. Их ответы уже даны.
| В этом уроке | Что пригодится в разговоре |
|---|---|
| Войти в разговор и спросить деликатно | Would you mind if I asked…?; If you don’t mind me asking, …; Would you be willing to…?; Could you at least…? |
| Выяснить причину — и спросить с подтекстом | What led to…?; How did… leave them…?; How come…?; Couldn’t they have…?; Wasn’t that…? |
| Перейти к опыту собеседника | Have you ever…?; What was it that…?; Is that the report talking, or you? |
| Спросить о личном выборе | What would you have done?; Would you have felt…?; Wouldn’t you have…? |
Сначала — разговор
Sorry, I couldn’t help overhearing. Would you mind if I asked you something?
Not at all.
Could you tell me what actually happened? I’m asking because I’m flying to Edinburgh tomorrow.
Three windshear go-arounds, an alternate that said no, a fuel Mayday, and 363 kilos on landing.
What led to Manchester saying no?
According to the AAIB, a breakdown in communication inside the airport.
So how did that refusal leave them so short of fuel?
They had to go to Edinburgh, went around there too, and by then getting back to Manchester took most of what they had left.
Couldn’t they have gone somewhere closer?
Newcastle, for example. The AAIB suggests they’d got Manchester stuck in their heads.
Is that the report talking, or you?
The report. I’m not sure I’d have done any better.
Has anything like that ever happened to you?
Once. Different situation, though. We had plenty of fuel, and the weather wasn’t as bad.
Would you have felt safe on that flight?
As one of the pilots? I’d have been too busy to feel much. That tends to catch up with you afterwards.
1. Спросить без нажима
A. В разговоре
If you don’t mind me asking, which airline do you fly for?
I’d rather not say.
Fair enough. Could you at least tell me whether it’s the same kind of aircraft?
Same family. That’s as far as we go.
B. Would you mind if I asked…?
Would you mind if I + Past Simple? — вы не против, если я…?
Would you mind if I asked a personal question?
Would you mind if I joined you for a minute?
Asked / joined здесь делают просьбу мягче. Это не рассказ о прошлом.
Mind — «возражать», поэтому ответ Not at all / No, go ahead означает «конечно, спрашивайте».
В непринуждённом разговоре часто достаточно Can I ask…?:
Can I ask why they went all the way to Manchester?
C. Вопрос внутри вопроса
После Can I ask / Could you tell me / Do you know — обычный порядок слов.
| Прямой вопрос | С вводной фразой |
|---|---|
| Why did they choose Manchester? | Can I ask why they chose Manchester? |
| What did they do next? | Could you tell me what they did next? |
| Were they worried? | Do you know whether they were worried? |
Для вопроса «да / нет» — whether / if:
Can I ask whether you’ve ever had a fuel emergency?
Can I ask why did they choose Manchester? ✗
Can I ask why they chose Manchester? ✓
D. Деликатный вопрос
| Фраза | Как звучит | Пример |
|---|---|---|
| If you don’t mind me asking, … + обычный вопрос | если не секрет, … | If you don’t mind me asking, which airline do you fly for? |
| Would you be willing to + глагол | вы готовы…? (можно отказаться) | Would you be willing to tell me about it? |
| Could you at least + глагол | ну хотя бы… (после отказа) | Could you at least tell me whether it’s the same type? |
| I’d rather not say. / Fair enough. | лучше не скажу / понятно, справедливо | — |
Would you be willing to…? подчёркивает, что человек может отказаться, но иногда звучит более официально. Could you…? — обычная вежливая просьба, а не только вопрос о способности ответить. Для непринуждённого личного вопроса естественно If you don’t mind me asking, …
2. «И как так вышло?»
A. В разговоре
They’d taken extra fuel. So how did the refusal leave them so short?
More flying than planned. Two go-arounds at Prestwick, a diversion to Edinburgh, another go-around there, then the flight to Manchester.
Wasn’t Manchester the airport that had refused them?
Same one. This time they came with a Mayday.
B. What led to …?
What led to + существительное / -ing? — что привело к этому?
What led to the refusal? — Что привело к отказу?
What led to Manchester saying no? — Почему Manchester в итоге отказал?
В вопросе what заменяет причину, поэтому did не требуется. После to здесь — существительное или -ing: the refusal / saying no, а не say no.
C. How did … leave them …?
How did + событие + leave + человека + состояние? — как это привело человека к такому положению?
How did the refusal leave them so short of fuel?
Как из-за отказа у них осталось так мало топлива?
| Состояние | Пример вопроса |
|---|---|
| so short of fuel | How did the refusal leave them so short of fuel? |
| with so few options | How did the weather leave them with so few options? |
D. What made… / How come…?
What made + человек + глагол без to? — что побудило человека…?
What made them choose Manchester?
How come + порядок слов как в утверждении? — как так вышло, что…?
| Why…? | How come…? |
|---|---|
| Why did they go back to Manchester? | How come they went back to Manchester? |
| Why didn’t they look at Newcastle? | How come they didn’t look at Newcastle? |
После how come вопросительного did нет: сначала подлежащее, потом глагол. Didn’t остаётся только в отрицании, как в обычном утверждении: they didn’t look.
E. Вопрос с подтекстом: Couldn’t they…? Wasn’t that…?
Отрицательный вопрос показывает, что ты ждёшь «да» или удивлён: «а разве не…?»
| Нейтрально | С подтекстом |
|---|---|
| Could they have gone to Newcastle? | Couldn’t they have gone to Newcastle? — А разве не могли? |
| Was Manchester their alternate? | Wasn’t Manchester their alternate? — Это же был их запасной? |
| Did they know about Glasgow? | Didn’t they know about the windshear at Glasgow? — Разве они не знали? |
Отвечают по факту, а не по форме вопроса:
— Couldn’t they have gone to Newcastle? — Yes, they could have. = да, могли.
— Didn’t they know? — No, they didn’t. = нет, не знали.
3. «С вами такое бывало?»
A. В разговоре
Have you ever had to change your plans like that?
Plenty of times. Not with fuel that low, though.
What was it that made the difference that time your alternate said no?
We had more time and more fuel. That changes quite a lot.
B. Have you ever + V3?
Have you ever + V3? — было ли когда-нибудь в вашей жизни…?
Have you ever had to declare a Mayday?
Has anything like that ever happened to you?
C. От опыта — к конкретному случаю
| Было ли вообще | Как было в том случае |
|---|---|
| Has an alternate ever refused you? | What did you do then? |
| Have you ever changed your destination in flight? | What made you change it? |
| Has that ever happened to you? | How did you deal with it? |
Чтобы сравнить случаи:
Was your situation anything like theirs? — У вас было что-нибудь похожее?
What was different? — А что было иначе?
D. What was it that…? / Чьё это мнение?
What was it that + глагол? выделяет главное: «что именно…?»
What made you choose that airport? → What was it that made you choose that airport?
Чтобы понять, чьё это мнение, спрашивают прямо:
Is that the report talking, or you? — Это отчёт так говорит или вы?
Is that your experience or the report’s view? — Это ваш опыт или вывод отчёта?
4. «А на их месте?»
A. В разговоре
Would you have gone to Manchester?
I might have. But I’d want to know exactly what other options I had.
Wouldn’t you have at least looked at Newcastle?
I’d like to think so. Easy to say from a bar stool.
B. Would you have + V3?
Would you have + V3? — сделали бы вы это тогда, оказавшись на их месте?
Would you have chosen Manchester?
What would you have done?
When would you have declared a Mayday?
| О реальном прошлом | О воображаемом прошлом |
|---|---|
| What did you do? | What would you have done? |
| How did you feel? | How would you have felt? |
Wouldn’t you have + V3? — тот же вопрос с подтекстом: «а вы бы разве не…?»
Wouldn’t you have declared earlier?
Ещё один фрагмент разговора
When your alternate said no, what made you choose somewhere else?
Good weather at the next airport and enough fuel to get there comfortably.
So you still had a choice. They were running out of choices.
Exactly. That’s the difference.
What would you have done if you’d had as little fuel as they did?
I’d have wanted to check every remaining option. I’m not going to pretend it was an easy call.