通過問愚蠢的問題能挖掘出名人內心深處的想法嗎？《隨身英語》透露美國資深談話節目主持人 Larry King 成功的秘訣。

課文內容

詞匯: Interview 采訪

Chat shows are the staple of late night entertainment TV in many countries. The US has some of the most famous hosts and the shows are syndicated worldwide.

Jon Stewart does comedy; Oprah Winfrey goes for heartfelt conversation. But what makes a good interview? Is it catching the guest off guard? Will they reveal something more personal - some juicy gossip that will have us chatting away on social media?

Larry King is a veteran. For more than 25 years he's been hosting nightly shows in which he interviews movie stars, politicians and ordinary people, who are thrown into the spotlight. And the secret to getting the best out of an interviewee? King says: "If you ask good questions and elicit thoughtful answers then you learn more about the person. If the interview's hard – if I begin by saying: 'Why did you do that?' I'd make you defensive. That may be thrilling television, but you don't learn a lot."

King adds that he's learned that the more he draws back, listens to the answers, and cares about the guest the more he gets from the person. "You make the camera disappear", he says.

Another thing Larry King does is ask open questions. He explains: "I don't want a 'no'. I don't want a 'yes'. I want a 'why'. So in other words, I want to be a little kind of dumb, I ask "What do you mean by that?'"

Being amiable, courteous and curious about the person in front of them – maybe that's what makes a good chat show host. Their biggest talent is making the guest feel at ease. Another famous American host, David Letterman, seems to know it. He once said: "I cannot sing, dance or act; what else would I be but a talk show host." Good idea: let others do the singing – just make them relax and they'll tell us everything!

詞匯表

chat show     訪談節目
staple     主要的，常規的
a host (noun)     主持人
to syndicate     把（電視廣播節目）給媒體機構（以供播放）
heartfelt      真心實意的，誠摯的
to catch (somebody) off guard     乘人不備，使人措手不及
juicy gossip 八卦，    花邊新聞
to be thrown into the spotlight     成為公眾焦點
to elicit     引出，套出
defensive     辯解的，防衛的，保護的
thrilling     令人興奮的、激動的
to draw back     后退，不咄咄逼人
open question / closed question     開放性問題/封閉性問題
dumb     笨的，傻的
amiable     和藹可親的，友好溫和的
courteous     有禮貌的，客氣的
to feel at ease     感到放松的

測驗與練習

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Which host mentioned in the article makes guests say sincere things?
2. True or false? Larry King likes to have his guests on the defensive so they reveal more about themselves.
3. What does Larry King mean when he says he makes "the camera disappear"?
4. What example of an open question can we find in the article?
5.If David Letterman can't sing, dance or act, what can he do?

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。從每個表格中選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I've been working in construction for 30 years. I'm __________ in this business.

a host      a veteran      a guest      Larry King

2. No need to __________. I'm just asking if you've seen my smartphone. It was here a minute ago.

be defensive       feel at ease       syndicate       be thrown into the spotlight

3. Why is the sky blue? I'm very __________.

courteous      off guard      relaxed      curious

4. So you know George Clooney well. Come on, give me some __________!

open questions      talk show      juicy gossip      entertainment TV

5. I shouldn't have told you that. It's a secret. You __________me off guard!

made      gave      did      caught

答案

1. 閱讀課文并回答問題。

1. Which host mentioned in the article makes guests say sincere things?
Oprah Winfrey.

2. True or false? Larry King likes to have his guests on the defensive so they reveal more about themselves.
False. Larry King says that if he puts his guests in the defensive "you don't learn a lot" about them.

3. What does Larry King mean when he says he makes "the camera disappear"?
He means that he makes the conversation so interesting and the guest so comfortable that it makes the conversation more intimate and natural.

4. What examplesof an open question can we find in the article?
Larry King's example of an open question: "What do you mean by that?"

5. If David Letterman can't sing, dance or act, what can he do?
According to the article's author, the famous American chat show host David Letterman can make his guests feel at ease so they reveal more of themselves.

2. 請你在不參考課文的情況下完成下列練習。從每個表格中選擇一個意思合適的單詞填入句子的空格處。

1. I've been working in construction for 30 years. I'm a veteran in this business.

2. No need to be defensive. I'm just asking if you've seen my smartphone. It was here a minute ago.

3. Why is the sky blue? I'm very curious.

4. So you know George Clooney well. Come on, give me some juicy gossip!

5 . I shouldn't have told you that. It's a secret. You caught me off guard!