Askingforinformationorhelpisaverycommonandnecessaryactivity,especiallywhenwevisitaforeigncountry.Soknowinghowtoaskforinformationpolitelyisimportant. 　　InEnglish,wherearetherestrooms?andCounldyoupleasetellmewheretherestroomsare?Aresimilarrequests-botharecorrectEnglish,butthefirstcouldsoundrude.It’simportanttousecorrectlanguage,butsometimethisaloneisnotenogh-weneedtoleanhowtobepolitewhenwemakerequestes.InEnglish,justlikeinChinese,wechangethewaywespeakwhentalkingwithdifferentpeople.Theexperssionsyouusemightdependonwhomyouarespeakingtoorhowwellyouknowthem.Ifyousaytoyourteacher,Whereismybook?Yourquestionwillsoundmuchmorepolite.Ontheotherhand,itmightbealrighttotosayWhereismybook?Insomesituations,perhapswithpeopleyouknowwell. 　　Andyouwouldnotusuallysay,Peter,lendmeyourpen.AverydirctorderlikethiscansoundrudeinEnglish.UsuallyinEnglishpolitequestionsarelongerandincludeextralanguagesuchasCouldyoupleas….orCanIask```?Itsoundsmorepolitetosay,Peter,Couldyoupleasalendmeyourpen?Sometimeswemightevenneedtospendsometimeleadingintoaquestionorrequest,forexample,ifyoustopastrangerinthestreet,wemightfirstsay,Excuseme,IwonderifyoucanhelpmeorI’msorrytotrubleyoubut,beforeaskingthemforhelp. 　　Itmightseemthatspeakingpolitelyismoredifficutewthanbeingdirect,andinawaythismaybetrue.However,inordernottooffendpeople,learningaboutlanguageeiquetteisjustasbetteraiEnglish,oranyotherlanguageyouwishtospeak.