We’ve a way of expressing a speaker asks a person to clearly express something he’s speaking about.Guess what it is. Let’s listen to the following minisituational dialogueto get the answer.
(Scene:It happens between a brother and his sister.)
A:We need to be careful about making noise tonight.
B:What are you getting at? Do you think I am too noisy.
Have you got the answer? It is “What are you getting at?”It’s kinda like saying “Tell me directly instead of beating around the bush.” It’s similar to saying in Chinese——你要说什么?
Here is a phrase——get at. It means “to come to sb’s attention”. For example: The rumors eventually reached her mother Besides, the following two phrases should be born in your mind: be careful about something，make noise。Let’s see two more examples.
Example 1:What on earth is this? What are you getting at?
Example 2:I see what you are getting at. You want to keep me away from her.
In addition, “to get at” is a very useful phrase.First, it means”to keep criticizing sb”. It is usually used in the progressive tense.
Example 1:He is always getting at me.
Example 2:She felt she is being got at.
Secondly,“to get at sb or sth” means “to reach sb or sth” or “to gain access to sb or sth”.
Example 1:The files was locked up and I cannot get at them.
Example 2:Paul always wanted to get at him and be friend with him.
Example 3:I tried to pick the apple but I couldn't get at it.
Thirdly,“to get at something”means “to learn or find out sth”.
Example 1:The truth is sometimes difficult to get at.
Example 2:I cannot get at the meaning of this sentence.
Example 3:That's the thing I want to get at. Now what do you reckon it is?
So, if a person ask you what you are getting at, you cauld say in this way——Try to reckon it and get at it.
Please be active and answer my questions, finishing listen to the dialogue again. For sure, I’m about to tell you my questions. My questions are as follows:
1. What does A asks B to do?
2. What does B react?
Listen to the dialogue carefully. Are you ready? Here we go.
A:We need to be careful about making noise tonight.
B:What are you getting at? Do you think I am too noisy.
Have you written down your answers. Theanswersare as follows:
1. A asks B to be more careful about making noise tonight.
2. B gets a little bit mad and says if A think he is too noisy.
We have learned a short sentence used in spoken English. It is “What are you getting at?”By the way, we’ve learned the phrase ,“to get at sb/sth”, in detail.
It’s time to say goodbye to you. Let’s call it a day. Thank you for your participation in today’s study activity. See you next time.
