The expression"what's up?"

[yamamoto]

Hello.

Q: What is the best choice for the blank?

A: Guess what? I'm going to New York tomorrow for one month.
B: Really? _____________

1. What's up?
2. You're kidding.
3. How have you been?
4. You have to study hard.
5. What are you going to do tomorrow?

I think 1 or 2 seems appropriate. But I can't tell the difference. Please help!

 

[bhaisahab]

Hello.

Q: What is the best choice for the blank?

A: Guess what? I'm going to New York tomorrow for one month.
B: Really? _____________

1. What's up?
2. You're kidding.
3. How have you been?
4. You have to study hard.
5. What are you going to do tomorrow?

I think 1 or 2 seems appropriate. But I can't tell the difference. Please help!

I can't see how any of the options relate to the statement.

 

[yamamoto]

Thank you so much, but as the questioner I still can't understand what the reply means.

 

[bhaisahab]

Thank you so much, but as the questioner I still can't understand what the reply means.

If A says "Guess what, I'm going to New York tomorrow for one month", B's response could be just "Really?". None of the options you have presented is either appropriate or necessary.

 

[birdeen's call]

Number 2 does make sense to me. I'm not sure about "what's up". It sounds a bit strange, but perhaps some speakers might use it to ask about the reason for A's going to New York for one month. If not, "you're kidding" is the right answer by elimination in my opinion. None of the others makes any sense. Since bhaisahab said "you're kidding" is inappropriate, and two other native speakers agreed, I can't be sure, but it sounds perfectly natural to me.

 

[5jj]

Number 2 does make sense to me. [...] "you're kidding" is the right answer by elimination in my opinion. None of the others makes any sense. Since bhaisahab said "you're kidding" is inappropriate, and two other native speakers agreed, I can't be sure, but it sounds perfectly natural to me.

If the 'Really?' hadn't been there, I would have agreed with you.

#1 has to be the answer that is being looked for, but I don't like it. #5 would be a silly reponse, and, though #1, #3 and #4 are just about possible, you'd have to construct a moderately elaborate context for those to be natural. Both 'Really?' and 'You're kidding!' are fine, one their own. They don't sound natural together, in my opinion.

 

[billmcd]

Hello.

Q: What is the best choice for the blank?

A: Guess what? I'm going to New York tomorrow for one month.
B: Really? _____________

1. What's up?
2. You're kidding.
3. How have you been?
4. You have to study hard.
5. What are you going to do tomorrow?

I think 1 or 2 seems appropriate. But I can't tell the difference. Please help!

In AmE, #2 ("You're kidding") would be the most expected response. Why? First, because of the introductory remark by Person A., "Guess what?", that when used in this way it is usually followed by a surprise announcement or about something the listener would not expect. In your example "going to New York" would be that type of announcement (not an everyday/ordinary experience). Second, "What's up?" is often used, as strange as it might seem, as a greeting between persons instead of the more formal "Hello" and less formal "Hi". The reason "what's up" would not typically be used is that Person A. has already stated "what's up" with his/her statement about travelling to New York.

 

[SoothingDave]

In AmE, #2 ("You're kidding") would be the most expected response. Why? First, because of the introductory remark by Person A., "Guess what?", that when used in this way it is usually followed by a surprise announcement or about something the listener would not expect. In your example "going to New York" would be that type of announcement (not an everyday/ordinary experience). Second, "What's up?" is often used, as strange as it might seem, as a greeting between persons instead of the more formal "Hello" and less formal "Hi". The reason "what's up" would not typically be used is that Person A. has already stated "what's up" with his/her statement about travelling to New York.

Well, yeah, but "what's up?" could also be soliciting more information about why this sudden and extended trip.

 

[billmcd]

Well, yeah, but "what's up?" could also be soliciting more information about why this sudden and extended trip.

Could be, but given the four choices and in the context posted I must stick with "You're kidding".

 

[emsr2d2]

Along with everyone else, I don't think any of the answers makes complete sense, but of the 5 I would have to go with "What's up?" on the assumption that it has been used to mean "Why [are you going to New York]?"

I agree that putting "Really?" and "You're kidding" makes for unnatural overkill. One or the other, yes, but not both.

 

[BobK]

:up: 'What's up?' (especially if followed by 'this time' would work in a very particular context - if the New York office is forever causing problems. Another possible response in this case woud be 'What do they want now?' (But this is getting ridiculous. )

b

 

[billmcd]

:up: 'What's up?' (especially if followed by 'this time' would work in a very particular context - if the New York office is forever causing problems. Another possible response in this case woud be 'What do they want now?' (But this is getting ridiculous. ) You're kidding.

b.

 

[5jj]

You're kidding.

What's up?

 

[Nicky_K]

I'm not a teacher but I think there is no 'ivory tower' answer required. And the answer "You're kidding" should be ok.

Reasons:

1. It's spoken language.
2. It's "You're kidding" and not "Are you kidding?". It's not a question. The question is "Really?" and after that goes some kind of aftertouch-impression "You're kidding". That's why they both are ok in the same sentence and it's not an overkill.
3. I've heard and read smth. like "Really? You're kidding" many times (mainly on movies, facebook etc...)
4. The rest of the answers don't match at all.

 

[emsr2d2]

The problem with "Really? You're kidding!" is that even though the second half doesn't sound like a question, it usually attracts a response. The problem that attracts is that the answer to "Really?" is "Yes. I really am going" and the response to "You're kidding" would be "No. I'm not kidding".

I agree with you that "You're kidding" doesn't actually require a response but it normally gets one.

Choosing "Really? You're kidding!" would lead to an almost impossible response for the person who was going to New York. I realise it's all hypothetical and the question did not ask for a third statement/response but I can't help but follow it through to it's logical conclusion.

 

[5jj]

4. The rest of the answers don't match at all.

Well, a couple of people have pointed out that there is a case for "what's up".

 

[Nicky_K]

Well, a couple of people have pointed out that there is a case for "what's up".

Thank you for your comment! I thought this way:

- this is a multiple-choice exercise and maybe even from any exercise-book.
- exercise-books require literary answers.
- 'You're kidding' sounds more literary to me.
- 'What's up' sounds 'streety' to me like whazzup, whassup;-) and I don't think the authors will use such expressions as possible answer. But, it's just my opinion.

And you are right I should say so: 4. The rest of the answers don't match [STRIKE]at all[/STRIKE] in my eyes

 

[5jj]

- this is a multiple-choice exercise and maybe even from any exercise-book.
- exercise-books require literary answers.
- 'You're kidding' sounds more literary to me.

'You're kidding' is hardly literary.

In BrE, an exercise book is the book in which pupils write their answers.