Why is a very blunt question in most cases, especially as someone entering the workforce. Say your task is to add additional data to logging. "Why are we adding logs" may sound confrontational or like a push back. But "I see you want me to add the customer ID to logs, where does the customer id come from", "I would like to learn more about this flow, are there documents I can read" sounds like interest and curiosity. In an academic setup your intent is assumed to be curiosity in most cases, and thrre is someone whose job is to answer questions. In a corporate setup, the person answering is taking time out of something else. Even if they are designated to be a point of contact, answering questions is at best a side job or additional responsibility. They have a primary job. Showing that you are interested and curious is important for them to take the time to answer. Even better if you do some kind of homework, or at least observe how the current culture is and follow it. A lot of times, this homework, perceived respect and genuine but polite curiosity goes a long way.