Sai Ren Langgang

People in different places have different lifestyles and eating habits. Failure to understand these differences sometimes leads to cultural misunderstanding. Read the following story to understand the author's views on his country and western culture in daily chores such as table manners.

In America, when our family was invited to dinner for the first time, we made a fool of ourselves while eating celery. We immigrated from China to the United States. On our first day here, one of the difficulties we encountered was American table manners.

In China, we never eat celery or other vegetables raw. We always disinfect vegetables with boiling water first. When the host offered us the first delicious food, the raw celery in front of us really caught us off guard.

We were invited by our neighbors, the Greensons. After entering the door, we shook hands with the host first, and then sat on a sofa. Our family of four sat in a row, and my brother and I secretly took a look at our parents and knew what to do next.

Mrs. Gleason served the food to her mother. The plate is beautiful, with red radish, curved carrot and long light green celery on it. "Be sure to try celery, Mrs. Lin," she said. "This is a kind of food in the country, and it's delicious.

"Mom picked up a, dad immediately followed. Then my brother and I also picked up one, so that each of us took a celery in our right hand.

Mrs. Gleason still smiled and said, "Mrs. Lin, would you like to try?" This is my own recipe: sour cream and onion slices, with a little Tabas soy sauce. "

Most people in China don't like dairy products. I didn't even drink fresh milk in those days. Sour cream sounded disgusting, and our family shook their heads in unison.

Mrs. Gleason walked to the other guests with a plate. We carefully observe what others do, but everyone seems to enjoy these raw vegetables with relish.

Mother took a bite of celery and blushed. "Not bad," she mumbled.

Dad took a bite, too "Yes, very good." He said with a face of surprise.

My brother and I bit naked, not only delicious, but also delicious. Raw celery shines slightly and tastes completely different from cooked celery. When Mrs. Gleason came over with a plate, each of us asked for a celery, except for my brother, who asked for two.

However, there is a problem: the long filaments in celery are stuffed in my teeth. When I used to help my mother cook in the kitchen at home, I always cut celery before cutting it.

I pulled the silk out of the celery, and my brother followed me, and he did the same. On my left, my parents are also busy, laughing, laughing, laughing.

Suddenly, I realized that there was silence around me, only our sneer. I looked up and saw everyone in the room staring at our family. Mr. and Mrs. Greenson, their daughter Meg (also my friend), and their neighbor Bader's family-they all stared at our family of four and were busy spinning celery.

But that's not all. Mrs. Gleason said that dinner was ready and invited us to sit down. The table was full of plates of rich food, but we saw that there were no chairs around the table, so we took the initiative to help and moved some chairs to sit down. At this time, other guests were still standing there.

Mrs. Gleason leaned down and whispered to us, "Tonight is a buffet dinner. Choose whatever you want to eat and eat in the living room. "

Our family retreated to the sofa like being chased by enemy soldiers. The rest of the time, because I was ashamed to go back to the table, I stayed up all night with the small potato salad on my plate.

The next day, Meg and I took the school bus to school together. I don't know how she felt about me after making a fool of herself at our family dinner. But as usual, the only thing she mentioned about dinner was, "I hope you all had enough last night. You really didn't eat much. Mother never pays attention to how much food is prepared. She just put everything on the table and everything will be fine. "

I'm relieved. In fact, the Greensons' dinner is no different from that in China. My mother always puts all the dishes on the table, and then everything will be fine.

Meg was my first friend when I went to America. Later, I met other children at school, but Meg was still my only real friend.

My brother is very successful in making friends. He stays with the children who teach him to play baseball all day. Soon, he spoke English much faster than me, but only faster than me, not better than me.

I'm afraid of making mistakes, so I speak English very carefully and only speak when I'm sure it's correct. At least my accent is better than my parents'. Even after several years, they couldn't help losing their China accent. My parents studied English at school before they came to America, but most of them studied written language, not spoken English.

Dad is quite scientific in learning English. Because Chinese verbs have no tenses, he is fascinated by the transformation forms of English verbs in present tense, past infinitive, perfect tense, past perfect tense, future tense and future perfect tense. He always draws a table of verbs and their changes, and then finds opportunities to show off his two favorites, the past perfect tense and the future perfect tense. "I will finish my plan by next Monday," he always says smugly.

Mother's way of learning English is to recite all the polite expressions that may be used in social situations. She kept saying, "I'm fine, thanks, and you?" Once she accidentally stepped on someone else's foot, and immediately blurted out: "Oh, nothing!" " "She was very embarrassed by her slip of the tongue. She was determined not to make such a mistake again, so when someone stepped on her foot, she cried and said," You're welcome! " "

Although there are different ways to learn English, we have all made some progress.

That day finally came, and my parents announced that they would hold a dinner party. We invited friends from China to dinner before, but this time it was completely different. In addition, we will also invite the Greensons.

"Qi, I can't wait to have dinner at your house," Meg told me. "I just like Chinese food."

Then don't worry. Mom is a good cook, but I'm not sure if people who eat sour cream eat chicken gizzards.

Mom decided not to take the risk of stir-frying chicken gizzards, because we invited all western guests, and she put a big plate on the table, which we never used when eating Chinese food. In fact, we didn't use a single plate at all, but directly took the dishes from the big plate in the middle of the table to our rice bowl. According to the practice of American Chinese restaurants, my mother also put some big spoons on the big plate.

Dinner started well. Mrs. Gleason couldn't help exclaiming when she saw the beautifully arranged food. There are sweet and sour pork with colorful sweet fruits, shredded chicken with peas and shiny pink lobster.

At first, I was too busy eating and chewing to take care of the guests. But I soon remembered my responsibility. Sometimes the guests are so polite that they don't want to eat any more. You have to add food for them yourself.

I glanced at Meg to see if she wanted more food, but my eyes almost popped out when I saw her plate. There are a bunch of sharp ones on her plate: sweet and sour shredded pork mixed with shredded chicken, lobster soaked in shredded chicken sauce soup. I saw that she didn't finish the first plate, so she continued to take food from the second plate.

Shocked, I turned to see Mr. Gleason again. He is busy eating a pea on his plate. Several times he took it to the edge of the plate, but when he tried to pick it up with chopsticks, pisiform bone rolled back to the middle of the plate. Finally, he simply put down his chopsticks and picked them up with his hands. He really did it! This man is mature!

Our family, as well as other guests from China, are waiting to see the performance of the Greensons. I really wanted to laugh, but my eyes met my mother's. When she frowned and shook her head gently, I understood that the Greensons were not used to the dining table style in China, and they were trying their best to get the best result. Somehow, I remembered to smoke shredded celery.

After the main course, mother served a plate of fruit. "I hope you are not expecting dessert," she said. "China people don't eat dessert, and I didn't think about preparing."

"Oh, I can't eat any more dessert," Mrs. Gleason shouted. "I am so bloated!" But Meg doesn't think so. After clearing the table, she loudly said that she would go for a walk with me. "I don't know about you, but I like sweets," she told me outside. "Let's go, there is a milk king in the street, where I can eat a large glass of chocolate foam milk."

Although I don't want to eat any more, I still insist on paying the bill. After all, I am still the master.

Meg asked for a large glass of chocolate foam milk, and I only asked for a small one. Nevertheless, she swept it away when I was only halfway through it. After drinking, she tried to breathe through the tube.

"Do you always snore more when you drink soaked milk?" I can't help asking

Meg grinned. "Of course, Americans do."

(Translated by Zhang Chunfang)

howdy

Hello! If you can speak English, then you must know many English words. You can read, speak and understand what others mean. However, you should also know another language, and that is body language.

Around the world, people communicate with others with their hands, heads and eyes. The Japanese bow to each other as soon as they meet. Indians will put their hands together when they meet. So, how do Americans and Britons do it?

Compared with the British, Americans are more casual. They are always friendly. They are willing to call themselves by their first names, ask some questions and talk about themselves casually. Sitting in a chair, they will completely relax themselves and sit comfortably.

The British are more conservative than the Americans. They need to spend more time making friends. They want to get to know you first, and then invite you to their home.

Englishmen and Americans shake hands when they meet people for the first time. Usually they don't shake hands with people they know very well. Sometimes, ladies show their friendship to their friends by kissing, while men can only kiss their female friends (one cheek) to show friendship. When men meet, they usually just smile at each other or just say "hello". Men don't kiss each other.

Clothes nowadays, people don't dress very formally, whether they live in Britain or America. But sometimes it's important to dress appropriately.

Many British people are not very particular about clothes. They only care about whether they are comfortable or not. They can wear almost anything when they go out to play.

In theaters, cinemas and concert halls, you can wear anything you want: from elegant suits and long skirts to jeans and sweaters, as long as they look clean and tidy.

But in Britain and America, men who work in offices usually wear suits and ties, while women wear long skirts or short skirts (trousers are not allowed). Doctors, lawyers and businessmen always dress formally. In some hotels and restaurants, men must wear ties and women must wear dresses. People who wear jeans or open shirts are sometimes turned away.

In many ways, Americans are more casual than the British, but Americans care more about their clothes than the British. At home or on vacation, most Americans wear casual or sports clothes. But if they go out at night, they like to dress elegantly. In high-end hotels, men must wear ties and suits, and women must wear beautiful clothes and fashionable hairstyles.

Because everyone has his own taste, it is difficult to tell exactly what the British and Americans wear. If you don't know how to dress, just look at how others dress and imitate. Or ask a friend or host for advice. Don't dress too differently, it will make you feel more comfortable.

Sorry I'm late! In Britain and America, most people are punctual.

If the British and Americans want to meet friends or business partners, they will call first to make an appointment. Many people don't like uninvited guests. They need to know when the visitors will arrive.

Have you ever arranged to meet someone at three o'clock? It is very polite to arrive a few minutes early. Of course, everyone will be late occasionally. Maybe the car broke down, the train was late, or the meeting was postponed. If you are late, say you are sorry and explain why you are late. Sometimes I can't keep an appointment because of something. However, if you can't arrive, the other party will feel very unhappy. So, call them and explain.

Some people usually spend some time chatting, drinking tea or coffee before starting business talks; But the British and Americans would never do that. They will talk about business first and then chat-when time permits, of course.

In Britain and America, office hours are from 9 am to 5 pm, but some office buildings open at 8: 30 am or 9: 30 am and close at 5: 30 pm or 6: 00 pm. People usually have a lunch break of about one hour (between noon 12 and 2 pm). Shops usually open at 9: 00 or 9: 30 and don't close until 5: 30 or 6: 00. Most shops are open all day on Saturday and closed all day on Sunday.

Every aspect of life have you ever invited your friends to a restaurant? You should pay for your invitation. Have your friends invited you? In that case, your friend should pay the bill. If men and women go to social parties together, it is usually the man who pays the bill.

Nowadays, men and women are equal in many ways. If you work in Britain or America, your boss may be a man or a woman. Some women hold important positions in politics, law, medicine and business. But it is still considered polite for men to open the door for women and ask them to go first. Similarly, when a man is introduced to a woman, it is polite to get up immediately. Of course, in informal situations, everyone will be more relaxed.

Americans and Englishmen have two names. One is a first name and the other is a surname. Here are some examples:

First name and last name

Marilyn Monroe

Margaret Thatcher

Elvis Presley

Family or friends are always called by their first names, but Americans are more casual than British people. Almost all of them call each other by their first names. However, when someone asks you to use your name, it is a good idea to change your last name to your first name.

When people want to appear formal, or don't know each other very well, they will add "sir", "madam" and "miss" before their surnames. "Madam" refers to married women, and "Miss" refers to unmarried women. Some women don't want others to know their marital status. So they will use "Ms" instead of "Mrs" or "Miss" when writing their names. Appellations such as "sir", "madam", "miss" or "madam" are never used alone before the name.

Some people have another name, such as Winston Spencer Churchill.

British people don't usually use their first names, but Americans often use their initials, such as John F. Kennedy and Richard Milhous Nixon.

After marriage, the woman no longer uses her maiden name, but follows her husband's surname. Children usually take their father's surname. What about John? Smith and Susan? Brown is married, Susan? Brown became Susan? Smith, their child is Elizabeth? Smith and Tom? Smith.

Some American men have the same name as their father. Sons usually add Jr. (small) after their names, and fathers add Sr. (big) after their names. For example, Martin Luther King Sr.

Jazz is the British name for those who have made contributions to the country. The title "jazz" is used with the first name, not with the surname alone. For example, Sir Winston or Sir Winston Churchill (Sir Churchill is the wrong usage).

Many English names have their own abbreviated forms. The abbreviated forms of these names sound easier to understand and friendly than the original full names. But some people don't like the abbreviations of their names. Before you use the abbreviated form of your name, you should listen to how your other friends use it. Here are some examples.

Have you ever heard of Jimmy Carter and Charlie? Chaplin or Teddy? Kennedy?

Attending parties Most parties nowadays are very relaxing and enjoyable, especially for young people. If you want to have fun, you don't have to wear a long skirt or a black bow tie. In fact, you can usually wear anything you want-from jeans to suits and long skirts. British and American people are often very casual.

Informal invitations come in different forms. But even if it is an informal invitation, people always want an answer. Whether you accept it or not, just call us.

What would you do if someone invited you for tea?

For the British, "drinking tea" means drinking a cup of tea and using some biscuits between 4: 30 and 5: 00 in the afternoon. For others, "drinking tea" or "having formal refreshments" refers to dinner from 6: 30 to 7: 00 in the evening.

"Dress for formal occasions" usually means that men should wear suits and ties, and women should wear beautiful dresses. "Black bow tie" means that men wear evening dresses and bow ties, and women wear evening dresses. This kind of clothing is only worn on very special occasions.

Invite people to dinner! Some British and Americans like to invite friends or colleagues to dinner at home. However, if your English friends don't invite you to his home, don't feel depressed, because it doesn't mean that they don't like you.

Dinner usually starts at seven or eight in the evening and ends around eleven o'clock. Before you go, you should ask the host the arrival time. When you go, bring a bunch of flowers, a box of chocolates or a bottle of wine to the hostess. This is very polite and decent.

Usually at the beginning of a dinner party, snacks and drinks are served first (if you don't like drinking, you can drink some non-alcoholic drinks). If you want to be particularly polite, compliment the room, the painting or the hostess's clothes. But remember, it is impolite to ask the price of something.

Dinner usually starts at eight or nine o'clock. In most families, husband and wife sit at two ends of the table and have dinner with guests.

The first course may be soup, or some side dishes as appetizers; Then meat or fish, with vegetables; Then dessert (sometimes called "dessert" or "pudding"), and finally coffee. It is considered polite to finish everything on the plate and order when necessary. Some people eat some bread with their meals, but not all of them do.

Do you like dinner parties? The next day, you can thank the hostess by calling or writing a short thank-you letter.

It seems ridiculous, but the British and Americans always say "thank you, thank you, thank you".

(translated by Liu)