Hi, everyone! Last time, I talked about basic manners. I forgot to say that anything that is not about food should not be on the table. So phones, keys, sunglasses and bags should be put elsewhere. I’m glad I remembered to mention that!
Last time, we imagined we were sitting at a table with other people. When you sit down you should put your napkin on your lap. When you start eating, you may have lots of knives and forks. Don’t worry. Just use the ones that are on the outside first. Or watch and wait for someone else to start before you!
An important rule is that if you cannot reach something, you should ask for it. So we often have to pass food and plates around. Food including salt and pepper should be passed around the table to the right. By the way, salt and pepper and other sauces are called “condiments”. If you are passed something that you do not want, then you should keep passing it on. Don’t just put it down.
If someone at the other end of the table asks for something, then the people between should pass the dish or condiments straight on. They should not stop and help themselves first. That looks greedy. And no one wants to look as if they are being greedy!
When you are eating, you can dab your mouth with your napkin before you take a sip of your drink. This stops the top of your glass looking horrible.
If you need to visit the toilet, remember to place your napkin to the left of you plate on the table. Don’t put it on your chair. You should leave your knife and fork in an upside-down V shape. This tells everyone you are still eating. If you put them together, you may find your plate has disappeared when you come back!
Plates should be taken away only when everyone at the table has finished eating. You should put your knife and fork together pointing up from the bottom of the plate. Then everyone knows you have finished.
Take care not to leave a meal too early. That looks as if you only came for the meal and not the event. At the end of the meal, you should get up and push your chair back in towards the table. But only when you are paying in a restaurant can you ask for leftovers to be wrapped up.
One thing that happens all too often is that people forget to say “thank you”. Make sure you thank your host when you leave. Also send a text or an email after the meal. A handwritten thank-you note will show you really have manners!
Words
1. napkin /ˈnæpkɪn/n. 餐巾
2. lap /læp/n. 大腿
3. sauce /sɔ:s/n. 调味汁
4. condiment /ˈkɒndɪmənt/n. 调味料
5. greedy /ˈgri:di/adj. 贪吃的
6. dab /dæb/v. 轻拭
7. sip /sɪp/v. 小口喝
8. horrible /ˈhɒrəbl/adj. 极坏的
9. event /ɪˈvent/n.（社交）活动
10. leftover /ˈleftəʊvə/n. 吃剩的食物
11. wrap /ræp/v. 打包
12. text /tekst/n. 短信
13. handwritten /ˌhændˈrɪtn/adj. 手写的
Notes
1. I forgot to say that anything that is not about food should not be on the table.
我忘了说：所有与食物无关的东西都不应该放在餐桌上。
2. An important rule is that if you cannot reach something, you should ask for it.
一条重要的规则是：如果你够不着某样东西，你应该请别人帮你拿。that引导表语从句。
3. Food including salt and pepper should be passed around the table to the right.
包括盐和胡椒在内的食物应该从桌子右边传递。
4. And no one wants to look as if they are being greedy!
没有人想（让自己）看上去很贪吃！
5. When you are eating, you can dab your mouth with your napkin before you take a sip of your drink.
用餐时，你可以用餐巾轻轻擦拭嘴巴，然后再小口喝饮料。
6. You should put your knife and fork together pointing up from the bottom of the plate.
你应该把刀叉一起放在盘子上，头朝上。
7. But only when you are paying in a restaurant can you ask for leftovers to be wrapped up.
只有在你请客的时候，你才能要求将剩下的食物打包。本句为倒装句，only用来表强调。
8. One thing that happens all too often is that people forget to say “thank you”.
经常发生的一件事是：人们忘了说谢谢。第一个that引导定语从句，第二个that引导表语从句。All too often 常常，经常。
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