Unit 13 Come to the party!

扩展资料一

文化背景

　　打电话用语

　　Could/Can/May I speak to Miss Li, please? 我能和李小姐通话吗?，我想找李小姐。

　　I'd like to speak to Miss Smith.我想找史密斯小姐通话。

　　Who's that (speaking)?请问你是谁?

　　This is Ann (speaking).我是安。

　　Hold on for a moment.请稍等。

　　以上例句中的speaking不能用talking或 saying等替换，但有时可以用calling, that 和 this (有时可用it)也不能改成其它的人称代词，电话中一般不用Are you...? 或I am...。

接受礼物

　　西方人在接受礼物之后，一般都将礼物当着送礼人的面前打开，并在称赞礼物的同时致谢，如：

　　Wow! What a nice present! I like it very much. Thank you.

　　啊！这礼物真漂亮。我太喜欢了，谢谢。

　　而送礼人则会说：I am glad you like it. 你喜欢，我很高兴。

西方礼仪漫谈

　　在西方国家，当你受到盛情邀请时，如无特殊情况，就要欣然接受邀请，并回答：“Thank you. It’s very nice of you to invite me. I’d love to come. ”（谢谢。你邀请我真是太好了。我很乐意去。）这是英美人回答邀请时的习语。

　　除了生日和重大节日，欧美人一般不喜欢互赠礼品；顶多带一瓶酒和一束鲜花就够了，如几个人一同赴宴，只要让其中一个作代表即可，不必每人都带鲜花。当然能送些具有地方特色的礼品，英美人是特别乐意接受的。

　　西方人受礼的方式也与我国不同，他们不喜欢推来推去，而是大大方方地收下，并当场打开礼品包装取出看，表示非常喜欢，这不能认为主人有失体统或显其穷，这时，你应对主人说“I’m glad to love it.” (你喜欢我很高兴。)

　　另外，如果说刚认识英美人士请你到他家玩，既不说具体时间又不说具体地址，这只是人家的客套话，并无诚意。这时你不能追问何时去，更不能索取人家的地址。如果他请你去早餐（西方人在10点半吃早午餐brunch= breakfast + lunch）代替早点及午餐，那说明你与主人的关系又进了一层，有了初步的发展。如果主人邀请你去吃晚餐，这就表示你与主人的关系已非同寻常了。

生日(Birthdays)

　　生日是人人都有的，而且一生中我们会多次庆祝(celebrate)自己的生日，并且多次庆祝朋友和亲戚(relatives)的生日。有些生日具有人生中划时代的标记(personal landmarks)。在英国(Britain)，这些标记之一是21岁的生日，直到不久前，还具有法律的含义——选举的年龄(the voting age)。

　　过去，21岁生日那天，年轻人最终被承认成为成年人(adults)，并且给他一把门上的钥匙(key)作为新身份的象征(as a symbol of this new status)。英国现在的选举年龄是18岁，人们步入成年的看法也改变了。但是，许多21岁生日祝贺卡片上仍然印着银色图案的钥匙(a silvery key)。

　　到了中年(middle age)，人们对生日的看法趋向于百感交集。有些人庆祝生日津津有味；有些人则不动声色，甚至完全置之不理，把生日视为不受欢迎的标志，因为它象征着年华的流失。不过，许多人大概不会忽视自己100岁的生日，毕竟没有多少人会有机会度过这一生日。为此女王还会打来私人祝贺电报(a personal telegram from the Queen)来祝贺百岁老人的(Centennial birthday)生日。

sandwich的来历

　　sandwich源自英籍发明者三明治伯爵the Fourth Eard of Sandwich之名；相传该伯爵热衷于赌博，为方便赌桌上一边用餐，一边赌博而发明的简便食法，还有sandwich man 是指三明治式广告员（胸前及背后挂着广告牌的人）。

打电话的常识

　　不同国家和民族有不同的打电话习惯和用法。在一些英语国家，许多家庭的主人在接电话时往往先报自家的电话号码，各行业、团体的办公机构通常先自报家门，这与我们的习惯截然不同，我们是接电话者常主动询问对方找谁。

　　打电话多为对话形式，但也有打电话者“独白”的情况，例如受话者外出则可以使用answer  phone即录音电话。

　　在他人家里做客时，若需用电话，一般要问：Could I use your telephone?

　　在得到主人许可后方可用电话。而且，打电话时间最好不要过长。

扩展资料二

邀请

　　在英美等西方国家里，邀请有书面邀请和口头邀请两种形式。前者指通过发送请柬或写信进行邀请，后者指打电话或当面以口头形式进行的邀请。不言而喻，书面邀请比较正式，口头邀请比较随便。

Birthday in Britain

　　“每个生日都有礼物，每个生日都有祝福” 亲爱的朋友，你已经过了多少个生日？你是如何庆祝自己的生日的？吹灭生日蜡烛后不要忘了向亲友们表达一个wish。 以一个今非昔比的自我迎接下一个生日…”

　　In almost every country in the world, people think that birthdays are great occasions. They want to remember the day of their birth and to mark the passing of another year in their life. Here let’s have a look at the customs connected with birthday greetings in Britain.

　　What happened on a British’s birthday? Well, everyone who knows him will say “Happy Birthday” to him. He’ll receive birthday cards from his friends, schoolmates and relatives. Perhaps there will be a birthday party, and people coming to the party will bring some small presents. He’ll have a special birthday cake on which there are small candles, one for each year of his age. The most exciting moment of the party is when he makes a wish and blows out the candles. If he can blow all the candles in one breath, the wish will come true. After that the cake is cut into pieces, and everyone present has a piece. There may be a dance party or some other form of activities.

　　In Britain, there are some special birthdays. For example, there are several laws connected with your age. At the age of 16, you are allowed to smoke cigarette, to ride a motorbike and get married (if your parents agree). Then at the age of 17, you can drive a car. After your 18^th birthday, you can choose you political representative, drink beer and wine in pubs.

　　However, most people think that 21 is the age at which a child becomes an adult and you are given the “key to the door of life.” So the 21^st birthday is the most important birthday in everybody’s life. If you live to 100^th, you are a centenarian. On your 100^th birthday you will receive a telegram from the Queen of the United Kingdom wishing you a happy birthday.

生日

　　人类有文字记载的最早的生日庆典之一是《圣经》里提到的埃及法老（Pharaoh）的生日庆典。法老在他生日那天，宴请了他所有的仆人。

　　在英美等国，儿童过生日一般要举行庆祝会（birthday party）。儿童在13岁以前，每年都要举行一次生日庆祝会。女孩子16岁时要举行一次比较隆重的庆祝会。不论男孩还是女孩，21岁生日都是一件很大的事，因为这是他们成为成人的标志。

　　中国人过生日吃的主要传统食品是面条，全家聚会，一起吃长寿面，如是老人过生日，晚辈们要对老人说一些“长命百岁，福如东海，寿比南山”等一类的吉利话语。面条又长又瘦（谐音长寿）意为 Long life。

Table Manners in Anglo – America

　　英美餐桌上有许多礼仪，参加聚会，尤其是聚餐，要注意什么，相信你读过这篇文章后，会有一些启发。

　　When attending a dinner at a western home, the first thing is that you are the guest and that you are a foreigner. No one will invite you if he doesn’t really want you to enter his “castle”, so you can be sure that you are wanted. Additionally, as you do not come from the same country or culture as your host, he or she or they will surely be aware of this, and will be very forgiving if you unintentionally do or say something which would otherwise offend them. Keeping these two simple tips in mind should greatly ease your concern about being about being present at a dinner in someone else’s home.

　　Before arriving at your host’s home, you may want to make sure of three things. First be a few minutes late, say, about five to ten minutes if possible. Never be early, as the host may not have everything prepared yet. Nor should you be more than 20 minutes late. Your host may begin to worry about whether you are able to attend the dinner or not. Next, as to whether to bring a gift, in most informal gatherings, it is not necessary. If you like, you can bring some fruit or sweets, or especially if there is a hostess, some flowers. These are thoughtful cheerful gift sure to please. Do not bring alcoholic beverages unless you are sure of your host’s or hostess’s preferences in drinks. Above all, do not spend a lot of money, and never give money. As we say in English, “ It’s the thought that counts.” Finally, wear comfortable clothing. One can overdress as well as appear sloppy. For a special occasion or religious holiday, such as a retirement party or Christmas, a tie and jacket would be suitable for the gentlemen and a dress or sweater and skirt for the ladies.

　　For more formal affairs, you will probable be told what to wear, such as “formal dress requested,” etc. A tie and jacket or tuxedo for the gents and an evening gown for the ladies would be in order here. If you are unsure what to wear, you can always ask the host. Gifts are seldom appropriate for these affairs, unless for a wedding reception, at which gifts are more customary than cash. Your host in his home will usually motion you where to sit. At formal gatherings, name cards are sometimes provided, or you will be told where to sit. Do not be alarmed by a great deal of cutlery: simple start from the outside and work your way in. Formal affairs often have several courses of food with the appropriate cutlery for each dish. There is no harm in checking with your neighbor to see what implement he is using. After all’ “When in Rome, do as Romans do.” It is customary to ask others to pass dishes to you for self-serving; at a formal dinner party, there is usually catering (serve). Again, do not hesitate to ask others for information or advice. They are usually pleased to help you.

Birthdays around the world

　　Ann is having a birthday party. There will be a cake with candles. Some people will bring birthday presents. Let’s look at birthdays in some different countries around the world.

　　Argentina: Ear pulling. If it is your birthday, people will pull your ear. They will pull your ear one time for each year of your age. If you are 13, they will pull your ear thirteen times.

　　Denmark: Flags. If it is your birthday in Denmark, a flag will fly outside the window of your home.

　　Ireland: Birthday bumps. The child is picked up and held upside down. Then he or she gets a soft  bump on the floor for each year. If you are fourteen, you get fourteen bumps, and one more for good luck!

　　Israel: Chair lifting. The small child sits in a chair. People lift the chair up and down one time for each year of the child’s age.

　　Philippines: Coloured lights. Some people put coloured lights outside their home if someone is having a birthday.

　　Russia: Birthday pies. Many Russian children get a birthday pie, not a birthday cake.

　　When you have a birthday, here is a message for you:‘Happy Birthday’ from all over the world!