In this unit, you will learn:
1. the text of The All-American Slurp
2. reading skills of Recognising Organisation and Seeing Relationship (2)
3. threes passages of fast reading
4. one piece of home reading
The All-American Slurp
by Lensey Namioka
&&&&People in different places have different lifestyles and eating habits. Ignorance of the differences may sometimes lead to cultural shocks. Read the following story and see how the author feels towards her own culture and that of the West even over trivial matters such as table manners.
&&&&The first time our family was invited out to dinner in America, we disgraced ourselves while eating celery. We had immigrated to this country from China, and during our early days here we had a hard time with American table manners.
&&&&In China we never ate celery raw, or any other kind of vegetable raw. We always had to disinfect the vegetables in boiling water first. When we were presented with our first relish tray, the raw celery caught us unprepared.
&&&&We had been invited to dinner by our neighbors,the Gleasons. After arriving at the house, we shook hands with our hosts and packed ourselves into a sofa. As our family of four sat stiffly in a row, my younger brother and I stole glances at our parents for a clue as to what to do next.
&&&&Mrs. Gleason offered the relish tray to mother. The tray looked pretty, with its tiny red radishes, curly sticks of carrots, and long, slender stalks of pale green celery. &Do try some of the celery, Mrs. Lin,& she said. &It's from a local farmer, and it's sweet.&
&&&&Mother picked up one of the green stalks, and Father followed suit. Then I picked up a stalk, and my brother did too. So there we sat, each with a stalk of celery in our right hand.
&&&&Mrs. Gleason kept smiling. &Would you like to try some of the dip, Mrs. Lin? It’s my own recipe: sour cream and onion flakes, with a dash of Tabasco sauce.&
&&&&Most Chinese don’t care for dairy products, and in those days I wasn’t even ready to drink fresh milk. Sour cream sounded perfectly revolting. Our family shook our heads in unison.
&&&&Mrs. Gleason went off with the rel-ish tray to the other guests, and we care-fully watched to see what they did. Every-one seemed to eat the raw vegetables quite happily-
&&&&Mother took a bite of her celery. Crunch. &It's not bad!& she whispered.
&&&&Father took a bite of his celery. Crunch. &Yes, it is good,& he said, looking surprised,
&&&&I took a bite, and then my brother. Crunch, crunch. I it was delicious. Raw celery has a slight sparkle, a zingy taste that you don't get in cooked celery. When Mrs. Gleason came around with the relish tray, we each took another stalk of celery, except my brother. He took two.
long strings ran through the length of the stalk, and they got caught in my teeth. When I help my mother in the kitchen, I always pull the strings out before slicing celery.
&&&&I pulled the strings out of my stalk. Z-z-zip, z-z-zip. My brother followed suit. Z-z-zip, z-z-zip, z-z-zip. To my left, my parents were taking care of their own stalks. Z-z-zip. z-z-zip, z-z-zip.
&&&&Suddenly I realized that there was dead silence except for our zipping. Look-ing up, I saw that the eyes of everyone in the room were on our family. Mr. and Mrs. Gleason, their daughter Meg, who was my friend, and their neighbors the Badels―they were all staring at us as we busily pulled the strings of our celery.
&&&&That wasn't the end of it. Mrs. Gleason announced that dinner was served and invited us to the dining table. It was lavishly covered with platters' of food, but we couldn't see any chairs around the table. So we helpfully carried over some dining chairs and sat down. All the other guests just stood there.
&&&&Mrs. Gleason bent down and whispered to us, &This is a buffet dinner. You help yourselves to some food and eat it in the living room.&
&&&&Our family beat a retreat back to the sofa as if chased by enemy soldiers. For the rest of the evening, too mortified to go back to the dining table, I nursed a bit of potato salad on my plate.
&&&&Next day Meg and 1 got on the school bus together. I wasn't sure how she would feel about me after the spectacle our family made at the party. But she was just the same as usual, and the only reference she made to the party was, &Hope you and your folks got enough to eat last night. You certainly didn't take very much. Mom never tries to figure out how much food to prepare. She just puts everything on the table and hopes for the best,&
&&&&I began to relax. The Gleasons' dinner party wasn't so different from a Chi-nese meal after all. My mother also puts everything on the table and hopes for the best.
&&&&Meg was the first friend 1 had made after we came to America. I eventually got acquainted with a few other kids in school, but Meg was still the only real friend I had.
&&&&My brother didn't have any problems making friends. He spent all his time with some boys who were teaching him baseball, and in no time he could speak English much faster than I could―not better, but faster.
&&&&I worried more about making mistakes, and I spoke carefully, making sure I could say everything right before opening my mouth. At least I had a better accent than my parents, who never really got rid of their Chinese accent, even years later. My parents had both studied English in school before coming to America, but what they had studied was mostly written English, not spoken.
&&&&Father's approach to English was a scientific one. Since Chinese verbs have no tense, he was fascinated by the way English verbs changed form according to whether they were in the present, past imperfect, perfect, pluperfect, future, or future perfect tense. He was always making diagrams of verbs and their inflec-tions. and he looked for opportunities to show off his mastery of the pluperfect and future perfect tenses, his two favorites. &1 shall have finished my project by Mon-day,& he would say smugly.
&&&&Mother's approach was to memorize lists of polite phrases that would cover all possible social situations- She was constantly muttering things like &I'm fine, thank you. And you?& Once she accidentally stepped on someone's foot, and hur-riedly blurted, &Oh, that's quite all right!& Embarrassed by her slip, she resolved to do better next time. So when someone stepped on her foot, she cried, &You're welcome'&
&&&&In our own different ways , we made progress in. learning English.
&&&&The day came when my parents announced that they wanted to give a dinner party. We had invited Chinese friends to eat with us before, but this dinner was going to be different. In addition, we were going to invite the Gleasons.
&&&&&Gee. I can hardly wait to have dinner at your house,& Meg said to me. &I just love Chinese food.&
&&&&That was a relief. Mother was a good cook, but 1 wasn't sure if people who ate sour cream would also eat chicken gizzards stewed in soy sauce.
&&&&Mother decided not to take a chance with chicken gizzards. Since we had western guests, she set the table with large dinner plates, which we never used in Chinese meals. In fact we didn't use individual plates at all, but picked up food from the platters in the middle of the table and brought it directly to our rice bowls. Following the practice of Chinese-American restaurants. Mother also placed large serving spoons on the platters.
&&&&The dinner started well. Mrs. Gleason exclaimed at the beautifully arranged dishes of food: the colorful candied fruit in the sweet-and-sour pork dish, the noodlethin shreds of chicken meat stir-fried with tiny peas, and the glistening pink prawns in a ginger sauce.
&&&&At first I was too busy enjoying my food to notice how the guests were doing. But soon I remembered my duties. Sometimes guests were too polite to help them-selves and you had to serve them with more food.
&&&&I glanced at Meg, to see if she needed more food. and my eyes nearly popped out at the sight of her plate. It was piled with food: the sweet-and-sour meat pushed right against the chicken shreds, and the chicken sauce ran into the prawns. She had been taking food from a second dish before she finished eating her helping from the first!
&&&&Horrified, I turned to look at Mr. Gleason. He was chasing a pea around his plate. Several times he got it to the edge, but when he tried to pick it up with his chopsticks, it rolled back toward the center of the plate again. Finally he put down his chopsticks and picked up the pea with his fingers. He really did! A grown man!
&&&&All of us, our family and the Chinese guests, stopped eating to watch the activities of the Gleasons. I wanted to giggle. Then I caught my mother's eyes on me. She frowned and shook her head slightly, and I understood the message: the Gleasons were not used to Chinese ways, and they were just coping the best they could. For some reason I thought of celery strings.
&&&&When the main courses were finished, Mother brought out a platter of fruit. &I hope you weren't expecting a sweet dessert,& she said. &Since the Chinese don't eat dessert, I didn't think to prepare any.&
&&&&&Oh, I couldn't possibly eat dessert!& cried Mrs. Gleason. &I'm simply stuffed!& Meg had different ideas. When the table was cleared, she announced that she and I were going for a walk. &I don't know about you, but I feel like dessert,& she told me, when we were outside. &Come on, there's a Dairy Queen down the street. I could use a big chocolate milkshake!&
&&&&Although I didn't really want anything more to eat, I insisted on paying for the milkshakes. After all I was still hostess.
&&&&Meg got her large chocolate milkshake and 1 had a small one. Even so, she was finishing hers while I was only half done. Toward the end she pulled hard on her straws and went shloop, shloop.
&&&&&Do you always slurp when you eat a milkshake?& I asked, before I could stop myself.
&&&&&Meg grinned. &Sure. All Americans slurp.&
A. Determining the main idea.
Choose the best answer. Do not refer to the text.
The main idea of the article is that _____.
a. a girl attends a dinner at an American home and then invites the Ameri-cans to dine at her own home
b. a girl comes to America and finds great difficulties in adapting herself to a new life style
c. a girl finds that table manners of her own culture and those of the USA are basically the same
d. A gin experiences differences in table manners between her own cul-ture and that of the West
B. Comprehending the text. Choose the best answer.
1. During their early days in America the girl and her family had a hard time with_____.
a. eating celery
b. getting along with the local Americans
c. American table manners
d. money problems
2. After arriving at the house of the Gleasons for dinner, the children of the Chinese family seemed to ___________.
a. be very much surprised
b. feel quite uneasy
c. know what to do
d. get glances from their parents as instructions
3. The girl and her family were offered raw celery and they found that___.
a. it was not as good as cooked celery
b. it tasted delicious if it had strings in the stalks
c. it was also delicious though strings in the stalks were a problem
d. it was delicious if strings and the stalks were eaten together
4. Alt those present looked at the girl and her family because the latter____.
a. were newcomers
b. had table manners different from theirs
c. ate too much celery
d. were regarded as having bad table manners
5. A buffet dinner means a dinner at which _____.
a. raw vegetables were served
b. people sat around the table eating together
c. there was no dining table and guests had to eat standing
d. diners helped themselves to food and didn't sit around a dinner table to eat
6. As far as English language learning is concerned, which of the following is NOT true?
a. The boy soon could speak English faster than his sister.
b. The girl had a better accent than her parents.
c. The father was very much interested in English grammar.
d. The mother knew what to say in different social situations.
7. At the dinner given by the girl's family, she was surprised to find that___.
a. Meg was uneasy and needed urging to eat more food
b. Meg only took food from a second dish
c. Meg had helped herself to a lot of food
d. Meg didn't know what to eat
8. At the dinner given by the gin's family, Mr. Gleason was seen________.
a. chasing a pea around his plate for fun
b. picking up peas with his fingers
c. frowning at the food
d. shaking his head slightly
C. Discussing the following topics.
1. What are the differences in table manners between the Chinese and the Americans?
2. If you are entertaining guests at home, what do you think your responsibili-ties are?
D. Understanding vocabulary.
Choose the correct definition according to the context.
1. The first time our family was invited out to dinner in America, we disgraced ourselves while eating celery.
a. humiliated
b. brought shame on
c. behaved
d. felt uncomfortable
2. Mother picked up one of the green stalks, and Father followed suit.
a. did the same &&&&b. went into the room &&&&c. went after her &&&&&d. had to go
3. Sour cream sounded perfectly revolting.
a. disgusting &&b. unthinkable &&c. welcome &&d. strange
4. Our family shook our heads in unison.
a. with satisfaction &&&&&&b. very formally
c. in disagreement&&&&&&& d. at the same time
5. It was lavishly covered with platters of food, but we couldn't see any chairs around the table.
a. excessively b. pleasantly c. beautifully d. entirely
6. Our family beat a retreat back to the sofa as if chased by enemy soldiers.
a. withdrew hurriedly b. became frightened and went c. found our way d. made haste
7. For the rest of the evening, too mortified to go back to the dining table, I nursed a bit of potato salad on my plate.
a. humiliated b. scared c. hungry d. pleased
8. I wasn't sure how she would feel about me after the spectacle our family made at the party.
a. unusual modesty b. funny appearance c. polite behavior d. abnormal behavior
9. I eventually got acquainted with a few other kids in school, but Meg was still the only real friend I had.
a. had met socially with b. knew well c. had found d. had quarreled with
10. She was constantly muttering things like &I'm fine. thank you. And you?&
a. quietly b. diligently c. repeatedly d. politely
11. Horrified. I turned to look at Mrs. Gleason.
a. Shocked greatly b. Amused greatly c. Caught unprepared d. Alarmed at once
12. &Oh, I couldn't possibly eat dessert!& cried Mrs. Gleason. &I'm simply stuffed.
a. unable to eat more&&&&& b. wishing to have more
c. not willing to eat that &&&&&d. too full with food
2 Reading Skills
Recognising Organisation and Seeing Relationship (2)
(Understanding Supporting Details)
Relating the main idea and details.
Just as the main idea of a passage is related to its topic, it is also related to its details. Details support the main idea sentence by illustrating or explaining it. Comprehension of Important facts depends on your ability to understand the relationship between the main idea and the details.
Read the following passage and find out how the details support the main idea.
Finding a good job requires a great deal of work. 1) Job seekers should tell as many people as possible that they are available for employment. 2) For ex-ample, they can tell friends and relatives, inform college career placement officers, and call employment agencies. 3)They can also send resumes to possible employers. 4) In addition, they can read the job description ads in newspapers. 5) All of these efforts usually require a fair amount of time. Re-member that a good job is worth all the work that goes into finding it.
Notice that finding a good job is the topic of the passage and the first sen-tence states the main idea of the passage. The numbered sentences give a list of five important details that support or relate to the main idea.
Sorting out major and minor details.
Once you have identified the main idea sentence, you should expect the rest of the passage to contain supporting information. However, not all details are equally important. A most important or major detail directly proves or explains the main idea while a less important or minor detail further probes the main idea and makes the reading more interesting. A major detail helps your basic understanding, but you can skip a minor detail and still understand the text. Read the following passage and find the major and minor details.
Listening to a radio broadcast in a foreign language is difficult for many of us. We may have studied the language for several years, and are able to read it, perhaps even write in it. But listening and understanding the spoken language requires special skills. Some people have a natural ability that helps them to learn language quickly. Others must study for a long time. Everyone, however, can improve his or her listening skills with practice.
Listening to a foreign broadcast is easier if we know something about it. There are clues that can help us. One clue is the time of day. Morning pro-grams usually contain many short items of news, information or entertain-ment. The items are short because most of us are getting ready to go to work in the morning. Often we do not have time to listen to long programs. Evening programs are different. There is time for more details about the subjects dis-cussed.
We can get a clue about the program from the music at the beginning, but we must be familiar with the music of the foreign culture. The kind of music ―serious and slow, or fast and light―can tell us what kind of program to expect. The name of the program can give us a good idea about what it will contain.
The above passage states in the first paragraph that everyone can improve his or her listening skills with practice. The second and third paragraphs talk in detail about the use of clues that can help, such as the time of day, the music used, and the name of the program- The first two clues are illustrated with a few supporting minor details.
Identify the main idea of each of the following paragraphs. Then underline the key supporting details in each.
1. Philip Coates-Wright freely admits that his obsession with Napoleon rules his life. It has cost him his marriage, eats up all his spare money, and dominates his spare time. Philip, 29, a lecturer In modem history, is a founder member of the Napoleonic Association, which reenacts battles all over England. On field, he is a French Brigade Commander and wears authentic uniforms. The orders he gives his troops are in 18th century French. Philip even got married in a French Hussar's uniform.
The Main Idea: _____________________________
The Detail(s): ______________________________
2. In 1949 a Bill to stop cats from going out at night was vetoed by Adiai Stevenson, governor of Illinois. The Bill required cat owners to keep their pets indoors at night. Any cat found out on the streets was to be locked up by police―if they could catch it first.
The Governor explained that according to the law, cats were still wild animals whose nocturnal habits could not be controlled. &It is in the nature of cats to do a certain amount of unescorted roaming,& he said- The State of Illinois and its governing bodies have enough to do without trying to control feline delinquency.&
The Main I ______________________________
The Detail(s): _________________________________
Your Reading Comprehension and Speed
Directions: Read the following passages and do the multiple-choice exercises. Record the time you have used and the number of correct answers you have got.
&&&&My parents decided to leave their small two-roomed cottage on the shore of Lough Erne, County Fermanagh, in 1960. Although my father had a steady job, his five daughters were growing up and would soon be leaving school without any employment. And so my parents took their family to England so that we could stay together for as long as possible.
&&&&I was twelve when I left a cottage without electricity, running water or sanitation (卫生设备) for a flat in Leamington Spa, Warwickshire, which had them all. Imagine my delight at having such luxuries suddenly at my fingertips!
&&&&I went to a secondary school where I loved wearing the uniform, but I suffered terribly at the hands of mimics. My English teacher loved my unusual accent and used to make me read aloud, while the rest of the class laughed, much to my embarrassment. I joined the youth club, went swim-ming and used all the facilities I could afford. Where I had come from, such facilities just did not exist.
&&&&I also enjoyed going to the Irish dances, where I met lots of other Irish people. When I left school I went to a secretarial college and found a good job with a central heating company where I met my husband. He is from West Cork and we travel back every year to visit his mother, who retired there after spending 45 years in London.
&&&&I am delighted that my two daughters love Ireland and keep alive the traditions by doing Irish dancing and learning Irish songs. I owe a lot to England and I get a lot of pleasure in helping out at the many different events at my daughters' school.&&&&(282 words)
1. The problem with the family in 1960 was that_____.
a. the father did not have a job
b. the daughters could not go to school
c. the daughters would not go to school
d. the daughters were faced with the issue of unemployment
2. When the girl was twelve she moved to a new flat which ____.
a. had neither electricity nor running water
b. was like the cottage where she had lived
c. had modem facilities such as electricity
d. was much worse than the place where she had lived
3. At a secondary school the girl enjoyed ____.
a, wearing the uniform
b. reading to the class
c. learning spoken English
d. mimicking other people
4. After the girl left school, she ____.
a. returned to Ireland
b. went to a college and found a job
c. got married and stayed home
d. visited her mother every year
5. A more suitable title for the passage is ____.
a. Education of Irish People
b. How An Irish Girl Fought for Survival
c. An Irish Girl in England
d. The Sufferings of An Irish Girl in England
&&&&The trouble with international marriages is the food! Even after 26 years of living in Japan, there is still one food that my husband loves but I don't.
&&&&Smelling like dead fish―even today, that is the reason why I won't eat Natto, a traditional Japanese food. To many Japanese, eating Natto with steaming hot boiled rice is a breakfast ritual. My husband loves Natlo. Without it his day doesn't begin. So every morning of my married life, I must endure!
&&&&One day I decided to try Natto in some Western-style recipes. I put Natto in scone dough and baked them as usual. Next in spaghetti and sandwiches. My students and Papa loved them. But I still didn't want to try them. It's the smell that repels me. It stays even after baking.
&&&&To eat Natto, you have to put the beans and soy sauce in a small bowl and stir the mixture using chopsticks with all your strength. The beans will get sticky and stringy. You must remember to lift the beans from the bowl 2 to 3 feet to get the real effect of Natto.
&&&&You must then, if possible, put one cnopsticksful in your mouth, all the white fighting the strings,
&&&&After eating Natto, you must wipe your face carefully, especially if you are kissing your wife goodbye for the day. (227 words)
6. The trouble with the author is that ___.
a.her husband forces her lo eat Naitto
b.she has unfortunately married a Japanese
c.Natto is not a good food but Japanese people still enjoy it
d. her husband loves Natto but she doesn't
7. The author doesn't like Natto because ___.
a. it is eaten with steaming hot boiled rice
b. Japanese eat it every morning
c. it has a terrible smell
d. it is made of dead fish
8. According to the context, the word &repels& in paragraph three probably means_____.
a. attracts &&&&&b. surprises&&&&&& c. interests&&&&&&& d. sickens
9. To eat Natto, you should mix the beans and soy sauce in a small bowl and stir them with all your strength so that ______.
a. he beans will change colour and taste better
b. the beans will not stick together
c. the beans will become sticky and stringy
d. you can pick the beans with chopsticks
10. It can be inferred from the passage that after eating Natto, ______.
a. people usually kiss each other
b. people have to brush their teeth
c. people have to wash their faces
d. people say goodbye for the day
&&&&Pubs are an important part of life in Britain. People go to the pub to relax, meet friends, and sometimes to do business.
&&&&But pubs are not open to everyone, and they are not open all the time. People under the age of 14 cannot go into pubs. And they are only open from about 11 a.m. (&opening time&) until 2.30 p.m., and from 5.30 p.m. until 10.30 or 11 p.m. (&closing time&). When it's closing time, the barman calls Time!& or &Time, gentlemen, please!&
&&&&You can buy most kinds of drink in a pub: beer is the most popular drink, and there are many different kinds. You ask for beer by the &pint& (a little more than half a litre) or the &half pint&. When people buy beer they ask for &bitter& (strong beer), &mild& (less strong), or lager. Some people just say the name of the maker: &A half of Double Diamond, please.& Or 'Two halves of Export, please.&
&&&&Most pubs do not sell hot drinks, like coffee or tea, but many sell hot and cold food. Pub food (called &pub grub&) is often good, is cheaper than most restaurant food, and you don't have to leave a tip. But you do have to go to the bar to get your food and drink. There are no waiters in pubs. (221 words)
11. People may go to the pub to do all the following except ________.
a. having breakfast &&&&&b. relaxing &&&&&c. meeting friends &&&&&d. doing business
12. Of the people listed below, who is not allowed to go into the pub?
a. Mary, a secretary, aged 23
b. Henry, a retired engineer, aged 77
c. Sophia, a private school student, aged 13
d. Tom, a newspaper boy, aged 15
13. If one asks for a half of Double Diamond in a pub, he is _____
a. asking for two diamonds
b. asking for one diamond
c. asking for a half bottle of the drink named Double Diamond
d. asking for a half pint of beer named Double Diamond
14. Most pubs in Britain offer all of the following except ______.
a. hot tea &&&&&b. cold food &&&&&c. hot food &&&&&d. soft drinks
15. A suitable title for the passage is : ________.
a. Drinks in Pubs
b. Pubs in Britain American and British people do?
c. Pub Time in Britain
d. Food and Drinks in Pubs
4 Home Reading
How Do You Do?
&&&&How do you do? If you can speak English, you know a lot of English words. You can read, speak and understand. But there is another kind of language you need to know, the language of the body.
&&&&All over the world, people &talk& with their hands, with their heads, and with their eyes. When Japanese people meet, they bow. When Indians meet, they put their hands together. What do American and British people do?
&&&&Americans are more informal than the British. They like to be friendly. They use first names, they ask questions, and they talk easily about themselves. When they sit down, they like to relax in their chairs, and make themselves comfortable.
&&&&British people are more reserved. They take more time to make friends. They like to know you before they ask you home.
&&&&When British and American people meet someone for the first time, they shake hands. They do not usually shake hands with people they know well. Women sometimes kiss their women friends, and men kiss women friends (on one cheek only). When a man meets a male friend, he just smiles, and says &Hello&. Men do not kiss each other.
&&&&Clothes These days, most people in Britain and the USA do not wear very formal clothes. But sometimes it is important to wear the right thing.
&&&&Many British people don't think about clothes very much. They just like to be comfortable. When they go out to enjoy themselves, they can wear almost anything. At theatres, cinemas and concerts you can put on what you like - from elegant suits and dresses to jeans and sweaters. Anything goes, as long as you look clean and tidy.
&&&&But in Britain, as well as the USA, men in offices usually wear suits and ties, and women wear dresses or skirts (not trousers). Doctors, lawyers and businessmen wear quite formal clothes. And in some hotels and restaurants men have to wear ties and women wear smart dresses. Jeans and open shirts are sometimes not allowed.
&&&&In many ways, Americans are more relaxed than British people, but they are more careful with their clothes. At home, or on holiday, most Americans wear informal or sporty clothes. But when they go out in the evening, they like to look elegant. In good hotels and restaurants, men have to wear jackets and ties, and women wear pretty clothes and smart hairstyles.
&&&&It is difficult to say exactly what people wear in Britain and the Slates, because everyone is different. If you are not sure what to wear, watch what other people do, and then do the same. Or ask the advice of a friend or your host. You'll feel more relaxed if you don't look too different from everyone else.
&&&&Sorry! I'm late! In Britain and the USA most people are careful about time.
&&&&If they want to see a friend, or meet a business colleague, they telephone first to make an appointment. A lot of people don't like surprises. They want to know when a visitor is going to arrive.
&&&&Have you arranged to meet someone at 3 o'clock? It's polite to arrive a few minutes early. Of course, everyone is late occasionally. Cars break down, trains are delayed and meetings go on too long. If you're late, just say sorry, and explain what happened. Sometimes it's impossible to keep an appointment. But if you don't arrive, the other person will be upset. Call them to explain.
&&&&Some people usually spend time chatting and drinking tea or coffee before they start a busi-ness meeting - but not in Britain or the USA. There, they like to talk about business first and chat later-if there's time.
&&&&Office hours in Britain and the USA are from 9 a.m. until 5 p.m., but some offices open at 8.30 or 9.30 a.m. and do not close until 5.30 or 6 p.m. People usually take about one hour for lunch (between 12 and 2 p.m.). Shops open at 9 or 9.30 a.m., and stay open until 5.30 or 6 p.m. Most shops are open all day on Saturday, and are closed all day on Sunday.
&&&&Out and about in town Did you invite your friend to the restaurant? Then you pay the bill. Did your friend invite you? Your friend pays. If there are men and women in the party, the men usually pay.
These days, men and women are equal in many ways. If you work in Britain or America, your boss could be a man or a woman. There are women in important positions in politics, law, medi-cine and in the business world. But it is still polite for a man to open doors for women, and to ask them to go first. And it is polite for men to stand up when they are introduced to women. On informal occasions, of course, everyone is more relaxed.
&&&&Names American and British people have two names: a &first name, and a &surname& or “family& name. Here are some examples.
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&First name&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Surname
Marilyn&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Monroe
Margaret &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Thatcher
Elvis&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Presley
&&&&Family members and friends always use first names, but Americans are more informal than British people, and they use first names with nearly everybody. But it's usually a good idea to use surnames until people ask you to use their first names.
&&&&When people want to be formal, or when they do not know each other very well, they use surnames with &Mr&, &Mrs& for married women, and &Miss& for unmarried women. Some women don't like to say if they are married or not. When they write their name, they use &Ms&, not &Mrs& or &Miss&. People never use &Mr&, &Mrs&, &Miss& or &Ms& with first names alone.
&&&&Some people have middle names: Winston Spencer Churchill.
&&&&British people do not use their middle names, but Americans often give the initial: John F. Kennedy, Richard M. Nixon.
&&&&When a woman marries, she usually does not use her old surname any more, but takes her husband's surname. The children have their father's surname too. So, if John Smith marries Su-san Brown, she becomes Susan Smith and their children are Elizabeth Smith and Tom Smith.
&&&&Some American men have the same first name as their father. The son puts Jr. (Junior) after his name, and the father puts Sr, (Senior) after his name: Martin Luther King Sr.
&&&&&Sir& is a British title for men who have done a lot for their country. &Sir& is used with the first name, not with the surname alone: Sir Winston, or Sir Winston Churchill (not Sir Churchill).
&&&&Many English names have short forms. They sound more friendly and informal than the whole name. But some people don't like the short form of their name. Listen to what other friends say before you use a short form. Here are some examples:
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&WOMEN'S NAMES
Real Name&&&&&&&&&&&&&Short Name
Diana &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Di
Elizabeth&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Liz
Margart&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Maggie
Jacqueline&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Jackie
Katherine &&&&&&&&&&&Kathy(or Kate)
Jane&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Janie
Susan&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Sue
Have you heard of Princess Di,Liz Taylor or aggie Thatcher
&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&MEN'S NAMES
Real Name&&&&&&&&&&&&&Short Name
James &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Jim(or Jimmy)
Charles&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Charlie
Robert&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Bob(or Bobby)
Edward&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Ed(or Teddy)
Richard &&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Dick
Thomas&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Tom
Michael&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Mike(or Micky)
Andrew&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&&Andy
&&&&Have you heard of Jimmy Carter, Charlie Chaplin or Teddy Kennedy?
&&&&Come to a party! Most parties are quite relaxed these days, especially young people's par-ties. You don't have to wear a long dress or a black tie when you want to have a good time. In fact, you can usually wear what you like ― anything from Jeans to suits and dresses. British and Ameri-can people are often very informal.
&&&&Informal invitations all look very different. People will expect an answer even to an informal invitation. Just call to say if you can or cannot come.
&&&&What do you do if someone asks you to &tea&?
&&&&For some British people, &tea& means a cup of tea and a biscuit at 4-30 or 5 p.m. For others, &tea& or& hightea&, to be exact, means a meal at 6.30 or 7 p.m.
&&&&&Formal dress& usually means a suit and a tie for men, and a smart dress for women- &Black tie& means that the men wear dinner jackets and the women wear evening dresses. &Black tie& is only for very special occasions.
&&&&Come to dinner! Some British and American people like to invite friends and colleagues for a meal at home. But don't be upset if your English friends don't invite you home. It doesn't mean they don't like you!
&&&&Dinner parties usually start between 7 and 8 p.m. and end at about 11. Ask your host what time you should arrive. It's polite to bring flowers, chocolates or a bottle of wine to your hostess.
&&&&Usually the evening starts with drinks and snacks, (Ask for a soft drink if you don't like alco-hol.) Do you want to be extra polite? Say how much you like the room, or the pictures, or your hostess's dress. But remember ― it's not polite to ask how much things cost.
&&&&Dinner will usually start at about 8 or 9 o'clock. In many families, the husband sits at one end of the table and the wife sits at the other end. They eat with their guests.
&&&&You'll probably start the meal with soup, or something small as a &starter&, then you'll have meat or fish with vegetables, and then a dessert (sometimes called a &sweet& or a &pudding&), followed by coffee. It's polite to finish everything on your plate and to take more if you want it. Some people eat bread with their meal, but not everyone does.
&&&&Did you enjoy the evening? Call your hostess the next day, or write her a short &thank you& letter.
&&&&Perhaps it seems funny to you, but British and American people say &thank you, thank you thank you& all the time!&&(1640 words)
Following-up Exercses
A. Comprehending the text.
Choose the best answer.
1. When British and American people meet for the first time, ___.
a. men kiss each other
b. women do not kiss each other
c. they shake hands
d. they shake hands and kiss each other on the cheeks
2. It is important to wear the right thing: _____.
a. at theatres and concerts men can only wear elegant suits and women, dresses
b. in offices women can wear shirts and jeans
c. at home you must also be careful with your clothes
d. in some hotels and restaurants men must wear ties and women, smart dresses
3. When you want to meet a friend or a colleague, _____.
a. you should telephone first
b. it's impolite to arrive early
c. it's OK if you are late
d. it's not polite to arrive late even if the traffic is heavy
4. When people don't know each other very well, they use _____
a. first names &&&&&&&b. surnames only
c. pet names &&&&&&&&d. surnames with &Mr& or &Ms&
5. When you receive a party invitation, _____
a. you do not need to reply if the party is informal
b. you cannot simply call to say if you can go or not
c. it's polite to answer as soon as possible
d. you don't call the hostess because you think it will be rude to tell her that you can't go
6. In Britain, &tea& may mean ______.
b. a cup of tea
c. tea and some biscuits
d. all of the above
7. If a British couple invite you to their home for a meal, _____.
a. you should arrive early
b. you can bring some flowers or chocolates to your hostess
c. you take with you an expensive present
d. you should arrive late
8. At the dinner table, ____.
a. it's polite to leave some food on your plate
b. it's rude if you take more without being asked
c. it's all right to smoke during the meal
d. it's polite to finish everything on your plate
9. The next day after the dinner, _____.
a. you do not need to do anything
b. you write to ask the recipes of your favorite dishes
c.you call your friends to say &thank you&
d. you call the people you met at your friends' home
B. Discussing the following topics.
1. How do the British and American people act when they are invited to a party or dinner? And what do they wear when they are at home, at the office, at an expensive restaurant, or at a theatre?
2. Discuss some of the cultural differences between us Chinese and the British and American people.}