Text B    Eating Etiquette between China and America

    Thereare more rules about eating in China than anywhere in the world. Chinese foodis not only famous for its variety, but also for its diverse tastes. Chinesecooking skills are regarded as one of the best cuisine in the world.

InAmerica, since dinner in family style is an informal event, guests of all agesand gender enjoy eating together. Unlike the Americans, Chinese pay a lot ofattention to seating order when they invite people to dinner. The seatingarrangement will show the host's sophistication.

Asa rule, the table is placed in the center of the room. If the host entertainsguests, he will take the seat facing the door, for it is con­sidered the mostimportant place. The main guest of honor will be seated on the right side ofhim. The hostess sits opposite the host, the second guest of honor sits on theright side of the hostess. The others can sit wherever they wish. When thehostess entertains guests, she should sit in the most important seat. The mainguest of honor sits to the right side of her. Still the host sits just oppositethe hostess. The second guest of honor sits on the right side of the host. Ifthe host and hostess entertain guests jointly, the host should sit at the mostimportant seat and others are supposed to sit according to the order when thehost entertains guests.

InAmerica, sometimes, since the hostess prepares the dishes, she may not servethe dinner, and instead allowing her husband to do so. Whether you help servedishes or not depends on the habits and informality of the family you visit. Inmany families, the host does not allow the guest to do anything. Neverthelessyou should offer to help. In general, if you offer help, the host or hostesswill tell you directly whether or not he or she needs help.

Thebeginning of dinner is usually announced by the hostess, Guests can begin toeat only after everyone is seated. When eating, you should keep the same pacewith the other guests. Try to notice the eating speed of the host and to matchit. Americans' eating is usually a little bit faster than people inother countries, therefore if you eat too slowly, and if you are the last tofinish the dinner, you will feel embarrassed.

Asfor the seating arrangement at the dinner table, when all the dishes have beenput on the table, the host will ask each guest to sit down, seatingarrangements are usually very informal. Generally speaking, each dish should becompletely eaten. If you dislike a dish, you may ask for very little, but tototally refuse would also be impolite. If you can't eat something because ofyour religion or for some other reasons, you should tell the hostess inadvance. If you have never tasted American food, you may try a little of eachdish and praise the quality of each dish. It is really satisfying to bothparties.

Onething worth mentioning is when the Chinese invite someone to have dinner, theyalways prepare more food than is really needed. The host frequently serves foodfor the guest to make the guest feel at his (her) own home. Since the Chineseknow about each other, for some guests, even if they haven't eaten enough, theymay tell the host “enough” “enough”. The purpose for the host to serve the guestis to let him (her) really eat enough. Since Chinese do not under­stand theWestern dining customs while at a dinner, the Chinese guest will feel that thehost is not hospitable enough since the num­ber of dishes served is much lessthan in China, and the host will not serve more food unless you ask for somemore. It is really a matter of different customs and not hospitality.

Asfor attending a dinner, what is the most suitable time to come? You'd betterarrive on time or 5 to 7minutes late. If arriving ahead of time, you may take awalk, or wait in your car or in the corridor downstairs. Since the host­esswill be making the last minute arrangements, therefore, you should not disturbher at this time. If something makes it impossible for you to come on time, youshould telephone the hostess in advance.

MostWesterners, particularly most Americans, are not nearly as concerned aboutprotocol on social matters as Chinese people are. A recent discussion among agroup of foreign experts living in China illustrated the fact that not one ofthem knew whether you are supposed to first introduce Dr. Smith to Mr. Zhang orfirst introduce Mr. Zhang to Dr. Smith. Unless you receive a formal invitationto a dinner or party, no one cares what you wear or who you sit next to. Thepractice of toasting has now almost disappeared from Western dining etiquette.But there are still a few Western customs which are extremely important andwhich you should try to observe at all times.

Mannersare a set of rules that allow a person to engage in a social ritual or to beexcluded from one. And table manners, specifically, originated in part as ameans of telling a host that it was an honor to be eating his or her meal. Thefollowing suggestions may be useful while you are on the dinner table.

Ifyou cannot swallow a piece of food, turn round discreetly and throw itsomewhere. Do not be afraid of vomiting if you must; for it is not vomiting,but holding the vomit in your throat that is foul. Do not move back and forthon your chair. Whoever does that gives the impression of constantly breaking ortrying to break wind. You should not offer your handkerchief to anyone unlessit has been freshly washed. Nor is it seemly, after wiping your nose, to spreadout your handkerchief and peer into it as if pearls and rubies (红宝石)might have fallen out of your head.

Remember not to chew anything you have to spit outagain. And “to lick greasy (油腻的) fingers or wipe them on your coat” isimpolite, so it is better to use the table-cloth or the serviette (餐巾).(1051words)

 

Exercises:

A. Readthe passage and answer the following questions.

1. Whichseat is the most important for the host to sit on at Chinese dinner table?

2. Whereshould the main guest of honor sit at Chinese dinner table?

3. InAmerica, when entertaining guests at home, who prepares the dinner? And whoserve the dinner?

4. Howfast should a guest eat at American dinner table?

5. Ifa guest doesn’t like a dish at American dinner table, what should he do?

6. Whatis the most suitable time for a guest to come to a dinner in America?

7. Ifa guest arrives at An American host’s dinner ahead of time, what should he do?

8. Whatis the origin of table manner?

 

B.Translate the following sentences into Chinese.

1. Ifthe host and hostess entertain guests jointly, the host should sit at the mostimportant seat and others are supposed to sit according to the order when thehost entertains guests.

2. SinceChinese do not under­stand the Western dining customs while at a dinner, theChinese guest will feel that the host is not hospitable enough since the num­berof dishes served is much less than in China, and the host will not serve morefood unless you ask for some more.

3. MostWesterners, particularly most Americans, are not nearly as concerned aboutprotocol on social matters as Chinese people are.

4. Donot move back and forth on your chair. Whoever does that gives the impressionof constantly breaking or trying to break wind.

5. Noris it seemly, after wiping your nose, to spread out your handkerchief and peerinto it as if pearls and rubies might have fallen out of your head.