不要在餐桌上毁掉你的前程

 　　Bad table manners are like any lapse¹ in etiquette² – when the problem is coming from someone else, it's immediately apparent, but if you're the offender³, you probably don't even realize it's an issue.If you are an unseemly eater, you could be damaging your career and not even know it.

　　餐桌上的坏习惯，像其他的礼节过失一样--当错误出现在别人身上的时候，很容易就会发现，然而一旦自己成了当事人，你甚至都意识不到自己有这个问题。如果吃饭的时候不得体，你可能毁掉自己的前途，甚至自己都不知道为何。

　　How can eating affect your shot at a promotion⁴? Well, if you dine with clients, the answer is simple: people don't buy from people who gross them out. If you're not in a client-facing role, the issue is about building and preserving relationships with your team.

　　饭局为何会影响到你的晋升？答案很简单，当你和客户一同进餐的时候，他们是不会与行为粗野的人达成交易的。如果你不是直接面对客户，这个问题会影响到你和你的团队建立和保持良好的关系。

　　不要在餐桌上毁掉你的前程

　　Even if you're heads-down most of the time, sooner or later, you'll probably break bread with your colleagues. And when you do, you'll want to make sure your manners don't put people off.

　　即便你总是置身之外，早晚你会和你的同事一起进餐。当你们一起吃饭的时候，你会想要确定自己的行为不会让人反感

　　Most of us know not to start eating before everyone is served, to chew with our mouths closed and not speak while chewing, and to place our napkins in our laps, not in our shirt collars, like a lobster⁵ bib. Our parents covered the obvious things – our job is just to keep them in mind, now that mom and dad can't see us. But what about the finer points?

　　我们都知道，不能在所有人坐下之前开始吃东西，咀嚼东西的时候要闭着嘴，并且不能说话。要把纸巾放在腿上，不能像围嘴一样夹在衬衫领子上。既然老爸老妈看不到我们，我们能做的就是把他们放在心里。但是细微之处呢？

　　There, etiquette expert Jacqueline Whitmore can help. Whitmore, founder⁶ of The Protocol⁷ School of Palm Beach and author of Poised⁸ for Success: Mastering the Four Qualities That Distinguish Outstanding Professionals, recently offered a few tips on navigating⁹ business dinners with grace, including:

　　在这里，礼仪专家杰奎琳·惠特莫尔（Jacqueline Whitmore）可以提供帮助。最近，棕榈滩礼仪学校的创始人、畅销书《为成功做好了准备：掌握四种品质区分优秀的专业人才》的作者惠特莫尔，对优雅参加商业晚宴提出了一些建议：

　　Watch your breadiquette: Bread should never be eaten as a whole slice or even two halves. You’ll look more polished if you break off one bite-size piece, butter it and then eat it. And never butter your bread directly from the butter dish. Instead, transfer some butter from the butter dish to your bread plate. Never dunk bread in your soup or use it to sop¹⁰ up sauces or juice on your plate.

　　注意吃面包的礼仪：永远不要把面包片整片吃掉或者是只分为两半。如果你分开一小片，然后抹上黄油再吃掉，看起来会更优雅。不要直接把面包放在黄油盘里，而是取些黄油放在你的面包碟里。不要把面包扣在汤里或者是用面包来吸你盘子里面的酱汁和果汁。

　　No chivalry¹¹ when it's about business: The business arena¹² is gender¹³ neutral nowadays, therefore men are not required to pull out a woman's chair or stand when a woman approaches or leaves the table during business meals. And whoever reaches the door first, regardless of gender, should open it for the other person.

　　在谈生意的时候，不必献殷勤：当今商业领域中性别是中立的，因此在商务会餐中，男士不必为女士拉出椅子，或者是在女士到来和离开的时候站起来。谁先到的门口谁为后者打开门，不分男女。

　　Salt and pepper together: Always pass the salt and pepper shakers together, even if someone asks you to pass one or the other. It’s best to keep them together as a set in the event someone else at the table wants both. Never pass them from hand to hand as this is considered bad luck in some cultures. Place them in front of the receiver and allow him to pick them up.

　　盐和胡椒一起：人们经常会把盐和胡椒一起传，即便是有人只问你要其中一种。把盐和胡椒放在一块作为一个组合是很好的，在聚餐中，有些人二者都需要。不要手手相传，因为在一些文化中认为这是运气不好的。把它们放在需要的人面前，让他们自己选择。

1 lapse   

n.过失，流逝，失效，抛弃信仰，间隔；vi.堕落，停止，失效，流逝；vt.使失效

参考例句：

• The incident was being seen as a serious security lapse.这一事故被看作是一次严重的安全疏忽。
• I had a lapse of memory.我记错了。

2 etiquette   

n.礼仪，礼节；规矩

参考例句：

• The rules of etiquette are not so strict nowadays.如今的礼仪规则已不那么严格了。
• According to etiquette,you should stand up to meet a guest.按照礼节你应该站起来接待客人。

3 offender   

n.冒犯者，违反者，犯罪者

参考例句：

• They all sued out a pardon for an offender.他们请求法院赦免一名罪犯。
• The authorities often know that sex offenders will attack again when they are released.当局一般都知道性犯罪者在获释后往往会再次犯案。

4 promotion   

n.提升，晋级；促销，宣传

参考例句：

• The teacher conferred with the principal about Dick's promotion.教师与校长商谈了迪克的升级问题。
• The clerk was given a promotion and an increase in salary.那个职员升了级，加了薪。

5 lobster   

n.龙虾，龙虾肉

参考例句：

• The lobster is a shellfish.龙虾是水生贝壳动物。
• I like lobster but it does not like me.我喜欢吃龙虾，但它不适宜于我的健康。

6 Founder   

n.创始者，缔造者

参考例句：

• He was extolled as the founder of their Florentine school.他被称颂为佛罗伦萨画派的鼻祖。
• According to the old tradition,Romulus was the founder of Rome.按照古老的传说，罗穆卢斯是古罗马的建国者。

7 protocol   

n.议定书，草约，会谈记录，外交礼节

参考例句：

• We must observe the correct protocol.我们必须遵守应有的礼仪。
• The statesmen signed a protocol.那些政治家签了议定书。

8 poised   

a.摆好姿势不动的

参考例句：

• The hawk poised in mid-air ready to swoop. 老鹰在半空中盘旋，准备俯冲。
• Tina was tense, her hand poised over the telephone. 蒂娜心情紧张，手悬在电话机上。

9 navigating   

v.给（船舶、飞机等）引航，导航( navigate的现在分词 )；（从海上、空中等）横越；横渡；飞跃

参考例句：

• These can also be very useful when navigating time-based documents, such as video and audio. 它对于和时间有关的文档非常有用，比如视频和音频文档。 来自About Face 3交互设计精髓
• Vehicles slowed to a crawl on city roads, navigating slushy snow. 汽车在市区路上行驶缓慢，穿越泥泞的雪地。 来自互联网

10 sop   

n.湿透的东西，懦夫；v.浸，泡，浸湿

参考例句：

• I used a mop to sop up the spilled water.我用拖把把泼出的水擦干。
• The playground was a mere sop.操场很湿。

11 chivalry   

n.骑士气概，侠义；（男人）对女人彬彬有礼，献殷勤

参考例句：

• The Middle Ages were also the great age of chivalry.中世纪也是骑士制度盛行的时代。
• He looked up at them with great chivalry.他非常有礼貌地抬头瞧她们。

12 arena   

n.竞技场，运动场所；竞争场所，舞台

参考例句：

• She entered the political arena at the age of 25. 她25岁进入政界。
• He had not an adequate arena for the exercise of his talents.他没有充分发挥其才能的场所。

13 gender   

n.（生理上的）性，（名词、代词等的）性

参考例句：

• French differs from English in having gender for all nouns.法语不同于英语，所有的名词都有性。
• Women are sometimes denied opportunities solely because of their gender.妇女有时仅仅因为性别而无法获得种种机会。