零距离美语会话[文化风俗差异]Lesson 5:Did you tip the bellboy

Five  Did you tip the bellboy?
你付小费给那个服务生了吗？

 1   Introduction
A  It is the custom to give tips to waiters in restaurants and taxi drivers.
在餐馆给服务员小费、给的士司机小费被认为是习俗。
B  It is also American custom when visiting friends to telephone ahead of time to let them know you are coming.
在拜访朋友时，提早打电话让他们知道你来了也被认为是一种美国习俗。
C  In America and Britain, it is not acceptable¹ to smoke in a friend’s home without asking.
在美国和英国，没有询问对方就在朋友家抽烟是不能容忍的。
D  When someone moves into a new home, it is the custom to give a “housewarming” gift.
当别人搬进新房子时，送上一份乔迁之喜礼物是一种风俗。
E  When a couple gets married, the bride’s family usually pays for the reception.
夫妻结婚时，新娘家通常支付宴会费用。
F  When a child is born, the father often gives cigars to friends.
小孩出生时，父亲常常送雪茄烟给朋友们。
G  Usually Americans go Dutch when they go out to eat, unless it is understood ahead of time that one person will pay for everyone.
美国人外出吃饭通常是各自付帐，除非之前有人说请客。

 2   Sample Sentences
1.  Are the customs the same or different in your country?
    在你们国家，风俗习惯是一样，还是不同？
2.  I heard you’re supposed to kiss each other at midnight on New Year’s Eve.  Is that right?
   我听说除夕的子夜时刻你们应该互相亲吻。是这样吗？
3.  When you come back from a vacation, you’re expected to bring small gifts for your friends.
   当你度假回来，你理应带些小礼物给你的朋友。
4.  Are you familiar with the customs here?
    你对这儿的风俗习惯熟悉吗？
5.  What are you expected to do on Thanksgiving in your country?
    在你们国家，感恩节你理应做些什么？
6.  Every time my husband leaves home, he hugs me and kisses me goodbye.
    每次我丈夫出门，他都拥抱我，并亲吻说再见。
7.  When a man wants to marry a girl, it’s customary² that he buys her a ring and asks her to marry him.
    当一个男人想要与一个女孩结婚时，习惯上他买一个戒指给她并要求她嫁给他。
8.  People here are proud of their heritage³.
    这里的人们都为他们的血统感到自豪。
9.  You won’t be seen so much in America.  You only see cars going by often.
    在美国你不会被经常看到。你只看到车子经常经过。
10.  You are supposed to pay the gas bill when you use someone’s car.
     当你用别人的车时，你应该付汽油钱。

 3   Conversations
1.  How much should I leave?
Two Chinese business people are unpacking⁴ in their San Diego hotel room.
Susan:  Did you tip the bellboy1? 
Tom:  Yes, but I don't think it was enough.  He looked disappointed.  I gave him three dollars.
Susan:  That sounds about right to me, fifty cents a bag.  If they think you don't know better2, they'll try to get more.
Tom:  It's the same in Kauloon.  But I definitely⁵ think we over-tipped the cab⁶ driver.  The fare was twenty dollars, and you gave him a five-dollar tip.  That's twenty-five percent of the total!  Too much!
Susan:  I disagree.  He was polite and informative3, and he drove smoothly⁸.  One should reward4 good service.
(Later in the hotel dining room)
Tom:  I'll sign for5 dinner and charge it to our room.  Let's see.  The bill is one hundred dollars.  That seems reasonable.  How much tip should I leave?
Susan:  Remember last month when we were in Europe?  Maybe Californians use that same system: they add the waiter or waitress into the bill, so you don't have to leave anything extra.
【译文】
——你付小费给那个服务生了吗？
——给了，但是我想没给够。他看起来有些失望。我给了他三美金。
——我觉得还公正，一个旅行袋五十美分。如果他们认为你不知行情，他们会试着多要钱。
——在Kauloon也是这样。但是我肯定我们多给了出租车司机小费。车费是20美金，而你给了他五美金小费。那是总额的四分之一。太多了！
——我不赞同。他又有礼貌，见识又广，而且他开车很平稳。一个人应该对好的服务给予报酬。（不久，在酒店餐厅里）
——我来签收晚餐，记入我们房。看看。账单是一百美金。看起来很合理。我应该给多少小费呢？
——记得上个月我们在欧洲吗？也许加州人使用同样的方式：他们把男服务生或者女服务生加入了账单内，所以你不必额外给钱。

 

2.  What to wear?
May, a journalist for China Daily, is attending a conference in New Orleans.

May:  Frank⁹, I want your advice on something.  Some scientists I met at the conference6 this afternoon have invited me to a party.  Actually, they called it an "informal get-together¹⁰."
Frank:  And what's the problem? 
May:  When I asked how people were going to dress, Dr. Lite said it was casual¹¹. 
Frank:  And you want to know what to wear? 
May:  Well, last night I went out with some journalists for a "casual" party, but I was overdressed7.  I wore what I consider casual -- an outfit¹² of skirt, blouse, scarf, and medium heels ... you know.
Frank:  That sounds just right to me.  What was wrong with it?
May:  Everyone else there was wearing blue jeans.  Several of the women had on running shoes.  I felt out of place8.  So I have no idea what to wear tonight. 
Frank:  My guess is you can safely wear last night's outfit to tonight's party. 

【译文】
——弗兰克，我想你在某些方面给我一些建议。今天下午我在会议上碰到的一些科学家邀请我去参加一个聚会。实际上，他们称之为“随便聚聚”。
——那有什么问题？
——当我问到其他人会穿什么衣服时，赖特博士说这很随便。
——那你是想知道该穿什么样的衣服？
——昨晚我和一些记者参加了一个“随便”聚会，但我却穿得过于正经了。我穿了我认为是休闲的服装——一套衣裙、短衫、围巾和中跟皮鞋……你知道。
——我听起来没觉得什么不对劲。有什么不好呢？
——那儿每个人都穿着蓝色的牛仔裤。有几个妇女还穿着跑鞋。我感到很不自在。所以我不知道今晚穿什么好。
——我想你可以穿昨晚的衣服大胆去参加今晚的派对。

1 acceptable   

adj.可接受的，合意的，受欢迎的

参考例句：

• The terms of the contract are acceptable to us.我们认为这个合同的条件可以接受。
• Air pollution in the city had reached four times the acceptable levels.这座城市的空气污染程度曾高达可接受标准的四倍。

2 customary   

adj.习惯上的，惯常的，合乎习俗的

参考例句：

• He makes his customary visit every week.他每星期都按照惯例造访一次。
• It is customary with me to do so.这样做是我的习惯。

3 heritage   

n.传统，遗产，继承物

参考例句：

• The ancient buildings are part of the national heritage.这些古建筑是民族遗产的一部分。
• We Chinese have a great cultural heritage.我们中国人有伟大的文化遗产。

4 unpacking   

n.取出货物，拆包[箱]v.从（包裹等）中取出（所装的东西），打开行李取出( unpack的现在分词 )；拆包；解除…的负担；吐露（心事等）

参考例句：

• Joe sat on the bed while Martin was unpacking. 马丁打开箱子取东西的时候，乔坐在床上。 来自《简明英汉词典》
• They are unpacking a trunk. 他们正在打开衣箱。 来自《简明英汉词典》

5 definitely   

adv.一定地，肯定地；明确地，确切地

参考例句：

• The team will definitely lose if he doesn't play.如果他不参加比赛，这个队肯定会输。
• I shall definitely be home before six o'clock.6点以前，我一定回家。

6 cab   

n.计程车，出租车，出租单马车；vi.乘出租马车

参考例句：

• The cab drove over his legs.马车从他腿上碾过。
• Shall we walk or take a cab?我们步行还是坐出租车？

7 informative   

adj.提供资料的，增进知识的

参考例句：

• The adverts are not very informative.这些广告并没有包含太多有用信息。
• This intriguing book is both thoughtful and informative.这本引人入胜的书既有思想性又富知识性。

8 smoothly   

adv.平滑地，顺利地，流利地，流畅地

参考例句：

• The workmen are very cooperative,so the work goes on smoothly.工人们十分合作，所以工作进展顺利。
• Just change one or two words and the sentence will read smoothly.这句话只要动一两个字就顺了。

9 frank   

adj.坦白的，直率的，真诚的

参考例句：

• A frank discussion can help to clear the air.坦率的谈论有助于消除隔阂。
• She is frank and outgoing.她很爽朗。

10 get-together   

n.(使)聚集；(使)集合

参考例句：

• Well,Miss Huang,we are planning to have a casual get-together.嗯，黄小姐，我们打算大家小聚一番。
• Will you help me prepare for the get- together of the old classmates?你能否帮我为这次老同学聚会做好准备工作？

11 casual   

adj.漠不关心，冷漠的；随便的，非正式的；偶然的，碰巧的

参考例句：

• He earns a living by casual labour.他靠做临时工为生。
• The guests wore casual clothes.客人们穿着便服。

12 outfit   

n.（为特殊用途的）全套装备，全套服装

参考例句：

• Jenney bought a new outfit for her daughter's wedding.珍妮为参加女儿的婚礼买了一套新装。
• His father bought a ski outfit for him on his birthday.他父亲在他生日那天给他买了一套滑雪用具。

13 impatient   

adj.不耐烦的，急躁的；热切的，急切的

参考例句：

• He was so impatient that I could hardly hold him back.他是那样急躁，我简直拉不住他。
• With an impatient gesture he thrust the food away from him.他不耐烦地把吃的东西猛地推开。

14 withdraw   

vt.收回，撤消，撤退；vi.缩回，退出，撤退

参考例句：

• I want to withdraw a statement I made earlier.我想收回我早些时候发表的一项声明。
• The general decided to withdraw his soldiers.那位将军决定撤军。