外贸口语一点通第233期:商业宴请之用餐

 　　At dinner 用餐

　　A:This is your seat, Mr Blair. Sit down, please.

　　这是您的位子，布莱尔先生，请坐。

　　B:Thank you. Mr. Wang, I'm really somewhat nervous now. I know nothing of your table manners. It would be in bad taste for a guest to make blunder¹.

　　谢谢，王先生，我现在真的有些不安了。我不懂你们饭桌上的礼节。如果客人失礼了，那就难堪了。

　　A:Don't worry. Mr. Blair. As for table manners, there is only one rule you must observe. That is to make yourself at home.

　　不用担心，布莱尔先生。至于席间的礼节，您只要遵守一条原则就行了，那就是像在家里一样不用客气。

　　B:No wonder people say the Chinese are hospitable². Now, I have seen it with my own eyes.

　　难怪人们都说中国人非常好客。现在我算亲眼看到了。

　　A:Mr. Blair, which do you prefer, Brandy, Mao-Tai or Wine?

　　布莱尔先生，您喝哪一种酒？白兰地、茅台、还是葡萄酒？

　　B:Brandy and Mao-Tai are too strong for me. Just a glass of dry red wine, please.

　　白兰地和茅台度数太高了，我不行。来杯干红就行了。

　　A:Would you like to use chopsticks or knife and fork, Mr. Blair?

　　您用筷子还是刀叉，布莱尔先生？

　　B:I think I'll try chopsticks and see if I can manage.

　　我想试试筷子，看看行不行。

　　A:Let me show you. Look, at first place both sticks between the thumb and the fore³ finger, then, keep one still and move the other, so as to make them work like pincers.

　　先让我给您示范一下。您看，先把两根筷子放在大拇指和食指之间，接着固定这根再移动另一根，这样就可以使用它们像钳子一样灵活了。

　　B:Let me try... Well, how is that?

　　让我试试，……哎，看怎么样啊？

　　A:Fine, you are learning fast, Mr. Blair. Well, to your health and success in business. Cheers.

　　好极了，您学得真快。来，祝您身体健康，生意兴隆，干杯。

　　B:And to yours. Cheers.

　　也祝您健康，生意红火，干杯。

　　1. “in bad(poor) taste”意思是“格调不高，不得体，庸俗”。

　　eg. That joke was in bad taste.

　　那个笑话很粗俗。

　　2. “in good(excellent) taste”意思是“风雅的，大方的，得体的”。

　　eg. Everything in his house is in good taste.

　　他家的一切陈设都很雅致。

1 blunder   

n.错误；vi.跌跌撞撞地走，慌乱地走，犯错误

参考例句：

• I saw that I had been guilty of a careless blunder.我意识到自己因疏忽而酿成大错。
• He has made a terrible blunder.他铸成大错。

2 hospitable   

adj.好客的；宽容的；有利的，适宜的

参考例句：

• The man is very hospitable.He keeps open house for his friends and fellow-workers.那人十分好客，无论是他的朋友还是同事，他都盛情接待。
• The locals are hospitable and welcoming.当地人热情好客。

3 fore   

adv.在前面；adj.先前的；在前部的；n.前部

参考例句：

• Your seat is in the fore part of the aircraft.你的座位在飞机的前部。
• I have the gift of fore knowledge.我能够未卜先知。