英美文化知識：四種情境 英美人的不同表現

We all know that Britain and the US are two countries connected by a common language. But in fact, the differences are more fun to observe, as BBC did in a recent story called 8 Situations When Britons Behave Differently From Americans. Below Teens has picked out four for you. Take a look.

眾所周知，英國與美國因為使用同一種語言而有諸多相似之處。但事實上，探尋英美文化間的差異更加有趣。近日，BBC就刊登了一篇文章，題為“八種情境：英美人的不同表現”。下面我們就來看看其中的四種情況：

1. When someone knocks into you

被撞后什么反應?

If someone bumps into an American, the victim will most likely look the accidental aggressor in the face and expect an apology. If, however, the victim happens to be British, chances are that the victim will say “sorry” before the other can make his or her own apology.

如果被撞的是美國人，他們大都會直視冒失者，希望對方道歉。而相反，如果被撞的碰巧是英國人，他們則很可能會在撞人者開口道歉之前先說“對不起”。

2. When you get dressed for dinner

晚宴穿什么?

Britons don’t all change into evening dress for supper like what you may have seen in popular TV shows like Downton Abbey. But they do tend to make an effort when going out for dinner somewhere nice. Americans, however, will probably wear a casual shirt to a fancy eatery.

享用晚餐時，英國人雖然不會像熱門英劇《唐頓莊園》中那樣人人身著晚禮服，但在去高級餐廳就餐時也會在穿著上頗下一番功夫。而美國人則可能穿一件休閑襯衫就出入高級餐館。

3. When you don’t finish your food

飯菜沒吃完時怎么辦?

Britons wouldn’t think to take the leftovers home when dining out at a restaurant. They think the food is somehow “tainted” once they’ve poked at it with a knife and fork. In the US, wrapping it up to take home is a standard practice.

外出就餐時，英國人不會將剩飯剩菜打包帶走，因為在他們看來食物一旦被刀叉“染指”后便被“玷污”了。然而對美國人而言，打包剩菜則是一種慣例。

4. When you get into a taxi

乘出租車時什么表現?

Britons will give the cab driver an address, then assume that’s it for the interaction until it’s time to pay. Even if they’re being taken in a roundabout way, they’re very unlikely to say anything. In the US, however, most passengers think nothing of telling the driver what route to take after telling him or her the destination.

英國人在告訴司機目的地之后就會秉承全程“零交流”的原則，直至下車付錢才開口。甚至在看見司機繞路時，他們也會一言不發(fā)。而美國人則恰恰相反，大多數乘客都會在告訴司機目的地后，自己指揮行車路線;并且覺得這并無不妥。