Liu: (having lunch with Joseph) have you ever been invited to a Chinese feast?
Joesph:sure. Beijingers are distinguished for their warmth and hospitality.
L: as far as you could see, is dining at a Chinese table a distinct experience? To what extent does it differ from that in your homeland?
J: to begin with, I have to use chopsticks.
L: but you look quite proficient in using them now.
J: certainly. After all, I've been here for two years. It's not much uphill work for a foreigner to get used to Chinese dinner utensils. Though, I do feel hazy about how to behave appropriately at a Chinese dinner table.
L: yes, table etiquette. There are a multitude of rules that foreigners might never know until they were told. Some practices even appear somewhat awkward or rude to Westerners, while they are the norm in China. Hey, your chopsticks, old silly! You should not stab them vertically into the rice bow!
J: anything strang about that?
L: maybe you should have palced them horizontally over your bowl or plate. They resemble two incense sticks used at sacrifices. It's very inauspicious, and might enrage all present.
J: oh, sorry! There's a long story even with a mere pair of sticks.
你吃過午餐嗎?
當然了,北京人的熱情好客是出了名的.
你覺得跟一桌中國人吃飯是不是很不一樣?跟你在你自己的國家吃飯有哪些不同呢?
首先,我得改用筷子.
可是,你看起來用筷子用的很熟練嘛.
當然了,怎么著我也在這里呆了2年了.我們老外庸官中式餐具倒也不是什么難事,但是在中國人的餐桌上,我經常感覺到無所適從.
不錯,餐桌上的禮儀.吃飯時,有很多規(guī)矩,我們不說,老外們就不知道.其中有一點,在中國早已司空見慣,可是對于老外來說,有點讓人不舒服,甚至有點粗暴無禮.喂喂喂,老兄,注意你的筷子!直插在米飯里可不好!
這個有什么不對嗎?
也許你應該把它們平放在碗或者盤子上.要不然它們看上去就像2根香燭,不吉利,在座的所有人都會不高興的.
對不起,對不起!沒想到連一雙筷子都有這么多奧秘.
Feast: a large or special meal, especially for a lot of people and to celebrate something 盛宴;宴會 formal
a wedding feast
婚筵
Proficient: able to do something well because of training and practice 熟練的;嫻熟的;精通的;訓練有素的 adjective ~ (in/at sth) ~ (in/at doing sth) written
She's proficient in several languages.
她精通好幾種語言.
He's proficient at his job.
他的工作效率很高.
I'm a reasonably proficient driver.
我開車的技術還算不錯.
uphill: an argument or a struggle that is difficult to win and takes a lot of effort over a long period of time 漫長而艱難的,費力的(戰(zhàn)斗、斗爭、任務等)
Utensil: a tool that is used in the house (家庭)用具,器皿;家什 noun
cooking/kitchen utensils
炊具;廚房用具
hazy: of a person 人 uncertain or confused about something 主意不定的;困惑的
I'm a little hazy about what to do next.
我還有點拿不準下一步要做什么呢.
etiquette: the formal rules of correct or polite behaviour in society or among members of a particular profession (社會或行業(yè)中的)禮節(jié),禮儀,規(guī)矩 noun uncountable
advice on etiquette
在禮節(jié)方面的忠告
medical/legal/professional etiquette
醫(yī)學界的/法律界的/行業(yè)規(guī)矩