Customs on either side of the Atlantic

精彩導(dǎo)讀

英國人和美國人雖然說著相同的語言，卻有著許多完全不同的處事態(tài)度與生活習(xí)慣。在很多生活細節(jié)上，你一眼就能區(qū)分出高冷的英國人和不拘小節(jié)的美國人。

We all know that Britain and the US are two countriesconnectedby acommonlanguage.But in fact， the differences are more fun toobserve， as BBC did in a recent story called Eight Situations When Britons Behave Differently From Americans.Below Teens haspicked outfour for you.Take a look.

1.When someoneknocks intoyou

If someone bumps into an American，thevictimwill 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.

2.When you get dressed for dinner

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 dotend to make an effortwhen going out for dinner somewhere nic e.Americans， however， will probably wear a casual shirt to a fancy eatery.

3.When you don't finish your food

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

4.When you get into a taxi

Britons will give the cab driver an address，then assume that's it for the interaction untilit's time to pay.Even if they're being taken in a roundabout way，theyareveryunlikely to sayanything.In the US， however， most passengersthink nothing oftelling the driver what route to take after telling him or her the destination.

閱讀掃障

Ⅰ.熱詞積累

1.connect v.聯(lián)系；連接

2.common adj.普遍的；常見的；共同的

3.observe v.觀察；慶祝；遵守

4.victim n.受害者

5.pick out挑選出

6.knock into撞上

7.tend to do sth傾向于做某事

8.make an effort（to do sth） 努力（做某事）

9.somehow v.以某種方式

10.be likely to do sth很可能要做某事

11.think nothing of不重視

Ⅱ.牛刀小試

1.We all know that Britain and the US are two countries connected by a common language.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.

【點石成金】句中We all know that...表示“眾所周知……”，that引導(dǎo)賓語從句，同義的句型結(jié)構(gòu)有：As is known to all...（定語從句）； 或What is known to all is that...（名詞性從句），connected是過去分詞作定語，修飾countries，與被修飾的名詞是被動關(guān)系。

句式仿寫

眾所周知，小說《孔乙己》是由魯迅寫的。

______________________________，Kong Yiji was a novel______________.

2.If， however， the victim happens_______（be）British，chances are ______________the victim will say“sorry” before the other can make his or her own

_________（apologize）.而相反……（語法填空）。

譯文助讀

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(xiàn)》。下面我們就來看看其中的四種情況：

1.被撞后什么反應(yīng)？

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。不過，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.晚宴穿什么？

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.飯菜沒吃完時怎么辦？

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.乘出租車時什么表現(xiàn)？

英國人在告訴司機目的地后，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(shù)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。