Unit10You’resupposedtoshakehands.GoalTolistenandtalkabouttablemanners.Toreadaboutlifeasanexchangestudent.TherearemanytablemannersTherearemanytablemannersaroundtheworld.Butdifferentaroundtheworld.Butdifferentcountrieshavedifferentculture.countrieshavedifferentculture.……InmostAsiancountriesTableMannersTableMannersYouaresupposedtopickupyourbowlofrice.TableMannersTableMannersYou’resupposednottoeatwithyourhands.TableMannersTableMannersYou’resupposednottotalkatthetable.TableMannersTableMannersTheyoungestpersonisnotsupposedtostarteatingfirst.Talkaboutothertablemannersinyourcountry.B:Yes,andit’simpoliteto...A:We’resupposedto...1dmakenoisewhileeatingnoodles√eatordrinkwhilewalkingdownthestreetstickyourchopsticksintoyourfoodpointatanyonewithyourchopsticksWhatdoyouknowaboutcustomsinforeigncountries?Whatdoyouthinkisthebiggestchallengewhenvisitingaforeigncountry?e.g.MycousinwenttoAmerica,andshesaidthatlearningbasictablemannerswasherbiggestchallenge.Sheneverknewwhatshewassupposedtodoatthedinnertable.Wouldyoupleasecontinue….2aBettertoknowwhilebeinganexchangestudentinChinaTalkingabouteatinghabit,unliketheWest,whereeveryonehastheirownplateoffood,inChinathedishesareplacedonthetableandeverybodyshares.Chineseareveryproudoftheircultureofcuisineandwilldotheirbesttoshowtheirhospitality.Andsometimesthehostwillservesomedisheswithhisorherownchopstickstogueststoshowhisorherhospitality.Thisisasignofpoliteness.Theappropriatethingtodowouldbetoeatthewhatever-it-isandsayhowyummyitis.Ifyoufeeluncomfortablewiththis,youcanjustsayapolite"thankyou"andleavethefoodthere.TheresomeotherrulesthataresuggestedyoufollowtomakeyourstayinChinahappier,thoughyouwillbeforgivenifyouhavenoideaofwhattheyare.a.Neverstickyourchopsticksuprightinthericebowl,laythemonyourdishinstead.Otherwise,itisdeemedextremelyimpolitetothehostandseniorspresent.Thereasonforthisisthatwhensomebodydies,theshrinetothemcontainsabowlofsandorricewithtwosticksofincensestuckuprightinit.Soifyoustickyourchopsticksinthericebowl,itlooksliketheshrineandisequivalenttowishingdeathuponapersonatthetable.b.Makesurethespoutoftheteapotisnotfacinganyone.Itisimpolitetosettheteapotdownwherethespoutisfacingtowardssomebody.Thespoutshouldalwaysbedirectedtowherenobodyissitting,usuallyjustoutwardfromthetable.c.Don'ttaponyourbowlwithyourchopsticks,sincethatwillbedeemedinsulttothehostorthechef.Beggarstapontheirbowls,andalso,whenthefoodiscomingtooslowinarestaurant,peoplewilltaptheirbowls.Ifyouareinsomeone'shome,itislikeinsultingthehostorthecook.d.Nevertrytoturnafishoveranddeboneityourself,sincetheseparationofthefishskeletonfromthelowerhalfofthefleshwillusuallybeperformedbythehostorawaiter.Superstitiouspeopledeembadluckwillensueandafishingboatwillcapsizeifyoudoso.ThisisespeciallytruetosouthernersinChina(tobespecific,suchasGuangdong,GuangxiandFujianprovinces,etc.),since,traditionally,southernersarethefishingpopulation.
