Americansoftenplansocialgatherings（社交聚会）onshortnotice,sodon’tbesurprisedifyougetinvitedtosomeone’shomeortoseeamovieorbaseballgamewithoutmuchwarning.Ifthetimeisconvenient(方便)foryou,surelyaccepttheirinvitation.Butifyou’rebusy,don’tbeafraidtodeclinetheinvitation,perhapssuggestingatimethatwouldbebetter.Yourhostwon’tbeshamed.
Invitationsareusuallysentinpersonoroverthetelephone.Themainexception(例外)isforsomeformaloccasions,inwhichcaseawritteninvitationwillbemailed.Youwouldnormallyreceiveawritteninvitationtoawedding(婚礼).
Foracasual(不正式的)dinnerinvitation,don’tarrivemorethan5minutesearly,becauseyourhostmaystillbepreparingforyourvisit.Arrivingmorethan10minuteslateisconsideredrudeifveryfewpeoplewereinvited.Ifmanypeoplewereinvited,it’sOKtoarrivealittlelate,evenasmuchashalfanhourlate.Forexample,it’sOKtoarrivelateforaparty,forapotluck(家常便饭)dinnerorforasocialgatheringinvitingalargegroupofpeople.
Ifyou’reinvitedfordinner,it’spropertobringthehostabottleofwine,agiftbasketoffruit,aboxofcandy(糖果),orabouquet(束)offlowers.Don’tbringroses,asmenoftengiverosestowomenonadate(约会).
Ifyouwishtothankthehostforhisorherhospitality(好客),it’srighttocallorsendabrief(简单的)writtenthank-younotethenextday.
小题1:Thepassageistotellus________.