One of the great things about traveling around the world is all of thewonderful food you get to try. Watch yourself when you start to reachfor that food, though, or you just might offend someone. When it comesto table manners, what works in one country doesn’t always go over inanother.
　　环游世界时最棒的一件事就是你有机会品嚐到所有美味食物。不过当你伸手拿食物时可得注意，否则你有可能冒犯到别人。谈到餐桌礼仪时，某个国家通行的原则到了另一个国家可不一定能得到赞同。
　　TheUnited States has its own special dining customs that visitors shouldknow about before sitting down to a meal. For example, when food startsto arrive, you can’t just dig in. It’s considered rude to start eatingbefore everyone at the table has received his or her meal.
　　美国自有一些特殊的用餐习俗是访客坐下来用餐前应该知道的。举例来说，当餐点开始上桌时，你不能直接开动。在桌上每个人都拿到自己的餐点之前就开动被认为是粗鲁的。
　　Onceyou start to chow down, it’s important to remember to keep your elbowsoff the table and keep your mouth closed as you chew. One last tip forAmerican dining is never pick up your bowl or plate as you eat. This isconsidered rude beyond all belief.
　　当你开始吃东西时，重要的是记住不可以把手肘放在桌上，而且咀嚼时嘴巴要闭上。在美国用餐的最后一个小诀窍是吃东西时绝不可以端起你的碗或盘子。这被认为是无法置信的粗俗。
　　Ifyou think Americans are picky about table manners, think about Taiwan’scustoms. The list of rules is equally long. You cannot stick yourchopsticks upright in your bowl of rice. Furthermore, you should nevergesture with your chopsticks. For some visitors, using chopsticks ischallenging enough without the rules of what you can and can’t do withthem!
　　如果你觉得美国人对餐桌礼仪太挑剔，想想台湾的习俗吧。这里的规矩列表也一样冗长。你不可以把筷子垂直地插在饭碗里。此外，你绝对不准用筷子指指点点。对某些游客来说，即使没有这些你可以或不可以怎么做的规则，用筷子都已经是很有挑战性的事！
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