UNIT 11 :Help Yourself, Please
Integrated Skills Development
Dialogues
A. Cheers!
Zhou Hong, Dean of the Department of Foreign Languages, and William Abel, a professor from England, are at a dinner party.
Zhou Hong: Would you like to use chopsticks or a knife and fork?
William: I think I'll try chopsticks and see if I can manage them.
Zhou Hong: Very well. Would you like wine or spirits?
William: I'd like to have a little Maotai, the famous Chinese spirit, please.
Zhou Hong: Here's to your health. Cheers!
William: And to yours. Cheers!
Zhou Hong: Now let's try the food. This is sea-cucumber.
William: Very delicious.
Zhou Hong: Help yourself to the duck, the crispy roast duck. Have it while it's hot.
William: It's very tender and crispy.
B. What About Some Fruit?
Zhou Hong and Professor Abel are continuing their conversation while having their meal.
Zhou Hong: Have some of the sweet and sour fish, please.
William: It's appetizing and tasty.
Zhou Hong: Will you have another cup of spirits?
William: No, thank you. I'm afraid it's a bit too strong for me.
Zhou Hong: How about having a glass of white wine to go with the fish?
William: That's a good idea. This dish is really wonderful.
Zhou Hong: What about some fruit? Help yourself to an apple, please.
William: It's very juicy. I must say we've had a splendid meal.
Passage How Americans Receive Their Guests at Home?
It was Christmas, and there was a big party in the house. Guests came and went but the party continued. Then the bell rang. Several people shouted, "Come in!" and a small man opened the front door and came in. Nobody knew him, but the host went to meet him, and took him to the bar for a drink.
The man sat there happily for an hour and drank. Then suddenly he stopped and looked at his host. "Do you know", he said, "nobody invited me to this party. I don't know you, I don't know your wife, and I don't know any of your guests. My wife and I wanted to go out in our car, but one of your guests' cars was in front of our gate, so I came here to find him — and my wife is waiting in our car for me to come back!"
New Words and Expressions
appetizing
a. 刺激食欲的,美味的
bar
n. 酒吧
Christmas
n. 圣诞节
crispy
a. 脆的,松脆的
dean
n. 院长,系主任
fork
n. 餐叉,叉子
juicy
a. 多汁的