When you start talking about good and bad manners you
immediately start meeting difficulties. Many people just cannot
agree what they mean. We asked a lady, who replied that she
thought you could tell a well-mannered person on the way they --61.
occupied the space around them-for example, when such a
person walks down a street he or she is constantly unaware of --62.
others. Such people never bump into other people.
However, a second person thought that this was more a
question of civilized behavior as good manners. Instead, this --63.
other person told us a story, it he said was quite well known, --64.
about an American who had been invited to an Arab meal at --65.
one of the countries of the Middle East. The American hasn't --66.
been told very much about the kind of food he might expect. If
he had known about American food, he might have behaved --67.
better.
Immediately before him was a very flat piece of bread that
looked, to him, very much as a napkin (餐巾) Picking it --68.
up, he put it into his collar, so that it falls across his shirt. --69.
His Arab host, who had been watching, said of nothing, but --70.
immediately copied the action of his guest.
And that, said this second person, was a fine example of
good manners.