礼仪英语文字3-15

Page1of33’sQuickandDirtyTipsforaMorePoliteLife.Today’sTopic:Houseguests.Whenyoustayinanotherperson’shome,orhaveguestsstaywithyou,thesituationcanpresentmanyopportunitiesforawkwardnessormisunderstanding,sohereareafewtipstohelpmakeyourstayoryourguests’visitamorepleasantexperience.Whenstayingatsomeone’shouse,besuretobringasmallgiftforyourhosts.Itcanalsobeagoodideatotakeyourhostsoutforamealduringyourstayiftheopportunitypresentsitself.Whileyouareaguest,trytostoreyourclothes,luggageandtoiletriesawayasneatlyaspossible.Makeyourbed,andre-storeafoldingbedunlessinstructedtodootherwisebyyourhosts,andstripthebed,foldupblanketsandtidyuptheroomafteryourlastnight.Duringmeals,youshouldoffertohelpinthepreparation,andcertainlyhelpclearawaydishesafterthemeal.Notethatcleaningetiquettemaybedifferentiftherearehouseholdstaff,inwhichcaseyoushouldletthemgoabouttheirnormalactivities.Ingeneral,youshouldoffertohelpwithhouseholdchoresandpitchinwheneverpossible.Bringyourowntoiletrieswithyou;yourhostsshouldprovideyouwithsheetsandtowels,butifyouaregoingtobeatthebeachyoumaywanttobringyourownbeachtowels.Clarifythelengthofyourstayinadvance,andtrynottooverstayyourwelcome.Bringenoughcleanclothingtolastyourstay,unlessyouhavebeenspecificallyinvitedtousethelaundry.Aweekendisareasonableperiodtostay,unlessyourhostisaclosefriendorfamilymember,oryouhavehadtotraveloverseastovisit.Rememberthatevenifyourhosthastoldyoualongerstayisfine,youshouldstilltrytolimityourvisitunlessyourhostabsolutelyandrepeatedlyinsists.Afteryourstay,besuretosendyourhostsathankyounoteandhighlightsomeofthepartsofyourstayyouenjoyedmost.Ifyouarehostingvisitors,youmaywanttogentlysetsomeexpectationsaboutthelengthofyourguests’stayinadvance.Simplybeclearintheinvitation(“Wewouldloveitifyoucouldcomefortheweekend.”)orinquirehowlongyourguests’intendstayifitisunclear.Makeupyourguests’roomorsleepingareawithfreshlinensandprovidefreshtowelsandafreshbarofsoap.Makesurethattheareayourguestswillbeusingisclean,includingmattresspads,comforters,andpillowticking.Trytomakethingsasclearforyourguestsaspossiblebypointingoutanyclosetorstoragespacetheymayuse,whichbathroomisforthem,etc.ProvidePage2of33’thelpedthemselves.Ifguestshavepetsthatyoudon’twanttohaveinyourhome,itisperfectlypolitetotellthemsoinadvance.Itisalsocompletelyappropriatetoinformgueststhatsmokingisnotpermittedinthehouse.Itisnicetohavesomeinformationhandy(maps,guides,etc.)aboutlocalactivities,andyoumaywanttojotdownalistofgoodrestaurantsnearby,localtransportation,museums,andsoon.Giveyourguestsanideaofthedailyschedule,andleavethemsomefreetimeforactivitiesontheirown.Ingeneral,themostsuccessfulhouseguestsituationsresultfrombothpartiesmakingastrongeffort;whenhostsofferextrakindnesstotheirguestsandgueststrytobeashelpfulandundemandingaspossible.Sohere’shopingyouhaveawonderfulvisit,andthankyouforlisteningtoquickanddirtytipsforamorepolitelife.3Page3of33’sTopic:BuildingaGuestList.Whenyouarebuildingaguestlist,manyofthesameprinciplesapplywhetheritisforaweddingoradinnerparty.Ofcourse,therearesomespecialconsiderationsformajorlifetimeevents,sohereareafewpointerstohelpwhensendingoutinvitations.Ifyouarehostinganevent,itisgenerallyyourprerogativetodecidewhomtoinvite.Thisisnottosaythatyoushouldeveruseaninvitationasawaytomakesomeonefeelleftoutortobehurtful,butratherthatitisyourchoicetoinvitethepeoplewhomyouwouldliketoattend.Forweddings,youwillgenerallyhavetoinviteimmediatefamilyandshouldwanttoinviteyourclosestfriends.Beyondthat,youshouldfeelcomfortableexercisingdiscretioninwhomyouinvite.Ofcourse,therearealwayssituationswhereaparentorclosefriendwishesyoutoinvitesomeoneyouwouldrathernothaveonyourlist,andhereyoumustweighthehurtfeelingsofyourclosefamilymemberagainstyourdesiresforhavingonlyaselectcrowdaroundyouonyourspecialday.Itusedtobepossibletoinvitegueststotheceremonyandnottothereception,butthesedaysitisoftenperceivedasaninsult.Itisimportanttodiscussandnegotiatetheguestlistwithanopenmind,andtoremindeveryonethatitisonlypossibletoinvitealimitednumberofguests.Forotheroccasions,itcanbeeasiertobuildyourguestlist.Fordinnerparties,invitepeoplewhomyoulike,butalsoconsiderhowyourguestswillinteract.Youmightwanttoinviteyourcattlerancherfriendonaseparatenightfromyourcousinthevegananimalrightsactivist,unlessyouknowthattheywillbea