(Office ambience)

C：Mary，今晚公司为美国来的总裁举行晚餐会，我也被邀请出席，可我很紧张。

M：It's only a dinner, why are you so nervous?

C：不说别的，就桌上那些刀叉就够让我糊涂了。我担心会出洋相。

M：那倒是，因为table manners are important.

C：嗯...Table manners.就是饭桌上的规矩和礼貌。

M：对，吃西餐的时候每道菜都用不同的餐具，整套餐具就是：a place setting.

C：要是一顿饭有汤，有沙拉，有主菜和甜点，那该有些什么餐具，每个餐具又该怎么用呢?

M：那就应该在左手边有两把叉子，右手边有一把刀和一个汤勺。对了，喝汤的时候千万不要出声。其实很简单，你只要记住先用外边的就行了。Take utensils from the outside of the place setting to the inside.

C：由外及内。喝汤先用右手拿靠外边的汤勺。吃沙拉就用左手外侧的叉，对吗?

M：Absolutely! 把用完的刀，叉放在盘子右边，服务员会把它们收走。No, never put used knives, forks or spoons back on the table.

C：那就是，吃完汤和沙拉后，我还剩下左边一把叉，右边一把刀，对吗?

M：没错。在盘子前面还有吃甜点的小勺和叉。对了，你要不清楚的话，follow what other people do.陈豪， 对不起，I got to go, good luck tonight!

M：Good morning, Chen Hao. How did the dinner go last night?

C：幸亏你昨天教我刀叉的用法，I had no problems at all，只有一个小小的惊慌。

M：What's that?

C：那沙拉里有一个小番茄，我用刀切了一下。把刀留在盘子里被服务员收走了。我担心一会儿吃主菜的时候没有刀，不过后来服务员给我拿来一把干净的刀。

M：Did you have any other problems?

C：我喝完汤后不知道把勺放哪里。我看我们的总裁把勺放在汤碗下面的盘子右侧。我就照他那么做了。

M：Perfect. It's not that complicated, right? Just remember: Always work from the outside in when deciding which knife, fork or spoon to use. Once used, the utensil never goes back on the table. At the end of the meal, you should have used all the utensils at your place.