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Modern Manners

Philip Howard answers your questions on contemporary etiquette (礼仪)

Philip Howard,

When my friend and I (two ladies of a certain age) go out to have a meal, she always leaves an extremely large tip. At times, the tip will equal the amount of one of the main dishes—sometimes it comes to about 30 per cent of the bill. I feel 15—20 per cent is adequate for services offered and depending on the type of restaurant. At a cafe I would like to leave 15 per cent or a bit more depending on the service and etc. A larger tip would be appropriate if we are in a big city or a nicer place. My friend says “Well, I am sure they are not driving a Mercedes (奔驰汽车).” Well, neither am I, and how does she know? Who is correct and how can I make changes? I might add I do truly feel tipping should be based on good service, and also if you frequent a place and know the staff a larger tip is OK. I would never hesitate to tip a waitperson. I always leave to the higher side.  

Yours,

Barbara Bade

Barbara Bade,

Americans are more generous tippers than the British. I suspect that 10 per cent for a tip is about normal in the UK. Tipping is a strange survival in our age of supposed equality and minimum wages. Your friend has a generous nature and deep purse. I do not see why you cannot let her tip whatever she wants, and do your own thing. I agree that a tip should be a reward for good service and general good feeling. If the service is rotten and the meal a disaster, we should withhold a tip and explain why we are doing so. Few of us have the chutzpah (厚颜) to do this. Sensible restaurants have a box for tips, so that they are shared out among the staff, including those in the kitchens whom we do not see. (I trust that the management does not receive the money as extra profit.) I look forward to the day when waiters and other servants are paid a good enough living wage, so that they do not have to depend on the generosity of strangers to survive. To wait at table is just as honorable a way to earn a living in this wicked world. If you are pleased with the meal and cheerful service, you should tip as handsomely as your purse affords. I don’t suppose that your waiter / waitress is driving a Mercedes, even in the States. 

Yours,

Philip Howard

60. We can learn from the first letter that Barbara prefers ___________.

A. changing her own ideas on how to tip waiters

B. leaving a bigger tip to the familiar waitpersons

C. eating at a café rather than in a nice restaurant

D. saving as much money as possible for herself

61. It can be inferred that Barbara’s friend tips waiters heavily ________.

A. to show that she is well off                              B. because they are thought to be poorly paid

C. to show that she is generous                          D. because they have offered her full service

62. Besides quality of service, Philip regards __________ as principles of tipping.

A. taste of food and amount of one’s money

B. taste of food and the number of servants

C. generosity of strangers and the number of servants

D. amount of one’s money and generosity of strangers

B

Modern Manners

Philip Howard answers your questions on contemporary etiquette (礼仪)

Philip Howard,

When my friend and I (two ladies of a certain age) go out to have a meal, she always leaves an extremely large tip. At times, the tip will equal the amount of one of the main dishes—sometimes it comes to about 30 per cent of the bill. I feel 15—20 per cent is adequate for services offered and depending on the type of restaurant. At a cafe I would like to leave 15 per cent or a bit more depending on the service and etc. A larger tip would be appropriate if we are in a big city or a nicer place. My friend says “Well, I am sure they are not driving a Mercedes (奔驰汽车).” Well, neither am I, and how does she know? Who is correct and how can I make changes? I might add I do truly feel tipping should be based on good service, and also if you frequent a place and know the staff a larger tip is OK. I would never hesitate to tip a waitperson. I always leave to the higher side.  

                                     Yours,

                                      Barbara Bade

Barbara Bade,

Americans are more generous tippers than the British. I suspect that 10 per cent for a tip is about normal in the UK. Tipping is a strange survival in our age of supposed equality and minimum wages. Your friend has a generous nature and deep purse. I do not see why you cannot let her tip whatever she wants, and do your own thing. I agree that a tip should be a reward for good service and general good feeling. If the service is rotten and the meal a disaster, we should withhold a tip and explain why we are doing so. Few of us have the chutzpah (厚颜) to do this. Sensible restaurants have a box for tips, so that they are shared out among the staff, including those in the kitchens whom we do not see. (I trust that the management does not receive the money as extra profit.) I look forward to the day when waiters and other servants are paid a good enough living wage, so that they do not have to depend on the generosity of strangers to survive. To wait at table is just as honorable a way to earn a living in this wicked world. If you are pleased with the meal and cheerful service, you should tip as handsomely as your purse affords. I don’t suppose that your waiter / waitress is driving a Mercedes, even in the States. 

                                       Yours,

                                            Philip Howard

60. We can learn from the first letter that Barbara prefers ___________.

A. changing her own ideas on how to tip waiters

B. leaving a bigger tip to the familiar waitpersons

C. eating at a café rather than in a nice restaurant

D. saving as much money as possible for herself

61. It can be inferred that Barbara’s friend tips waiters heavily ________.

A. to show that she is well off                               B. because they are thought to be poorly paid

C. to show that she is generous                          D. because they have offered her full service

62. Besides quality of service, Philip regards __________ as principles of tipping.

A. taste of food and amount of one’s money

B. taste of food and the number of servants

C. generosity of strangers and the number of servants

D. amount of one’s money and generosity of strangers

There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee(担任考试委员会主席), the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student entered the exam room and got seated before the committee. This student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all.
The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK.
　　Then the professor asked about the cure (药剂) for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right.
“Good,” said the professor, “and how much will you give the patient?”
“A full spoon”, answered the student.
“Now you may go out and wait for what you can get.”, said the professor. At the same time, the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. “ A full spoon is too much,” he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, “Mr. Professor, I’ve made a mistake! A full spoon is too much for a patient. He can take only five drops.”
“I’m sorry, sir.” said the professor coldly, “But it’s too late. Your patient has died.”
【小题1】The students were afraid of the professor because_________.

A．The patient will be in danger if he’s taken as much as a full spoon.

B．The doctor will be in trouble if he’s given the patient a full spoon.

C．Since one spoon is less than five drops, the patient will be all right soon if he takes only one full spoon at a time.

D．If the patient wants to remain safe, he should take no more than five drops at a time.

There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee（委员会）, the students would be in fear , because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave . A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again . Now a student entered the exam room and got seated before the committee. This student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all.
The professor began to ask. .The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK.
Then the professor asked about the cure（药剂,疗法）for the illness , and the student , too , answered just as right . “Good,” said the professor, “and how much will you give the patient?”
“A full spoon,” answered the student.
“Now you may go out and wait for what you can get,” said the professor. At the same time the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given .Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. “A full spoon is too much,” he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, “Mr. Professor, I’ve made a mistake! A full spoon is too much for the patient. He can take only five drops. ”
“I’m sorry, sir,” said the professor coldly, “but it’s too late. Your patient has died. ”
【小题1】The students were afraid of the professor because _______ .

There was once a professor of medicine, who was very strict with the students. Whenever he took the chair on the exam committee, the students would be in fear, because he was seldom pleased with the answers they gave. A student would be lucky enough if he or she could receive a good mark from him. At the end of the term, the students of medicine would take their exam again. Now a student entered the exam room and got seated before the committee. This student was a little nervous as he knew it would not be so easy to get through the exam at all.

    The professor began to ask. The student was required to describe a certain illness, his description of which turned out to be OK.

　　Then the professor asked about the cure (药剂) for illness, and the student, too, answered just as right.

    “Good,” said the professor, “ and how much will you give the patient?”

    “A full spoon”, answered the student.

    “Now you may go out and wait for what you can get.”, said the professor. At the same time, the committee discussed carefully the answers the student had given. Suddenly the student noticed that there was something wrong with his last answer. “ A full spoon is too much,” he thought to himself. Anxiously he opened the door of the room and cried, “Mr Professor, I’ve make a mistake! A full spoon is too much for a patient. He can take only five drops.”

    “I’m sorry, sir.” Said the professor coldly, “But it’s too late. Your patient has died.

1.The students were afraid of the professor because_________.

A. they often angered and disappointed him  

B. their answers often astonished him

C. their answers seldom satisfied him   

D. he often misunderstood(误解) them and give them bad marks

2.The student’s description of the illness was _____.

A. not correct   B. not satisfied    C. completely discouraging    D. accepted.

3.Before he left the room the student was almost sure that ______.

A. he had passed the exam, and the only thing was to wait for the mark

B. his last answer was satisfying

C. he had made a mistake

D. he had not done well in the exam.

4.Which of the following is Not true?

A. The patient will be in danger if he’s taken as much as a full spoon.

B. The doctor will be in trouble if he’s given the patient a full spoon.

C. Since one spoon is less than five drops, the patient will be all right soon if he takes only one full spoon at a time.

D. If the patient wants to remain safe, he should take no more than five drops at a time.

5.Which guess is the most reasonable from the passage?

A. The student must have passed the exam.

B. The student may not have passed the exam.

C. The student must have been very happy when he heard, “Your patient has died.”

D. The professor must have been very pleased and given the student a good mark.