Americansoftenplansocialgatherings（社交聚会）onshortnoticesodon’tbesurprisedifyougetinvitedtosomeone’shomeortoseeamovieorbaseballgamewithoutmuchwarning.Ifthetimeisconvenient(方便)foryousurelyaccepttheirinvitation.Butifyou’rebusydon’tbeafraidtodeclinetheinvitationperhapssuggestingatimethatwouldbebetter.Yourhostwon’tbeshamed.

Invitationsareusuallysentinpersonoroverthetelephone.Themainexception(例外)isforsomeformaloccasionsinwhichcaseawritteninvitationwillbemailed.Youwouldnormallyreceiveawritteninvitationtoawedding(婚礼).

Foracasual(不正式的)dinnerinvitationdon’tarrivemorethan5minutesearlybecauseyourhostmaystillbepreparingforyourvisit.Arrivingmorethan10minuteslateisconsideredrudeifveryfewpeoplewereinvited.Ifmanypeoplewereinvitedit’sOKtoarrivealittlelateevenasmuchashalfanhourlate.Forexampleit’sOKtoarrivelateforapartyforapotluck(家常便饭)dinnerorforasocialgatheringinvitingalargegroupofpeople.

Ifyou’reinvitedfordinnerit’spropertobringthehostabottleofwineagiftbasketoffruitaboxofcandy(糖果)orabouquet(束)offlowers.Don’tbringrosesasmenoftengiverosestowomenonadate(约会).

Ifyouwishtothankthehostforhisorherhospitality(好客)it’srighttocallorsendabrief(简单的)writtenthank-younotethenextday.

小题1:Thepassageistotellus________.A．howtoacceptAmericans’invitations.B．somethingaboutAmericansocialvisits.C．somethingaboutAmericanbusinessvisits.D．howtomakealivinginAmerica.小题2:Theunderlinedword“decline”inthefirstparagraphmostprobablymeans_____.A．acceptB．receiveC．refuseD．follow小题3:IfanAmericanonlyinvitesyoutohishomeforaninformalsupperat7:30p.m.you’dbettergettohishouseat________.A．7:15p.m.B．7:35p.m.C．7:45p.m.D．7:55p.m.小题4:InAmericainvitationstoaweddingareoftensent________.A．bymailB．byfaxC．bye-mailD．overthete