What are good manners?

We say that a person has good manners if he or she is kind and helpful to others. Everyone likes a person with good manners but no one likes a person with bad manners. But what are good manners? Here are some examples.

He never laughs at people when they are in trouble. He tries to help them. He is always kind, either to people or animals. When people are waiting for a bus, or in a post office, he takes his turn. He does not push to the front of the queue. On the bus, he gives his seat to an older person or a lady who is standing. He stands up when speaking to a lady or an older person, and he does not sit down until the other person is seated. He does not talk too much himself. He does not talk loudly or laugh loudly in public. When eating, he doesn't speak with his mouth full of food.

However, different countries have different manners. Before going into a house in some Asian countries, it is good manners to take off you shoes. In European countries this is not done. A guest in a Chinese house never finishes a drink. He leaves a little to show that he has had enough. In England, a guest always finishes a drink to show that he has enjoyed it.

People all over the world agree that being well-mannered really means being kind and helping others. If you remember this, you will not go very far wrong.

1．What does “manners” mean?

      A．礼貌           B．方式           C．方法            D．种类

2．There are ________ examples to show what good manners are.

      A．five            B．six             C．eight           D．nine

3．In _______ house, a guest never finishes a drink.

      A．an English      B．an American    C．a Chinese       D．a Japanese

4．It is polite for a man to ______.

      A．let women go first                     B．drink for a lady

      C．sit beside women                      D．stand beside a lady

5．According to the passage, which of the following statements is untrue（不正确的）?

      A．It's good manners to take off your shoes before going into a house.

      B．A guest in a Chinese house always leaves a little when drinking.

      C．A well-mannered man does not talk too much himself.

      D．No one likes a person with bad manners. 

In England recently three foreign gentlemen came to a bus stop and waited. About five minutes later, the bus they wanted came along. They were just going to get on when suddenly there was a loud noise behind them. People rushed onto the bus and tried to push them out of the way. Someone shouted at them. The bus conductor came rushing down the stairs to see what all the trouble was about. The three foreigners seem all at sea and looked embarrassed (窘迫的). No one had told them about the British custom (习惯)of lining up for a bus that the first person who arrives at the bus stop is the first person to get on the bus .
Learning the language of a country isn't enough. If you want to have a pleasant visit, find out as much as possible about the manners and customs of your host country. You will probably be surprised just how different they can be from your own. A visitor to India would do well to remember that people there consider it impolite to use the left hand for passing food at table. The left hand is supposed to be used for washing yourself. Also in India, you might see a man shaking his head at another to show that he doesn't agree. But in many parts of India a shake of the head means agreement. Nodding your head when you are given a drink in Bulgaria will most probably leave you thirsty. In that country, you shake your head to mean 'yes'— a nod means ‘no’. At a meal in countries on the Arabic Peninsula, you will find that your glass is repeated refilled as soon as you drink up. If you think that you have had enough, you should take the cup or glasses in your hand and give it a little shake from side to side or place your hand over the top.
In Europe it’s quite usual to cross your legs when you are sitting talking to someone even at an important meeting. Doing this in Thailand, however, could bring about trouble. Also, you should try to avoid (避免)touching the head of an adult ——it's just not done in Thailand .
【小题1】 The British people tried to push the three gentlemen out of the way, because the gentlemen _________.

A．were foreigners	B．didn't have tickets
C．made a loud noise	D．didn't line up for the bus

【小题2】Which statement is TRUE according to the passage?

A．If you want to have a pleasant journey in a foreign country, you only need to learn the language of the country.

B．In India it is considered polite to touch an adult’s head.

C．To cross one's legs at an important meeting in Europe is a common habit.

D．In Bulgaria, if you don’t want to drink, you should cover the cup with your hand.

【小题3】 The best title for this article is ________.

A．People's Everyday Life	B．Mind Your Manners
C．Habit is quite important	D．Language and customs