In Canada and the United States, people enjoy entertaining(请客)at home. They often invite friends over for a meal, a party, or just for coffee and conversation.
Here are the kinds of things people say when they invite someone to their home:
" Would you like to come over for dinner on Saturday night? "
" Hey, we're having a party on Friday. Can you come'? "
To reply to an invitation, either say thank you and accept(接受), or say you're sorry and give an excuse(借口):
" Thanks, I'd love to. What time would you like me to come?" or " Oh, sorry. I've tickets for a movie." Sometimes, however, people use expressions(措辞)that sound like invitations, but which are not real invitations(邀请). For example:
" Please come over for a drink sometime? "
" Why not get together for a party sometime? "
"Why don't you come over and see us sometime soon?"
They are really just polite ways of ending a conversation. They are not real invitations because they don't tell time or date. They just show that the person is trying to be friendly. To reply to expressions like these, people just say: "Sure, that would be nice!" or "OK. Yes, thanks."
So next time when you hear what sounds like an invitation. Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?
【小题1】 Why do Canadians and Americans often invite friends for meals at home?

In Canada and the United States, people enjoy entertaining (请客) at home. They often invite friends over for a meal, a party or just for coffee and conversation (谈话).
Here are the kinds of things people say when they invite someone to their homes:
“Would you like to come over for dinner this Saturday night?” “Hey, we’re having a party on Friday. Can you come?”
To reply (回答) to an invitation , either say ‘thank you’ and accept (接受), or say you’re sorry and give an excuse. “Thanks, I’d love to. What time would you like me to come?” or “Oh, sorry . I’ve tickets for a movie.”
Sometimes, however, people use expressions (习惯用语) that sound like invitations but which are not real invitations . For example; “Please come over for a drink sometime.” “Why not get together for a party sometime?” “Why don’t you come over and see us sometime soon?”
They are really just polite ways of ending a conversation. They are not real invitations because they don’t mention (提到) a certain time or date. They just show that the person is trying to be friendly. To reply to expressions like these, people just say “Sure, that would be great!” or “OK. Yes, thanks.”
So next time when you hear what sounds like an invitation, listen carefully. Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?
Title: Real   【小题1】   or not

Mary got an ______ from Lisa the day before yesterday. Lisa ______ her to go to her birthday party.

A．invitation, invites   B．invite, invitation C．invitation, invited

In Britain ,people often invite friends for a meal , a party or just coffee. People who know each other very well may visit each other’s houses without  an invitation(邀请),but if we invite new friends, usually an invitation is needed. When people invite someone to their homes , they often say ,“Would you like to come for dinner on Saturday ?” Answers are, “Thanks, we’d love to. What time?” or “I’m sorry, We’d love to ,but we have tickets for the concert.” However, it is not polite to say,“No, we wouldn’t.”
Sometimes, the British use expressions that sound like invitations but which are not invitations. For example. “You must come over for a drink sometime .” or “Let’s go out for a meal one of these days.”  These are usually just polite ways of ending a talk . They are not real invitations because they don’t mention an exact time or day. They just show that the person is trying to be friendly and the answers are ,“Yes , that would be nice .” or “OK, yes ,thanks.”
So next time you hear what sounds like an invitation, listen carefully. Is it a real invitation or is the person just being friendly?
【小题1】It’s always necessary for        to visit each other’s houses with an invitation.

In Britain you may often hear “Drop in any time” or “Come to see me soon”, but you can’t really do that. People just say those things to make you feel welcome. It is better to telephone before visiting someone at home. If you receive a written invitation to an event that says “RSVP”, you should reply to let the person who sent the invitation know whether or not you plan to go.
You should never accept an invitation unless you really plan to go. You may refuse by saying. “Thank you for inviting me, but I will not be able to com.” If, after accepting, you are unable to go, be sure to tell those who are expecting you as soon as possible that you will not be there. Although it is not necessarily expected that you give a gift to your host, it is considered polite to do so, especially if you have been invited for a meal. Flowers, chocolate, or a small gift are appropriate(合适的). A thank-you note or telephone call after the visit is also considered polite and is an appropriate way to express your appreciation for the invitation.
【小题1】What can you do when a British friend says, “Drop in anytime”?
a.      Visit him or her at any time.
b.      Say no to him or her seriously.
c.      Telephone him or her before visiting.
【小题2】What does the word “RSVP” probably mean in Chinese?
a. 请自便     b.请回复    c.请审阅
【小题3】What should you do if your British friend sends you an invitation but you do not want to go?
a. Do not give him or her an answer.
b. Tell another friend to go instead of you.
c. Tell him or her that you can’t be there for some reason.
【小题4】 Which of the following is considered impolite in Britain?
a. Buy small presents when invited.
b. Refuse the invitation without telling anyone.
c. Write a thank-you note after a visit.
【小题5】Where would you probably see this passage?
a. In an invitation  b. In a guidebook  c. On a poster