趣味青春英语 第69期:Melting pot

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　　melting pot大熔炉，在一个地区外来的每个不同民族背景的人带来了不同的文化,最后融合形成了新的文化。

　　Hit the book:

　　Variety

　　Household

　　Chopstick

　　Ritual

　　Feast

　　Reciprocate¹

　　Visitors to Japan are often excited about the variety of food available. But, many people are a little nervous about what to do at restaurants or in a Japanese household . It's helpful to know basic table manners before going to Japan.

　　Chopsticks in rice. Do not stick your hashi (chopsticks) upright in a bowl of rice. This is how rice is offered to the dead in Buddhist² rituals. Similarly, do not pass food from your chopsticks to someone else's. This is another funereal³ ritual.

　　Polite expressions. When eating with other people, especially when you're a guest, it is polite to say 'itadakimasu' (literally, 'I will receive') before digging in. This is as close as the Japanese come to saying grace. Similarly, at the end of the meal, you should thank your host by saying 'gochiso-sama deshita', which means 'It was a real feast'.

　　Kampai. It is bad form to fill your own glass. You should fill the glass of the person next to you and wait for them to reciprocate. Raise your glass a little off the table while it is being filled. Once everyone's glass has been filled, the usual starting signal is a chorus of 'kampai', which means 'cheers!'

　　Slurp⁴. When you eat noodles in Japan, it's perfectly⁵ OK, even expected, to slurp them. In fact, one of the best ways to find ramen (egg noodle) restaurants in Japan is to listen for the loud slurping⁶ sound that comes out of them.

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