If you have English and American friends you will notice a few differences in their customs of eating. For the main or meat course, the English keep the fork in the left hand, point curved down-ward, and bring the food to the mouth either by sticking the points onto it or in the case of soft vegetables, by placing it firmly on the fork in this position with the knife.

　　如果你有一些英國或美國的朋友，你會注意到一些在飲食習慣方面的差異。當主菜上來以后，英國人總是把叉子拿在左手，把彎曲叉尖朝下，并且通過用叉子向下叉將食物送入口中。有的蔬菜比較軟，可以用一個刀子協助將它們叉在叉子上再吃。

　　Americans carve the meat in the same position, then lay down the knife and take the fork in the right hand with the point turned up, push it under a small piece of food without the help of the knife and bring it to the mouth right side up.

　　美國人切肉的部位和英國人是相同的，然后他們把刀子放下并且用右手拿叉子，叉尖朝上，并且在不需要刀子幫忙的情況下，把叉子叉到一小塊食物上，直接送入口中。

　　If a servant passes food around, he will pass the dish in at your left hand so that you can conveniently serve yourself with your right hand. Never serve yourself while the dish is on your right; it is then the turn of your neighb or on the right. It is polite to take some of everything that is passed to you. But if there is something you may not like, you may quietly say: "No thank you."

　　如果一個服務員在四處傳遞食物，他會把盤子端到你的左手邊，這樣你就會很方便地用右手獲取食物。請記住：當盤子在你的右手邊的時候，一定不要去拿食物，這時候還沒有輪到你，而坐在你右邊的人這時才能去拿。每樣食物都拿一些是很有禮貌的。但是如果有一些你比較反感的東西，你可以輕聲說：“不，謝謝。”

責編：林長春