实用英语礼尚往来
中华民族是一个崇尚“礼尚往来”的民族。拜访长者，我们可以带去一些营养品；给新婚夫妇包红包，一句关系亲疏里面有几十元至几千元现金......有时送礼花太多钱是犯忌的，也有时候“一点儿小意思”又不够，但不论接收礼物的人是谁，在什么场合下送礼，多花些时间仔细挑选礼物都是不枉费的。
一个适当的礼物，如果送的方法不对，也可能让你惹上麻烦。了解不同文化的送礼礼节是很重要的。在下面的对话里，一个初来中国的外国朋友在送礼上就碰到了点“小麻烦。
Part 1
A: This is the first time I’ve been in China, and everything here fascinated me. But there is something I can never figure out!
B: What’s wrong? Did anything puzzle you, speak it up and see if I can help you out.
A: Good! You turn up so timely! I am just expecting some good explanation. You know the other day one of my Chinese friends was celebrating his birthday so I asked him what he would like for a birthday present. Do you know what he said? “No, no! Don’t give me anything. Don’t be polite!” can you believe it?
B: Actually, I can well believe it. It’s a Chinese way of expressing his being humble and reserved. But most often the speaker doesn’t really mean refusal unless he firmly insists. Chinese people don’t easily accept the given things only when he has contributed to the giver or there is an intimacy. And they don’t want their friends “pofei” which means to spend money.
A: What did he mean by refusing to accept a present from me then?
B: I don’t think he was actually refusing to accept a present from you. It was just his way of being “polite”. He didn’t mean to be rude and certainly he didn’t mean to offend you.
A: Well, how do you like that? And what was I supposed to do or say in such a situation?
B: You should first understand that Chinese people are not straightforward in some situation. In such a situation I suggest you just insist, and if your friend is an elderly gentleman, you probably have to insist several times, but even then I doubt if he will ever give you a direct answer. Or you can buy him a gift directly without asking him. I think he will be satisfied with whatever you buy him. Actually what counts is your good intention.
A: So you mean buying a gift is a good choice than not, right?
B: I think so.
A: Thank you.
1 . everything here fascinated me. A说他是初来中国乍道，觉得这里的每一件事情都令他喜欢。 Fascinate 使某某着迷 它的英文释义是：cause to be interested and curious. 也就是不光让你着迷，还让你感到好奇，something fascinate sb 这个短语就可以用来表达某人对某个事务的新鲜和喜爱。我们来看更多的例子：
e.g:
Anything to do with old myths and legends fascinates me.
任何与上古神话传说有关的东西都会使我着迷。
The children were fascinated by the toys in the shop window.
孩子们让商店橱窗里的玩具给吸引住了.
Fascinate 还有一个含义，就是使某某呆住，惊呆了，一动也不敢动。例如：
e.g:
The serpent fascinated its prey.
蛇用目光吓住了它的猎物。
The rabbit sat without moving, fascinated by the glare of our wedding dresses.
我们的车的前灯把兔子照得蹲在那里一动也不动.
2 . figure out. A说中国的一切都让她感到wedding dresses, 感到着迷，唯独有一件事情他想不通，他说But there is something I can never figure out!
Figure out, 想明白，弄清楚。它的英文解释是这样的：find the solution to (a problem or question) or understand the meaning of
我们来看更多的例句：
e.g:
It didn''t take the children long to figure out the correct answer.
孩子们没有花很多时间就算出了正确的答案。
I can''t figure out why he quit his job.
我琢磨不透他为什麽要辞掉工作。
He''s trying to figure out a way to solve the problem.
他正在努力想办法解决这个问题。
3 . help you out. B很关切地询问了对方碰上什么解不开了困惑了，要对方说出来看看我能不能帮你。Speak it up and see if I can help you out.
Help sb out 是帮助解决难题(帮助摆脱困境,帮助完成,救出)也就是help sb in a particular situation of need.
