“Dinning out” and “eating out” are phrases people use in Britain when they eat in a restaurant or pub（小酒馆）. Eating out is more popular in Britain today than it has ever been. In 2006, for the first time ever, British people spent more eating out than cooking for themselves and eating at home. It seems that many British people are becoming increasingly interested in how good their food tastes, and also how healthy it is.

However, eating out can also be expensive. As British people do not eat out every night of the week, eating in a restaurant is often seen as a special occasion. When going on a first date and wanting to impress him/ her , or if celebrating an anniversary or a birthday, many people like to go to a restaurant to eat, and people often also eat in a restaurant before going to the cinema or the theater.

As in all cultures, there are many rules of etiquette(礼仪) surrounding food and eating. The knife and fork should be used in the correct way! It is also impolite to have your elbows(肘部) on the dinning table when you are eating.

Almost all British cities have a vast range of food as well as traditional British food, and all from the very cheap to the very expensive---French, Italian, Indian, Chinese, Greek, Thai, Japan and many, many more. In fact, when asked which was their favorite food, more British people said an Indian curry(咖喱菜肴) than any other dish !

As well as dining in a restaurant, when people are too tired to cook after work they often get a “take-away”. This means that they order from a take-out restaurant by telephone, and then go to collect it and take it home to eat. Many take-out restaurants also deliver it your house. While you can normally find a take-out restaurant for almost any food, the most popular are Italian, Indian and Chinese and then all of you have to do is to open the door, pay and eat !

1.On which of the following occasions are British people likely to eat in a restaurant ?

   A. After watching a play.             B. Before watching a movie.

   C. When they’re too tired to work.      D. When they want to have natural food.

2.From the passage we can know that_______.

   A. eating out is not expensive in Britain

   B. eating at pubs doesn’t have so many rules in Britain

   C. British people are not aware of nutrition while eating out

   D. the British spent more eating at home more than eating out

3.We can learn from the last two paragraphs that________.

   A. French dishes are very expensive

   B. take-out restaurants only deliver pizza

   C. British people are fond of foreign food

   D. people can eat take-out food first and pay later

4.What is the passage mainly about ?

   A. Restaurant culture in Britain.      B. Table manners.

   C. Traditional British food.          D. Eating and health.

Be sure to book a table if the restaurant you choose is an expensive or a popular one. You will feel embarrassed to show up without booking and having to wait for a table, leaving very bad impression on your friend, especially your girl friend.  Also, be sure to check to see if you need to be properly dressed and tell your friend ahead of time what to wear.

When your food arrives, proper dining manners make you eat at a right pace so that you have time to talk. A good measure of how fast you should eat is to count 10 seconds between each mouthful and it’s bad manners if you eat too fast and then spend the rest of the time watching your friend eat.

Don’t make noise when having soup and chewing, or chew with your mouth open.

Your napkin (餐巾) should be placed on your lap at all times. Don’t put it in any other place. If you have to get up, place it neatly on your seat.

When eating, put your fork straight in your mouth. Don’t place your fork in the side of your mouth as it increases the chances of dropping your food, which could be very embarrassing. If you get food stuck in your mouth, don’t pick it out with your fingers or fork at the table. Excuse yourself and go to the restroom and get it out with a toothpick.

When dining, keep your eyes on your friend at all times and try to smile between mouthfuls. Sometimes, you should make an effort to show some interest and ask questions like, “How do you like the beef?” If she needs, you are the one who is supposed to flag down the waiter by a gentle wave of the hand until someone notices you.

1．If you want to eat in a popular restaurant, the author of the passage suggests that __________.

A．you book a table beforehand

B．you book a table beforehand and check to be properly dressed

C．you go with a friend

D．you just show up any time you want

2．Good eating manners do NOT include __________.

A．eating at a proper pace

B．making sounds to show how much you enjoy food

C．showing some interest to your friend when dining

D．placing a napkin on your lap

3．We can infer from the passage for sure that __________.

A．the writer of the passage favors those dinning manners

B．the writer of the passage is not a Chinese

C．toothpick is available in the restroom

D．toothpick is not to be found on a dinner table

4．The passage is mainly about __________.

A．dining manners                                    B．an expensive restaurant

C．what to dress                                      D．what to eat