Lesson21

11．I Never Know When to Shake Hands
我该什么时候握手

A: I have a real problem when I meet people.
我在和人会面的时候有个问题。

B: What is it? Maybe I can help.
什么疑问？或许我能帮你。

A: I never know when to shake hands and when not to. Can you tell me something about it?
我不知道该在什么时候握手，什么时候不握手。你能不能告诉我有关这方面的事?

B: Do you come from a country where they shake hands?
你们国家的人握手吗?

A: Oh yes. Men, women, and children shake hands all the time.
握呀。男人、女人、小孩、时时刻刻都在握手。

B: It’s very simple. Men shake hands, women and children don’t.
那很简单。男人握手，女人和小孩不握。

A: But some women do shake hands. And now a lot of children have such good manners, they shake hands too.
可是有些女人也握手呀。而且现在很多有礼貌的孩子也握手。

B: Well, a good rule to follow is, for men you hold out your hand, for women and children, you wait and see what they do.
你就遵循这条原则：对男人你先伸手，对女人和孩子就看他们怎么做。

A: That sounds easy enough.
这听上去再简单不过了。

B: Sure. Once you get the hang of it, it’s a piece of cake! It’s nothing to worry about.
可不是嘛。你一旦掌握了窍门，那就成了小菜一碟！没什么可担心的。

额外成就感

all the time 总是，一直
* They were laughing all the time.
他们一直笑个不停。

hold out 维持; 伸出
* Our food supplies won’t hold out long.
我们的食品供应维持不了多久。

get the hang of 掌握窍门
* I’ll get the hang of it pretty soon.
我很快就能掌握它的窍门。