British school starts etiquette lessons 英學校開始教授禮儀

Prince Charles, right, shows off his proper manners while visiting the International House in Philadelphia, Jan. 27, 2007. 英國查爾斯王子（右）去年元月二十七日參訪美國費城國際學院時，展現他優雅的儀態。 照片︰法新社 PHOTO: AFP

A private British school is starting required etiquette classes for 13- to 14-year-olds. The school wants to help students improve their manners.

Brighton College will teach students how to iron a shirt properly and how to dance the waltz. They'll also teach students whom to talk to at the dinner table.

Headmaster Richard Cairns learned that many employers feel that young adults are not prepared for the business world. So he decided to offer lessons in good manners.

"In the past, they would have learned all of this at home," a spokesman for the school said.

Each Thursday, students will be invited to dine at Cairns' house. They'll be taught how to deal with food they don't like and how to talk to fellow guests.

Students will receive formal invitations to the dinners. They'll have to reply in a written, formal manner. E-mails, text messages or replies by phone will be unacceptable, the spokesman said.

(STAFF WRITER, WITH AFP)

英國一所私立學校開始為十三到十四歲的學子增設禮儀必修課，希望藉加強學生的禮儀。

布萊頓學院將教授學生如何正確地整熨上衣，以及如何跳華爾滋，他們也會教導學生晚餐桌上的交談應對。

校長李察．凱恩斯在得知許多教職員都認為這些小大人還沒做好出社會的準備後，決定開設禮儀課程。

學校發言人表示：「過去，這些禮儀應該是要在家學習。」

每週四，學生會受邀至校長家用餐，他們將學會如何應付不喜歡的食物，還有怎麼和其他同儕賓客交談。

發言人說，學生會收到正式的晚宴邀請函，而他們必須書寫正式的回函，不能透過電子郵件、簡訊，或電話回覆。（法新社／翻譯：袁星塵）

TODAY'S WORDS 今日單字 1. etiquette n. 禮儀 (li3 yi2) 例: It's important to understand etiquette. (熟諳禮節是十分重要的事。) 2. manners n. 規矩 (gui1 ju3)，禮貌 (li3 mao4) 例: That boy has terrible manners. (那個男孩很沒禮貌。) 3. formal adj. 正式的 (zheng4 shi4 de5) 例: You need to wear a tie at formal dinners. (出席正式晚宴，你需要打上領帶。) 4. unacceptable adj. 不被接受的 (bu2 bei4 jie1 shou4 de5) 例: "Throwing things is unacceptable," the teacher said. (老師說：「不可以亂丟東西。」)