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1、2 Random Thoughts-PartyLast night, pressured by well- intentioned friends, for the first time in months, Icame out of writer s se1calunsdioanttended a cocktail party which is another word2 for a social gathering. So there I was, trapped in a crowded room, people millingall 3 around me, each with a d
2、rink in hand, chitchatting while the waiters skillfully4 5 6 negotiated their way through the bustle with trays of colorful beverages and fancy hors d oeuv7r.Ietswas definitely party time!Yet, instead of losing myself to the convivial8 surroundings of food, drink and conversations, I found myself re
3、treating back into my head all the way to China where the subject of American sociality is of great interest.In China, many of my students are curious about how Americans party and have a good time. “ What do you do? Sing and dance? To what kind of music?”“ What s American party talk?”do y“ouHdorwes
4、s and act at a party?” “ Howabout food? What do you eat?”Every year, without fail, students ask their foreign teachers to dedicate a full class to this fascinating topic. Of course, one would think that a subject as interesting and entertaining as such would make for an excellent lesson plan, a rich
5、 source of discussions. But to my surprise, many teachers run into roadblock9swhen generating 10this particular lesson plan.have, hmm, five things to say about it. And that supposed to do after that?” They cry.” I ask.rt out. ” They bluMichelle, Michelle! I have to teach a class on American parti.es
6、And I onlyll take about five minutes. What am IWell, tell me what those five things are,Arrive late, talk, eat, drink, and have a blast.It is true that the five steps listed above encompas11smuch of the goings-on12 at American social gatherings. Of course, during parties for special occasions such a
7、s: Birthdays, holidays, weddings, baby showers, anniversaries, graduations, etc., there are additional ceremonies such as: cake cutting, gift opening, dancing, toasting, game 13 playing, etc. But regardless, the fundamentals of a typical American soiree are good company, good food and drinks, and go
8、od times.Sounds simply, doesn it? Btut if you were to look deeper and think further, you ll realize that there s far more to these steps than meets the eyes.1. FASHIONABLY LATE14It is a major faux pas (social embarrassment) to arrive at a party early or even on time. Therefore, with the exception of
9、 the hosts, you never want to be the first pers on prese nt at a social fun ctio n. Why? Because people fear that others may think that they have no life or nothing better to do than waiting for a party to start. Many15America ns try to project an image of bus in ess which, whether true or not, has
10、a positive correlatio n16 with success.So by arrivi ng late, you are say ing:“I lead a fulllife and its excit ing and productive.”Therefore, an 8 o clock party customarily doesn t really start until maybe 9 oclock as every one wants to be thought of as a busy and importa nt pers on with lots to do.
11、In other words, a party is one of those rare occasi ons where your pun ctual1tyca n18 actually hurt you. Weird , isn t it. Anyhow, remember, bhfonably late.2. SMALL TALK19One way of gauging the success of a party is by the noise meter. The louder the party is, the more happe ning it is, and the more
12、 fun people are hav ing. Then you stop to won der, if it s so no isy, how can peopeae alOch other and have great, en gag ing con versati ons? The truth is: They don t. They en gage in small talk, which isano ther word for casual, trivial conv ersati ons. They chew the 彳界,shoot the breeze1 and swap a
13、n ecdotes about ran dom subjects: work, family, n ews, weather, hobbies, etc.Because the surro unding no ise and activities ofte n sidetrack people, it s difficulget pers onal or discuss any one topic at le ngth or in depth. The point is to have fun, not to get serious.However, keep in mind that sin
14、ce people tend to be in good moods and spirit whe n atte nding a social function, parties ofte n provide an excelle nt en vir onment for maki ng new frie nds and establishi ng valuable bus in ess con tacts. In fact, i n many22professi on s, importa nt bus in ess tran sact ions are in itiated at a so
15、cial eve nt. People meet, have a nice chat, excha nge in formati on, and make a good impressio n. Sometimes that s all it takes to begiriaBtonggfrie ndship or bus in ess associati on.So n ever un derestimate the power of small talk.3. FOOD FOR FUNWith the exception of dinner parties where a full mea
16、l is served, most parties offer fin ger foods-food that you pick up with your fin gers. (So don t worry, it is notimpolite to eat with your hands at parties.) Some of the classic party foods are cheese2324and crackers , crudit s (vegetables and dip), fruits, shrimp toasts, Swiss meatballs, mini sandwiches, shrimp cocktail, ole. And believe it or nol: Asian foods arc novv in
