Unit 8 礼仪.docVIP

Unit 8 礼仪 Background Knowledge 1. Manners In sociology, manners are the unenforced standards of conduct which show the actor to be cultured, polite, and refined. They are like laws in that they codify or set a standard for human behavior, but they are unlike laws in that there is no formal system for punishing transgressions. They are a kind of norm. What is considered “mannerly” is highly susceptible to change with time, geographical location, social stratum, occasion, and other factors. That manners matter is evidenced by the fact that large books have been written on the subject, advice columns frequently deal with questions of mannerly behavior, and that schools have existed for the sole purpose of teaching manners. A lady is a term frequently used for a woman who follows proper manners; the term gentleman is used as a male counterpart; though these terms are also often used for members of a particular social class. They are also used a polite form of greeting for persons in general, especially in the common greeting towards a group or audience, ?Ladies and gentlemen!”. 2. Purpose of manners Manners ease the stress of communal living, and mannerly behavior recognizes the right of others to share communal space. Many of our daily expressions of politeness reflect this function. Saying excuse me, for example, shows that you recognize that you have invaded another’s space, and regret the necessity of doing so. It is a basic tenet in law that it is wrongful to cause damages to another. Since there cannot be a law for every slight, daily causing of damage to another, manners serve to at least acknowledge, if not make recompense, for the damage. Needless to say, the teaching of good manners should start early in life and show the value of respect and consideration for all parties. Reading Skill Focus Practice 1 Topic The variety of entertainment in Time Square Topic sentence Time Square is unquestionably the center of entertainment in New York City. Supporting deta