新编实用英语综合教程2-Unit1InvitationEtiquette教案

Unit 1 Invitation Etiquette
Unit Goals
What you should learn to do
Make an oral invitation to:
Invite people to join daily activities
Invite people to formal occasions
Make a written invitation
(write an invitation card or a letter) for:
Personal invitation
Official occasions
Give a reply to:
An oral invitation
A written invitation
What you should know about
Invitation culture: western and Chinese
Word order in a subordinate clause
Requirements:
After learning this unit, students should grasp:
1. Read and understand the meaning of invitation cards and letters
2. How to write invitation cards and letters and remember the patterns of invitation cards and letters
3. How to invite people to party or dinner, and how to accept and decline invitations
4. The customs of inviting people in different countries
5. Important words, phrases and language points in the passage
In our daily life, we need to invite others to dinner or take part in all kinds of parties, so we should know about western custom about invitation.
Foreign custom is much stricter than Chinese custom in the matter of replying to invitations. When you receive an invitation you should answer is immediately, saying definitely whether you are able to accept it or not.
If the invitation is given by word of mouth, in conversation or at a chance meeting, you should answer at once whether you can come or not. If you cannot give an answer at that time, you may say “ May I let you know this evening ” or some such words. By studying this unit, we will know about how to invite the others, how to accept or decline the invitation, and how to write invitation cards/letters.
Section I Talking Face to Face
1. Imitating Mini-Talks
2. Acting out the Tasks
3. Studying Email Information on the Internet
4. Following Sample Dialogues
5. Putting Language to Use
Section II Being All Ears
1. Learning Sentences for Workplace Communication
2. Handling a Dialogue
3. Understanding a Short Speech / Talk
Section III Trying your Hand
1. Practicing Applied Writing
2. Writing Sentences and Reviewing Grammar
Section IV Maintaining a Sharp Eye
Passage 1 :
Information Related to the Reading Passage
Whether it is to a wedding, a dinner party, shower or gala event, an invitation comes with some important obligations. Here's a quick guide to keep you on the guest list.
1. R.S.V.P
From the French “ R |oondez, s il vous plait ” , it means “ Please reply” This
little code has been around for a long time and it ' s definitely telling you that your hosts want to know if you are attending. Reply promptly, within a day or two of receiving an invitation.
2. How do I respond? Reply in the manner indicated on the invitation.
R.S.V.P and no responsecard: a handwritten responseto the host at the return address on the envelope.
Response Card: fill in and reply by the date indicated and return in the enclosed envelope.
R.S.V.P with phone number: telephone and make sure to speak in person —answering machines can be unreliable.
R.S.V.P with e-mail: you may accept or decline electronically.
Regrets only: reply only if you cannot attend. If your host doesn' t hear from you, he is expecting you!
No reply requested?Unusual, but it is always polite to let someone know your intentions. A phone call would be sufficient.
3. Is that your final answer?
Changing a“yes” to a“no” is only acceptable on account of: illness or injury, a death in the family or an unavoidable professional or business conflict. Call your hosts immediately.
Canceling because you have a “better” offer is a surefire way to get dropped from ALL the guest lists.
Being a “ no show” is unacceptable.
Changing a “ no” to a “yes” is OK only if it will not upset the hosts' arrangements.
4. “May I bring , ?”
Don' t even ask! An invitation is extended to the people the hosts want to invite —and no one else.
, a date. Some invitations indicate that you may invite a guest or date (Mr. John Evans and Guest) and when you reply, you should indicate whether you are bringing someone, and convey their name.
, my children. If they were invited, the invitation would have said so.
, my houseguest. I't s best to decline the invitation, stating the reason. This gives your host the option to extend the invitation to your guests, or not.
5. Say “ Thank You.”
Make sure to thank your hosts before you leave, and then again by phone or note the next day.
Text Business Invitation
A case of mistaken identity!
Don' t worry, we' ve been assured that this mystery will be
solved in time for our
Holiday Office Party
We' re leaving the investigation to those who do it best.
Let' s get away from all those computers, papers and mess and come
to our office party in your best suit or dress.
Come join us and Toast the Season
Thursday, December 9th 2010 5:00 P.M.
The Columbia House - Pen thouse Floor 485 Jeffers on Plaza
Leonard, Barley, Travis, Bailey and Smith
Regrets only to Dianne 248-8522
It would be a crime to miss our party or not be on time
485 Jefferson Plaza
Business invitations can be informal or formal. Although invitations are usually sent through the mail, informal invitations such as e-mail and phone invitations are becoming more acceptable.
Invitation Timing
For most formal occasions, it's best to invite guests three or four weeks in advance. If you choose to invite your guests by phone, remind them again in writing two weeks before the gathering. Here are a few guidelines for your information: • Six to eight months before an important seminar to which out-of-town executives are invited.
• Four weeks before an evening reception.
• Two to four weeks before a cocktail party.
Invitation Format
Formal business invitations are most commonly printed on white or off-white high-quality paper. A
company can use any color of paper it desires, as long as it upholds and promotes the compan'y s image.
With preprinted invitations, you simply fill in the blanks to tell what, where, and when the party will be and who is giving it. It 's also acceptable to include an RSVP notation and your phone number or address on the invitation for more accurate planning.
Responding to an Invitation
Either use the address or phone number printed in the lower left corner of the invitation or return the RSVP card sent with the invitation. If a “Please reply by” a given date is included in the invitation, be polite enough to reply by that date. If the words “Regrets only” are printed in the lower left corner of the invitation, you need only to inform the host if you will not be able to attend. If your host does not hear from you, you are expected to attend.
Never ask to bring a guest unless the invitation states“Mr. Louis Winthorp and Guest.” Most likely, the host will have only enough food and drinks for the number of people he invites. Showing up with an uninvited friend could turn out to be an embarrassing situation for everyone.
Language Points
1 Explanation of Difficult Sentences
1. (Para. 1) Although invitations are usually sent through the mail, informal invitations such as e-mails and phone invitations are becoming more acceptable. Analysis: such as means“of the same kind, like” and should be followed by nouns or noun phrases.
Translation: 虽然邀请函通常通过信函方式发出，但目前像电子邮件、电话邀请等非正式邀请越来越被普
遍使用。

Example: Our discussions were all about issues such as education and climate change.
2. (Para. 4) It' s also acceptable to include an RSVP notation and your phone number or address on the invitation for more accurate planning.
Analysis: It 's also acceptable to do, means“It 's also good enough to be received to do , ”Translation: 如果为了使计划更加周密，也可以在邀请函中加上请回复的字样，以及电话号码或联系地址。

3. (Para. 5) If a“ Please reply by” a given date is included in the invitation, be polite enough to reply by that date.
Analysis: If , is a conditional clause followed by an imperative sentence Translation: 如果邀请函中包括“请于某日之前回复”的字样，则需要在规定日期前回复。

Example: If you choose to invite your guests by phone, remind them again in writing two weeks before the gathering.
Example: It' s acceptable to play tricks on your friends on April 1st.
4. (Para. 6) Never ask to bring a guest unless the invitation states “Mr. Louis Winthorp and Guest.”
Analysis: Never , unless , is “double negative”, which means“You can bring a guest if the invitation states , ”
Translation: 如若邀请函上没有说明“邀请某某先生和朋友”，不要向邀请方要求带同伴。

Example: Some people are never happy unless they are in the limelight showing off.
2 Important Words
1. in advance
before in time 提前
e.g.
Can I sign up for this course in advance?
Quality Buildings usually hire its temporary workers well in advance as the need arises.
2. seminar
n. a small class of usually advanced students meeting to study some subject with a teacher 讨论会，研讨班
e.g.
He I 'm very sorry about not setting the seminar on time.
There is a computer network seminar tomorrow afternoon.
3. uphold
v. to support, prevent from being weakened or taken away 支持，赞成
e.g.
I want to love as a kind of faith to uphold.
All staff uphold integrity-based quality first principle.
4. image
n. the opinion people have of a person, organization, product etc. 形象e.g.
The hotel industry is working hard on improving its image.
The party has to project the right image.
5. given
a. fixed for a purpose and stated as sue 给定的，特定的
e.g.
The work must be done within the given time.
At any given time, the status of technical progress is relatively inflexible.
6. likely
ad. probably 可能
e.g.
I'd very likely have done the same thing in your situation.
As likely as not (very probably), the meeting will take place in the village pub. Passage 2 : Information Related to the Reading Passage
This is an informal invitation letter between friends. The tone of this letter is casual. The language is not so formal. This kind of informal invitation letter is often written in the first person. For example, “ in the hope that it will be possible for you both to spend a few days with us during your stay in England”. “and it would be nice if you could come then, too. ” But a formal invitation card is usually written in the third person.
Text
An Invitation Letter
My dear Michael,
It seems ages since we heard from you —and even longer since you went to work in China. But recently we happened to bump into Charlie Wright at a party, and from him we learnt that you
and Lucia will be coming to England over the Christmas holidays. So I am writing straightaway —to make sure this reaches you well before you leave Shanghai —in the hope that it will be possible for you both to spend a few days with us during your stay in England.
I am still teaching English Literature in a university and I am getting well along with my colleagues. I also have some Chinese studentshere, who are very friendly and intelligent.
I imagine you will be spending Christmas with your parents, but surely you will have some time after that before your Christmas holidays end. We shall be having two other friends of ours staying with us over the New Year weekend, and it would be nice if you could come then, too. Mike and Rosa Griffiths are old friends and a very nice couple; I'm sure you will like them. They used to live in China, too, so we shall have something in common. And if we get some decent weather, we might all go off one day and visit the Carters —I'm sure we can get Uncle Arthur to lend us his minibus.
There's not a great deal to report from our end. Mary is well and still enjoying her school teaching (at least, I think so); the children are growing up at a terrifying rate; I am still working for Sanderson' s and like it well enough —though occasionally pining for the footloose days of long ago. But let' s hope you will soon be here to see for yourselves—and help us see the New Year
in!
I'd better stop here now; I'm supposed to be spending this evening writing Christmas cards. Write or phone as soon as you ca—n and come!
Love from us all!
Language Points
1 Explanation of Difficult Sentences
1. (Para. 1) It seems ages since we heard from you.
Analysis: It seems ages since ... means“It seems a long time since ..”.
Translation: 似乎很长时间没有收到你的信了。

Example: It seems ages since I saw you in Shanghai.
2. (Para. 1) So I am writing straightaway —to make sure this reachesyou well before you leave
Shanghai —in the hope that it will be possible for you both to spend a few days with us during your stay in England.
Analysis: To make sure ... is an adverbial of purpose, and in the hope, a prepositional phrase is used also as an adverbial of purpose.
Translation: 所以我马上写信，好让你在离开上海之前肯定收到这封信——希望你们俩能在英格兰逗留期间和我们一起住几天。

3. (Para. 3) I imagine you will be spending Christmas with your parents, but surely you will have some time after that before your Christmas holidays end.
Analysis: Surely is used to express that someone is certain or almost certain about something. Translation: 我猜想你将在你的父母家过圣诞节, 但肯定在你的圣诞节假日结束之前还会有一些时间。

Example: These children surely deserve something better than a life on the streets.
Example: I am sending this card to you today —to make sure you receive it before the Christmas Day.
4. (Para. 4) I am still working for Sanderson's and liking it well enough —though occasionally pining for the footloose days of long ago.
Analysis: Sanderson' s here refers to a company implying Sanderso'n s company; though is introducing a participle clause pining for ... and serving as the adverbial of concession. Translation: 我还在桑德森公司工作，而且工作很称心——虽然偶尔我也渴望从前自由自在的日子。

Example: They are working happily with Kent' s, though sometimes pining for the footloose school days.
2 Important Words
1. bump into
to meet somebody by cha ncef 禺然碰至U, 偶然遇至U
e.g.
We bumped into Kate when we were in London last week.
She bumped into his tray, knocking the food onto his lap.
2. straightaway
ad. do without delay, especially it has to be done urge ntly马上，立刻
e.g.
I'll come around straightaway with the files.
We'd better start work straightaway.
3. colleague
n. someone that you work with 同事
e.g.
I'd like you to meet a colleague of mine, Jean Michael.
He was never particularly popular with his colleagues.
4. decent
a. of a good eno ugh quality or sta ndard得体的，像样的，体面的
e.g.
I want to provide my boys with a decent education.
There isn't one decent restaurant around.
5. terrify
v. to frighte n some one severely 威胁，恐吓，惊吓
e.g.
We terrified the girls with spooky stories.
He terrified her by jumping out at her from a dark alley.
6. pine for
v. to strongly desire (especially something which is difficult or impossible to obtain) 渴望e.g.
It's at this time of year that I start to pine for the snow-topped mountains. As a young girl, I always used to pine for a more glamorous existence.。