英语专业四级听写训练53：美国的餐桌礼仪

Dining Custom in the USA

Americans, like many people elsewhere in the world, like to invite friends to their homes for an evening of food,drink and conversation. Formal dinners in fine homes and hotels in the US are much the same as formal dinners anywhere in the world.
But as most people in the US have no servants,their dinner parties at home tend to be informal. Guests may sit down at a table,or as many new small homes have no separate dining room or very small dining space.
Guests can also serve themselves and eat in the living room, holding their plates or trays on their knees. A more enjoyable form of entertainment is the picnic.Americans are great picnickers and almost every family has a picnic basket. 
Summer invitations are often for a picnic at a park or in the open countryside, and less hamburgers or hot dogs are cooked over a fire. Picnic food is usually cold.