As the American people's concept of being polite is different from that held here, I'd like to discuss with you the use of "please", "excuse me" and "thank you". I have noticed that the Chinese people use "please" as often as we do on most occasions. But on some occasions they don’t use this word. For instance, Chinese teachers rarely say "please sit down" when their students have answered their questions and the traffic police here are also not accustomed to using "please" when they are on duty.

美國人對禮貌的概念與中國也有所不同。在這里，我想和你們一起討論一下"請（please）"、"對不起（excuse me）"和"謝謝（thank you）"的用法。我注意到，在大多數場合，中國人和我們一樣常常用"請"這個詞，但在某些場合你們又不用。比如，中國教師在他們的學生回答問題后很少說"請坐"，中國的交通警在他們值勤時也不太習慣用"請"這個詞。

　We say "please pass me the salt" instead of stretching out our arms to reach for it. So don’t forget to say "please" whenever the situation requires it if you are in the United States.

在餐桌上，美國人說"請把鹽遞給我"，而不是自己伸手去拿。假如你們去美國，那么，當情況需要時可別忘了說"請"。

　I believe we say "excuse me" more often and on more occasions than the Chinese people. We say "Excuse me" when we need to pass in front of someone, to leave a party or the dinner table or when we want to excuse ourselves from company or find ourselves late for an appointment and so on.

我相信，美國人說"對不起"的時候要比中國人多得多或更為普遍。當我們要經過某人的面前、要離開宴會或餐桌，或者是當我們要離開同伴（或約會遲到等等）時，我們都要說聲"對不起"。

　"Thank you" means that you appreciate what someone has done for you, very often very small and most ordinary things. So we in the West thank people all day long.

　　　"謝謝你"意味著你在某人為你做了什么事后表示謝意，那通常是一件無足輕重和極其普通的事情。所以，西方人真是從早到晚謝不離口。