The other day, my friend Jane was invited to a 40th birthday party. The time printed on the invitation was 7:30 p. m. Jane went off with her husband David, expecting a merry evening of wine, food, and songs.
By 9:45, everybody was having great fun, but no food had appeared. Jane and David were restless. Other guests began whispering that they, too, were hungry. But no one wanted to leave, just in case some food was about to appear. By 11:00, there was still no food, and everyone was completely off their heads. Jane and David left, hungry and angry.
Their experience suggests that the words on the printed invitations need to be made clearer. Everyone reads and understands the invitations differently. Most of us would agree that 6:30-8:30 p. m. means drinks only, that after 8:00 p. m. or 8:30 p. m. means possible dinner, and that 9:30 p. m. and any time thereafter means no food — eat beforehand and roll up late.
But this is not always the case. If asked to a students' party at 6:30 p. m., it is normal for guests not to appear before midnight, if at all, and no one cares. Being the first to arrive — looking eager — is social death. When my mother is asked to a party at 6:30, she likes to be there, if not on time, then no later than seven. My age group (late thirties) falls somewhere between the two, but because we still think we're young, we're probably closer to student-time than grown-up time.
The accepted custom at present is confusing, sometimes annoying, and it often means you may go home hungry, but it does lend every party that precious element (要素) of surprise.
【小题1】The underlined words "off their heads" probably mean " ".| A．tired | B．crazy | C．curious | D．hot |
| A．party invitations can be confusing |
| B．party-goers usually get hungry at parties |
| C．people should ask for food at parties |
| D．birthday parties for middle-aged people are dull |
| A．very difficult |
| B．particularly thoughtful |
| C．friendly and polite |
| D．socially unacceptable |
| A．It's safe to arrive late just when food is served. |
| B．It's wise to eat something before going to a party. |
| C．It's important to follow social rules of party-going. |
| D．It's necessary to read invitations carefully. |
