Accepting an Invitation 接受邀请

You must have had the experience of giving and receiving invitations. Do you remember the last invitation from a friend? How did you settle the visit with your friend?

一般说来，你确定接受某个邀请之后，需要跟邀请人确认date，time和place三项，并且表达你的pleasure or gratitude。

在上面的flash对话中，Liu接受了去Chris家里做客的邀请。下面展示了Liu和Chris之间两个版本的对话。比较一下这两个对话有何不同。

版本一：

CHRIS: Hi, Liu! How's it going?

LIU: Fine, thanks. You?

CHRIS: Can't complain. Listen Liu, I wonder if you would like to come round and have a meal sometime?

LIU: Yeah, thanks a lot, that would be great!

CHRIS: What about Saturday evening?

LIU: Sure, Saturday evening would be fine. What time?

CHRIS: Let's make it around six. That okay?

LIU: Great!

CHRIS: You know where I live, don't you?

LIU: Yeah. No problem. Thanks very much. I really look forward to that.

版本二：

Chris: Hi, Liu! How are you?

Liu: Fine, thanks. You?

Chris: Not bad. Listen Liu, I wonder if you would like to come to my home and have a meal sometime?

Liu: Yeah, thanks a lot, that would be great!

Chris: Would Saturday evening be fine for you?

Liu: Sure, Saturday evening would be fine. What time shall we meet then?

Chris: Let's meet at about six o'clock. Is that okay?

Liu: Great!

Chris: You know where I live, don't you?

Liu: Yeah. No problem. Thanks very much. I really look forward to that.

看出不同了吗?版本一适用于相熟的朋友之间，而版本二则适用于正式场合。

除此之外，我们还应该了解西方做客的一个小礼仪：如果你和主人约好一个时间见面，那么你最好准时或者推迟5-7分钟到达。It is polite in the West to arrive at the time specified or within five or seven minutes after that time. 不要提前到达哦。主人们正在抓紧最后的时间准备一切，所以给他们多一些准备时间吧。

由此可见，上面对话中when Chris says "Let's make it around six", he actually means "not before six"。

邀请典型例句：

I wonder if you would like to come around and have a meal sometime? 不知可否请您来家里吃顿便饭?

What about Saturday evening? 星期六怎么样?

Let's make it around six. 咱们约在六点左右吧。