托福阅读背景知识之给小费的文化

　　It's every traveler's nightmare. The porter brings your bags to yourroomand helpfully explains how to access cnn. He shows you how to turn on thelightsand adjust the air-conditioner. Then he points to the phone and says:"If there'sanything else you need, just call." All this time, you'vebeen thinking onething: "How much should I tip this guy?" Out ofdesperation you shove a fewbanknotes into his hand, hoping that you're neithergiven too much or toolittle.

　　对于每一位旅行者来说，这都像是一场噩梦。行李员把你的行李搬到房间，向你解释如何收看cnn，告诉你怎么开灯，怎么把空调调好。然后他指着电话说：“如果你还需要什么，请打电话。”而你却一直在反复思考着一件事：“我到底该给这家伙多少小费?”最终，你近乎绝望地把几张钞票塞进他手里，心中暗暗希望你给的小费不多也不少。

　　It's difficult to divine what constitutes an appropriate tip in anycountry.In Japan, if you leave a couple of coins on the table, the waiter maychase afteryou to return your forgotten change. In New York, on the otherhand, if you leaveless than 15%, your reservation might not hold up next time.Asia, with itsmultiplicity of cultures and customs, is a particularlydifficult terrain. Tomake your next trip a little easier, here's a guide totipping across theregion:

　　知道在每一个国家该给多少小费并不容易。在日本，如果你在桌上留下几个硬币，侍应生会追着还给你留下的零钱。在纽约则恰恰相反。如果你给的小费少于消费额的15%，那么下次你预定的桌子可能就会被人占去。由于亚洲各国文化和风俗习惯差异较大，因此在这里给小费格外困难。为了让你下次旅行较为顺利，我们向你提供一些在这一地区给小费的窍门。

　　Bangkok In general, the more Westernized the place is, the morelikelyyou'll be expected to leave a gratuity. Some top-end restaurants willadd a 10%service charge to the bill. If not, waiters will appreciate youtacking on the10% yourself. However, if you're eating at a downscalerestaurant a tip is notnecessary. If you're staying at one of Bangkok's manyfive-star establishments,expect to tip the porter 20 to 50 baht, depending onhow many bags you have.Taxis are now metered in Bangkok. Local custom is toround the fare up to thenearest five baht.

　　曼谷总的说来，一个地方西化的程度越高，你就越有可能需要给小费。有些高级的饭店会在帐单里加收10%的服务费。如果没有的话，侍者会感激你自己附上那10%。不过，如果你在一家低档次的餐馆就餐，就没有必要给小费。如果你住在曼谷的某家五星级饭店，就请准备付给搬运工20到50铢，具体的数目得依你的行李多少而定。如今曼谷的出租车都打表计程，当地的惯例是把车费凑整到最近的五铢的倍数。

　　Hong Kong Gratuity is customary in this money-mad metropolis.Mostrestaurants automatically add a 10% service charge to the bill, butthesurcharge often ends up in the pocket of the owner. If the service is good,addanother 10% to the bill, up to HK$100 in an especially nice restaurant.ForHK$10 hotel porters should do it at all but the nicest hotels where a newHK$20bill may be more acceptable. When in a taxi, round up to the nearestdollar.

　　香港在这个金钱至上的大都市里，给小费是司空见惯的。大多餐馆自动在帐单里加了10%的服务费，但这笔额外的收入最后却常常落到雇主手里。如果服务质量好的话，在帐单里再加上10%，而在一个极好的饭馆里，小费可以多达100港币。对于旅馆的搬运工来说，港币10元的小费已足够，不过在最好的一些饭店，20港币可能更受欢迎。坐出租车的话，凑够最近的整数给钱。

　　Jakarta Tipping is not part of local culture, but internationalinfluenceshave turned some Westernized palms upward in search of a few extrarupiah. A 10%service charge is added at most high-end restaurants. Atmoderately pricedrestaurants, 5,000 rupiah should do it. If the service issuperb, tack on anextra 1,000 or so. At hotels, porters ask for a few hundredrupiah for each bag.While most taxi drivers will automatically round up to thenext 500 rupiah.

　　雅加达给小费原本不是当地文化的一部分，但是国际性的影响使得一些西化的人们盼望多得一些钱。大多数高级饭店里已附加10%的服务费。在价格中等的饭店，给5,000卢比的小费就已足够——如果服务极好，也可以再多给大约l,000卢比。在旅馆，要让搬运工搬一件行李就得给几百卢比。大多数出租车司机会自动把收费加到最近的500卢比的整数。

　　Kuala Lumpur Like Indonesia, tipping in Malaysia is confined to thepricierWesternized joints, which often add a 10% service charge to your mealor hotelroom. If you are at a hotel restaurant, expect a 10% service charge.But at localrestaurants, there's no need to add a gratuity. At five-starhotels, one or tworinggit will suffice a porter. At lower-end establishments,don't feel compelledto tip. Like Bangkok, many taxis are now metered, so youcan just round up to thenearest ringgit.

　　吉隆坡像在印度尼西亚—样，在马来西亚给小费也仅限于那些价格较高的西式场所。在那里，一般在就餐或旅馆房间的费用之外附加10%的服务费。如果你在饭店的餐厅就餐，也得准备给10%的服务费。但在当地的饭馆里，却没有必要附加小费。在五星级饭店，给搬运工一两个林吉特就足够了。在低档次的饭店，不一定非给小费不可。像曼谷一样，许多出租车都计程，所以只要凑足最近的整数就行。

　　Manila Tipping is common in Manila, and anything above 10% will gainyouundying loyalty. At restaurants, even if a service charge is included,customdictates adding another 5%-10% to the bill. Hotel porters should berewarded with20 pesos per bag. Most taxicabs are metered, and rounding up tothe next fivepesos is a good rule of thumb.

　　马尼拉在马尼拉给小费是很平常的事。只要付10%以上的服务费就能换宋忠心耿耿的服务。在餐馆里，即使就餐费用里已经包括服务费，按一般惯例，还得在帐单里再加上5%到10%。旅馆的搬运工每搬一件行李要给20个比索。大多数的出租车是打表计程的，把车费凑整到最近的五比索准保没错。

　　Seoul Tipping is not part of Korean culture, although it has becomea matterof course in international hotels where a 10% service charge is oftenadded. Ifyou are at a Korean barbecue joint, there's no need to add anythingextra. But asleek Italian restaurant may require a 10% contribution. If youare at a top-endhotel, international standards apply, so expect to pay500-1,000 won per bag.Taxi drivers don't expect a tip. Keep the change foryourself.

　　汉城给小费不是韩国文化的一部分，尽管在国际饭店里收取10%的服务费似乎是理所当然的一件事。如果你去一个吃韩国烧烤的地方，那么没有必要付额外的费用。但是在一个雅致的意大利餐馆就餐，可能就要多付10%的小费。如果你下榻的是最高级饭店，就要按国际规范行事。所以搬一件行李的小费大概是500到1,000韩元。不用给出租车司机小费，找的零钱你自己留着好了。

　　Singapore According to government mandate in the Lion City, tippingis notpermitted. It's basically outlawed at Changi Airport and officialsencouragetourists not to add to the 10% service charge that many high-endhotels tack onto the bill. At restaurants, Singaporeans tend not to leavetips. Nicerrestaurants do sometimes levy a 10% service charge. Hotel staff isthe oneexception to the no-tipping rule. As a general guide, SSI should beadequate forbaggage-lugging service. Taxi drivers don't expect gratuity, butthey won'trefuse it.

　　新加坡根据狮城政府的规定，给小费是不允许的。在樟宜国际机场，这种行为基本上是违法的。官员们鼓励游客拒绝支付一些高级饭店附加在帐单上的10%的服务费。在饭馆就餐时，新加坡人一般都不留小费。一些好的饭馆有时也以征税的形式收取10%的服务费。饭店员工是不收小费原则的唯一例外。一般的准则是，如有人帮你搬运行李，给一新元就够了。出租车司机是不指望拿小费的，但你要给他们，他们也不会拒绝。

　　Taipei Like Japan and China, Taiwan is not a tipping society-eventhoughmuch of the currency seems to come in coin form. Tipping is not expectedinrestaurants. However, that rule is changing as American-style eateriesintroduceWestern ways. Hotel staff won't be overly offended if you don't tip.Gratuity isnot expected in taxicabs.

　　台北就像日本和中国大陆一样，台湾不是一个给小费的社会——尽管大量货币是以硬币的形式出现。饭馆里不用给小费。不过，随着一些美式餐馆引进西方做法，这一原则也在改变。饭店的员工如果没有得到你的小费的话，也不会觉得大受冒犯。坐出租车也不需要给小费。

　　同一件事在不同的背景文化下人们的反应也会有所不同，所以想要求学或定居海外的考生一定要了解这种常识，否则容易产生误解甚至纠纷。最后，预祝大家取得满意的托福阅读成绩。