阅读理解

WhenfamiliesgatherforChristmasdinnersomewillsticktoformaltraditionsdatingbacktograndma’sgeneration．TheirtableswillbesetwiththegooddishesandsilverandthedresscodewillbeSundaybest．

Butinmanyotherhomesthischinaandsilverelegancehasgivenwaytoastoneware(粗陶器)andstainlesssteelinformalitywithdressesassuminganequallycasualFridaylook．Forhostsandgueststhechangemeansgreatersimplicityandcomfort．FormakersoffinechinainBritainitspellseconomichardtimes．

LastweekRoyalDoultonthelargestemployerinStokeonTrent，announcedthatitiseliminating1000jobsonefifthofitstotalworkforce．Thatbringstomorethan4000thenumberofpositionslostin18monthsinthepottery(陶器)region．Wedgwoodandotherpotteryfactoriesmadecutsearlier．

AlthoughastrongpoundandweakmarketsinAsiaplayaroleinthedownsizingthelayoffsinStokinghavetheirrootsinearthshakingsocialshifts．AspokesmanforRoyalDoultonadmittedthatthecompany“hasbeensomewhatslowincatchingupwiththetrend”towardcasualdining．Familieseattogetherlessoftenheexplainedandmorepeopleeataloneeitherbecausetheyaresingleortheyeatinfrontoftelevision．

Evendinnerpartiesiftheyhappenatallhavegonecasual．Inatimeoflongworkhoursanddemandingfamilyschedulesbusyhostsinsistrightlythatit’sbettertoshareatakeoutpizzaonpaperplatesinthefamilyroomthantowaitfortheperfectmomentora“real”dinnerparty．Toooftentheperfectmomentnevercomes．Ironafinepatternedtablecloth?Forgetit．Polishthesilver?Whohastime?

Yetthelossofformalityhasitsdownside．Thefinepointsofetiquette(礼节)thatchildrenmightoncehavelearnedatthetablebyobservationorinstructionfromparentsandgrandparents(“Chewwithyourmouthclosed．”“Keepyourelbowsoffthetable．”)mustbepickedupelsewhere．Somecompaniesnowofferetiquetteseminarsforemployeeswhomaybeableprofessionallybutinexperiencedsocially．