陈豪在ABC美国公司工作了几个月。今天他要第一次去参加财务委员会的定期会议。在走廊上，他见到公司的美籍华人Mary。

(Office ambience)

M：Good morning, 陈豪。嘿，你一手拿著咖啡，一手拿著面包上哪儿去呀？

C：我去参加财务委员会的定期会议。这是我第一次参加。早上没时间吃早饭，所以把早饭带去。

M：等等。这个会议是由负责财务的副总裁召开的，Do you know the protocol of the meeting?

C：Protocol? 你是说P-R-O-T-O-C-O-L, 那外交部礼宾司那个词里边有这个字。

M：没错，但是我这里说的是公司内部大家都遵循的一些做法。Protocol refers to the unspoken rules you follow to show courtesy and respect to other people.

C：嗯...unspoken rules you follow！这跟我的咖啡有什么关系呀？

M：你要知道有的老板每次开会都备有咖啡和点心。It won't be polite to bring your own.

C：That's true. 不过今天的会议是Mr. Smith召开的，你知道有没有咖啡点心呀？

M：不知道。要是你不知道，会议通知也没提， you'd better leave your breakfast behind。

C：看来只好饿肚子了。好，我走了。

M：陈豪，会开完啦？I'm going out lunch, want to join me？

C：不行，我开会时吃了好多点心，水果，午饭吃不下了。Besides, Mary, something made me very embarrassed today.

M：什么事呀？

C：我在吃得高兴的时候，他们要我让座位。

M：Oh, I'm sorry, I forgot to warn you. 这种比较高层的会议，定期参加会议的人一般都有固定的座位。你第一次去，进了会议室最好先问一下。Ask where to sit before you take a chair.

C：可是我不知道嘛！一进会场看见有吃的我就很高兴。拿了咖啡，点心就近找个位置上就坐下了。谁知道那是Mr. Smith的助手Laura的位置。

M：Laura asked you to change the seat?

C：No, no! Laura当时还没到。可是，后来会计室新来的Sarah一进会议室就往那位置上坐。

M：She has to change her seat too, right?

C：Of course. 她很难堪。

M：没关系，你和Sarah下回就知道了。So remember: Protocol refers to the unspoken rules you follow to show courtesy and respect to other people. Any time you don't know the protocol for a meeting, it's best to ask, just to make sure if it's OK to bring you own coffee and which seat is appropriate for you.