Ups and Downs of Elevator Etiquette
起伏的电梯礼仪

陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他走出电梯，刚好遇到美国同事Amy。

(Office ambience)

A: Hi Chen Hao, you look upset. What's wrong?

C: 电梯太挤了，我差点就没下来。

A: Why couldn't you get off?

C: 我从一楼大厅上电梯的时候是第一个，所以就站到了最里面，到了三楼后，很多人挤进来，就把我堵在了里面。

A: Sometimes people on elevators can be quite rude and treat others with sheer indifference. They don't seem to realize that the rules of manners apply to elevators as well.

C: 坐电梯都有些什么规矩呢？

A: To start with, if you had waited to get on the elevator, you would have been near the front and not had to push your way through the crowd to exit.

C: 我是怕人多，挤不上去，所以上电梯的时候总是抢在最前头。

A: There's always another elevator.

C: 你说的对，我只上两层，以后不用第一个就挤进去。

A: When you got on, you should have stepped to the side near the door so you would be out of the way of others trying to follow.

C: 但是如果是到顶楼设计部去，就应该站到最里面了吧？

A: You reminded me. I am planning to see the new media exhibit on the 20th floor this afternoon. Would you like to go with me?

C: 我也正打算去呢。那咱们下午见。

Amy和陈豪下午一起坐电梯上楼去看展览。

C: 挤死我了，有些人坐电梯真是不讲礼貌。

A: At the least the man at the front of the elevator who was not getting off until the top floor was polite.

C: 我也注意到了。他每到一层都会走出去，帮下电梯的人拦着门。

A: Another polite move when you are standing by the elevator panel is to figure out which buttons hold the doors open and which ones close them.

C: 对啊，有一次我赶到电梯门口时，门几乎已经关上了，里面的人看到我，马上按了Open的键，才让我开会没迟到。

A: As an added courtesy, offer to push the appropriate floor for the people who can't reach the buttons.

C: 其实这些都是最基本的礼节嘛。

A: One last thing...when the elevator arrives and the door opens, stand back. Give people room to exit. Besides if you don't, you could get run over.

C: Amy, 说了这么多，能总结一下坐电梯的规矩吗？

A: Elevator etiquette is simple. Be considerate. If you will be exiting soon, stand near the door. If you will be one of the last to get off, stand near the back.

C: 总而言之，坐电梯也要讲礼貌，让大家都感到方便。