1. 当你初次遇见一个人的时候，不要问很多问题，更不要问那些有关隐私的问题。如果你实在想要了解这个人，你可以请他介绍一些自己。绝对不要像审问人似地，问他“你叫什么名字？”“你从哪里来？”这一类的问题。也不要问“你的工资是多少？”在中国人之间常问这些问题，但是对美国人就有点不礼貌了。

2. 当你初次遇见一个人的时候，在客套话以后，以自我介绍为聊天的开始可能比较好。

3. 美式英语与英式英语有很多不同的地方。在英式英语里，WC 和 Toilet 都表示厕所。但是美国人不这么讲。在美式英文里，Toilet的意思是“马桶”；如果你问他人，“哪里有马桶？”不是很别扭？美国人对家里的厕所是用bathroom来表示，对外面的厕所则称为Restroom. 而女士们常常躲在Restroom里补妆。

4. 在美国很少有公共厕所。但是你可以使用快餐店里的、酒店里的、办公大楼里的、百货店里的厕所。

5. 当你在餐厅里用完餐的时候，你是要付小费的。小费一般是你用餐账单的20%，当然是用根据服务周到与否来增减这个百分率。用餐账单是包括菜、饮料和税的总值。

在快餐店里，你是不需要付小费的。但是在自助餐餐厅里，你还是要付小费的。

6．商店里货物的标价是不包括政府所要收的税。当你付钱的时候，不要奇怪怎么多收钱了，因为要加税。税率在不同的城市都可能是不同的，但是收据都清楚地写明的。商店里都是使用收银机，一般都不会算错。

7. 当你到一家店里去的时候，服务员在问候你以后，会问你有什么需要帮助的吗？这个时候，你可以请他告诉你，你想要买的产品在哪里等等。如果你只是到店里去逛逛，你可以回答，“不需要，谢谢”。不回答是不礼貌的。

8. 当你走过一道门的时候，男士应当为女士开门，等女士走过了，才自己过这道门。（男孩子也应该照样为女孩子开门的。）

如果你看到在你后面也有人要过这道门，你也应该为这个人开着门。当然，如果那个人离你太远，比如超过3公尺，那就不必了。这个规则也适合于上下电梯。总不要抢先进出。

当有人为你开门的时候，你要报以“谢谢”。

9. 如果你发觉有人看着你，你需要立刻报以微笑。

10. “谢谢”是一句非常有用的话。你几乎每时每刻都会用到它。你要谢每一个为你服务的人，包括商店的营业员、餐厅的服务员、等等。

11. “请”也是一个非常有用的词。对人说话的时候都带上“请”，就使对方有好的感觉。

12. 当他人让你选择的某件东西的时候，你要以“是的，请”或者“不是，谢谢”来回答。

13. 当你打喷嚏的时候，你要说，“对不起”。当你听到他人在打喷嚏之后说了“对不起”，你就要回答，“祝福你”。 然后，那个打喷嚏的人要回答，“谢谢”。这是在美国的习惯。

14. 当你用嘴嚼食物的时候，要闭上你的嘴。嘴里有东西的时候，不要讲话。

15. 当你在银行里存入一笔款项以后，银行有可能为你提供一张信用卡。虽然信用卡的背面要你签名，但是你不要签。在签名的地方写上“请查看有照片的证件”。如果这样做的话，就不容易让他人使用你的信用卡了。

16. 对黑人的正式称呼是“非洲美国人”。在相互熟悉之后，称他“黑人”也未尝不可。但是绝对不能使用“Negro”这个字，因为这个字有种族歧视的意思。

17. 为了防止毒品，在学校里不要接受同学给你的任何药品，除非你有绝对的把握，那药真是你真是你所要的。

1. When you meet a person, do not ask too many questions. Please avoid personal questions. If you really want to know that person, you may say, “Would you please introduce yourself?” Never talk with anyone as if you are questioning that person.

2. When you meet a person, after greetings, introduce yourself first, that should be a good starting point.

3. American English is different than British English in a number of cases. In British English you may ask, “Could you please tell me where WC/toilet is?” In USA, we say, “Could please you tell me where the restroom is?” Never ask for a toilet. At home, we call it bathroom instead of restroom. Only in a public place, we call it restroom.

4. In USA, it is rarely to find any public restroom. But when you need to use a restroom, you may use a restroom in any fast food restaurant, hotel, office building, and department store.

5. At restaurant, when you finish your meal, you need to pay tips or gratuity. Normally it is about 20% of your total bill (meal, drink, and tax) subject to the service. You do not need to pay tips at any fast food restaurant. You need to pay tips at every buffet restaurant.

6. Sales tax is not included in price tag. You will pay a little bit more than the listing price since sales tax shall be added when you buy. Sales tax rate varies from city to city. All the cashers use cash registers therefore it is rare to find any mistake.

7. When you go to any store, sales person will greet you and ask you, “May I help you?” At that time you may ask anything about the product that you want to buy. Or you may say, “No, thanks”, if you just go for a window shopping.

8. When you go through a door, gentlemen should hold the door and let ladies go first. (Boys need to do the same thing to girls too.) If you see a person behind you, in less than 15 feet, you also need to hold the door for that person. Gentlemen need to do that even when you get in or go out an elevator. Never rush in or rush out. When a person holds a door for you, you need to say “Thank you” to that person.

9. If you find someone is looking at you, smile immediately.

10. “Thank you” is a very useful sentence and you need it almost all the time. You need to thank everyone who served you, including sales person, waiter and waitress, and so on.

11. “Please” is another important word that you may use all the time.

12. When someone gave you a choice, you need to answer either “Yes, please” or “No, thank you.”

13. When you sneeze, you need to say, “Excuse me.” When you heard someone did that, you need to say, “Bless you” to that person. Then the person who sneezed needs to answer, “Thank you.”

14. When you chew, be sure to close your mouth. Do not talk when you have food in your mouth.

15. When you deposit some amount money in a bank. The bank may offer you a credit card. Although on the back of the credit card it requires you to sign your name, do NOT sign your name there but put “See Photo ID” instead. By doing so, it will prevent anyone else to use your credit card.

16. The formal way to call a black person is “African-American”. Remember never call them “negro”, since this is a racist word.

17. Do not accept any tablet or pill from others at school unless you are 100% sure it is what you were told.