（Mr Black is a long-staying guest of the Wuxi International Hotel. The hotel organizes a birthday party for him.）
C： Happy birthday， Mr Black.
G： Thank you.
C： Is everybody present？
G： Yes， everybody is here.
C： Shall the party begin？
G： Yes， please.
C： May I have your attention please？ Today we're gathered here to celebrate the 56th birthday of Mr John Black. Entrusted by Mr Guo， the General Manager of the hotel， and on behalf of the hotel， I'd like to extend our best wishes to Mr Black for a happy birthday and many happy returns of the day. We greatly appreciate Mr Black's frequent patronage and his constructive suggestions on the improvement of hotel management. I'd like to take this opportunity to wish a promising future for Mr Black and all the present here. Once again， happy birthday to Mr Black.
G： Thank you， Mr Xu， You've made a splendid speech.
C： Here's the birthday present from Mr Guo， our General Manager.
G： Please give my heart-felt thanks to Mr Guo. Oh， a nice clay figurine. I like it very much.
C： Thank you. This clay figurine is called “Ahfu”。 It is the symbol for good luck and happiness. The hotel and its 780 staff members wish you luck and happy.
G： Many thanks.
C： Shall we start the dinner？
G： Yes， now everybody， please be seated. （Here plays the song of “Happy Birthday” and all the attendants chant with the music， the birthday cake is served， with the candles lit.）
C： Mr Black， it's time for you to blow off the candles. （Mr Black blew off all the candles at one stretch and cut the cake.）
G： Please share the cake and share my happiness.
C： Thank you.
G： This is the happiest occasion I have had in my life. I'm much obliged to you and the hotel. I'll be coming more often.
C： Thank you.
Words and Expressions
celebrate
v. 庆祝
entrust
v. 委托
behalf
n. 方面
on behalf of……
代表……
extend
v. 致以，给予
appreciate
v. 赞赏，欣赏
frequent
a. 经常的
patronage
n. 光临、惠顾
constructive
a. 建设性的
promising
a. 有希望的；美好的；（前程）无量的
attendant
n. 参加者，与会者
chant
v. 歌唱
splendid
a. 极好的，美妙的
clay
n. 泥土
figurine
n. 小雕像，小塑像
clay figurine
泥人
occasion
n. 场合
to be obliged to sb.
对某人感激
to blow off
吹灭
at one stretch
一下子，一口气
Exercises
Put the following into English：
1. 各位请注意！会议马上就要开始。
2. 我们在这里聚会庆祝中华人民共和国成立40周年（anniversary）。
3. 我谨代表管理层（ management）对你们的光临致以衷心的感谢。
4. 值此机会祝大家节日（festival）快乐。
5. 他不休息地连续工作四小时（at one stretch）。
6. 我们对你的帮助表示感谢（be obliged to）。
7. 鸽子是和平的象征。
8. 我们对布朗先生的光临和对饭店管理层提出的建设性建议表示感谢。
9. 值此机会我谨祝在座各位前程美好。
10. 他喜欢开着灯睡觉。
Put the following into Chinese：
When the guests enter the Banquet Hall， the waiters and waitresses shall meet them politely with a nice smile and with such a greeting as “good afternoon ”or“ good evening” according to the time of the day. Then， waiters/waitresses should serve tea to the guests on the tea table， and fill the glasses with white or red wines 10 to 15 minutes before the banquet starts.
As soon as the guests get seated， the waiters and waitresses shall take the napkin and open the sealed chopsticks for them， hence actually starts the service.
In a Chinese Banquet， dishes are served in the following sequence： cold and hot dishes， main courses， desserts and fruits.
Reading Material
The Longevity Noodle
In Chinese diners' eye， noodles symbolize longevity. It has become a normal practice for the whole family to get together to enjoy longevity noodles on a family member's birthday. By eating noodle， people express their wishes for a long life. Longevity noodle is usually served in soup as the last course of the birthday menu. In some parts of China， people would add spinach and shredded beancurd sheets to the longevity noodle so as to add harmony and longevity.
You might be curious about why only spinach and shredded beancurd sheets， not anything else， are put in the noodle soup. The reason is simple. Spinach pronounced as “BoCai” in Chinese. “Bo” is similar to “Bu” in Chinese pronunciation which means “tonic”。 And Shredded Beancurd Sheets carries the pronunciation of “Bai” which means one hundred. In addition to longevity noodle， some people also have birthday cakes.
Questions
1. What does noodle stand for in Chinese diners' eye？
2. When is the longevity noodle normally served？
3. How is the noodle served？
4. What are the two dishes that some people would add to the noodle soup？
5. Put the whole passage from English into Chinese.