陈豪在北京的ABC美国公司工作。他和同事Amy散会一起往外走。
(Office ambience)
A：Chen Hao, I can’t believe what you were doing during that meeting.
C：开会的时候？我没干什么啊？
A：You were using your cell phone to send text messages.
C：噢，不就是用手机发发短信吗，Joe就坐在我旁边，他也一直在发啊。
A：He was out of line, too. It’s rude to send and receive text messages during a meeting.
C：今天会上说的都是Todd的项目，本来就跟我没什么关系，真不知道他干吗让我来参加。
A：Even if you felt it was a waste of your time, you needed to give the meeting and everyone there your full attention.
C：别人可能根本没注意到我在开小差。
A：Several people were aware that you were texting and they didn’t look happy about it. What if your boss had been there? Would you have done the same thing?
C：如果老板在，我可不敢。
A：That should tell you something. He would have called you down for that.
C：好，我知道了，这样做是不太礼貌，我下次一定注意。12点了，我们去吃点东西吧。
A：Ok, let’s go to that little sandwich shop around the corner.
******
午饭时，陈豪的手机响了。
C：是我的电话，对不起，Amy。Hello, Oh, hi Sue. What’s up? You can’t find the report? It’s in a green file folder. Call me back if you don’t see it. Bye.
A：That was rude.
C：难道我不应该接Sue的电话吗？
A：It’s discounting to others when you take calls and have conversations with people who are not present.
C：手机不就是干这个用的吗，这样别人才能随时随地找到我啊。
A：You don’t have to be available every minute of every day to whoever calls. When you are in meetings or at meals with other people, you should turn off your phone or put it on silent ringer.
C：照你说的，开会或是吃饭的时候关上手机，那误了电话怎么办？
A：You can always check your voice mail afterwards and return calls later when you are alone.
C：如果要是急事呢？
A：In that case, you explain to the person or group that you are expecting an important call and ask them to excuse you to answer if it comes in. Then you go to a private location to talk.
C：你是说，我应该事先告诉别人，我在等一个重要电话，然后到旁边去接。可是Amy, 其他人好像并没有这么做啊。
A：That doesn’t mean its acceptable behavior or good manners. When you talk on the phone in front of other people, you send a message that the person you are with is not as important as the one on the phone.
C：所以说，出于对别人的尊重，能不接的电话就不接，一定要接，就应该事先跟别人打个招呼。