A Custom——Leaving a Tip 求全文翻译

A Custom——Leaving a Tip 求全文翻译

TIP STORY
Leaving a tip in a restaurant has become a custom in most countries．The word "tip" came from the Latin word
"Gratis",meaning free． Tips are defined1 as small gifts of money for service in addition to the payment due2．
Believe it or not,the practice of tipping has a little interesting history．The custom can be traced? back to the Romanera．The Romans were the first civilization to use coins．It is possible the word"tip" came from the word stipend4．Stips in Latin means gift． A more common belief is tips were first given in 18th century England．A popular coffee house eequipped5 each table with a coin box． The label of each box read "To insure promptness．"
Dropping a coin into the box would result6 in quick service．Also,the first letter of each word is T．I．P．--tip．
In America and Europe it is customary to tip anywhere from 10％to 20％．Taxi drivers,waiters in restaurants,waitresses in lounges7, hotel bellboys,doormen,and disco coat check girls,all expect a little something．People working atthese jobs usually receive a low basic salary．Tips are quite necessary to supplement their income． Today most people decide the size of tip according to the quality of the service．If the service and food are not satisfactory,a sma1l tiP or Posslbly no tip will be left．For excellent food and service most people are quite happy to leave a tip．
Christmas is special and expensive for tipping．If one lives in an apartment house where there are doormen8,one should give each one of them a gift of $ 5 or more at Chrlstmastime．The amount will bvary depending on how long one has been living there,the size of one's family,and how many other tips one has given throughout the year．At Christmas also the superintendent? of One'S apartment house should be given a gift of ＄15 or more． Christmas tips are normally given also to the laundryman11,newspaper boy,milkman, parking lot attendant, postman, halrdresser or barber,There is some leeway12 depending on how often they have done me service,how friendly tney are, and one's own economic level．
The world is full of big spenders13 and people who act like big spenders．Surprlsingly,rich people are not "big tippers" unless entertainling? guests．It is no use showing off15 if nobody is there to watch,right? Many throw money around like water to impress16 a group of friends out for an evening "on the town"．People who usually cannot afford17 it are the biggest tippers in front of their friends．It is all part of the show to prove a certain level of social success．Nobody wants to look cheap,stingy18,or poor in front of their friends．Over－tipping also gives some satisfaction just to see the walter's reaction19．
For whatever reason, tipping will continue to be practised in most countries．Tipping does have its place in our modernsociety．It will also remain a somewhat Personal expression of gratitude20．
[参考译文]
小费的故事
在世界上大多数国家里,在餐厅就餐给小费已成为一种惯例."小费"一词来自拉丁语Gratis,意为自由.小费就是在应付账款之外奖励服务而给的少量金钱馈赠.
信不信由你,小费的历史还变有趣的.这种习惯可追溯到罗马帝国时代.罗马是第一个使用硬币的文明古国.可能tip 就来源于stipend这个词.Stips在拉丁语里的意思是礼物.有种比较普遍的看法相信小费是从18世纪的英国开始的.一间受欢迎的咖啡屋在每张桌子上都放有一个硬币箱.每个箱子的标签上写着"为确保快捷"（"To insure promptness"）.放一个硬币在箱子里就会得到快捷的服务.这句话的每个词的第一个字．母就是T．I．P,即tip.
在美国和欧洲一般是给10％到20％的小费.出租司机、餐厅侍者、酒吧女郎、旅馆侍者、看门人和迪斯科舞厅衣帽寄存处的女孩们都希望得到点什么.于这些工作的人通常底薪微薄,需要小费来补贴收入.今天大部分人都根据服务质量来决定给多少小费.如果服务差、食品次,只给少量的小费,甚至不给.如果食品和服务都令人满意,多数人是乐意给小费的.
圣诞节是特殊的节日,小费开销相当高.若住在设有看门人的公寓大楼内,圣诞节期间需要给他们每人5美元以上的礼物.给小费的多少取决于在那里住了多久、家庭的大小,以及一年来给过多少其他的小费等.圣诞节时,还需要给公寓楼管理员15美元以上的礼物.另外,通常还要给洗衣房服务员、送报童、送邻人、停车场服务员、邮递员、理发师等以圣诞小费.小费的多少取决于他们提供服务的经常性、友好的程度,以及自己的经济条件.
这世界上多的是大款和充阔的人.奇怪的是,有钱人除非是在宴请宾客否则给小费是不会大方的.没有人在场炫耀是没意思的,对吗?许多人在闹市晚宴上散钱如水是为了给一帮朋友留个印象.那些在经济上力不从心的人,在朋友面前给小费最为大手大脚,旨在显示他在社会上相当成功.没人希望在朋友面前显得低下、寒接甚至贫穷.看看侍者得到过多小费时的那种反应,也会给人某种满足.
无论怎样,给小费的风气会在多数国家继续流传下去.给小费在现代社会确实占有一席之地,它仍将是表达个人感激之情的一种手段.冰川 选译
Practise Listening to Words 词汇听力练习：
1. define [di`fain] vt. 解释
2. payment [`peim?nt]n. 付款；payment due 应付账款
3. trace [treis] vt. 追溯
4. stipend [`taipend] n. 薪金,津贴
5. equip [I`kwip] vt .配备,装备
6. result [ri`z?lt]vi. 结果为,导致
7. lounge [laun?]n. 休息室
8. doormen [`d?men] n. 看门人
9. amount [?`maunt]n. 数量,数额
10. superintendent [?sju:p?rin`tend?nt]n. 管理人,监督人
11. laundryman [`l?ndrim?n]n. 洗衣（店）男士
12. leeway [`li:wei]n. 充裕,余地,灵活性
13. spender [`spend?] n. 挥霍者；big spender 大肆花钱的人
14. entertain [?ent?`tein]vt.招待,款待
15. to show off 炫耀,卖弄
16. impress [im`pres]vt.给留下深刻印象
17. afford [?`f?d]vt. 担负得起…费用
18. stingy [`stin?]adj. 小气的,匮乏的
19. reaction [ri(:)`?k?n]n.反应
20. gratitude [`gr?titju:d] n. 感激,感谢