Americans usually like to have advance notice when people come to see them. Only very close friends drop by unannounced. This is especially true if the guests want to stay for a few days. Here's a good
rule of thumb for house guests: Short stays are best.
As one 18th century French writer put it, "The first day a man is a guest, the second a burden, the third a
pest. " Even relatives don't usually stay for several weeks at a time.
美國人通常喜歡訪客事先通知他們，只有非常親密的朋友才可能不請自來，尤其在客人要待好幾天時更是如此。最好不要久留——這是給訪客的經驗之談。
如同十九世紀一位法國作家所寫的：「第一天是客人，第二天是負擔，第三天就是討厭鬼了。」即使是親戚通常也不會一次待上幾個星期。當你住在美國人家裡時，設法使你住的地方保持整齊清潔。你的主人一家都會感謝你這麼體貼，他們甚至會再邀請你！
☉Word Bank rule of thumb (n phr) 根據經驗一般的原則
pest
(n) 令人討厭的人或物
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