If you go to a formalwestern dinner party for the first time, you'd better know about western tablemanners. It's polite to follow them.
When you sit down atthe table, take your napkin and put it on your lap. When you start dining, youshould keep the fork in your right hand. If you use your knife, then put thefork in your left hand. The dinner always starts with a small dish. It's politeto eat up the food on your plate, so don't take more food than you need. Maybeyou don't know whether it's polite or not to speak loudly at the table. Theanswer is that you should speak quietly and smile a lot. When you drink tosomeone, you'd better raise your cup or glass and take only a little. Remembernot to drink too much. If you can't remember these rules, just do as otherpeople do.