“月上柳梢头，人约黄昏后。”，这是段多么浪漫的时光哪！可是该怎么邀请佳人呢？如果佳人不想赴约，却又不愿扫了男子汉的颜面，又该如何推辞呢？还有，如果有人问你"Are you free this evening?"，这人是仅仅想知道你晚上有没有空还是另有所图？

别着急，咱们这次的话题就是怎么约人，应约或是拒绝。注意啦，当人家问你"Are you free this evening?" 的时候，隐含的意思就是想对你说：“我晚上想约你出来，你有没有空啊？”所以，如果你不想赴约，就千万不要说有空啊。要不然，愣愣生生地拒绝人家接下来的邀请，实在是伤了人家的自尊心哪。

接下来，让我们看一段Pete和Linda之间的对话（想听对话就打开下面的链接： http://www.beiwaionline.com/magazine/003/ 。）Pete想约他的大学同学Linda去看电影《泰坦尼克号》。他有没有成功地约出Linda呢？

对话：

PETE: Hi Linda!
LINDA: Hi Pete! 
PETE: Are you doing anything this Saturday?
LINDA: I don't think so. Why?
PETE: I was thinking of going to see that new movie at the Plaza Cinema.
LINDA: New movie? Which one?
PETE: The Titanic. Would you like to come?
LINDA: Okay. I do think it's not new! It's old. I've already seen it three times!
PETE: When shall we meet?
LINDA: Um, what time does the movie start?
PETE: Er... I think it starts at half past seven.
LINDA: Well, I have classes until five. Then I need to get home to eat supper. That'll take me at least an hour and a half.
PETE: Okay. Let's meet at about seven outside the cinema.
LINDA: Okay! Look forward to it. Bye!
PETE: Bye!

大家注意到了吗？Pete见到Linda之后并没有直截了当地提出邀请对方去看电影，而是通过四步走（打招呼——问对方是否有空——告知对方自己的安排——向对方发出邀请）才达到了自己的目的。猜猜看，Pete为什么要绕了这么个大弯子才发出邀请？

聪明的Pete先跟Linda寒暄几句就是为了保护自己不至体验被拒绝的尴尬。 

另外，不知道大家有没有注意到，当Pete邀请Linda去看《泰坦尼克号》之后，Linda虽然接受了邀请，却冒出一句"I do think it's not new! It's old. I've already seen it three times!" 的扫兴话。这种反应与Pete的热情邀请简直太不相称啦。这时候，如果她说"I have seen this movie three times but it is so attractive that I still want to see it another time."的话，Pete就会更加笑逐颜开啦。你们的看法呢？  
 

可见，邀约或是应邀的时候掌握适当的礼仪和话语技巧都是十分重要的。下面的一些小技巧可以帮助你把话说得漂漂亮亮的。

邀约场景小礼仪：

1 发出邀请之前先礼貌地问问对方有没有其他安排。省得到时候被拒，双方都觉得尴尬。
2 如果接受了人家的邀请，你应该流露出足够的向往之情。如果你拒绝了人家的邀请，则需要给出一个理由，即便这个理由仅仅是个善意的谎言（white lie）。
3 如果有人跟你说" Have you got any plans this weekend? "或是 " Are you free this Friday? " 的时候，他们的潜台词就是想邀请你。这时，如果你不想应邀，可千万别说" I haven't made any plans yet." 或者 " Yes, I'm free."之类的话给自己找麻烦了。因为接下来人家就要正式向你发出邀请了，那时你说什么推辞的话可就都别扭了，真是搬起石头砸了自己的脚。
4 还有，" We should have lunch together sometime." 或者 "Let's get together again soon."都是结束对话的好方式。注意喽，这么说可不算是发出了一个确定的邀请。

谈了不少技巧，下面还是多给大家提供一些有用的邀约场景的小片段吧。希望大家从不同的情形，不同的应答中吸取有益的养分，做到快乐赴约或者轻松拒绝。

七个场景小对话：

1 喝点东西
 --Would you be free to come over for a drink this afternoon?
 --That's very nice of you. But I have already made other plans this afternoon. Another time perhaps.

2 野餐
 --Jane and I would like you to join us for a picnic tomorrow.
 --I'll have to take a rain check. I have an appointment with my adviser tomorrow.

3 野外烧烤
 --John's having a barbecue this weekend. Would you like to come?
 --How nice! I love barbeques. They're a lot of fun.

4 鸡尾酒会
 --May I expect you at my cocktail party this Friday? Do drop in if you have time.
 --I'm sure glad to, but this Friday is a problem. Maybe we can make it some other time.

5 聚餐
 --We're having a potluck party at Pat's house. We'd love to have you join us.
 --A potluck? That sounds great! What shall I bring along?

6 乔迁庆典
 --Would you be able to come to our housewarming party this evening?
 --I'd really love to. May I know your new address?

7 结婚纪念日庆典
 --Are you free this Saturday evening? I'd like to invite you and your husband to come around for our wedding anniversary celebration.
 --Thank you for your invitation. I'm sure I can come, but I'd like to ask my husband first.