Passage 1 

Keep your elbows off the table. Don’t eat or drink noisily. Say“please”. Most of us have heard our parents say these phrases many times. Did our parents simply enjoy enforcing these rules, or do good manners actually have a purpose in life? As we grow, manners, or the socially correct way of acting, become more and more important. Good manners are necessary in business, social, and family situations. 

In the work place, good manners can make the difference between getting a job and staying unemployed.When calling to set up an interview, one should be polite and professional to the person answering the phone. Arriving at the interview on time and well dressed is another way to impress the boss. Wearing jeans or shorts is not appropriate. Several days after the interview it is polite to send a letter thanking the interviewer for his or her time. Having good manners like these will impress people in business situations, and can increase one’s success. 

Manners are also important in social situations. When a friend calls with a party invitation, one should check the date and either accept or decline. Responding promptly to an invitation is an example of good social manners. When attending the party, one should not bring along people who weren’t invited.A guest who shows up with five or six uninvited people will probably embarrass the host. When you leave the party it is polite to thank the host and ask if he needs any help cleaning up. Friends feel appreciated when they are treated this way. 

It is easy to forget about good manners with family members, but manners become very important when people live together. We can be considerate to relatives by remembering to relay phone messages. It can be upsetting when messages are forgotten or written down wrong. Another problem can result from borrowing things without asking or returning them. One should always ask permission to borrow something, like clothes or even toothpaste. Being polite and returning borrowed things quickly will keep family members happy. Another way to respect family members is to knock on the door before entering a room because everyone appreciates having privacy. This type of behavior. will improve relationships and keep the house peaceful. 

Many people believe that having good manners is not important, or is an old-fashioned way of behaving. However, parents realize that manners are important and they teach their children how to be polite so they can achieve many things. Although sitting up straight and remembering to say “thank you” may seem like a lot of trouble，having good manners will keep employers, friends, and family members happy. 

41. Which of the following statements best summarizes the second paragraph?