美国家庭中的电话机一般都有留言提示功能，也就是当外人打入电话时，如果主人不在家，电话没人接，电话机会自动播送一段提示，内容通常是：抱歉，家里没人，请您听到“嘟”的一声之后，将您的姓名与电话号码留下来，我回家之后，马上给您回电话。由于这样的提示过于平淡，许多美国人都使用自己编写的提示。通过这些提示，我们可以发现美国人的民族性格中幽默的一面。

　　Hi. I am probably home. I'm just avoiding someone I don't like. Leave me a message, and if I don't call back, it's you. 嗨，我可能在家里，但我不想给我讨厌的人回电话。请留言吧。如果我没有给您回电话，那么您就是我讨厌的那个人。

　　Please leave a message. However, you have the right to remain silent. If you give up the right, everything you say will be recorded and will be used by us. 请您留言。当然，您有权保持沉默。如果您放弃这个权利，那么您说的每句话都将被记录在案，并且将被我们所利用。

　　Hello, you've reached Jim and Sara. We can't pick up the phone right now, because we're doing something we really enjoy. Sara likes doing it up and down, and I like doing it left to right. So leave a message, and when we're done brushing our teeth, we'll get back to you. 嗨，这里是Jim和Sara的家。我们现在不能接电话，因为我们正在干一件我们非常喜欢干的事情。Sara喜欢一上一下地干，而我却喜欢一左一右地干。好吧，请留言吧，等我们刷完牙，我们将给您回电话。

　　Thank you for calling us. If you wish to speak to Mike, push 1, to Cathie , push 2, to Alex, push 3, to Doggie, push 4. All of this button pushing doesn't do anything, but it makes you feel like we have a big time phone system. 谢谢您给我们打电话。如果您想找Mike,请按1，找Cathie，请按2，找Alex，请按3，找Doggie，请按4。其实不管您按哪个钮，结果都一样(我们家只有一部电话，并没有分机)，但这会让您感觉，我们家里好象有一台很大的电话交换机。

[此贴子已经被作者于2005-3-16 23:41:50编辑过]

Are you male? You named Mike?

我也来写一个！　　Hi! This is Annie's.I cann't pick up the phone now, because I want to my mother take it. If she not, please wait! My father is coming !! If you cann't hear the voice of a man,please listen carefully! After the ring, you can talk with the Tape Recorder! 你好！这里是安妮的家．我现在不能接电话，因为我想妈妈会去的．如果她没有，请等等！我爸爸来了！如果你没听见一个男人的声音，请仔细听！在铃声后，你可以和录音机谈谈！

Thanks a lot.