问答题Since the earliest times in England, the traveler’s inn has always been a warm and hospitable place, a gathering place for voyagers to rest and recover. The tireless landlord, the local customers sharing drinks and food, the welcoming atmosphere, have all become part of the legend of the typical English country and city life. In later centuries, the English tavern took on the role of community gathering place, being the location where friendly chatter and fierce social debate mixed with business discussions, and food, wine, beer and coffee were consumed as the noise of convivial exchanges rose.
 In modern times, the English pub often continues to function as the communal meeting place, especially for people whose homes are too small to entertain any number of guests or friends. In many Asian countries, the local restaurant serves a similar social function.
 In Ireland, the pub has acted as a central attraction for poorer villagers in the rural areas, and as a literary and social focus in the cities. In keeping with the sociable nature of pub gatherings, music as well as talk has become a central part of this institution in Ireland.
 Now people around the world are able to experience the friendly nature of the Irish pub, which follows in the wake of its English equivalent as a welcome and growing expert. English pubs have been found in America, in parts of Europe and throughout the world where English pub is witnessing an outburst of international popularity as westerns turn away from their television and computer screens and seek to put a human face to their social contacts. They are finding it in the bars and corners of Irish pubs where Guinness stout, the Irish national drink, is available in the tall dark creamy pint glasses and Irish music is the regular fare.
 An international representative for the Irish manufacturers of Jameson’s whiskey, Patrick Mc-Carville, points out that while the world has been laughing at Irish jokes (a stereotype of the Irish way of life), the Irish have been quietly carrying out an economic coup which is seen in the evidence of the explosion of Irish pubs.