Book I  Unit 1

Section A  Time-Conscious Americans

Included in This Unit Are:

Section A  Time-Conscious Americans

Section B  Culture Shock

I. Objectives

  1) Listening: understanding words, sentences and passages

  2) Speaking: practice conversation skills

  3) Reading: Reading for the Main Ideas in a Paragraph

4) Writing: a paragraph of Genera statement supported by specific details and reasons

5) Translation: developing translation skills

II. Important Points

1.       vocabulary development---word power

a)        Learning words and expressions used to talk about Americans attitude towards time and how they try to save time.

budget, acute, replace, abrupt, assess, whereas, interaction, convention in a hurry, under pressure, racing through daytime meals, in public eating-places, communicate through, faxes, phone calls, personal contacts, emails face-to-face conversation , sign in person, teleconference, obtain information, conduct business, worthy of proper respect, a sign of skillfulness, a sign of being competent, pour into capital, energy, and attention, result in, account for, by satellite

b)        Word building: noun formation using ment, ation, tion, sion, ion

2.  Grammar

c)        subjunctive mood  (3.1-3.6, student self-teaching)

III. Difficult Points

1)      finding out word meanings

2)      Using “much less” and using “whereas “ to introduce a clause

注重时间的美国人

A Brief Introduction to the text

Communicating successfully with people of another culture is one of the most challenging things we do. Cultural differences cause most wars, political tensions and arguments between peoples and nations. Unless we learn how others’ beliefs, values and customs differ from ours, we will likely destroy this planet. We cannot automatically expect another culture to understand ours; all of us bear the responsibility of helping others to learn our ways. We must never stop learning about our cultural differences. Our lives depend on it.

Step 2

Background Information

1. Cultural differences: Students and teachers need to be aware that the ethnocentric attitudes of writers are precisely the way cultural conflict is encouraged. Why is understanding a culture always the others’ responsibility? Is it not possible that each culture could be made aware of different conventions? Both sides must work at rising above cultural differences and be willing to compromise…and, in both cases, most likely neither side has access to the cultural conventions of the other so blaming is not the answer. Educating is.

2. Cultural shock: a term meaning strong feelings of discomfort, fear, or anxiety, which people may have when they enter another culture. Usually when a person moves to live in a foreign country, he/she may experience a period of culture shock until he/she becomes familiar with the new culture.

Step 3

Warm-up activities

1. Proverbs about time

1) Time works wonders.               时间创造奇迹。

2) Time tries truth.                    时间检验真理。

3) Time is the best healer.             时间是治愈创伤的良药。

4) Time and tide wait for no man.       时间不等人。（时不我待。）

5) All time is no time when it is past.    机不可失，时不再来。

The Spring Festival;                          

the Lantern Festival (元宵节);

the Mid-autumn Festival (中秋节);               

the Dragon Boat Festival (端午节);

the Double Nine Festival（重阳节）;             

the Tomb-sweeping Day（清明节）

一）（三）时间是尺，万物皆检 Time tries friends as fire tries gold. (时间考验朋友，烈火考验黄金）
Time tries truth. （时间检验真理）
Time is the father of truth. （时间是真理之父）
Time will tell. （时间能说明问题）
Time brings the truth to light. （时间使真相大白。或时间一到，真理自明。）
Time and chance reveal all secrets. (时间与机会能提示一切秘密）
Time consecrates: what is gray with age becomes religion. （时间考验一切，经得起时间考验的就为人所信仰）
Time reveals(discloses) all things. （万事日久自明）
Time tries all. （时间检验一切）
（四）时间是秤，衡量权质 There is no time like the present. （现在正是时候）
Take time by the forelock. (把握目前的时机）
To choose time is to save time. （选择时间就是节省时间）
Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today. （今日事，今日毕）
Procrastination is the thief of time. （拖延为时间之窃贼）
One of these days is none of these days. 拖延时日，终难实现。或：改天改天，不知哪天）
Tomorrow never comes. （明天无尽头，明日何其多）
What may be done at any time will be done at no time. 常将今日推明日，推到后来无踪迹）
（五）时间是水，淘金流沙 Time works wonders. （时间可以创造奇迹或时间的效力不可思议）
Time works great changes. （时间可以产生巨大的变化）
Times change. (时代正在改变）
Time and tide wait for no man.岁月不待人
Time cannot be won again.时间一去不再来
Time lost can not be recalled.光阴一去不复返
Time flies like an arrow , and time lost never returns.光阴似箭，一去不返
Lost time is never found again. 岁月既往，一去不回。
No one can call back yesterday. 昨日不会重现。
One cannot put back the clock. 时钟不能倒转。
One hour today is worth two tomorrow. 争分夺秒效率高。
Time lost cannot be won again. 时光流逝，不可复得。
To save time is to lengthen life. 节约时间就是延长生命。
An hour in the morning is worth two in the evening. 一日之计在于晨。
A year's plan starts with spring.一年之计在于春。
Everything has its time and that time must be watched. 万物皆有时，时来不可失。
Time is life and when the idle man kills time, he kills himself.时间就是生命，节省时间，就是延长生命
To choose time is to save time.选择时间就是节省时间
Never put off till tomorrow what may be done today.今日事，今日毕
What may be done at any time will be done at no time.常将今日推明日，推到后来无踪迹
A young idler, an old beggar. 少壮不努力，老大徒伤悲。
Do you love life ? Then do not squander time ; for that\'s the stuff5 life is made of .(Benjamin Franklin , American president )
你热爱生命吗？那么，别浪费时间，因为生命是由时间组成的。(美国总统 富兰克林. B.)
In delay there lies no plenty , Then come kiss me , sweet and twenty , Youth\'s a stuff that will not endure . (William Shakespeare , British dramatist)
迁延蹉跎，来日无多，二十丽姝，请来吻我，衰草枯杨，青春易过。(英国剧作家 莎士比亚. W.)
The time of life is short ; to spend that shortness basely, it would be too long . (William Shakespeare , British dramatist )
人生苦短，若虚度年华，则短暂的人生就太长了。(英国剧作家 莎士比亚. W.)
To choose time is to save time .( Francis Bacon , British philosopher )
合理安排时间就是节约时间 。( 英国哲学家 培根. F.)

2. Discussion on the topic concerned in the text

1) What precious resource do Americans value and save?

Time and labor.

2) Why is time so important for Americans?

Because Americans think that time is a precious resource.

3) Why do Americans believe no one stands still?

If you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind.

4) What labor-saving devices do Americans use in order to save time?

Americans produce a steady flow of labor-saving devices: they communicate rapidly through faxes, phone calls or emails rather than through personal contacts.

5) How do Americans conduct business?

   Americans conduct business by meeting more and more through television screens, holding teleconferences to solve problems, instead of face-to face conversation. However, they will normally sign a final agreement in person.

Step 4

Guidance on Understanding the Whole Text—Structure Analysis

Step 5

Details of the text & Further discussion

1.      What do Americans believe according to the author and why?

Americans believe no one stands still. If you are not moving ahead, you are falling behind.

2.      What does this attitude result in?

This attitude results in a nation of people committed to researching, experimenting and exploring.

3.      How is time treated in America? And Why?

Time is treated as if it were something almost real. People budget it, save it, waste it, steal it, kill it, cut it, account for it; they also charge for it. They do this because time is a precious resource.

4.      What is a foreigner’s first impression of the U. S. likely to be? And how do city people appear in the writer’s eyes?

Everyone is in a rush--- often under pressure. In the writer’s eyes, city people always appear to be hurrying to get where they are going, restlessly seeking attention in a store, or elbowing others as they try to complete their shopping.

5.      What is the writer’s advice to the States “miss smiles, brief conversations, small exchanges with strangers”? And Why?

Don’t take it personally. This is because people value time highly, and they resent “wasting” too much time.

  6.  What will many new arrivals to the U.S. miss?

They will miss the opening exchanges of a business call, the ritual interaction,, leisurely business chats, small exchanges , sweet smile and brief conversations.

7.  Why will new arrivals to the States miss many social behaviors during a business call?

This is because Americans generally assess and inquire about their visitors professionally rather than socially. They start talking business very quickly. Time is always ticking in their inner ear.

8.  What does the author mean “The US is definitely a telephone country”?

Almost everyone uses the telephone to conduct business, to chat with friends to make or break social appointments and so on.

9.  How do Americans view the impersonality of electronic communication?

The impersonality of electronic communication has little or no relation to the      significance of the matter at hand.

Now, have a discussion on the following question:

1. Americans have a saying “Time is money.” How do you understand it?

Time is a precious resource. Time can bring profits. If we make good use of time and work efficiently, we may expect good results and big profits. On the contrary, if we work with tardiness, we’ll waste our precious time and gain less than we should gain. Therefore, time is really money and saving time is just like saving money. As individuals, we should treasure our limited time and let every minute count.

2. In America, there’s another saying about time: “We are slaves to nothing but the clock.” How do you understand this saying?

American culture is a time-conscious culture and people value time highly. Time is treated as if it were something almost real. Many people have a rather acute(敏感的) sense of the shortness of each lifetime. Time is always ticking(滴答响) in their inner ear. As a result, sometimes people just feel helpless in front of time. They are under control of time and are slaves to the clock.

Step 6

Key Words & Expressions

A: New words

1.      budget  

vt. plan the spending of or provide (money) in a plan

The company has ~ed $10 million for advertising.

You should ~ time very carefully.

vi. save or spend money (for a particular purpose)

He ~ed for buying a new car.   为买新汽车而计划节省开支

adj. inexpensive; cheap

A ~ flight / house

n. Very often this word is used as a noun to mean a plan of how to spend money, etc. during a particular time for a particular purpose.

balance one’s ~;  a family ~;  the government ~ for the coming year

2.  acute:

1) (of feeling or the senses ) fine; sharp

acute hearing/sense of smell      

Dogs have an acute sense of smell.    狗有敏锐的嗅觉。

2) intelligent

acute understanding/ analysis/observations   敏锐的观察

3) serious, severe

~ pain;   剧痛    ~ lack of water   严重缺水

Food shortage has become acute in this area.

cf. acute, sharp, keen

   sharp/ keen knife;          acute/ sharp pain

   acute/ keen hearing/sense of smell  

3. replace:

1) put sth. back where it was before

The telephone line was dead. Cindy ~d the telephone handle.   搁上话筒

~ the book on the shelf.

2) take the place of sb./ sth.

George has ~d Edward as personnel manager/monitor.

 We’ll have to ~ those old computers with/by new ones.

cf. substitute:  Can you substitute for me at the meeting?    

They were substituting violence for dialogue.  以暴力取代对话

4. elbow:

vt. push others out of the way using elbows 

 She ~ed her way through the crowd.  从人群中挤了过去

n. joint where the arm bends

5. assess:

vt. judge the quality, importance, or worth of

   assess→assessment    self-assessment

   It’s too early to ~ the effects of the new law.     要评价新法令的效果现在还为时过早。

cf. assess 估价，评价      access 接近，入口        excess 超过

Access: The only access to the farmhouse is across the fields.

Students must have access to good books.

Excess: Luggage in excess of 100kgs will be charged extra.

6. conduct:

vt. 1) organize or carry out           ~ a survey/ experiment/ inquiry

   2) music                        ~ the orchestra

   3) act as the path for (electricity, heat, ect.)

    Plastic and rubber won’t ~ electricity, but copper will.

   4) show sb sth            

    The guide ~ed us round the castle.

n. [U] He can’t distinguish good conduct from bad one.

7. whereas

conj. But in contrast; while

   Our country has plenty of oil, whereas theirs has none.  

他们国家石油丰富, 而我们国家则一点也没有。

   We thought she did not like to talk to us, whereas in fact she was very shy.

   我们以为她不喜欢我们，然而事实是因为她很害羞。

8. competent:

adj. (of people )  having the necessary ability, skill, knowledge, etc.

    competent→competence

    He is ~ for the task.   能胜任这项任务

    He is a ~ director.   称职的主任

cf.  be competent for sth. /to do sth.

    be capable of (doing ) sth.  He’s capable of working under pressure.

    be able to do sth.

9. fulfill:

vt. 1) do or perform

     ~ a duty/promise/ the terms of a contract     履行

     We ~ed our work ahead of time.

   2) supply or satisfy ( a need, demand or requirement)

     ~ a desire/ hope/ dream  

     The traveling library ~s an important need for people who live in the country areas.

     流动图书馆满足了乡村居民的一项重要需求。

     The company should be able to fulfill our requirements for product quality.

     这家公司必须能满足我们对产品质量的要求。

B: Phrases

Para 1

1.  stand + adj / adj phrase (here “stand “ is used as a linking verb)

 The room ~s idle. = useless/ unoccupied   这间房间闲置着。

 They stand opposed to the new law.    他们反对这项新法律。

2.  result in （L.2）

Bad living habits will result in disease.

result in: have sth as a result, cause

result from: be caused by

Acting before thinking always results in failing. 做事不先考虑会导致失败。

The child’s illness resulted from eating unclean food.

Nothing has resulted from his efforts.   他的努力终成泡影。

3.  commit to （researching, experimenting and exploring）投身于（研究、实验和探索）(L.2)

People of all walks of life have committed themselves to the fight against SARS.

各行各业的人们都已投身于抗击非典的战役中。

Paras 2

4.  We are slaves to nothing but the clock. (L5)

Meaning: We are under the control of time only and nothing else.

slave to sth.: a person who is completely influenced or dominated by sth.

a slave to drink 酒鬼

a slave to money 金钱的奴隶

nothing but: only

The report contains ~ lies.    这篇报道满篇谎言。

He is ~ a criminal.     他只不过是个罪犯。

5． account for:

1）explain the cause of

This corrupt official couldn’t account for the source of his income.  这个贪官无法解释他的收入来源。

His illness ~ his absence.

2）be the cause or origin of

   The sales of computer accounts for a high proportion of our company profits.   占了…的很大部分

6.  count: here it means “to be very important” (not in progressive)  (L10)

If something counts, it is important and valuable.

First impression really ~s.

Every minute ~s.

Paras 3-5

7.  Racing through daytime meals is part of life in this country. (L13)

Meaning: To eat their meals hurriedly during the day is part of Americans’ fast pace of life.

race through: do sth. in a hurry

  I raced through the passage in order to get a main idea.

  The child raced through his homework in order to watch the football match on TV.

8.  Don’t take it personally. (L18)

Meaning: Don’t get upset because they treat everybody the same way.  

    You mustn’t take her negative comments of your plan personally. 

你不应该把她对你计划的批评当作对你个人的攻击。

9.  interaction: n.  (L23)

1) communication

    human-computer ~   /teacher-student ~

2) acting on each other; working together

    complex ~ between mind and body    合作

10. go with: (L23)

1) exist or take place at the same time, be found together 伴随

    Happiness does not go as an automatic result with money.

    健全的头脑要有健康的身体。 Healthy mind goes with a healthy body.

2) be in harmony with 配合， 调和

    These new curtains go well with your carpet.

11. Consequently, we work hard at the task of saving time.

Meaning: As a result, we try our best to invent and produce things that can help save time.

Consequently: ad. As a result, so, accordingly, hence, therefore

The bank refused to help the company; ~ it went out of business.  公司因此倒闭了。

Para 8

12. Assignment are, consequently, felt to be given added weight by the passage of time.

Meaning: as a result, people feel that tasks are getting additional importance with the passing of time.

weight [U] importance     the ~ of the evidence/meeting

Don’t worry about what he thinks; his opinion doesn’t carry much weight.  没有多少影响

Step 7

Expressions & Patterns

1. …the other being labor (adverbial clause)  (L4)

subject + -ing / -ed verb  This type of clause can also be put at the beginning of the whole sentence.

No further discussions arising, the meeting was brought to an end.

She stood there, tears streaming down her cheeks.

So many people being absent, we had to put off the meeting.

There are two doors, one leading to the bedroom.

He rushed into the room, his face covered with sweat.

Lunch finished, all the guests returned to the sitting room.

This type of the clause can be rewritten by adding the preposition “with”:

With lunch finished, all the guests returned to the sitting room.

2. as if + 从句: as if 引导的方式状语从句，一般用虚拟语气

Time is treated as if it were something almost real. (L5)

Unless a certain amount of time is allowed to elapse, it seems in their eyes as if the task being considered were insignificant, not worthy of proper respect. (L50)

他表现得好像没有发生什么事似的。

He acted as if nothing had happened.

他工作热情这么高，好像从不知道疲倦似的。

He works with such enthusiasm as if he never knew fatigue.

3. subject +predicate + object+ much less…:and even less likely  (L28)

1)        much less + n.

I can’t speak English, much less French.

2)        much less + v.

The old man can hardly walk, much less run.

3)        much less + to do

They are always short of water to drink, much less to bathe in.

4)      much less + p.p

I’ve never seen the man, much less spoken to him.

4. given (prep.) + noun phrase.: taking into account    (L35)

Given their inexperience/age, they’ve done a good job.

Given her interest in children, teaching should be the right career for her.

We can also use “given + a finite clause” for the same meaning

Given that they are inexperience, they’ve done a good job.         

Given that she is interested in children, teaching should be the right career for her.

5. …people are meeting increasingly on screens…   (L40)

be increasingly 越来越…

他对我越来越无理。     

He is increasingly rude to me.

人们越来越意识到健康的重要性。  

People are increasingly aware of the importance of health.

Step 1

Reading skills: Reading for the Main Ideas in Paragraphs

Introduction (page 16)

The particular reading skill introduced for this unit is reading for the main idea in a paragraph. This skill is one of the most useful reading skills students can develop. Finding the main idea is necessary for the understanding of a piece of writing.

The main idea of a paragraph is usually stated by one of the sentences in the paragraph. The main idea sentence is commonly known as “a topic sentence” or “a topic statement”. It may appear in one of several places in the paragraph. Most frequently the first sentence of a paragraph states the main idea. However, the main idea sentence may also appear in other places: in the middle or at the end of a paragraph.

    Please notice that sometimes there is no sentence in the paragraph which directly states the main idea. That doesn’t mean that there isn’t a main idea in the paragraph, only the main idea is implied. In these cases you have to write a sentence to sum up the main idea of the paragraph.

Step 2

Words & Expressions:

A.  Words & Phrases:

1.            fascinating adj. having great attraction or delight

a ~ voice/ story

fascinate v.→ fascination  n.

2.            clash vi. / n.

   clash with    Their interests clashed with ours.   他们的利益与我们的相冲突。

   a clash of/ between

    There is a clash of personalities among them.

    There is a boundary ~ between the two countries.

3.            sth familiar to sb

sb familiar with sth.

This English song is very familiar to me.

He not only speaks English well, but also is familiar with the cultures in English speaking countries.

4.            hostility n. strong reaction against; unfriendliness

I have no ~ towards anyone.    我对任何人都没有敌意。

Note: When the word is used to mean acts of war or fighting, it is used in its plural form.

    The meeting led to and end of the hostilities between the two counties.  他们的会谈促成了双方停火。

hostile adj.           They are ~ to reform.

5.            distress ; vt.  (usu. Passive) cause great pain or suffering

He was too ~ed to speak when he heard the news.

distress: n.

1)      great pain, sadness, suffering

The sick man showed signs of ~.    病人显出很痛苦的样子。

2)      suffering caused by lack of money

 a company in funding ~           陷入资金短缺状况的公司

3)  a state of danger or great difficulty

   Sent out a distress signal; the ship is sinking.    发出求救信号

6．acquire → acquisition

   language acquisition

   Children progressed quickly in the acquisition of basic skills.  孩子们在掌握基本技能方面进步很快。

7.  alleviate: vt. ease; make sth. less severe

   ~ pain / loss of jobs  减轻疼痛/ 缓解失业问题

8.      furthermore: ad. (fml) also; in addition to what has been said; moreover

The house is too small, and ~ it’s too far from the office.

B.  Structure

1.  It is desirable + to do sth.

  For this job it is ~ to know something about medicine.  干这行最好懂点医学。

  It is desirable that…(should)+v

It is desirable that she leave the company immediately.  明智的做法是她立即离开公司。

desirable←→undesirable

2.  have difficulty (in) doing sth.

The preposition “in” is often omitted.

   His English is very bad and I have great difficulty (in) understanding him.

   She had no difficulty (in) learning English well.

have difficulty with + n. (The preposition can never be omitted in this case.)

   The child seems to have a lot of difficulty with English grammar.

3.  would rather + do sth : (used to express a choice) prefer to

   Which would you rather do, go to cinema or stay at home?

   He would rather lose his job than make false accounts.

Notice that “would rather” can be used with different subjects, to say that one person would prefer another to do something. In this case, we generally use a past tense with a present or future meaning.

   I would rather you stayed with me tomorrow.

   “Shall I open a window?”   “I’d rather you didn’t.”

Step 3

Guidance on Understanding the Text

I.   Try to answer, in English, the following questions after reading the text.

1.  What does studying in a different country mean according to Paragraph 1?

It means meeting both advantages and challenges.

2.  Could you explain the meaning of “culture shock”?

When you move to live in foreign country, your views may clash with the different beliefs,  norms, values, and traditions that exist in different countries, you may have difficulty adjusting to a new culture and to those parts of the culture not familiar to you. This is culture shock.

3.        How many stages will you experience when you enter a new culture according to the writer? And what are they?

Four. They are honeymoon, hostility, recovery and adjustment.

4.        What do you feel in the “honeymoon”?

You feel excitement about living in a different place, and everything seems to be marvelous.

5.        What do you tend to do in the hostility stay stage?

You become tired of many things about the new culture and keep alone.

6.        When you are in the hostility stage, what defense mechanisms do you usually devise to feel better ?

Repression, regression, isolation and rejection.

7.        Is the shock of the new culture permanent or temporary?

It’s temporary.

8.        How do you feel about the new culture in the final stage of culture shock? And why?

I feel good because I understand what I didn’t understand before.

Testing section

Test yourself—multiple choices

1. The government has devoted a larger part of its national ___________ to agriculture than most other countries.

       A. resources        B. potential

       C. budget             D. economy 

2. In western countries, it is the _________ for men to wear suits on formal occasions.

       A. conviction        B. convention

       C. confession              D. concession

3. The annual income of school teachers in this place was __________ at $ 900.

       A. budget          B. predicted

       C. account           D. assessed

4. His long illness and _____________ absence put him far behind in his study.

       A. sequent           B. consequent

       C. frequent          D. subsequent

5. If you want to learn English, you must first find a ____________ teacher.

       A. able                 B. desirable

       C. competent              D. significant

6. Jane was the only one who _______ all the conditions: she was of the required age, height and degree.

       A. fulfilled             B. recovered

       C. appreciated     D. rejected

7. We ______ his idea for a music club, and decided to have an art club instead.

       A. turned              B. rejected

       C. accepted         D. isolated

8. I appreciate ________ herself to the cause of education.

       A. of her devoting           B. her to devote

       C. her devoting           D. to devote

9. It is most ________ that he attend the conference.

       A. desirous          B. desiring

       C. desired            D. desirable

10. The neighbors let their radio blare late in night just to ______ us.

       A. spit                  B. despite

       C. spite                D. inspire

11. She couldn’t hide her _______ at his foolish mistake.

       A. amusement      B. fascination

       C. hostility            D. recognition

12. The publisher’s ______ of his manuscript depressed him.

       A. ejection            B. rejection

       C. injection           D. dejection

13. It is highly desirable that every effort _______to reduce pollution in Beijing.

       A. was made       B. be made

       C. will be made    D. would be made

14. He is an artist, so these economic terms are not familiar _________ him.

       A. with                  B. of

       C. to                     D. on

15. Happiness does not necessarily ________ wealth.

       A. go after            B. go with

       C. go on               D. go out

Key to questions: 1-5 CBDBC   6-10 ABCDC  11-15 ABBCB

For fun

1. What fruit is never found singly?

Answer: a pear (pair)

2. Why are young men unwilling to date the daughter of the Fortunes?

Answer: Because she is Miss. Fortune. (misfortune)

　Because Americans believe time is a limited resource, they try to conserve and manage it. People in the U.S. often attend seminars or read books on time management. It seems they all want to organize their time better. Professionals carry around pocket planners --- some in electronic form --- to keep track of appointments and deadlines. People do all they can to squeeze more life out of their time. The early American hero Benjamin Franklin expressed this view best: "Do you love life? Then do not waste time, for that is the stuff life is made of."
美国人认为时间是一项有限的资源，所以他们试着去爱惜时间且加以管理。美国人经常参加有关时间管理的研习会或阅读这方面的书籍，他们似乎都希望能把自己的时间安排得更好。专业人士随身带着口袋型记事本，有些甚至是电子的记事本，好随时留意所订的约会与工作截止日期。人们想尽办法要在有限的时间内挤出更多的时间来。早期的美国英雄班哲明?富兰克林将这种想法表达得最淋漓尽致：「你爱生命吗？如果爱就不要浪费时间，因为生命即是由时间组成的。」 To Americans, punctuality is a way of showing respect for other people's time. Being more than 10 minutes late to an appointment usually calls for an apology, and maybe an explanation. People who are running late often call ahead to let others know of the delay. Of course, the less formal the situation, the less important it is to be exactly on time. At informal get-togethers, for example, people often arrive as much as 30 minutes past the appointed time. But they usually don't try that at work. 对美国人来说，守时是一种尊重他人时间的表现。通常若约会迟到超过10分钟，就应该向对方道歉或解释原因。知道自己会迟到的人往往会先打个电话，让对方知道自己会晚一点到。当然，会面场合愈不正式，精确准时的重要性就愈小。举例来说，在非正式的聚会中，人们往往会在约定时间过后30分钟才到，不过，他们上班通常就不会这样做。 American lifestyles show how much people respect the time of others. When people plan an event, they often set the time days or weeks in advance. Once the time is fixed, it takes almost an emergency to change it. If people want to come to your house for a friendly visit, they will usually call first to make sure it is convenient. Only very close friends will just "drop by" unannounced. Also, people hesitate to call others late at night for fear they might be in bed. The time may vary, but most folks think twice about calling after 10:00 p.m. 美国人的生活型态表现出他们对别人的时间有多尊重。当人们在计划一项活动时，通常会在几天或几个星期前把时间定好。时间一旦决定，除非情况紧急，否则不会轻易改变。如果有人想到家里拜访你，他们通常会先打电话过来，以确定你是否方便，只有很熟的朋友才会未经通知就突然造访。同时，人们也不太喜欢太晚打电话给别人，因为怕对方已经上床睡觉了。何时才算太晚并不一定，不过，大部分的人若想在晚上10点钟以后打电话，都会再三考虑。 To outsiders, Americans seem tied to the clock. People in other cultures value relationships more than schedules. In these societies, people don't try to control time, but to experience it. Many Eastern cultures, for example, view time as a cycle. The rhythm of nature --- from the passing of the seasons to the monthly cycle of the moon --- shapes their view of events. People learn to respond to their environment. As a result, they find it easier to "go with the flow" than Americans, who like plans to be fixed and unchangeable. 对外人而言，美国人似乎很依赖时钟；其它文化背景出身的人则看重人际关系甚于时间表。在那些社会型态中，人们不会设法去控制时间，而是去经历享受它。举例来说，很多东方文化把时间视为一个周期。从季节的更替到每个月亮圆缺变化的周期，这些大自然的节奏塑造了他们对事情的看法。人们学习去因应环境的变化，因此他们比美国人更容易视情境而作弹性的应变；而美国人则喜欢将计划固定好不要更动。 　Even Americans would admit that no one can master time. Time --- like money --- slips all too easily through our fingers. And time --- like the weather --- is very hard to predict. Nevertheless, time is one of life's most precious gifts. And unwrapping it is half the fun. 不过连美国人都承认，没有人能够完全掌握时间。时间就像金钱一样，很容易就从我们的指间溜走；时间也像天气一样，是很难预测的。然而，时间是生命中最宝贵的礼物之一，而拆开（这项难以掌握和预料的）礼物本身就已经是一种乐趣了。