题目内容：
TimePatterninAmerica
A．SusanAnthonyhasaneight-to-fivejobwithtwo15-minutecoffeebreaks,aone-hourlunchbreak,scheduledappointmentsandweeklydeadlines.Everytimesheentersandleavesherofficebuildingshe"punches"theclock.Althoughsheisnotawareofit,herworkdayisstronglyinfluencedbyherculture'sattitudestowardtime.
B．Whentravellerslackanawarenessofhowtimeisregulatedinaforeigncountry,theycanexpecttofeelsomewhatconfused.Sincemostpeopletaketimeforgranted,theeffectsofvalues,customs,andsocialmannersontheuseoftimeareseldomexamined.Aculturethatvaluesachievementandprogresswilldiscouragepeoplefrom"wasting"time.Highlyefficientbusinesspeoplefromtheseculturesmayfeelfrustratedinacountrywhereworkproceedsatalowpace.Inreligioussocieties,customsspecifytimesoftheday,week,oryearforprayerandreligiouscelebrations.Ifanindividualtriestomakeanappointmentduringasacredholiday,heorshecouldunknowinglyoffendareligiousperson.Socialmannersdetermineappropriatetimesforvisits,meetings,andevenphonecalls.Arrivingtwohourslateforanappointmentmaybeacceptableinoneculture,whereasinanother,keepingsomeonewaitingfifteenminutesmaybeconsideredrude.
C．PromptnessisimportantinAmericanbusiness,academicandsocialsettings.Theimportanceofpunctualityistaughttoyoungchildreninschool.Slowslipsandtheuseofbellssignaltothechildthatpunctualityandtimeitselfaretoberespected.Anamusingreportofaschoolchild'sexperiencewithtimeappearedinarecentnewspaperarticle:Asachild,mymotherusedtotellmehowcrucialitwastobeatschoolwhenthefirstbellrang.Preparationformy"on-time"appearancebeganthenightbefore.IwasdirectedtogotobedearlysoIcouldwakeupwide-eyedat7a.m.withenoughtimetogetready.AlthoughIusuallymanagedtowatchmyshareofTVcartoons,IknewthatinonehourIhadtogetdressed,eatbreakfast,brushmyteeth,combmyhair,andbeonmywaytoschoolorIwouldbeviolatinganimportantruleofMum's,theschool's,oroftheworld's.Itwashardtotellwhich.
D．Peoplewhokeepappointmentsareconsidereddependable.Ifpeoplearelatetojobinterviews,appointments,orclasses,theyareoftenviewedasunreliableandirresponsible.Inthebusinessworld,"timeismoney"andcompaniesmayfinetheirexecutivesforslownesstobusinessmeetings.Ofcourse,itisnotalwayspossibletobepunctual.Socialandbusinessetiquettealsoprovidesrulesforlatearrivals.Callingonthetelephoneifoneisgoingtobemorethanafewminuteslateforscheduledappointmentsisconsideredpoliteandisoftenexpected.Keepingadateorafriendwaitingbeyondtentotwentyminutesisconsideredrude.Ontheotherhand,arrivingthirtyminuteslatetosomepartiesisacceptable.
E.Respectingdeadlinesisalsoimportantinacademicandprofessionalcircles.Itisexpectedthatdeadlinesforclassassignmentsorbusinessreportswillbemet.Studentswhohandinassignmentslatemaybesurprisedtofindthattheprofessorwilllowertheirgradesorevenrefusetogradetheirwork.Whetheritisaquestionofarrivingontimeorofmeetingadeadline,peopleareculturallyconditionedtoregulatetime.
F.Timeis"tangible(有行资产)":onecan"gaintime","spendtime","wastetime","savetime",oreven"killtime"!CommonquestionsinAmericanEnglishrevealthisconcretequalityasthoughtimewereapossession."Doyouhavetime?Canyoumakesometimeforthis?""Howmuchfreetimedoyouhave?"Thetreatmentoftimeasapossessioninfluencesthewaytimeiscarefullydivided.
G.Generally,Americansaretaughttodoonethingatatimeandmaybeuncomfortablewhenanactivityisinterrupted.Inbusinessesthecarefulschedulingoftimeandtheseparationofactivitiesarecommonpractices.Appointmentcalendarsareprintedwith15-,30-,and60-minutetimeslots.A2:30-3:00interviewmayendintimeforabriefbreakbefore3:15-4:00meeting.Theideathat"thereisatimeandplaceforeverything"extendstoAmericansociallife.Visitorswho"dropby"withoutpriornoticemayinterrupttheirhost'spersona!time.Thus,callingfriendsonthetelephonebeforevisitingthemisgenerallypreferredtovisitors'"droppingby".Toaccommodateotherpeople'sschedules,Americansmakebusinessplansandsocialengagementsseveraldaysorweeksinadvance.
H.Culturestendtofavoureitherapast,present,orfutureorientationwithregardtotime.Afutureorientation,includingapreferenceforchange,ischaracteristicofAmericanculture.Thesocietyencouragespeopletolooktothefutureratherthantothepast.
Technological,socialandartistictrendschangerapidlyandaffectpeople'slifestylesandtherelationships.Giventhisinclinationtowardchange,itisnotsurprisingthattraditionplaysalimitedroleintheAmericanculture.Thosewhotrytosupporttraditionalpatternsoflivingorthoughtmaybeseenasrigidor"old-fashioned".Inasocietywherechangeissorapid,itisnotuncommonforeverygenerationtoexperiencea"generationgap".Sometimesparentsstruggletounderstandthevaluesoftheirchildren.Evenreligiousinstitutionshavehadtoadapttocontemporaryneedsoftheirfollowers.Folksingersinchurchservices,womenreligiousleaders,slangversionsoftheBible,allreflectattemptsmadebytraditionalinstitutionsto"keepupwiththetimes".
I.Highratesofchange,particularlyinurbanareas,havecontributedtoafocusonthefutureratherthanthepastorpresent.SomeAmericansbelievethatthebenefitsofthefutureorientationareachievementandprogresswhichenablethemtohaveahighstandardofliving.Othersbelievethathighbloodpressureandstomachulcersaretheresultsofsuchalifestyle.Asindividualsinaculture,weallhaveanintuitive(直觉的)understandingabouthowtimeisregulated.Usuallywedonotthinkabouttheconceptoftimeuntilweinteractwithotherswhohaveadifferenttimeorientation.Althoughindividualsfromanytwoculturesmayviewtimesimilarly,weoftensensethatinanotherculture,lifeseemstoproceedeitherataslowerorfasterpace.Knowinghowtimeisregulated,dividedandperceivedcanprovidevaluableinsightsintoindividualsandtheircultures.
TraditionplaysalimitedroleintheAmericanculturebecauseAmericanspreferrapidchanges.
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