In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 p.m. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it’s a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.
In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from different cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate wting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person who is 5 minutes late, will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.
在美国，一般不习惯每天很早打电话给某个人。如果你很早打电话给他，在他刮胡子或吃早饭的时候，那就说明这件事情非常重要，需要立刻处理。晚上十一点以后打电话也是同样的意思。如果一个人在睡觉的时候接到电话，那他肯定觉得这是一件事关生死的大事。打电话的时间也显示事情的重要程度。
在社会生活中，时间是一个非常重要的角色。在美国，如果在宴会三四天前才受到邀请，那受邀者就会认为自己不是很受重视。但并不是在所有的国家都如此。在世界上的其它地方，提前很多时候做约定被认为是很愚蠢的，因为约好一个星期以后的事情很容易忘记。所以时间的意义在不同的地方是不一样的。因此，来自不同文化背景的人之间就会产生误会。举个例子，准时在美国社会是受到高度认可的。如果某些人不准时，就会被认为不礼貌或不够负责任。在美国，没有一个人会把一次商务活动和等待一小时联系起来，这太不礼貌了。一个人如果迟到五分钟，就要做出解释，也许这还不够。
1. What is the main idea of this passage? __________ 以下哪项表达了本文的中心思想？
A. It is not customary to telephone someone in the morning and in sleeping hours in the U.S.
B. The role of time in social life over the world. 世界各地时间在社会生活中扮演的角色。
C. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible in the U.S.
D. Not every country treats the concept of time as the same.
2. What does it mean in the passage if you call someone during his or her sleeping hours? __________ 根据本文，如果你在某人睡觉时间打电话给他，意味着什么？
A. A matter of work.
B. A matter of life or death. 这是一件事关生死的大事
C. You want to see him or her.
D. You want to make an appointment with him or her.
3. Which of the following time is proper if you want to make an appointment with your friend? __________ 如果你想约你的朋友，以下哪个时间是比较恰当的？
A. at 7: 00 am. B. at 4:00 pm. 下午4点 C. at the midnight. D. at 4:00 am.
4. Which of the following statements is true according to the passage? __________
根据本文，以下哪项陈述是正确的？
A. In the U.S.A guests tend to feel they are highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date.
B.There is no misunderstanding arising between people from different cultures about the concept of time.
C. It may be considered foolish to make an appointment well in advance in the U.S.A..
D. Promptness is valued highly in American life. 准时在美国社会是受到高度认可的。
5. From the passage we can safely infer that __________. 从本文我们可以得出：
A. it’s a matter of life or death if you call someone in day time
B. the meaning of time differs in different parts of the world 世界各地的时间观念是不同的
C. it makes no difference in the U.S. whether you are early or late for a business party
D. if a person is late for a date, he needn’t make some explanation
