新编实用英语电子教案Unit 4(4)

Americans and Europeans consider time to be an asset that can be spent and saved; therefore, proper scheduling of time and its appropriate allocation to various competing tasks is an important part of organizational management. Variations in time use are expected to influence performance and stress, as well as other outcomes. It is a vital strategic element. The large amount of management processes and methods developed to improve performance by managing time use proves the importance placed on time. Here are a few famous quotes and sayings about time and punctuality:

Do you love life? Thus do not squander time, for that’s the stuff life is made of. — Benjamin Franklin

Time wastes things away, and all things grow old through time. — Aristotle Time takes all and gives all. — Giordano Bruno

Lost wealth may be replaced by industry, lost knowledge by study, lost health by temperance or medicine, but lost time is gone for ever. — Samuel Smiles

Few things tend more to alienate friendship than a want of punctuality in our engagements. I have known the breach of a promise to dine or sup to break up more than one intimacy. — William Hazlitt

Punctuality is the soul of business. — Thomas Chandler Haliburton

While we keep a man waiting, he reflects on our shortcomings. — Anonymous

Language Points 1 Explanation of difficult sentences

1. (Para. 1) One of the cultural differences that tend to annoy Americans has to do with

understanding of punctuality.

Analysis: Has to do with is a phrase meaning has a specified relationship with It is the predicate of the sentence. That introduces a restrictive relative clause modifying differences. Translation: 有一种常会惹恼美国人的文化差异可能关系到对守时的不同理解。 Example: One of the difficulties that tend to trouble me has to do with saying no to extra work. 2. (Para. 3) Arriving at my office 30 minutes after the appointment, I found a voice message telling

me the team was waiting for me in the meeting room.

Analysis: Arriving at… is a present participle phrase used as an adverbial of time. Telling me (= that told me) is a present participle phrase modifying message. The team was waiting for me in the meeting room is the object clause of the verb telling with that omitted.

Translation: 我到办公室时比约定的时间晚了30分钟，发现有个电话录音，说那个印度团队在会议室等我。

Example: Getting to my office very early, I saw Jane’s note saying she would have lunch with me.

3. (Para. 3) Being afraid that I had missed the appointment, I hurried in, and found them happily

chatting together.

Analysis: Being afraid that I had missed the appointment is a present participle clause used as an adverbial of cause. Chatting is a present participle used as the object complement.

Translation: 由于害怕我已经错过了约定时间，我赶紧跑进会议室，却发现他们正在一起开

心地聊天。

Example: Being afraid that I had made my parents angry, I went back home early and found them cooking dinner for me.

4. (Para. 4) … if you start late you won’t be able to finish the business at hand without running

beyond the scheduled ending time.

Analysis: If introduces an adverbial clause of condition. Note that the pattern you won’t be able to…without running beyond… means you will … by running beyond ….

Translation: 如果你开始的时间晚了，不超出约定的结束时间你就不可能完成手头的业务。 Example: If Sally has the money, she won’t go shopping without buying a lot of expensive clothes.

2 Important words

1. pay v. be worth it 有好处，值得 e.g.

It pays to be honest.

It pays to learn a foreign language.

2. punctuality n. the quality of adhering to an appointed time 守时 eg:

His habit of punctuality has not changed since he was eight years old. Punctuality is thought to be a matter of course in Europe and America.

3. annoy v. to disturb or irritate especially by repeated acts 使烦恼；惹恼 eg:

He annoyed his boss by drumming the table with his fingertips. He kept complaining about everything, which really annoyed us.

4. punctual a. arriving exactly at the time appointed 准时的；守时的 eg:

We cannot guarantee the punctual arrival of trains in foggy weather. Not being punctual is his biggest shortcoming.

5. attitude n. a mental state involving feelings, beliefs and values 态度；看法 eg:

An unfriendly attitude of the shop assistant often annoys customers. People with high EQs often have positive attitudes towards life.

6. behavior n. manner of acting 行为；举止 eg:

All of us change our behavior to fit different situations. I noticed a change in his behavior.

Passage translation

守时是有好处的

有一种常会惹恼美国人的文化差异可能关系到对守时的不同理解。要想在职场上升迁就要从准时上班做起！

如果你来自一个对时间观念比较宽松的文化环境，那么美国人对待时间的认真态度就很可能使你感到惊讶。尽管不是所有的美国人都总是守时的，但是社会整体上是在严格遵守时间的基础上运行的。在个人生活、社区生活还是美国商业文化中都是如此。

下面是最近发生在我身上的一个真实故事。我本来确定了和一个来自印度的团队进行商业会晤的时间，可是不知怎么的，忘了把它记在我的日程表上。我到办公室时比约定的时间晚了30分钟，发现有个电话录音，说那个团队在会议室等我。由于害怕我已经错过了这次约会，我赶紧跑进会议室，却发现他们正在一起开心地聊天。他们的神态是在说：“啊呀，你来了！咱们现在

可以开始了！”

如果这是个美国人的团队，他们很可能会生气，而且不可能等待十多分钟 —— 这是最多的了。他们会给我留个口信，要求重新安排会谈时间。为什么呢？因为美国式的约会安排有严格的结束时间和开始时间。如果你开始的时间晚了，不超出约定的结束时间你就不可能完成手头的业务。

如果你对于在美国工作、与美国人做生意或者为美国在海外的公司工作等情况不熟悉，下面就你在约会和守时方面的日常行为提出了几项建议，它们一定能帮助你与美国同事愉 …… 此处隐藏：6478字，全部文档内容请下载后查看。喜欢就下载吧 ……