What is time?Is it a thing to be saved or spent or wasted, like money? Or is it something we have no control over, like the weather? Is time the same all over the world?
That's an easy question, you say. Wherever you go, a minute is 60 seconds, an hour is 60 minutes, a day is 24 hours, and so forth. But in America, time is more than that. Americans see time as a _______ resource. Maybe that's why they are fond of the expression, "Time is money."
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_______. 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 time 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."
To Americans, punctuality is a way of showing _______for other people's time. Being more than 10 minutes late to an appointment usually calls for an apology and an explanation. People who are running late often call ahead to let others know of the delay. Of course, the less formal the situation is, the less important it is to be exactly on time.
American lifestyles show how much people honor the time of others. When people plan an event, they often set the time days or weeks_______ If people want to come to your house for a friendly visit, they will usually call first to make sure it is suitable. Only very close friends will just "drop by" unannounced. Also, people_______ 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.
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 _______. Nevertheless, time is one of life's most precious gifts. And unwrapping it is half the fun.
49.
A.natural | B.valuable | C.financial | D.forceful |
50.
A.management | B.establishment | C.experiment | D.movement |
51.
A.respect | B.attitude | C.sympathy | D.concern |
52.
A.on average | B.in advance | C.for sure | D.on purpose |
53.
A.fail | B.tend | C.hesitate | D.hate |
54.
A.capture | B.predict | C.announce | D.promise |