Unit1

　　Americansbelievenoonestandsstill.

　　Ifyouarenotmovingahead,youarefallingbehind.

　　Thisattituderesultsinanationofpeoplecommittedtoresearching,experimentingandexploring.

　　TimeisoneofthetwoelementsthatAmericanssavecarefully,theotherbeinglabor.

　　"Weareslavestonothingbuttheclock,"ithasbeensaid.

　　Timeistreatedasifitweresomethingalmostreal.

　　Webudgetit,saveit,wasteit,stealit,killit,cutit,accountforit;wealsochargeforit.

　　Itisapreciousresource.Manypeoplehavearatheracutesenseoftheshortnessofeachlifetime.

　　Oncethesandshaverunoutofaperson'shourglass,theycannotbereplaced.

　　Wewanteveryminutetocount.

　　Aforeigner'sfirstimpressionoftheUSislikelytobethateveryoneisinarush—oftenunderpressure.

　　Citypeoplealwaysappeartobehurryingtogetwheretheyaregoing,restlesslyseekingattentioninastore,orelbowingothersastheytrytocompletetheirshopping.

　　Racingthroughdaytimemealsispartofthepaceoflifeinthiscountry.Workingtimeisconsideredprecious.

　　Othersinpubliceating-placesarewaitingforyoutofinishsothey,too,canbeservedandgetbacktoworkwithinthetimeallowed.

　　Youalsofinddriverswillbeabruptandpeoplewillpushpastyou.

　　Youwillmisssmiles,briefconversations,andsmallexchangeswithstrangers.

　　Don'ttakeitpersonally.

　　Thisisbecausepeoplevaluetimehighly,andtheyresentsomeoneelse"wasting"itbeyondacertainappropriatepoint.

　　ManynewarrivalsintheStateswillmisstheopeningexchangesofabusinesscall,forexample.

　　Theywillmisstheritualinteractionthatgoeswithawelcomingcupofteaorcoffeethatmaybeaconventionintheirowncountry.

　　Theymaymissleisurelybusinesschatsinarestaurantorcoffeehouse.

　　Normally,Americansdonotassesstheirvisitorsinsuchrelaxedsurroundingsoverextendedsmalltalk;muchlessdotheytakethemoutfordinner,oraroundonthegolfcoursewhiletheydevelopasenseoftrust.

　　Sincewegenerallyassessandprobeprofessionallyratherthansocially,westarttalkingbusinessveryquickly.

　　Timeis,therefore,alwaystickinginourinnerear.

　　Consequently,weworkhardatthetaskofsavingtime.

　　Weproduceasteadyflowoflabor-savingdevices;

　　wecommunicaterapidlythroughfaxes,phonecallsoremailsratherthanthroughpersonalcontacts,whichthoughpleasant,takelonger—especiallygivenourtraffic-filledstreets.

　　We,therefore,savemostpersonalvisitingforafter-workhoursorforsocialweekendgatherings.

　　Toustheimpersonalityofelectroniccommunicationhaslittleornorelationtothesignificanceofthematterathand.

　　Insomecountriesnomajorbusinessisconductedwithouteyecontact,requiringface-to-faceconversation.

　　InAmerica,too,afinalagreementwillnormallybesignedinperson.

　　However,peoplearemeetingincreasinglyontelevisionscreens,conducting"teleconferences"tosettleproblemsnotonlyinthiscountrybutalso—bysatellite—internationally.

　　TheUSisdefinitelyatelephonecountry.

　　Almosteveryoneusesthetelephonetoconductbusiness,tochatwithfriends,t