23.Aforeigner’sfirstimpressionoftheU.S.islikelytobethateveryoneisinarush-oftenunderpressure.Citypeopleappearalwaystobehurryingtogetwheretheyaregoingrestlessly,seekingattentioninastore,andelbowingothersastheytr

　　23.Aforeigner’sfirstimpressionoftheU.S.islikelytobethateveryoneisinarush-oftenunderpressure.Citypeopleappearalwaystobehurryingtogetwheretheyaregoingrestlessly,seekingattentioninastore,andelbowingothersastheytrytocompletetheirerrands（任务）.Racingthroughdaytimemealsispartofthepaceoflifeinthiscountry.

　　Workingtimeisconsideredprecious.Othersinpubliceatingplacesarewaitingforyoutofinishsothattheytoocanbeservedandgetbacktoworkwithinthetimeallowed.Eachpersonhurriestomakeroomforthenextperson.Ifyoudon’t,waiterswillhurryyou.

　　Youalsofinddriverswillbeabruptandthatpeoplewillpushpastyou.Youwillmisssmiles,briefconversations,andsmallcourtesieswithstrangers.Don’ttakeitpersonally.Thisisbecausepeoplevaluetimehighly,andtheyresentsomeoneelse“wasting”itbeyondacertaincourtesypoint.

　　Theviewoftimeaffectstheimportanceweattachtopatience.IntheAmericansystemofvalues,patienceisnotahighpriority.Manyofushavewhatmightbecalled“ashortfuse.”Webegintomoverestlesslyaboutifwefeeltimeisslippingawaywithoutsomereturn------bethisintermsofpleasure,workvalue,orrest.Thosecomingfromlandswheretimeislookedupondifferentlymayfindthismatterofpacetobeoneoftheirmostdifficultadjustmentsinbothbusinessanddailylife.

　　ManynewcomerstotheStateswillmisstheopeningcourtesyofabusinesscall,forexample,theywillmisstheritualsocializingthatgoeswithawelcomingcupofteaorcoffeetheymaybetraditionalintheirowncountry.Theymaymissleisurelybusinesschatsinacaféorcoffeehouse.Normally,Americansdonotassesstheirvisitorsinsuchrelaxedsurroundingsoverprolongedsmalltalks.Weseekoutevidenceofpastperformanceratherthanevaluateabusinesscolleaguethroughsocialcourtesies.Sincewegenerallyassessandprobeprofessionallyratherthansocially,westarttalkingbusinessveryquickly.1.ThestatementthatAmericansareimpolitetotheirbusinesscolleaguesiswrong. A:TB:F2.Inthefourthparagraph,‘ahighpriority’means‘afirstconcern’ A:TB:F3.Americansevaluateabusinesscolleaguebyestablishingbusinessrelations. A:TB:F4.ThispassagemainlytalksabouthowAmer