新视野大学英语读写教程(第二版)第二册课文及翻译 2

1 Unit 1Time-Conscious AmericansAmericans believe no one stands still. If you are not moving ahead,

1Unit1 Time-ConsciousAmericans Americansbelievenoonestandsstill.Ifyouarenotmovingahead,youarefallingbehind.Thisattitude resultsinanationofpeoplecommittedtoresearching,experimentingandexploring.Timeisoneofthetwo elementsthatAmericanssavecarefully,theotherbeinglabor. "Weareslavestonothingbuttheclock,"ithasbeensaid.Timeistreatedasifitweresomethingalmostreal. Webudgetit,saveit,wasteit,stealit,killit,cutit,accountforit;wealsochargeforit.Itisapreciousresource. Manypeoplehavearatheracutesenseoftheshortnessofeachlifetime.Oncethesandshaverunoutofa person'shourglass,theycannotbereplaced.Wewanteveryminutetocount. Aforeigner'sfirstimpressionoftheUSislikelytobethateveryoneisinarush—oftenunderpressure.City peoplealwaysappeartobehurryingtogetwheretheyaregoing,restlesslyseekingattentioninastore,or elbowingothersastheytrytocompletetheirshopping.Racingthroughdaytimemealsispartofthepaceoflife inthiscountry.Workingtimeisconsideredprecious.Othersinpubliceating-placesarewaitingforyoutofinish sothey,too,canbeservedandgetbacktoworkwithinthetimeallowed.Youalsofinddriverswillbeabruptand peoplewillpushpastyou.Youwillmisssmiles,briefconversations,andsmallexchangeswithstrangers.Don't takeitpersonally.Thisisbecausepeoplevaluetimehighly,andtheyresentsomeoneelse"wasting"itbeyonda certainappropriatepoint. ManynewarrivalsintheStateswillmisstheopeningexchangesofabusinesscall,forexample.Theywill misstheritualinteractionthatgoeswithawelcomingcupofteaorcoffeethatmaybeaconventionintheirown country.Theymaymissleisurelybusinesschatsinarestaurantorcoffeehouse.Normally,Americansdonot assesstheirvisitorsinsuchrelaxedsurroundingsoverextendedsmalltalk;muchlessdotheytakethemoutfor dinner,oraroundonthegolfcoursewhiletheydevelopasenseoftrust.Sincewegenerallyassessandprobe professionallyratherthansocially,westarttalkingbusinessveryquickly.Timeis,therefore,alwaystickingin ourinnerear. Consequently,weworkhardatthetaskofsavingtime.Weproduceasteadyflowoflabor-savingdevices; wecommunicaterapidlythroughfaxes,phonecallsoremailsratherthanthroughpersonalcontacts,which thoughpleasant,takelonger—especiallygivenourtraffic-filledstreets.We,therefore,savemostpersonal visitingforafter-workhoursorforsocialweekendgatherings. Toustheimpersonalityofelectroniccommunicationhaslittleornorelationtothesignificanceofthe matterathand.Insomecountriesnomajorbusinessisconductedwithouteyecontact,requiringface-to-face conversation.InAmerica,too,afinalagreementwillnormallybesignedinperson.However,peoplearemeeting increasinglyontelevisionscreens,conducting"teleconferences"tosettleproblemsnotonlyinthiscountrybut also—bysatellite—internationally. TheUSisdefinitelyatelephonecountry.Almosteveryoneusesthetelephonetoconductbusiness,tochat withfriends,tomakeorbreaksocialappointments,tosay"Thankyou",toshopandtoobtainallkindsof information.Telephonessavethefeetandendlessamountsoftime.Thisisduepartlytothefactthatthe telephoneserviceissuperbhere,whereasthepostalserviceislessefficient. Somenewarrivalswillcomefromcultureswhereitisconsideredimpolitetoworktooquickly.Unlessa certainamountoftimeisallowedtoelapse,itseemsintheireyesasifthetaskbeingconsideredwere insignificant,notworthyofproperrespect.Assignmentsare,consequently,givenaddedweightbythepassageof time.IntheUS,however,itistakenasasignofskillfulnessorbeingcompetenttosolveaproblem,orfulfilla jobsuccessfully,withspeed.Usually,themoreimportantataskis,themorecapital,energy,andattentionwillbe pouredintoitinorderto"getitmoving". 美国人认为没有人能停止不前。如果你不求进取，你就会落伍。这种态度造就了一个投身于研究、 实验和探索的民族。时间是美国人注意节约的两个要素之一，另一要素是劳力。