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Pre-reading activity

1. Read the title of the article and predict 2. From reading the title, why do you think
what the article will be about: the article was written?
a. the importance of being on time should be a. to stress the importance of being punctual
taught to all cultures b. to make the reader aware of how different
b. being punctual cultures feel about punctuality
c. the importance of being on time differs c. to show that all cultures feel the same
among cultures about punctuality

CULTURAL DIFFERENCE: BEING ON TIME

In the United States, it is


important to be on time,
or punctual, for an
appointment, a class, a
meeting, etc. However,
this may not be true in all
countries. An American
professor discovered this
difference while teaching
a class in a Brazilian
university. The two-hour
class was scheduled to
begin at 10 a.m. and end
at 12 p.m. On the first day, when the professor arrived on time, no one was in the
classroom. Many students came after 10 a.m. Several arrived after 10:30 a.m. Two
students came after 11 a.m. Although all the students greeted the professor as they
arrived, few apologised for their lateness. Were these students being rude? He
decided to study the student’s behavior.

The professor talked to American and Brazilian students about lateness in


both an informal and a formal situation: Lunch with a friend and in a university
class, respectively. He gave them an example and asked them how they would
react. If they had a lunch appointment with a friend, the average American student
defined lateness as 19 minutes after the agreed time. On the other hand, the average
Brazilian student felt the friend was late after 33 minutes.

In an American university, students are expected to arrive at the appointed


hour. In contrast, in Brazil, neither the teacher nor the students always arrive at the
appointed hour. Classes not only begin at the scheduled time in the United States,
but also end at the scheduled time. In the Brazilian class, only a few students left
the class at noon; many remained past 12:30 to discuss the class and ask more
questions. While arriving late may not be very important in Brazil, neither is
staying late.
The explanation for these differences is complicated. People from Brazilian
and North American cultures have different feelings about lateness. In Brazil, the
students believe that a person who usually arrives late is probably more successful
than a person is always on time. In fact, Brazilians expect a person with status or
prestige to arrive late, while in the United States lateness is usually considered to
be disrespectful and unacceptable. Consequently, if a Brazilian is late for an
appointment with a North American, the American may misinterpret the reason for
the lateness and become angry.

As a result of his study, the professor learned that the Brazilian students
were not being disrespectful to him. Instead, they were simply behaving in the
appropriate way for a Brazilian student in Brazil. Eventually, the professor was
able to adapt his own behavior so that he could feel comfortable in the new culture.

I. Now read the entire article and answer the questions that follow.

1. Refer to paragraph 1. What does c. Amount


'punctual' mean? 5. Refer to the end of paragraph 2. How
a. keeping to the appointed time does 'on the other hand' connect the
b. keeping to a reasonable time American idea of lateness with the
c. being late Brazilian idea of lateness?
2. Refer to paragraph 1. What is 'rude' a. It shows a similarity
behavior? b. It gives more information
a. Studious behavior c. It shows contrast
b. Noisy behavior 6. Refer to paragraph 3. 'Neither' the
c. Impolite behavior teacher nor the students always arrive at
3. Refer to paragraph 1. what does 'few' the appointed hour. Who arrives at the
refer to? appointed hour?
a. The professor a. The students only
b. The students b. No one
c. Greetings c. The teacher and the students
4. Refer to the end of paragraph 2. ‘The 7. Refer to paragraph 5. ‘to adapt his own
average’ means…. behavior means…
a. Typical a. He changed his behavior
b. Usual b. He continued in the same way

II. Choose True (T) or False (F) for the following statements

1. As a result of the study, the professor changed the Brazilian students' behavior
2. In a Brazilian class, many students probably leave immediately after the class is finished.
3. Most North Americans think a person who is late is disrespectful.
4. In Brazil, most successful people ar expected to be on time.

III. Write down the number of the paragraph in which the following main idea appears.

1. A discussion between the professor, American and Brazilian students about their
perceptions of lateness in different situations. (Paragraph ……….)
2. How Americans and Brazilians react if someone is late. (Paragraph ……….)
3. The outcome of the professor's study led him to alter his behavior. (Paragraph ……….)

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