Cultural difference: being on time

Pre-reading activity

1.      Read the title of the article and predict what the article will be aout :

a.       The importance of being on time should be taught to all cultures

b.      Being punctual

c.       The importance of being on time differs among cultures

2.      From reading the title, why do you think the article was written?

a.       To stress the importance of being punctual

b.      To make the reader aware of how different cultures fell about punctuality

c.       To show that all cultures fell the same 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 an a formal situation : Lunch with a friend an in 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 question. While arriving late may not be very important in Brazil, neither is staying late.

            The explanation for these differences is complicated. People from Brazilian an 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 Brazilian expect a person with status or 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 question that follow.

1.      Refer to paragraph 1. What does ‘punctual’ mean?

a.      Keeping to the appointed time

b.      Keeping to a reasonable time

c.       Being late

2.      Refer to paragraph 1. What is ‘rude’ behavior?

a.       Studious behavior

b.      Noisy behavior

c.       Impolite behavior

3.      Refer to paragraph 1. What does ‘few’ refer to?

a.      The professor

b.      The students

c.       Gretings

4.      Refer to the end of paragraph 2. ‘The average’ means…

a.       Typical

b.      Usual

c.       Amount

5.      Refer to the end of paragraph 2. How does ‘on the other hand’ connect the American idea of lateness with the Brazilian idea of lateness?

a.       It shows a similarity

b.      It gives more information

c.       It shows contrast

6.      Refer to paragraph 3. ‘Neither’ the teacher nor the students always arrive at the appointed hour. Who arrives at the appointed hour?

a.       The students only

b.      No one

c.       The teacher and the students

7.      Refer to paragraph 5. ‘to adapt his own behavior means…

a.      He changed his behavior

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 (F)

2.      in a Brazilian class, many students probably leave immediately after the class is finished. (F)

3.      Most North American 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 American and Brazilians react if someone is late. (paragraph …….)

3.      The outcome of the professor’s study led him to alter his behavior. (paragraph …….)

4.       

IV.      The new vocabulary  from the article above

In english

meanings

·         Punctual : being on time : keeping to the appointed  time ·         Predict ·         Appointment ·         Discovered ·         Several ·         Apologised ·         Rude : impolite behavior : disrespectful ·         Respectively ·         React ·         Defined ·         Expected ·         Appointed ·         Appointed hour ·         Contrast ·         Noon ·         Remained ·         Lateness ·         Complicated ·         Probably ·         Prestige ·         Considered ·         Unacceptable ·         Consequently ·         Misinterpret ·         Instead ·         Behaving ·         Eventually ·         Able ·         Comfortable ·         Appropriate ·         Reasonable ·         Studios behavior ·         Noisy behavior ·         Impolite behavior ·         Typical ·         Usual ·         Amount ·         Outcome ·         Alter ·         Let-led-led

·         tepat pada waktunya ·         meramalkan ·         pertemuan yang telah ditentukan ·         menemukan/ ditemukan ·         beberapa ·         meminta maaf ·         tidak sopan,  kasar, kurang ajar ·         masing-masing, berturut-turut ·         memberi reaksi ·         menggambarkan, mendefinisikan ·         mengharapkan, diharapkan ·         diangkat ·         waktu yang ditentukan ·         perbedaan ·         tengah  hari ·         tinggal, tetap ·         sudah  lewat waktunya ·         berbelit-belit, rumit, pelik ·         barangkali, agaknya ·         gengsi, martabat ·         mempertimbangkan, dianggap ·         tidak dapat diterima ·         akibatnya ·         salah menafsirkan ·         malahan ·         bertindak ·         pada akhirnya ·         bisa, sanggup, terampil ·         nyaman ·         tepat ·         layak, pantas, masuk akal ·         rajin belajar ·         rebut, gaduh ·         kelakuan tidak sopan ·         khas ·         biasa ·         jumlah, kwantitas ·         hasil ·         mengubah ·         membiarkan