English Listening B1 Episode 28 - Track 07
Fill in the Blanks Exercise
TRACK 7 | ORGANIZING YOUR TIME.
PERSPECTIVE ON TIME
Time and Culture
Imagine you're going to a party this weekend at your friend's apartment. "Could you come at 7 p.m. and bring dessert?" she asked. What time do you think you'll actually arrive? Ten minutes early? Half an hour late? (1)
? The answer probably depends on your cultural view of time. Different cultures and countries have very different ways of thinking about time. Even countries that are quite close to each other like Germany and Italy see time (2)
.
Deadlines and Meeting Times
There is a saying in countries like Germany and the U.S., "Time is money." People think of wasting time as the same as (3)
. If you miss a deadline or are late to a meeting, people might get mad. In other countries like Italy and Greece, people are less strict about deadlines and appointments. Meetings and big boy b conversations start and end when it feels right, not when (4)
.
Getting Things Done vs. Building Relationships
In many Western countries, people want to get as much done (5)
. They get impatient if decisions are not made fast enough. In other countries, taking time to build relationships is more important than getting things done fast. That's why meetings often start with lots of small talk (6)
.
Pace of Life
In some countries, it almost seems that people are in a race to get through life (7)
. In other countries, life is more about enjoying time-sharing meals, taking walks and (8)
. As you travel or make friends with people from other cultures, it can help to improve communication if you understand (9)
.
