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本篇講座題目的話題是關于不同文化對時間的理解上的差異。Culture shock一直是講座類題目熱衷的考點。同學在復習時，可以關注各網頁關于文化差異，特別是中外文化差異的文章。
第16題：講座第一個選擇題出題位置一般在第一段前三句內。出處在首句Today we’re going to talk about cross-cultural perceptions of time.
答案為B
第17題：答案D. 出處Haw’s theory is that monochromic time can be found primarily in North American and northern European cultures.
第18題：答案B. 出處polychromic cultures view time as being somewhat flexible, since life isn’t so predictable. Scheduling and been precisely simply is not that important.
第19題：答案D. The Brazilian would generally prefer to finish talking with colleagues first, and would not want to cut conversation short in order to make an appointment.
第20題：答案D。Edward Haw’s theory of monochromic and polychromic cultures has been challenged by some critics. Some people think it is overly general.
• Q16-20
Today we’re going to talk about cross-cultural perceptions of time. Different cultures often have entirely different perceptions of time. The cultural anthropologist Edward T.Haw popularized the idea that cultures use time and view time in very different ways. The idea of the past, present, and future and the whole concept of scheduling or managing time can be so different that it leads to cross-cultural miscommunications. In his 1990’s book The Dance of Life, Haw writes “time is one of the fundamental bases on which all cultures rest and around which all activities revolve”. Understanding the difference between monochromic time and polychromic time is essential to success.
Both notion of monochromism and polychromism can be understood as follows: monochromic time is linear. Events are scheduled one at a time one event following another. To a monochromic culture, this type of schedule is valued over interpersonal relationships. On the other hand, polychromic time is characterized by many things happening spontaneously. In addition, interpersonal relationships are highly valued in polychromic cultures. Haw’s theory is that monochromic time can be found primarily in North American and northern European cultures.
These cultures emphasize schedules punctuality and preciseness. They also emphasize doing things. There’re cultures that value productivity, that value getting things done on time. Review time, that something can be lost, killed or wasted or conversely. Review time that some things can be or should be managed, planned and used efficiently. Polychromic time, on the other hand, can be found primarily in Latin American, African and Native American cultures. Their perception of time is more connected to natural rhythms. It is connected to the earth, to the seasons. This makes sense when they consider that natural events can occur spontaneously, sporadically, or concurrently, polychromic cultures view time as being somewhat flexible, since life isn’t so predictable. Scheduling and been precisely simply is not that important. In addition, relationships with people are valued more than making schedules. There’s more value placed on being than on doing. Different cultural perceptions of time can lead to conflict, especially in the business world. The idea of being late versus on time for a meeting, for example, might differ widely between an American business person and a Brazilian. The American business person might be far less tolerant of a Brazilian’s late arrival. However, a Brazilian business person might be offended by an American’s insistence on punctuality, or on getting right down to business. The Brazilian would generally prefer to finish talking with colleagues first, and would not want to cut conversation short in order to make an appointment. Some traditional time management programs used in the business world might not translate well in another culture. Traditional time management programs in the business world emphasize to do to-do lists and careful scheduling. They’re monochromic. However, a business in a polychromic culture might not adjust well to that system. Companies will impose those monochromic systems on places of business in polychromic cultures might be guilty of ethniccentralism, which means making their own ethnical or cultural values central and not valuing other values. Edward Haw’s theory of monochromic and polychromic cultures has been challenged by some critics. Some people think it is overly general. They argue that within any cultural group, we might find people who think of time differently. In other words, a primarily polychromic culture might have both monochromic and polychromic types of people. A same diversity among individuals might be found in a primarily monochromic culture. Critics of anthropologists like Edward Haw feel that it’s more useful to think of time differences among individuals, not just between cultural groups.
