11．What is time？Is it a thing to be saved or spent or wasted，like money？Or is it something we have no control over，like the weather？Is time the same all over the world？
That's an easy question，you say．Wherever you go，a minute is 60seconds，an hour is 60minutes，a day is 24hours，and so forth．But in America，time is more than that．Americans see time as a valuable resource．Maybe that's why they are fond of the expression，"Time is money．"
Because Americans believe time is a limited resource，they try to conserve and manage it．People in the U．S．often attend seminars or read books on time management．It seems they all want to organize their time better．Professionals carry around pocket planners--some in electronic form--to keep track of appointments and deadlines．People do all they can to squeeze more time out of their time．The early American hero Benjamin Franklin expressed this view best："Do you love life？Then do not waste time，for that is the stuff life is made of．"
To Americans，punctuality is a way of showing respect for other people's time．Being more than 10minutes late to an appointment usually calls for an apology and an explanation．People who are running late often call ahead to let others know of the delay．Of course，the less formal the situation is，the less important it is to be exactly on time．At informal get-togethers，for example，people often arrive as much as 30minutes past the appointed time．
To outsiders，Americans seem tied to the clock．People in other cultures value relationships more than schedules．In these societies，people don't try to control time，but to experience it．Even Americans would admit that no one can master time．Time--like money--slips all too easily through our fingers．And time--like the weather--is very hard to predict．Nevertheless，time is one of life's most precious gifts．And unwrapping it is half the fun．
4．What's the main topic of this passage？B
A．What is time？
B．Time among Americans．
C．Make good use of time．
D．How to control time？
5．What's the meaning of the underlined word"conserve"？A
A．protect
B．develop
C．produce
D．assist
6．The sentence"Americans seem tied to the clock"in paragraph 5probably meansC．
A．Americans often carry a clock with them．
B．Americans can take control over time．
C．Americans often make full use of time．
D．Americans can not predict the time．
7．We can safely draw a conclusion from this passage thatD．
A．Americans have more time than others．
B．by using pocket planners，people can have more time．
C．for informal meeting，Americans often arrive 30minutes earlier．
D．Americans often attend seminars，because they want to use time better．
分析 本文主要以美国人为例子，向我们重申了时间的重要性．对有些人来说时间就是像钱一样是用来花费的东西；对有些人来讲，时间是像天气一样，不可掌控；可是对美国人来讲，时间却是一种十分宝贵的资源．
解答 BACD
4 B 主旨大意题． 通读全文可知本文主要以美国人为例子，向我们重申了时间的重要性．故选B．
5 A 猜测词义题． 根据文章第三 段 Because Americans believe time is a limited resource，they try to conserve and manage it．可知对美国人来讲，时间却是一种十分宝贵的资源，所以他们试着去保存时间并加以管理，故A项意义最接近，故选A．
6 C 推理判断题． 根据文章第五 段To outsiders，Americans seem tied to the clock． 可知对外国人来说，美国人似乎依赖时钟，也就是美国人很珍惜时间，应该充分利用，故选C．
7 D 推理判断题． 根据文章第三 段People in the U．S．often attend seminars or read books on time management．It seems they all want to organize their time better． 可知美国人经常参加有关时间管理的研习会或阅读这方面的书籍，他们似乎希望能把自己的时间安排的更好，故选D．
点评 考察学生的细节理解和推理判断能力，做细节理解题时一定要找到文章中的原句，和题干进行比较，再做出正确的选择．在做推理判断题不要以个人的主观想象代替文章的事实，要根据文章事实进行合乎逻辑的推理判断．
