你經常遲到嗎？你的遲到會讓周圍的人感到惱火嗎？也許遲到不是你的錯！本文討論人們守時或遲到的原因。
辭彙：punctuality 守時
As the saying goes, 『time waits for no man』. Time is always against us, and we just can』t stop it. Maybe that』s why some of us are always running late for appointments. But if timekeeping is not what you』re good at, don』t stress. There might be a good reason for your lack of punctuality.
俗話說:"時間不等人"。時間總是與我們作對，我們無法阻止它。也許這就是為什麼我們中的一些人總是 約會遲到的原因。但如果計時不是你擅長的，不要緊張。你不守時可能有充分的理由。
People』s attitudes to being on time vary. Some clock-watch and make sure they』re bang on time for a meeting. It is, after all, rude to be late, and if you can make it on time, why can』t everyone else? But if, like me, you want to make every second count, you might try to squeeze as much as you can into the time you have available. However, when your schedule doesn』t run to plan, your punctuality inevitably slips.
人們對準時的態度各不相同。一些人不停地看錶 ，並確保他們準時開會。畢竟遲到是不禮貌的，如果你能準時趕到，為什麼其他人就不能呢？但是，如果像我一樣，你想讓每一秒都很重要，你可能會嘗試儘可能多地擠進你有空的時間。但是，當您的日程安排沒有按計划進行時，您的準時性不可避免地會下降。
People who lack promptness have been described as 『time benders』. Author Grace Pacie told the BBC that 「they』re the people who don』t want to be late, but they have a strange resistance to being early, and they don』t allow enough time.」 They assume their journey to an appointment will always go smoothly, and the train will always be on time!
缺乏及時性的人被描述為「時間扭曲者」。作家格蕾絲·帕西（Grace Pacie）告訴 BBC，「他們是不想遲到的人，但他們對早起有一種奇怪的抵抗力，而且他們沒有足夠的時間。」 他們認為他們的約會之旅總是會順利進行，而且火車總是準時！
Perceptions of unpunctual people are almost always negative – even if sometimes wrong. Writing for the BBC, Laura Clarke says: 「Being consistently late might not be your fault. It could be your type. The punctually-challenged often share personality characteristics, such as optimism, low levels of self-control, anxiety, or a penchant for thrill-seeking, experts say. It is also possible people are late so not to be conspicuous and to avoid the anxious wait for others to turn up.
對不守時的人的看法 幾乎總是消極的——即使有時是錯誤的。勞拉·克拉克為 BBC 撰稿時說：「一直遲到可能不是你的錯。它可能是你的類型。專家說， 準時挑戰者通常具有共同的性格特徵，例如樂觀、自我控制水平低、焦慮或 喜歡 尋求刺激。也有可能人們遲到了，所以不要太顯眼 ，避免焦急地等待其他人出現。
Maybe us latecomers should make more of an effort and follow the advice I heard to not 『try』 to be on time but 『decide』 to be on time. But I know if a meeting or a deadline really matters, then I』ll be there. Otherwise relax, even if others are cursing you!
也許我們這些遲到的人應該更加努力，聽從我聽到的建議，不要「試圖」準時，而是「決定」準時。但我知道如果會議或截止日期真的很重要，我會去的。否則就放輕鬆，即使別人在罵你!
辭彙表
time waits for no man 時不我待
running late 遲到
timekeeping 守時
be on time 準時
clock-watch 不停地看錶
bang on time 非常準時，正好準時
make every second count 爭分奪秒
schedule 日程安排表
promptness 準時，及時
time bender 「彎曲時間的人」，總想在有限時間內做過多的事，從而導致經
常遲到的人
unpunctual 不準時的
punctually-challenged 不守時的人
penchant 傾向
conspicuous 顯眼的
latecomer 遲到的人
deadline 截止日期，最後期限
測驗與練習
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What do people who are often late try to do with their time?
2. True or false? According to the article, unpunctual people always have a negative attitude.
3. Why might someone not want to be on time at a meeting?
4. According to some advice, what should latecomers do instead of just trying to be on time?
5. What does author Grace Pacie think time benders have a resistance to?
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或片語來完成下列句子。
1. After her boss warned her about her _______, she』s been early for every meeting.
timekeeping latecomer clock-watching deadline
2. I felt very _______ in the office because I was the only one wearing a suit!
resistant conspicuous perception punctual
3. I was _______ for my flight departure only to find it was cancelled!
banging time bang in time bang on time banging on time
4. According to the _______, there should be a bus leaving in ten minutes.
punctuality schedule promptness deadline
5. Roy is _______, so let』s go ahead and watch the film. He can catch up later.
running later late running running late ran late
答案
1. 閱讀課文並回答問題。
1. What do people who are often late try to do with their time?
They want to squeeze as much as they can into the time available.
2. True or false? According to the article, unpunctual people always have a negative attitude.
False. Perceptions of unpunctual people are almost always negative – even if sometimes wrong.
3. Why might someone not want to be on time at a meeting?
Some people are late to a meeting so not to be conspicuous and avoid the anxious wait for others to turn up.
4. According to some advice, what should latecomers do instead of just trying to be on time?
Instead of trying to be on time, they should decide to be on time.
5. What does author Grace Pacie think time benders have a resistance to?
Grace Pacie says 「they have a strange resistance to being early and they don』t allow enough time.」
2. 選擇意思恰當的單詞或片語來完成下列句子。
1. After her boss warned her about her timekeeping, she』s been early for every meeting.
2. I felt very conspicuous in the office because I was the only one wearing a suit!
3. I was bang on time for my flight departure only to find it was cancelled!
4. According to the schedule, there should be a bus leaving in ten minutes.
5. Roy is running late, so let』s go ahead and watch the film. He can catch up later.
