VIP Class Notes (Vicki)

Write about a good time-keeping method

Vocabulary

recovered – healed
i.e. He is recovered now.

quarantine – ge li
i.e. He is in quarantine right now.

amusement park – you le chang
i.e. I want to go to the amusement park.

casino – the place where you gamble
i.e. I want to go to the casino to gamble.

duty-free shop – no tax stores
i.e. I like to shop at the duty-free shops.

appointment – reservation
i.e. I made an appointment with my doctor.

skip the class – missed the class
i.e. I skipped a class last week.

bang on time – right on time
i.e. I want to make sure that I am bang on time.

inevitably (adv.) – cannot be avoided

inevitable (adj.) – cannot be avoided
i.e. This result was inevitable.

slip – fall
i.e. I slipped on a banana just now.

promptness – punctuality

time bender – someone who wants to do a lot in very little time

resistance – rejection
i.e. I have a strong resistance to go back to school.

assume – think based on your own opinion
i.e. I assumed that you like the color red.

realistic – possible
i.e. Her ideas are not very realistic.

perception – other’s opinion about you
i.e. We should not care about others’ perceptions.

penchant – desire
i.e. I have a penchant to express myself.

conspicuous – obvious
i.e. It was quite conspicuous that she has some problems.

embrace – to forgive
i.e. I guess I can embrace your weakness.

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.

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.

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!

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.

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!