In the United States, it is not customary to telephone someone very early in the morning. If you telephone him early in the day, while he is shaving or having breakfast, the time of the call shows that the matter is very important and requires immediate attention. The same meaning is attached to telephone calls made after 11:00 pm. If someone receives a call during sleeping hours, he assumes it's a matter of life or death. The time chosen for the call communicates its importance.In social life, time plays a very important part. In the U.S.A. guests tend to feel they are not highly regarded if the invitation to a dinner party is extended only three or four days before the party date. But it is not true in all countries. In other areas of the world, it may be considered foolish to make an appointment too far in advance because plans which are made for a date more than a week away tend to be forgotten. The meaning of time differs in different parts of the world. Thus, misunderstandings arise between people from different cultures that treat time differently. Promptness is valued highly in American life, for example. If people are not prompt, they may be regarded as impolite or not fully responsible. In the U.S. no one would think of keeping a business associate waiting for an hour, it would be too impolite. A person, who is 5 minutes late, will say a few words of explanation, though perhaps he will not complete the sentence.
在美国，一大早打电话是不习惯的。如果你在他刮胡子或吃早餐的时候给他打电话，那么打电话的时间说明这件事非常重要，需要立即处理。晚上11点以后打的电话也有同样的意思。如果有人在睡觉时间接到电话，他会认为这是生死攸关的事情。电话的时间选择传达了它的重要性。
在社会生活中，时间扮演着非常重要的角色。在美国，如果宴会的邀请在宴会前三、四天才发出，客人往往会觉得自己不受重视。但并非所有国家都是如此。在世界上的其他地方，提前太久约会可能被认为是愚蠢的，因为一个多星期后的约会计划往往会被忘记。时间的意义在世界的不同地方是不同的。因此，不同文化背景的人对待时间的态度不同，就会产生误解。例如，在美国人的生活中，守时是很受重视的。如果人们不及时，他们可能被视为不礼貌或不完全负责任。在美国，没有人会想让一个商业伙伴等一个小时，这太不礼貌了。一个迟到5分钟的人会说几句解释的话，尽管他可能无法完成这个句子。
What is the main idea of this passage? ____The role of time in social life over the world____
这篇文章的主旨是什么?句意:时间在全世界社会生活中的作用
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