III. READING

a. Fill in each blank with one appropriate word from the box.

invitations firm Impolite common

punctual polite reschedule location

Americans tend to be very (36) ____________ people. This is often expressed in

Conversations. It is (37) _______ for an American to end a conversation by saying:

“Let‘s get together sometime,” “Come by for a visit when you have a chance,” or “Let‘s meet for coffee.” However, these (38)_____ are usually not intended to be taken literally., An Invitation is not (39)_____ unless a time and place is set.

If you have accepted an invitation or if a meeting has been set, Americans usually expect

you to arrive at the agreed (40)_____at the right time. It is considered (41)_____ to accept an invitation and not show up or to arrive more than 10 to 20 minutes late. Americans tend to be quite (42)_____. If you have to cancel an appointment or know that you will not be able to be on time, you should call your friend or host to cancel or (43)_____

The Foreign Minister held talks with his Chinese __________