Being repeatedly late may just be accidental

Being repeatedly late may just be accidental

Đề bài: Read the following passage and mark the letter A, B, C or D on your answer sheet to indicate the correct answer to each of the questions

Being repeatedly late may just be accidental – or could it show a deeply rooted psychological desire to express your own superiority? When I worked in an office, meetings would often start late, usually because of a certain individual. Then they would overrun and the whole day lost its shape. But the individual was high-ranking and self-important: nobody challenged. So what are the ethics of lateness?           

There’s a psychotherapist called Irvin Yalom who argues that all behaviour reflects psychology. Just as people who like to be on time are motivated by certain deep-seated beliefs, so those who make others wait are acting out an inner agenda, often based on an acute sense of power. There’s famous footage in which Silvio Berlusconi kept Angela Merkel waiting while he made a call on his mobile. It speaks volumes.           

But that is when all lateness is in one’s control. What about when your train is cancelled or your flight is delayed or you had to wait longer for the plumber to arrive? In such cases, there’s not a lot of psychology involved. Or is there? Some people will genuinely worry about the impact it will have on those left waiting, while others might secretly enjoy the power of their absence.           

The essential fact is that lateness means breaking a convention – you can only be late in respect of a time agreed with other people. Regardless of psychology, it has a social value. And when we treat other people’s time as less valuable than our own, we treat them as inferior.

1: What is the main idea of the passage?

A. Lateness indicates superiority of important individuals

B. Social values of individuals are fostered through lateness

C. Being late can reveal a lot about people’s psychology

D. People with high sense of power have a tendency to be late

2: What is the “speak volumes” in paragraph 2 closest in meaning to?

A. tells a lot 

B. makes sounds    

C. holds power      

D. talks loudly

3: Which of the following is NOT TRUE according to the passage?

A. The way our minds work is responsible for the way we behave.

B. Some people control a situation for their benefit through lateness.

C. Lateness can have an impact on other people who are made to wait.

D. Most people react the same when lateness is out of their control.

 4: It can be inferred from the reading passage that _______.

A. Berlusconi made Merkel wait as he wanted to show his importance

B. it is fashionable to be late to meetings because nobody challenges

C. the writer’s daily schedule was unaffected by his colleague’s lateness

D. nothing can be said about one’s psychology if lateness is out of control

5: What does the word “it” in paragraph 4 refer to?

A. fact                        

B. lateness                  

C. convention                         

D. psychology

Lời giải:

Đáp án:

Giải thích:

1. Ý chính của đoạn văn là Giá trị xã hội của các cá nhân được tăng lên thông qua sự trễ giờ.

2. “speak volumes” ở đoạn 2 gần nghĩa nhất với “tells a lot” (nói nhiều).

3. Thông tin: Some people will genuinely worry about the impact it will have on those left waiting, while others might secretly enjoy the power of their absence. (Một số người thực sự sẽ lo lắng về tác động của nó đối với những người còn lại chờ đợi, trong khi những người khác có thể bí mật tận hưởng sức mạnh của sự vắng mặt của họ.)

4. Thông tin: There’s famous footage in which Silvio Berlusconi kept Angela Merkel waiting while he made a call on his mobile. It speaks volumes. (Có những cảnh quay nổi tiếng trong đó Silvio Berlusconi khiến Angela Merkel chờ đợi trong khi anh gọi điện thoại di động. Nó nói lên rất nhiều.)

5. Thông tin: The essential fact is that lateness means breaking a convention – you can only be late in respect of a time agreed with other people. Regardless of psychology, it has a social value. (Một thực tế quan trọng là sự chậm trễ có nghĩa là phá vỡ một quy ước - bạn chỉ có thể bị trễ về thời gian đã thỏa thuận với người khác. Bất kể tâm lý là gì, nó có một giá trị xã hội.)