Punctuality (守时) is a good habit and is of great importance to a person. A punctual person is in the habit of doing everything at the proper time and is never late in keeping an appointment. The unpunctual man, on the other hand, never does what he has to do at the proper time. 36 .
There is a proverb that says “Time flies never to be recalled”. This is very true. 37 Time is more valuable than material things. In fact time is life itself, and the unpunctual man is forever wasting and mismanaging his own valuable asset as well as others’. The unpunctual man is always complaining that he finds no time to answer letters, or to return calls, or to keep appointments promptly. 38 He knows that he can get through his huge amount of work only if he faithfully keeps every appointment promptly and deals with every piece of work when it has to be attended to.
39 If a person is invited to a dinner and arrives later than expected, he keeps all the other guests and the host waiting for him alone. This is great disrespect.
Unpunctuality is very harmful when it comes to doing one’s duty. Imagine how it would be if those who are entrusted with important tasks failed to be at their proper place at the appointed time. 40 .
A. A lost thing may be found again, but lost time can never be regained.
B. People who are punctual are always welcome.
C. Failure to be punctual is a sign of disrespect towards others.
D. He is always in a hurry and in the end loses both time and his good name.
E. They will never be trusted by their friends or fellow men again.
F. But the man who really has a great deal to do is very careful of his time and seldom
complains.
G. Broadly speaking, humans can be divided into two classes.