Althoughmanyofusmayfeelair-conditionersbringrelieffromhot,humidorpollutedoutsideair,theyposemanypotentialhealthhazards.Muchresearchhaslookedathowthemovementofairinsideaclosedenvironment---suchasanofficebuilding---canspreaddiseaseorexposepeopleinthebuildingtoharmfulchemicals.OneofthemorewidelypublicizeddangersisthatofLegionnaire’sdisease,whichwasfirstrecognizedinthe1970s.Thiswasfoundtohaveaffectedpeopleinbuildingswithair-conditioningsystemsinwhichwarmairpumpedoutofthesystem’coolingtowerswassomehowsuckedbackintotheairintake(通风口),inmostcasesduetopoordesign.Thewarmair,filledwithbacteria,wascombinedwithcooled,conditionedairandwasthencirculatedaroundvariouspartsofthebuilding.Studiesshowedthatevenpeopleoutsidesuchbuildingswereatriskiftheywalkedpastairexhaustpipes.Largeair-conditioningsystemsaddwatertotheairtheycirculatebymeansofhumidifiers(湿度调节器).Inoldersystems,thewaterusedforthisprocessiskeptinspecialreservoirs,thebottomsofwhichprovidebreedinggroundsforbacteriawhichcanfindtheirwayintotheventilation(通风)system.Therisktohumanhealthfromthissituationhasbeenhighlightedbythefactthattheimmunesystems(免疫系统)ofapproximatelyhalfofworkersinair-conditionedofficebuildingshavedevelopedtheabilitytofightofftheorganismsfoundatthebottomofsystemreservoirs.Butchemicalscalled“biocides”areaddedtoreservoirstomakethemgerm-free,andtheyaredangerousintheirownrightinsufficientquantities,astheyoftencontaincompoundsstronglylinkedtocancers.Finally,itshouldbepointedoutthattheartificialclimaticenvironmentcreatedbyair-conditionerscanalsoaffectus.Inanaturalenvironment,whetherindoororoutdoor,therearesmallvariationsintemperatureandhumidity.Indeed,thehumanbodyhaslongbeenaccustomedtothesenormalchanges.Inanair-conditionedlivingorworkingenvironment,however,bodytemperaturesremainwellunder37℃,ournormaltemperature.Thisleadstoaweakenedimmunesystemandthusgreaterexposuretodiseasessuchascoldsandflu.4.Theauthormostprobablywantsthereaderstotreatbiocideswithanattitudeof_.
Cross-cultureUnderstandingonBusinessWeliveinaglobalvillage,buthowwelldoweknowandunderstandthecross-cultureonbusiness?MaybeweassumethatthewidespreadunderstandingofEnglishlanguagemeansacorrespondingunderstandingofEnglishcustoms.However,itmightnotbenecessarilythecase.Ifwewanttohavegoodbusiness,wemusthavethecross-cultureunderstandingonbusiness.Herearesometipsforyoutopayattentionto:EyeContactInmanyWesterncountries,includingtheUnitedStates,apersonwhodoesnotmaintain“goodeyecontact”isregardedasbeingslightlysuspicious.Americansunconsciouslyassociatepeoplewhoavoideyecontactasunfriendly,insecure,untrustworthy,inattentiveandimpersonal.However,incontrast,Japaneseadultslowertheireyeswhenspeakingtoasuperior,agestureofrespect.InThailandyoushouldclaspyourhandstogetherandloweryourheadandyoureyeswhenyougreetsomeone.LatinAmericanculture,aswellassomeAfricancultures,suchasNigeria,havelongerlookingtime,butprolongedeyecontactfromanindividualoflowerstatusisconsidereddisrespectful.IntheUS,itisconsideredrudetostare–regardlessofwhoislookingatwhom.Incontrast,thepoliteEnglishmanistaughttopaystrictattentiontoaspeaker,tolistencarefully,andblinkhiseyestoletspeakerknowheorshehasbeenunderstoodaswellasheard,whileinPakistanyoumustn’twinkforit’soffensive.TimeofArrivalImagineyouhavemadeanappointmentatthreeo’clock.Whattimeshouldyouexpectyourforeignbusinesscolleaguestoarrive?Ifthey’reGerman,they’llberightontime.Ifthey’reAmerican,they’llprobablybe15minutesearly.Ifthey’llbeBritish,they’llbe15minuteslateandyoushouldallowuptoanhourfortheItalians.AtMealandDrinkingTimeTheBritisharehappytohavebusinesslunchanddiscussbusinessmatterswithadrinkduringthemeal;theJapaneseprefernottoworkwhileeating.Lunchisatimetorelaxandgettoknowoneanother,andtheyrarelydrinkatlunchtime.TheGermansliketotalkbusinessbeforedinner.However,incontrast,theFrenchliketoeatfirstandtalkafterwards.Theyhavetobewellfedandwateredbeforetheydiscussanything.Andyoushouldn’tsitdowninacaféuntilyou’veshakenhandswitheveryoneyouknowinFrance.InRussiayoumustmatchyourhostsdrinkfordrink,ortheywillthinkyouareunfriendly;inAmericayoushouldeatyourhamburgerwithbothhandsandasquicklyasyoucan.Youshouldn’ttrytohaveaconversationuntilitiseaten;intheMiddleEastyoumustneverusethelefthandforeating,drinking,smokingorgreeting.Also,youshouldtakecarenottoadmireanythinginyourhost’shome.Theywillfeelthattheyhavetogiveittoyou.Thereareothersuggestionsoncross-cultureunderstandingonbusinessthatmighthelpyouwithyourbusiness.Onlyafewhavebeenmentionedhere.Beforeyougotoacountryonbusiness,youshouldhavetolearnsomethingmoreaboutherculture.WheninRome,doastheRomansdo.Choosethebestanswerforthefollowingquestions.4)Whichnationalityisthemostpunctualaccordingtothetext?