THE Australian National University held a get-toghter for alumni in Beijing.Many of the university's Chinese alumni signed up for the party, bu nealy one-third of the reserved seats in the banquet hall were empty.

I can imagine how frustrated,and shocked the Australians were. They must have felt puzzeled as to how anyone could so easily bredk their promise.

I do not find it strange, however. Though it is far from a universal trait among the Chinese, failing to keep an appointment is not rare in this cuntry.

In the above-mentioned case, those who were absent certaintly did not mean to be rude, but neither were they forghetful or careless.I assume that most of them must have thought like this;"It won't matter if I don't show up, since so many others will."

Most probably were not serious at all when they gave an affirmative response to the invitation. They thought that they could reserve a seat first and then decide at the last minute whether they would turn up.
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