[originaltext]W: First of all, when do people start to work in American offices

W: First of all, when do people start to work in American offices?
M: Right, well, the official work day starts at 9:00 am. This should really mean 9 o’clock—not ten past or half past nine.
W: Would you say that people work very hard in offices in America?
M: Well, I don’t know about employees in your country. But some nations have a philosophy that you work when the "boss" is around. And anytime he’s not there, you can relax by reading the newspaper or whatever one likes doing in a personal way.
W: And things are different in the States, you’re saying?
M: Well, in America one is being paid for his time. So employees are expected to find other work if their own desks are clear, or to help someone else with his or her work. But they never sit idle or do nothing.
W: Yes. As the saying goes, "time is money".
M: Exactly. Your employer "owns" your time while he is paying you for it. That is precisely what "time is money" means. And anyway the boss doesn’t ask more of you than he is doing himself: he...he will probably work through the lunch hour himself and even take work home at night.
W: Talking about lunch hours. What about them? Do you have to take them seriously?
M: Oh yes, sure, of course. The employee’s lunch hour should be taken within the period allowed, unless you are officially discussing company business, say, a business lunch. It’s the same too with the end of the day. I mean...work until the day officially ends at five o’clock, unless you are in an office where "flextime" is the accepted practice.
W: Oh, so you have the flextime system, do you? I wasn’t sure about that.
M: Oh yes, sure. Flexible working hours, that is, starting or ending work earlier or later. I know that this is very common in Europe. But here in the US it is still relatively new. Certainly, there are a million or so Americans on the system today. And the number is growing. Well, for the same reasons as in Europe—to keep traffic and commuting problems down. And as more women now work, it gives more family time.
W: Could you say something about contract of hiring in America, please?
M: Well, it’s different in America from, say Asia, perhaps Europe, too. I’m not sure. We are more democratic, I think. It means perhaps that we won’t develop such a permanent relationship between employer and employee. I know that in some countries people relax when they have once got a job, because they know they will almost never be fired—unless they do something awful.
W: You mean that your employer can just fire you in America?
M: No, no, no. There are, of course, legal protections in the US. So employees cannot be unjustly fired without good reason. Workers must do a good job, produce well, and get along with their colleagues. Or they can be "let go", as it is called.
W: From one day to the next, you mean?
M: Well, it’s rarely done without warning, but it is important to remember that in the United States you are a member of a business firm and not a family. It makes a difference.
W: I wonder, is the physical or external appearance of office life different from European offices?
M: Well, I have heard people comment on the informality found in American offices. And this is certainly a little difficult for people who are more used to a hierarchical system to adjust to, of course. But there are some very formal offices, too, say, in...in big banks, law firms and major corporations.
But in many establishments the atmosphere is loose and easy with a lot of joking, and teasing, and wandering in and out of offices among all levels of employees.
W: Well, that’s about it. I think, oh, except to briefly mention all those coffee breaks I’ve heard about in the United States.
M: Ha-ha, that’s right. Nearly all large offices have coffee wagons that circulate for mid-morning and mid-afternoon coffee breaks. But you should remember that although 15 minutes are allotted twice a day for relaxation and chatter, many employees take their coffee to their desks and keep on working. In small offices the coffee pot is often "on" all day and employees take coffee whenever they like or they can make tea for themselves. It all depends...
11. When does the official work day start in American offices?
12. How many minutes a day are the coffee breaks in large American offices?
13. What does "flextime" mean?
14. According to the interview, which statement is true?
15. Generally, what is the interview about?