Directions: Read the passage and answer the questions that follow.

"If you want guests to arrive from 7 p.m., get 6 p.m. mentioned on the card as this is India where most people prefer arriving late, certainly an hour or even later than the appointed time." I couldn't agree more as I overheard this suggestion by a young employee at a printing press to an NRI couple finalizing the wedding cards of their son.

A few days later, I was reminded of the same scene as I arrived to attend a book launch at the exact time given on the invitation card. Was anyone there? Just the author and her team who were desperately waiting for the guests to turn up. Shortly, as one elderly uncle landed, he laughingly told the author, "Had you mentioned 3 p.m., instead of 4 p.m., many would have been here already." However, most guests arrived by 5.30 p.m., followed by the chief guest, a politician, who arrived by 6 p.m., and the event finally commenced, and early birds like me and the uncle heaved a sigh of relief.

It's an irony that growing up, we learn so much about punctuality right from school, but as adults, most of us turn a blind eye to its value. Race your mind to that day when you waited for someone's arrival long past the appointed time. Did their constant promise of just another five minutes more not bother you? By the way, latecomers are always armed with a plethora of excuses, starting from traffic jams.

Nearly a decade ago, when my schoolmates and I were busy shopping on our last day in Singapore after a week-long convention at a local university, our bus driver left us as we did not return to the bus at the time given by him, though we were late hardly by two or three minutes. We ended up shelling out dollars out of our pocket as we missed the free ride back to the university's hostel. It was of course a lesson which certainly made me an early bird forever, and I know being one has many advantages in life!