Differences in the attitudes, social organization, thought patterns, interpersonal distance, time sense, nonverbal communication, and human factors of different cultures can pose communication problems. Since Saudi Arabians generally do not score well on tests of English as a second language, reading at only about the fourth grade level, technical materials intended for them should be clearly written, logically presented, simply organized, and supported by tables, figures, and other comprehension aids. People working with Arabs should also realize several things: (1) they love the spoken word, tend to ramble, and do not get to the point quickly; (2) for them "yes" or "no" means "maybe"; (3) they find bluntness disrespectful; and (4) foreigners' efforts to use Arabic will create a lot of good will. (Appendixes compare qualities of Arabs and Americans and report data on reading tests and reading level computation.) (JL)