Тема 12. Повседневная жизнь американцев.
THE DAILY LIFE OF AMERICANS
Task 1. Learn the following words and word combinations:
-
1.
custom
обычай
2.
identity
самобытность
3.
peculiarity
особенность
4.
exception
исключение
5.
shake hands
рукопожатие
6.
response
ответ
7.
carnations
гвоздика
8.
chrysanthemum
хризантема
9.
cemetery
кладбище
10.
tipping
чаевые
11.
bill
счёт
12.
pavements
тротуар
13.
wedding
свадьба
14.
engagement
помолвка
15.
bachelor party
мальчишник
16.
groom
жених
17.
best man
шафер
18.
bride's maid
подружка невесты
19.
newlyweds
молодожены
20.
fertility
изобилие
21.
full pantry
полная кладовая
22.
suburb
пригород
23.
to inspire
вдохновлять
24.
living quarter
жилая площадь
25.
mobile house
подвижный дом
26.
permanent
постоянный
27.
Bridal Shower
девичник
28.
spouses
супруг(а)
29.
commitment
обязательство
30
hex
колдовство
Task 2. Read the text and translate it.
American lifestyle
Customs and traditions are important part of our culture, of our lives. Customs and traditions unite, build community. They provide identity of nations. All countries have their social customs and peculiarities, and the US is no exception.
Meeting
T
he
first group of custom is connected with meeting someone. When meeting
someone for the first time, it is customary to shake hands, both for
men and for women. Hugs are only exchanged between close friends.
Kissing is not common. Among friends, it’s common for men to kiss
ladies on one or both cheeks.
Greeting
Americans usually introduce themselves by their first name and last name such as "Hello, I’m John Smith", or in casual cases by their first name only "Hi, I’m John". The common response when someone is introduced to you is "Pleased to meet you." Americans generally dislike formality or any sort of social deference due to age or position, and most Americans quickly say "Please call me Rick (or Rita)". Women may be introduced with the title "Ms.", "Miss" or "Mrs." In some social circles, women are introduced after their husbands.
Dinner invitations
If you’re invited to dinner, it’s customary to take along a small present, e.g. flowers, a plant, chocolates or a bottle of wine. But choosing flowers you should remember that American people pay attention to the meaning of flowers. For example, carnations are associated with bad luck, chrysanthemums are for cemeteries and roses signify love.
G
uests
are normally expected to be punctual. Dinner invitations are often
phrased as 8 pm for 8.30 pm. This means you should arrive at 8 pm for
drinks and dinner will be served at 8.30 pm. Anyone, who arrives late
for dinner or doesn’t come at all, should expect to be excluded
from future guest lists. The custom of not taking off the shoes is
peculiar to Americans. The matter is that there is no much dirty and
dust in American streets. Some people who were in America say that it
is possible to sit on some pavements and not to make one dirty. One
more reason explaining this custom is that majority of Americans
prefers driving but not going of foot. That is why they are not
afraid of dirtying their houses.
Tipping
The custom which is also typical for the USA is tipping. Most Americans are shocked by anyone who doesn’t tip or who tips too little. American restaurants do not add a service charge to the bill. Therefore it is expected that the customer will leave a tip for the server. Common practice is to leave a tip that is equal to 15% of the total bill for acceptable service, and about 20% for superior service. If the service was unusually poor, then you could leave a smaller tip, about 10%. Other professions, where tipping is expected include hairdressers, taxi drivers, hotel porters, parking valets, and bartenders. The custom of tipping came to America from Great Britain.
Wedding
I
n
the USA there are a lot of traditions connecting with wedding. It is
known that before marriage engagement takes place. As a rule a man
invites a woman to the restaurant to make her a proposal. Engagement
ring obligatory should have a brilliant. And the ring is presented
unexpectedly. It may found in the glass of champagne by the woman or
in the bud of the rose. The tradition of a Bachelor Party which is
held for the Groom and usually sponsored by The Best Man the night
before the Wedding and a Bridal Shower which is usually sponsored by
The Bride's Maid is very popular in the USA. By the way the number of
bridesmaids in America amount from two to twenty. The tradition of
bridesmaids dressing the same as the bride comes from ancient days.
It was believed that evil spirits have a more difficult time
distinguishing which one is the bride and putting a hex on her. The
Wedding Ceremony is most often performed as part of a religious
ceremony with its own specific customs and traditions.
On the day of the wedding the Groom does not see the Bride until the ceremony. The bride and groom exchange their rings to mark the permanent commitment of the new spouses to each other. The rings should be gold. After the wedding ceremony newlyweds are covered with rice which is used as a symbol of fertility and as a wish for a "full pantry".
Task 3. Answer the following questions:
What are the role of customs and tradition in modern community?
Whish traditions do you know, connected with meeting someone?
How do Americans usually introduce themselves?
What do you know about dinner invitation traditions?
Which flowers is forbidden to present, if you go to dinner or meeting?
Why do the Americans never take off their shoes when they come to somebody’s home?
What do you know about tipping?
What does the engagement mean?
What kind of wedding traditions do you know?
Task 4. Еach sentence has a mistake. Find and correct it.
The first group of custom is connected with eating.
Americans usually introduce themselves by their last name only.
American people pay attention to the meaning of presents.
The matter is that there is so much dirty and dust in American streets.
The custom of tipping came to America from France.
In the USA there are a lot of traditions connecting with wedding. These traditions are very funny.
Task 5. Learn the following words and expressions:
-
1.
majority
большинство
2.
living town
провинция
3.
widespread
широко распространенный
4.
suburb
пригород
5.
advantage
преимущество
6.
safer
безопасный
7.
intimate
интимный
8.
recreational
развлекательный
9.
nearby
рядом
10.
to relate
относится
11.
job opportunities
предложения работы
12.
pioneering spirit
новаторский дух
13.
desire
желание
14.
adventure
приключение
15.
to inspire
вдохновлять
16.
move
переезд, движение, перемещение
17.
apartment
квартира
18.
own)
свой(я)
19.
to rent
арендовать, снимать
20.
living quarter
жилое помещение
21.
high rise apartment
высотная квартира
22.
elegant
изысканный
23.
moderate
средний, умеренный
24.
income
доход
25.
wheel
колесо
26.
site
место, участок
27.
permanent
постоянный
28.
to remove
удалять
29.
to attach
прикреплять, присоединять
30.
conventional
традиционный, обычный
31.
to retire
увольняться, уходить
Task 6. Read the text and try to understand it.