T i p s for E n g l i s h L e a r n e r s .

I. Education.

In America all children from six to sixteen go to school. They spend six years in “elementary” school and four or six years in “secondary” or “high” school.School education is free.

At the end of the year the student takes the test.if he does well, he goes into the next class (grade). If he doesn`t do well, he has to repeat the grade.

At the end of the time at school most students get a high school diploma. Nearly half of all Americans go on to college(a place of higher education) There are more than 2,600 universities in the USA.

II. Time off.

1. Many well-off Americans have a “ camper ”or “ trailer ”which they can use for weekends. Some have holiday houses and spend as mush as possible on outside activities like fishing and water- skiing. At home Americans watch TV for many hours. The cities have 20 or more channels often going for 24 hours a day. But for some people time off means music and dancing. In New York and in other big cities discos go on all nights long.

2. Exercises are in fashion. Everybody wants to be fit, feel well, look slim and stay young. Sport plays an important role in an American`s life. It starts with jogging. Millions of Americans put on their coloured sport shoes and fashionable jogging suits and run through the parks or along the streets for half an hour a day. Joggers`marathons are very popular nowdays. They are important sporting events. Some remarcable people take part in them: 75 – year - old grand fathers,9 – year- old grandchildren, and even invalids in wheelchairs.

Americans are a sporting nation. Most of them take sport seriously and sport games are the main part of their time off. Baseball is the most summer sport in America. Americans start playing baseball young. There are leagues which children of eight can join. The top players become big stars and earn a lot of money every year.

Americans don`t play football in the same way as the rest of the world.

American football is very different. The players can run with the ball, touch it and push each other.

Basketball is another popular game. All American basketball players are very tall and prove that sport can be funny as well as exciting.

3. Hobbies are an American tradition. A hobby is a special interest or activity you do in your time off.A person usually does it alone.But American families like to do things together, too. They spend a lot of money on their recreation. They love to get out of town into the wild. They walk long weekends in the national parks, the areas of tropical forests, high mountains, dry deserts, grassy prairies full of wild animals.Americans also enjoy a new way of travelling. They go on snowmobiles (cars with skis in the front), In the summer they ride their dune buggies across the sands or take to the sky in hang gliders.

IV Food.

The USA is most famous for “ fast food ”. The big names in American fast food are well known all round the world. McDonald’s, Kentucky Fried Chicken and Burger Chef sell pizzas, chips, hamburgers, hot dogs and fried chicken from Los Angeles to London and Tokyo to Turin. These multi – million companies work hard to get more customers. There are big lights and advertisements. The waitresses wear special uniforms. The fast food restaurants do their best to attract people. Americans eat a lot. Most of the restaurants put a lot of food on the plate – sometimes it can be too much. But don’t worry: they give you a” doggy bag ” and you can take it home. Fast food restaurants have a special offers for families, for example, they organise children’ birthday parties. Doctors say that fast food is bad for our health, but children are fond of it.

V Money.

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VI. Names.

American people have two names: a first name and a surname or family name.

Here are some examples:

First name	Family name
Marilyn Paul Elvis	Monroe Newman Presley

Some people have middle names: Martin Luther King, Jacqeline Lee Onassis.Very often the initials are given for the middle name: John F. Kennedy,

Richard M. Nixon. When a woman marries, she takes her hasband`s surname.

Some American men have the same first name as their father. The son puts Jr

(Junior) after his name, and his father puts Sr (Senior) after his name: Sammy Devis Jr, George Bush Sr. Many names have short forms which sound more friendly and informal Here are some examples:

VII. Compare American and Russian Lifestyles.

Glossary.

trailer – a vehicle without an engine that can be pulled by another vehicle

recreation – the things you do for pleasure when you are not working

buggy – a light folding chair on wheels

waitress – a woman who serves food in the restaurant

offer – when you say that you will do something for someone

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