V. Some Facts about American Way of Life

1. The United States is often referred to as the “Melting Pot”, a metaphor that connotes the blending of many cultures, languages and religions to form a single national identity.

2. Americans need a lot of “elbow room”; they like personal space around them.

3. Americans must be over the age of 21 and must have an ID to buy or drink alcohol.

4. The age for driver’s license varies from state to state. Normally, at 14 teenagers get Learner’s Permit. At 16 teenagers get restricted license (no driving from midnight to 6.00 a.m., no more than one passenger allowed, etc.). Full license (no restrictions) is normally given when the driver is 16 years and 6 months old.

5. Americans are extremely informal and call most people by their first name or nickname. They smile a lot and talk easily to strangers, sharing personal stories.

6. It is normal for an American teacher to sit on the desk and for an American student to call the teacher by his or her first name. It’s also quite normal for students to have a meal during the classes.

7. It is normal for American children to have very messy rooms.

8. A significant event in every American high school student’s life is Prom. Prom (short for promenade) is a semi-formal (black tie) dance or gathering, typically held near the end of the senior year (i.e., the last year of high school).

9. Most buses in the USA require the exact amount of money to pay the fare. Passengers don’ get change.

10. Most American women do not feel comfortable having the man pay for everything all of the time.

11. Americans love “showers”. A bridal shower is a gift-giving party held for a bride-to-be in anticipation of her wedding. A baby shower is a way to celebrate the pending or recent birth of a child by presenting gifts to the parents at a party. The term shower is often assumed to mean that the expectant mother or the bride-to-be is “showered” with gifts.

12. Every corner or every street in America has fast food. McDonalds, Burger king, Dunkin Donuts etc. are the favorite places to go. Hamburgers, hotdogs, fries and coke is the basic meal.

13. Americans use pounds and ounces as weight units, inches and feet as length units, gallons for liquids, and Fahrenheit system for temperature.

14. Americans are addicted to sports. Baseball, football, ice hockey, and basketball are the most famous sports here. Sundays from early September to Super bowl in February are considered holy Sundays for football fans.

15. Normally Americans celebrate their holidays on the following Monday (except for some holidays – Thanksgiving, Christmas) so that to make a week-end longer.

1. Who was the first to reach the shores of America?

a) Columbus,

b) Vespucci,

c) Vikings and Chinese sailors.

2. Mayflower is …

a) the national floral symbol,

b) the ship that took the British Pilgrims to America,

c) American national festival.

3. One of the events in US history that led to War of Independence was …

a) Boston Tea Party,

b) signing of the Mayflower Compact,

c) recognition of the US independence.

4. How many colonies did the USA emerge from?

a) 8,

b) 10,

c) 13.

5. Which city was the first capital of the USA?

a) Philadelphia,

b) Boston,

c) Chicago.

6. Which state is the smallest by land area?

a) Maryland,

b) New Hampshire,

c) Rhode Island.

7. Which is the largest US state by land area?

a) Alaska,

b) California,

c) New York.

8. Which state was the most recent to join the US?

a) Florida,

b) Hawaii,

c) Delaware.

9. What is the official language of the USA at federal level?

a) English,

b) Spanish,

c) none.

10. What language is the second commonly spoken one in the US?

a) Spanish,

b) Chinese,

c) Russian.

11. Election Day in the US occurs … in November

a) on the first Monday,

b) on the first Tuesday,

c) on Tuesday after the first Monday.

12. What is the US national bird?

a) bald eagle,

b) falcon,

c) hawk.

13. The 13 stripes on the US flag represent …

a) the US states,

b) the colonies that in the 18th century merged into the USA,

c) the first US presidents.

14. What US holiday is celebrated on July, 4th?

a) Father’s Day,

b) Memorial Day,

c) Independence Day.

15. The Golden Gates bridge is situated in …

a) Los Angeles,

b) San Francisco,

c) Las Vegas.

16. New York City is nicknamed …

a) Big Apple,

b) Big Egg,

c) Big Pie.

17. Mount Rushmore, the monument with 4 American Presidents’ faces carved in rock, is located in …

a) the mountains of South Dakota,

b) the Grand Canyon,

c) the Rocky Mountains.

18. The Ivy League is an association of…

a) American Football Clubs,

b) 8 US Universities,

c) American sports writers.

19. The oldest US University is …

a) Yale,

b) Harvard,

c) Princeton.

20. US nickname Melting Pot means that America…

a) is a multi-cultural and multi-national country,

b) has got a very hot climate,

c) metaphorically melts multi-cultural society into a single national identity.

СПИСОК РЕКОМЕНДУЕМОЙ ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ

1. Англоговорящие страны (история и современность). Канада: метод. указания / сост. Л.И. Воскресенская. – Омск: Изд-во ОмГТУ, 2002.

2. Англоговорящие страны (история и современность). Соединенное королевство Великобритании и Северной Ирландии: метод. указания / сост.:
Т.В. Акулинина, Л.И. Воскресенская, Л.К. Кондратюкова. – Омск: Изд-во
ОмГТУ, 2002.

3. Англоговорящие страны (история и современность). Соединенные Штаты Америки: метод. указания / сост. Л.К. Кондратюкова. – Омск: Изд-во ОмГТУ, 2002.

4. Голицынский, Ю.Б. Великобритания / Ю.Б. Голицынский. – СПб.:
Каро, 2011.

5. Голицынский, Ю.Б. Соединенные Штаты Америки / Ю.Б. Голицынский. – СПб.: Каро, 2010.

6. Макинерни, Д. США. История страны / Д. Макинерни. – М.: ЭКСМО, 2009.

7. Павловский, В.М. Great Britain: monarchy, history, culture = Великобритания: монархия, история, культура: книга по страноведению на английском языке / В.М. Павловский. – СПб.: Каро, 2006.

8. Сатинова, В.Ф. Читаем и говорим о Британии и британцах / В.Ф. Сатинова. – Минск: Высшая школа, 1998.

9. Falk, R. Spotlight on the USA / R. Falk. – Oxford University Press, 1993.

10. In the English-speaking world. – Обнинск: Титул, 1998.

ОГЛАВЛЕНИЕ

UnitI. The British Commonwealth...................................................................... 3

Test yourself......................................................................................................... 6

Unit II. The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland................... 7

Test yourself....................................................................................................... 17

Unit III. The United States of America............................................................... 19

Test yourself...................................................................................................... 31

Список рекомендуемой литературы............................................................... 34

Редактор К.В. Муковоз

Компьютерная верстка Ю. П. Шелехиной

Сводный темплан 2014 г.

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