Стр.122-123 Dialogue Of Cultures ГДЗ Вербицкая Forward 11 класс
Read the fact file. What two idioms describe the USA as a country where people with different ethnical, religious and other backgrounds live together? In groups, discuss what concepts these idioms reflect: cultural assimilation or cultural pluralism? Why do you think there’s been a transition of concepts in the 21st century?
FACT FILE: US — MELTING POT or SALAD BOWL?
Immigration and diversity history
1.5 m native American Indians
1492 Columbus arrived, and more Europeans arrived for the next 200 years
1619 Africans arrived as slaves
1779 Independence from Great Britain
1847 Irish arrived due to Potato Blight (39 m descendants today)
1880 Jewish arrived (6.5 m today)
1865 Slaves made illegal
1963 Martin Luther King’s historic speech “I have a dream”
Current US population 298,444,215
Life expectancy 74.89 yrs
Ethnic groups
75 % White
12.2 % Black or African American
5.2 % Other races
4.2 % Asian
1.9 % Two or more races
0.8 % American Indian and Alaska Native
0.1 % Native Hawaiian and other Pacific islander
Religion breakdown
52.0% Protestant
24.0 % Roman Catholic
2.0 % Mormon
1.0 % Muslim
2.0 % Jewish
10.0 % Other
10.0 % None
Use the pie charts to speak about the current diversity of the US.
Work with a partner. Study some observations made by visitors to the USA. For each point decide whether the same habits and ways are practiced in Russia.
American Habits and Lifestyle
- Americans love to spend time outdoors. People can play tennis, basketball or jog for recreation, walk in parks, do the gardening or hike.
- The national holiday, or the Independence Day of the USA, is celebrated on the Fourth of July. Since the weather is usually good, people tend to organize outdoor activities, such as parades, sporting events, picnics and, in the evening, fireworks displays.
- American small talk is usually about sport.
- Americans hate queuing. If there is a line, an American will most likely leave and come another time.
- Most of the young people in America tend to move out of their parents’ home as soon as they finish high school.
- It is not customary in America to drop into a friend’s house because you are passing by. You are supposed to respect other people’s privacy.
- Even if not shopping for anything, Americans enjoy looking at all options. When asked what they prefer to do Americans reply with a question: “What are my choices?”
- Americans don’t like to waste time, they believe that “Time is money”.
- Americans are socially active. Almost every city and town in the US has its social organisations that sponsor fund-raising activities, such as concerts, dinners, festivals to raise money for hospitals, schools and other charitable causes. One state Tennessee is nicknamed “The Volunteer State”.
Work in pairs. Look at the three car number plates. Which states in the US do their owners come from? Consult a map of the USA and say in what part of the country they are located. Why do you think some Americans like to use nicknames of the states they live in on their car number plates? Do drivers do it in Russia?
DCT005 Listen to the recording and answer the questions.
- What makes the girl talk about her university with pride?
- What tradition distinguishes this university from others?
Skim-read the text Understanding the American character and decide which paragraphs the following titles suit best.
a) America is a country with a very diverse population.
b) American mainstream culture is largely a business-oriented culture.
c) US national character is rooted in American history.
d) American self-confidence has acquired a reputation of a national cultural trait.
Read the text again and discuss the questions.
- What qualities of character are important in business-oriented culture?
- What is the dominant trait of US nation-state culture?
- What is the “frontier spirit”? How did it influence the American character?
- Why can some nation-state traits possess negative aspects?
Crossing Cultures. In groups, discuss:
- May some aspects of American behaviour that are not customary for Russian citizens lead to embarrassing situations? Why/why not?
- What rules of mainstream American business culture can be difficult for Russian employees to follow? Give your arguments.
- What traditional proverbs may describe the strengths and weaknesses of Russian national character? Make a list of them and, if possible, find their English equivalents.
- Which features of Russian character may seem alien to Americans?
1. The two idioms are “melting pot” and “salad bowl”.
Melting pot reflects cultural assimilation, when different groups become one common culture. Salad bowl reflects cultural pluralism, when different cultures keep their own identity but live together in one country.
In the 21st century there has been a transition from the idea of the melting pot to the salad bowl because modern society values diversity, ethnic identity and the right of people to preserve their traditions.
2. The USA is a very diverse country. Its population includes many ethnic and religious groups. According to the charts, most Americans are White, but there are also large Black, Asian and other communities. In religion, Protestants make up the biggest group, followed by Roman Catholics. There are also Mormons, Muslims, Jews and people with no religion.
3. Sample answer:
- Americans love outdoor activities. In Russia, people also enjoy spending time outdoors, especially in summer.
- Independence Day is celebrated with parades and fireworks. In Russia, national holidays are also celebrated, but traditions are different.
- American small talk is often about sport. In Russia, people usually talk about family, work, weather or news.
- Americans hate queuing. In Russia, people are more patient and often wait in lines.
- Young Americans often leave home after high school. In Russia, many young people live with their parents longer.
- Americans do not usually drop in unannounced. In Russia, this is more common, though it depends on the family.
- Americans like to compare choices before buying. In Russia, many people do the same.
- Americans value time and punctuality. In Russia, this is also important, but people may be less strict.
- Americans are socially active and often take part in charity events. In Russia, charity also exists, but it is less common in everyday life.
4. The three car number plates show the states California, Texas and Florida. California is in the west, Texas is in the south, and Florida is in the southeast of the USA.
Some Americans use nicknames on number plates because they are proud of their state and want to show their local identity. In Russia, drivers usually do not use state nicknames on plates.
5. 1) She talks about Harvard with pride because it is one of the oldest universities in the USA and has a very rich history and traditions.
2) The special tradition is the swimming test for all first-year students before they begin classes.
6. The titles suit the paragraphs as follows:
a — 1
b — 2
c — 3
d — 4
7. 1) In a business-oriented culture, people should be punctual, well dressed, tidy, energetic, focused, hardworking and not waste time.
2) The dominant trait of US nation-state culture is confidence.
3) The frontier spirit is the spirit of the first settlers who had to rely on themselves, overcome hardships and fight for freedom. It influenced the American character by developing stamina, independence and belief that nothing is impossible.
4) Some nation-state traits can have negative sides because qualities that are useful in business, such as boldness and confidence, may become weakness in complicated international situations.
8. Sample answer:
Yes, some aspects of American behaviour may lead to embarrassing situations for Russian people. For example, Americans value privacy, punctuality and personal space, while Russians may be more open and flexible. Russian employees may find it difficult to follow strict rules of time management, direct communication and constant focus on efficiency. At the same time, Russian character is often described by proverbs such as “Measure twice and cut once”, “Patience and labour will conquer all”, and “A friend in need is a friend indeed”. Some features of Russian character that may seem alien to Americans are emotional openness, spontaneity and a less formal attitude to time and privacy.
