N. Kryazheva - The United States and the United Kingdom. Past and Present (doc) (798446), страница 5
Текст из файла (страница 5)
Often people who are divorced get married again. This has led to a new kind
of family - the "reconstituted family," in which there are children from previous
marriage as well as from the present one.
The newest category of family, called domestic partnership, has been sanctioned by more than 25 cities in the United States. Unmarried couples over 18
years of age receive a paper similar to a marriage licence. To divorce from the partnership couples
simply have to advise the city that they no longer live together as couples.
In the past, it was common for three generations - grandparents, parents and
children - to live together. Now most older people live on their own. They generally stay in contact with their children but might live in a different part of the
country. People are also living longer - often for 20 years after they've retired from their job. Modern American culture tends to value youth rather than age. All of this
create an interesting challenge for older people and for the country, since by the
year 2020, one in every 6 Americans will be over the age of 65.
In the traditional family, the wife stayed home with the children while the husband
earned money. Now 60 percent of all married women work outside their
home. So, a majority of couples have two wage-earners. One reason for this
change is that women want and expect to have careers. Another reason is eco-
nomics. With rising prices, many families cannot survive on one person's salary.
Is the American family in trouble? People point to the divorce rate, to the fact
that working mothers might have less time with their children, and to the "generation gap,"
or the problems that parents and children sometimes have no under-
standing each other. Experts say, however, that the family is as strong as ever.
Family is still at the centre of most people's lives.
HOUSE AND HOME
The lives of most Americans revolve around their homes and houses.The percentage
of Americans owning the houses and apartments they live in is the highest among western nations.
Most Americans still live in "single-family dwellings," that is, houses which usually have a front and back-yard.
Most of America has a more or less four season climate; and the rhythms of
life around the house tend to follow the seasons. Spring means that the storm
windows must be taken down in those areas, where it gets cold in winter. The
screen windows, so intended to keep out insects, need to be cleaned or painted
and installed. After winter, the garden needs a lot of work to be done. In summer,
the lawn must be mown every week or so. It is a good time to scrape and paint.
The car gets washed every week or so. As soon as autumn leaves begin to fall,
they must be raked, and the storm windows need to be ready and put up again.
In winter, the walks and driveways must be kept clear of ice and snow. There is
always something that needs to be done around the house, and most American
home owners do it themselves.
Shopping, that is, the big food shopping, is usually done once a week at t| local supermarket. One advantage of a service-oriented economy (and one §
foreigners frequently comment on) is that many businesses, with employees wqi ing in shifts, stay open late to provide services and possibilities for shopping. Mc Americans, like most people everywhere, are always trying to keep their budg$ under control, and always going over. The food will often be paid for by check. ( convenient and, moreover, as all checks are returned by the bank, you have record of everything spent. Most stores will pack your groceries for you, and mar still take them out to your car. The big brown bags traditionally provided can be n used later for a lot of things, from masks for the children to garbage bags and wra| ping paper for packages. By the way, plastic bags are making their entry, but bein resisted by many shoppers. The young men and women who pack the grocerie are almost always neighborhood teen-agers who work part-time.
In many American families children are expected to help around the housf They are assigned "chores" which might include, for instance, vacuuming the rugs washing and waxing floors, cleaning windows, mowing the lawn, shoveling snov keeping the cars clean, looking after the pets, and so on. Some families give small amount of money, an allowance, in exchange for these and similar chores Other families simply expect such work to be shared by everyone in the family.
At the same time, many American middle-class families expect their children to fin part-time jobs especially as they enter their teens. They might be working at the locc supermarket or service station, mowing lawns, delivering newspapers, or baby-sitting In fact, about 75 percent of high school seniors work during the average school week Most of these teen-agers are working because their families can't afford buying things for them. Rather, the idea seems to be that the work experience is (as parents are so fond of telling their children) "good for you." One effect on American society is thai middle-class children can do menial work without losing face. Sometimes, in fact, it's a way of gaining status. This has a subtle effect on customer-employee relations: the kic who just packed your groceries or filled your gas tank could well be your neighbor's sor or daughter. In general, Americans feel that young people should appreciate the value of work and team how to stand on their own two feet.
Most Americans expect their children to leave.home at an earlier age than dc parents in many other western countries. Beyond a certain age, they are often expected to contribute to, or pay for things that go beyond food, clothing, and shelter. The image that American teen-agers "get whatever they want" from their parents comes from a time when the standard of living was much higher in the USA. than й was elsewhere. Many high school students have their own cars. But most of them were paid for by the students themselves (along with the necessary automobile insurance, which, by the way, is particularly expensive for teen-agers).
Most Americans today work not more than eight hours a day, five days a week at their jobs.
In the average American home, there is an enormous amount of activity, of coming and of going, seemingly all happening at once. For the parents, there are perhaps courses at the local evening school or college. There are different clubs and public service organizations, many of them related to charitable work.
Many American children take (or are made to take) piano or other music lessons,
cinq or ballet lessons, horseback riding, swimming, skiing, golf, tennis, and just about anything else that parents think will be good for their children. The social life is often hectic as well. One child is off to a party, another to the library, another to see a film Neighbors drop by, and the telephone keeps ringing. Messages (often put on the refrigerator door) remind one family member to do this or that, to pick up Marilyn on Monday for her violin lesson, or to bake the cake for the church dinner.
Many adults and teen-agers are involved in volunteer work. According to a recent Gallup poll, about 84 million Americans, that is, almost one out of every three Americans donate some part of their time as volunteers. More than half of them do over 100 hours of volunteer work during the year. Some of this work is done through the so-called service organizations and clubs.
In addition, there are so many other activities and clubs, groups, volunteer organizations, courses, and hobbies, that most Americans are involved in several at the same time. And, of course, there's always work and school, and the things that need to be done around the house. Americans also talk about a stress. Life is hectic, the pressure is on at work and school. The competition is intense. And working hard, Americans often have schedules that leave little room to just sit and do nothing. They are usually on the go most of the week, and have full week-ends as well. Americans also take shorter and fewer holidays and vacations than most people in other industrialized societies. They are under pressure to do well on their examinations and get into a good university, to get a better and better paying job, to improve themselves. Still, this emphasis on the stress of American daily life is frequently overdone, often by Americans who sometimes boast in telling others how busy they are.
In fact, in the past decade there has been a sharp decline in stress-related health problems such as heart attacks. A better diet and a radical change in exercise habits has meant that the number of heart attacks among American businessmen is going down, although they are still on the increase in other western nations. Also, the rules for competition in the US are well understood. Americans have shown their preference to a comfortable and convenient life style.
Words and Phrases:
to own - обладать
owner - хозяин
average -средний
lawn - газон
to install - вставлять
shelter - кров
to mow - скашивать газон
dwelling - здание, строение
baby-sitting - уход за детьми
rug - коврик, ковер, плед
teens - возраст от 13 до 19
menial work - лакейская работа
without losing face - не теряя достоинства
to rake leaves - сгребать граблями листья
hectic - лихорадочный
wrapping paper - оберточная бумага
to concern with - заботиться о
to be available - иметься в наличии
charitable work - благотворительность
garbage bag - мешки для мусора
grocery (ies) - бакалейные товары
insect - насекомое
subtle - зд. незначительный adult - взрослый, совершеннолетне
to enter teens - достичь подросткового возраста
to gain status - зд.: завоевать самостоятельность (самоутверждаться)
"chores" - зд.: работа по дому (уборка мусора, готовка), поденная рабо)
to be on the go - зд.: быть занятым, быть "в бегах"
to shovel snow - расчистить тропинку в снегу
to stand on their own two feet - жить самостоятельно
enormous amount of activity - зд.: большое поле деятельности
Tasks:
1. True or False?
a. most Americans expect their children to leave home at an earlier age tha
do parents in many other countries;
b. many adults and teen-agers are involved in volunteer work;
c. life is hectic, the pressure is on at work and at home;
d. Americans have shown their wish for a comfortable and convenient lifi
style.
2. Ask you group-mate whether she (he) knows:
a. anything about rhythms of life around the house;
b. anything about shopping;
c. anything about children's help in families;
3. Make up a plan of the text.
SPORT IN THE UNITED STATES
Sports of all kinds are popular in the United States. Much attention is given to sports in the newspapers, magazines, on the radio and television. Baseball remains the most popular, although in recent years football has become almosi as popular as baseball. All high schools and universities have their own baseball teams. Today it is very fast and exciting game and each year seems to grow more popular in the US. About 30 ml people attend league baseball games each year, and some 40 ml turn out for football.
Attention, however, is centered principally on the major league teams, which are made up of professional players. Each of the large cities the US is represented by a team carrying its name. There is great competition between these teams. Football is the second favourite sport in the US. Football games are particularly interesting to watch and excitement often runs very high. American football is a very different game. The players can run with the ball, touch and push each other. The field looks different and even the ball has a different shape. Like international football teams, American teams have eleven players.
The third most popular sport is basketball. In fact, the basketball season begins when the football season is over. Only five people play in each team. Basketball nets can be seen in the driveways of many American homes. "Shooting baskets" with friends is favourite pastime for young and old.
Horse-racing leads every other sport with attendance estimated at about 70 ml.
Golf and tennis are increasingly popular, though for great many years both
snorts were the province of the rich.
Years ago hunting and fishing were prime sources of food for the table. Now thev are considered as sports.
And there is no doubt at all that each year watching different games on TV, is America's favourite pastime. Americans love winter sports, and ice hockey is a great favourite. This does not mean, however, that Americans take all their sports sitting down. So, ice hockey, baseball, football and basketball are the four major sports' in the US. Golf, swimming, tennis, marathons, track-and-field, skiing skating, weight-lifting, boxing and wrestling are other sports and sports activities which attract millions of active participants. But statistics says that bicycling, fishing, swimming, jogging and gymnastics are American's favourite participatory sports.
They like to travel. They go to the mountains, sea-shore, national and state parks and recreation areas, to camping expeditions, boating trips. Ninety per cent of families on holiday use a car creating traffic jams of monumental proportions. Millions of Americans now travel abroad.
pastime - время отдыха
team - команда
major - главный
hunter - охотник
hunting - охота
wrestling - борьба
particularly - особенно
jogging - бег трусцой
competition - соревнование
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