N. Kryazheva - The United States and the United Kingdom. Past and Present (doc) (798446), страница 6
Текст из файла (страница 6)
province of the rich - сфера деятельности богатых людей
Tasks:
1. True or False?
a. football remains the most popular game in the USA;
b. not all high school and universities have their own baseball team;
с basketball is the most popular game in the US;
d. golf and tennis are not so popular nowadays.
2. Answer the following questions:
a. Which game do you prefer to play? b. Do you like to travel? с What kind of transport do you prefer for travelling?
3. Describe the most popular kinds of sport in Russia (in the Ural in
Particular).
MEALS
American eating and drinking habits differ somewhat from eating and drink habits in other countries of the world.
As in most modern countries, people in the US eat three meals a day: breakft lunch and dinner.
The average American has breakfast each morning at about 7.30 or 8 a Breakfast is not a heavy meal. In most cases, it consists of orange juice, some dr\ prepared cereal, toasts and coffee or tea.
Lunch is also a light meal. The standard lunch at 1 p.m. is an hour period.
The average American probably has a sandwich for lunch and he may drink с fee, tea, milk or a soft drink such as Coca-Cola or Ginger Age. He may also eat sor light dessert for lunch.
It is at night therefore that the American has his heavy meal or "dinner". He ge erally eats dinner at about 6 p.m. It is the result of traditions. But the traditional [ breakfast and dinner at 6 p.m. are losing their popularity. Dinner with family or frien is becoming a very special way of enjoying outdoors.
Americans are heavy wheat and meat eaters. The average American also es a lot of potatoes and drinks a lot of water with his meals. The US is famous for its so and unchanging diet of meat and potatoes.
Foreign visitors to the US are always surprised to find that each time they ent restaurants, lunch rooms, the first thing to be placed in front of them is a glass water. Water is available everywhere in the US. Fast food now prevails but a lot Americans began to think seriously about their physical state. Healthy food become more popular among them. Healthy food is fresh and natural, and it does not conta chemical preservatives.
Such is food and drinks in the US.
Words and Phrases:
habit - привычка heavy eater - тот; кто любил- хорошо поесть, "обжор;
somewhat- отчасти to surprise - удивляться
meal - трапеза, еда to be available - иметься в наличии
average - средний in most cases - в большинстве случаев
to prevail - преобладать chemical preservatives - консерванты
Tasks:
1. Speak about American and Russian meals.
2. Answer the following questions:
a. Do Americans have any dietary restrictions?
b. Do Americans observe any definite rules of etiquette to avoid tension an< chaos at the table?
c. Is there any difference between American and Russian dinner?
d. When do usually Americans have their dinner?
e. When do usually Russians have their dinner?
f. what are American favourite dishes?
g. What dishes are popular with Russian people?
h. What dinner is called "Typical Russian dinner"?
i. What surprises foreign visitors in the US?
j. What affects eating habits in the United States?
EDUCATION
The US does not have a national system of education. It is considered to be a matter for the people in each state. Since the Constitution does not state that education is a responsibility of the federal government, all educational matters are left to the individual states.
Schools
There are three basic levels in the educational system of schools: elementary school, which usually is from the kindergarten to sixth grade; junior high school, from seventh through eighth or ninth grade; and high school, from ninth or tenth through twelfth grade. Children are required to be in school from the ages of 6,7 through 16 (18). The care of most elementary school is 3 R's (reading, writing, arithmetic).
The school year usually runs from September to June. Today there are some 43 million pupils and students in public school at elementary and secondary levels and another 6 ml in private schools throughout the country. In other words, 88% of American children attend public schools and 12% go to private schools. Four out of five of the private schools are run by churches, synagogues or other religious groups. But only 50% of all high school graduates enter colleges and universities. The range of courses available in high schools throughout the US is enormous, including everything from computers in elementary schools to car design and construction in the vocational programs. As often as possible handicapped children attend the same schools that anyone else does.
High school students are often involved in non-academic activities that their school offers - for example, in drama clubs, sports teams, or school newspapers. Parents must view schools as a place where their children can gain skills and experience.
Education in America has also traditionally served and serves the goal of bringing people together that is of "americanization". Schools in the US served and serve to bring together the hundreds of various cultural and linguistic groups, religious and social and political backgrounds represented by the millions of im-m,9rants. 80 languages are used for instructions in American schools.
The first step up - whether the ultimate goal was money status, power or sim-Р'У knowledge - usually started at school door.
But needless to say, those children who come from families with better-educated parents often have advantage over those who don't. This remains a prob-em in the US where equality of opportunities is proclaimed. Not surprisingly, the ernbers of racial minorities are the most deprived in this respect.
Many schoolboys and schoolgirls, upon finishing high school, choose to с0* tinue their education. Although the number of years of schooling is going u there are signs that the quality of education may be going down. This is of gre concern, especially since education is considered crucial to the American idea that each person should achieve all that she or he can.
Words and Phrases:
adult - взрослый a lot more - зд.: намного больше
to go down - снижаться responsibility - ответственность
advantage - преимущество responsible - ответственный
to proclaim - провозглашать crucial - решающий, критический
to attend - посещать grade - класс, ступень, оценка
attendance - посещаемость in many cases - во многих случаях
rather than - а не to emphasize - подчеркивать, обращать вниман
to achieve - достигать to consider - считать, полагать, рассматривал
achievement - достижение considerably - значительно
powerless - беспомощный amount - количество, величина
concerned - озабоченный to deprive - лишать чего-либо
tuition - обучение opportunity - возможность
cost - цена to run - бежать, идти, зд.: длиться
needless to say - не говоря уже, не приходится говорить
handicapped - страдающий физическим недостатком
Tasks:
1. Read the text carefully. While reading look for the answers to the questions:
a. How many basic levels are there at schools?
b. How many children of all attend schools?
c. What is the care of most elementary schools?
d. Is education in the US mainly the responsibility of federal state?
e. What are non-academic activities for children?
f. Is there any discrimination at schools ?
g. What are the main goals for schooling?
h. Is equality of opportunities observed in education in the US ?
2. True or False?
a. Education in the US is not the responsibility of state, is it?
b. Many children upon finishing high school stop their education, don't they?
c. The tuition costs are very high in public schools, are not they ?
d. Americans have taken steps to improve the school, to develop advanced programmes, have not they?
3. Speak about the following statements: "Knowledge is power". "A man is never too old to learn". " It is never late to learn". " Early to bed and early to rise makes a man healthy and wise"." Lost time is never found again". " Where there is a will, there is a way".
Colledges and Universities
Educational institutions in the United States reflect the nation s basic values
especially the ideal of equality of opportunity. From elementary school through
college Americans believe that everyone deserves an equal opportunity to get
a good education Americans view their public school system as an educational
ladder, rising from elementary school to high school and finally college under-
graduate and graduate programs.
Higher education in the USA is the most extensive and versatile system of
most school education in the world. Now a total of over 10 ml students study at
almost 3 400 American colleges and universities. All of them are quite unique and
their specific features are caused first of all by structural differences as for their
sizes functions, training programs, financing and administrative bodies.
There are two main types of higher education: state (or public) and private.
The main difference between the two is a financial one.
It is possible to classify institutions of higher education in the United States of
America into four main categories:
1. Technical institutions and "semi-professional" schools offering two-year or three-year courses.
2. Junior colleges or community colleges which provide two-year courses.
3. Liberal arts colleges, state colleges and independent professional institutions.
4. Universities, which may award the highest degree. In most of large universities students can study all subjects, from humanities to appjigd sciences. Within a university, colleges provide undergraduate courses leading to the first university degree and graduate schools provide courses leading to higher (postgraduate) degrees.
The highest body of a college or university is traditionally the board of directors, whose members come from outside the institution and belong to industry or the world of finance. The president, elected by the board of trustees, is resporv sible for the adn^nistrativg running of the institution.
An access to higher education is based on the high school diploma (primary and secondary school-leaving certificate) awarded around 18 years of age, after 12 years of primary and secondary studies.
Many institutions of higher education select candidates either on results in the high school diploma or through an entrance examination. There are two widely used and nationally administered standardized tests for high school students who wish to attend a college or university. Many universities publish the average scores achieved on these tests by students they admit.
In universities and colleges the first two-year phase almost always consists of broadly-based studies in humanities, social sciences, applied and natural sciences, fine arts. This phase is aimed at providing general education and prepar-,n9 for more specialized studies. The first degree is the Bachelor degree.
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