VII. Mark and correct the wrong statements.

1. To enter the subway in New York you need the ticket.

2. A red globe indicates that the entrance is closed.

3. Colored decals tell you which trains stop at the station.

4. Off-Hour Waiting Areas are recommended for the sake of people’s safety.

5. It is not suggested to ride in the middle of the train.

6. The buses are extremely handy for traveling from east to west.

7. The bus fare is higher than the subway fare.

8. The bus fare is taken only in cash.

VIII. Answer the questions.

1. How many stations do subway trains stop at?

2. What do you need to enter the subway in New York?

3. What are the functions of green and red globes?

4. What do colored decals display?

5. What is a Passenger Information Center?

6. What should passengers know when traveling during off-peak hours?

7. Why are buses a welcome alternative to the subway?

SUPPLEMENTARY READING

I. Study the vocabulary notes to understand the text better.

moderately ─умеренно

attire ─ наряд

mingle ─ смешиваться

casual ─ случайный

catch ─ улов

tray ─ поднос

chat ─ беседовать, болтать

SOCIAL CUSTOMS IN THE USA

As you might imagine, there are many different types of social events and each carries its own degree of formality.

Business events are moderately formal. At a company dinner party you might put on your best manners. For men, attire would be a business suit, jacket, tie and probably a while shirt; for ladies ─ a dress. Invitations would be written for these occasions and a response required. On arrival there would be a cocktail party where people stand and mingle and talk with the others present, usually have a drink in one hand, music playing in the background.

Typical American entertainments are sportive events, the barbecue or cookout at which meat is cooked in the open air. Other enjoyable forms of meals are the picnic and the potluck supper. At potluck each family brings part of a meal, enough to feed several families taking part in this get-together. Then each person may pick and choose from among many offerings of meat dishes, salads and desserts brought by the others.

In Florida, for example, there are many visitors who come to enjoy the warm weather. Entertaining is done on a casual basis. One might have good day fishing and decide to invite some friends over to share the catch. Obviously these are the last minute's spontaneous invitations. So they put together a dinner for six or eight friends. The host will have told them to come over at about six o'clock at night. Somewhere within the appointed hour friends will start arriving. The host will have the bar open and serve liquor or soft drinks to those who wish. The women will have brought something to contribute to the dinner — rolls, or salad, or perhaps a dessert. The hostess will have the fish ready too, baked, fried, or barbecued depending on the type of fish and what she is in the mood to do. Guests may sit down at a table or they will often serve themselves and eat in the living room, holding their plates or trays on their knees. They'll chat about what has happened in each other's lives since they have last seen each other. Topics of conversation will range everywhere from what travel plans they have, how their children are, all the way through religion and politics and, of course, football and golf.

II.Complete the phrases:

1.At a company dinner party men …

2.Ladies for a business dinner party would …

3.Sportive events, the barbecue or cookout are …

4.Each family brings part of a meal …

5.Many visitors come to enjoy …

6.American fishermen might invite …

7.Guests are invited to come …

8.The women can contribute to the dinner …

9.Depending on the type of fish, it can be …

10.Guests and hosts generally chat …

 

III. Answer questions for discussion:

1. What are typical American entertainments?

2. What is peculiar about spontaneous invitations?

3. What are the usual topics for conversation?

4. What does the degree of formality in communication depend on?(age, position in society, place, aim of communication, etc.)

5. How are dinner parties held in Belarus?

 

IV. Read the text consulting the dictionary and get ready to discuss it:

Sports in America

The immense popularity of sports in America is indicated by the number of pages and headlines the average daily newspaper devotes to local and national sports. You can watch sports programs on TV too. Every evening for five to seven minutes of the half-hour local news show, the station's sports analyst, whose territory is exclusively sports, reports on local, regional, and national sports events. Television has made sports available to all. For those who cannot afford tickets or travel to expensive play-offs, a flick of the television dial provides close-up viewing that beats front row seats.

Opportunities for keeping fit and playing sports are numerous. Jogging is extremely popular, perhaps because it is the cheapest and most accessible sport. Aerobic exercise and training with weight-lifting machines are two activities which more and more men and women are pursuing. Books, video and fitness-conscious movie stars that play up the glamour of fitness have heightened enthusiasm for these exercises and have promoted the muscular, healthy body as the American beauty ideal.

Americans have numerous opportunities to go in for sports. Schools and colleges have team sports for young people. Teams and competitions are highly organized and competitive and generally receive substantial local publicity. High schools and colleges commonly have a school team for each of these sports: football, basketball, baseball, tennis, wrestling, gymnastics, and track, and sometimes for soccer, swimming, hockey, volleyball, fencing, and golf. Practices and games are generally held on the school premises after classes are over. High schools and colleges recognize outstanding athletic achievements with trophies, awards, and scholarships, and student athletes receive strong community support.

Adults are not forgotten either. Most communities have recreational parks with tennis and basketball courts, a football or soccer field, and outdoor grills for picnics. These parks generally charge no fees for the use of these facilities. Some large corporations, hospitals, and churches have indoor gym­nasiums and organize informal team sports. For those who can afford member­ship fees, there is the exclusive country club and its more modern version, the health and fitness center. Members of these clubs have access to all kinds of indoor and outdoor sports: swimming, volleyball, golf, racquetball, handball, tennis, and basketball. Most clubs also offer instruction in various sports and exercise methods.

Football, baseball, and basketball are the most popular sports in America.

The football season starts in early autumn and is followed by basketball, an indoor winter sport, and then baseball, played in spring and summer. Besides these top three sports, ice hockey, boxing, golf, car racing, horse racing, and tennis have been popular for decades and attract large audiences.

Although many spectator sports, particularly professional football, ice hockey, and boxing, are aggressive and sometimes bloody, American spectators are notably less violent than are sports crowds in other countries. Fighting, bottle throwing, and rioting, common elsewhere, are not the rule among American fans. Base­ball and football games are family affairs, and cheerleaders command the remarkably non-violent crowd to root in chorus for their teams.

For some people sport is a professional occupation, a road to records, titles, fame or self-expression. For many others it is just a business, sometimes very big one, and as such, it is as good as any other business if it brings profits.

Sport is also a means of relaxation and entertainment, a way of spending leisure time or building up health for the majority of common Americans.

 

V. Answer the following questions:

1. What is the immense popularity of sports in America indicated by?

2. What are the opportunities for keeping fit and playing sports in the USA?

3. Who promotes the muscular, healthy body as the American beauty ideal?

4. What are opportunities to go in for sports for young Americans?

5. How do high schools and colleges recognize outstanding athletic achievements?

6. Do student athletes receive strong community support?

7. What kinds of sport facilities are offered to adults?

8. Where do Americans with high incomes improve their health?

9. Football, baseball, and basketball are the most popular sports in America, aren’t they?

10. Do American spectators prefer aggressive and sometimes bloody sports?

11. Are American fans less violent than sports crowds in other countries?

12. Does sport as a professional occupation bring high profits?

13. What does sport mean for the majority of common Americans?

PART 4

Cultural Differences