2.Занятие – Лекция
MEETING PEOPLE
Americans have a minimum feeling for " rank", especially socially. Most do not
themselves enjoy being treated with special respect for the age or position; it
makes them uncomfortable. Many Americans find even the terms "Mr", "Mrs", or " Miss" stiff and formal. You hear people well
beyond middle age say - even to quite young people - "Just call me Sally (or
Henry or Don). Being on first - name terms is taken as a sign of acceptance and
friendliness. What do we use, however, are occupational titles. These are
considered to be different, denoting a recognition that has been earned, not
merely inherited. Occupations that most frequently carry titles include: diplomats,
members of the Senate, judges of the courts, military officers, medical
doctors, ranking professors, priests. Examples would
be: Ambassador Jones, Senator Smith, Governor Rockefeller, Judge Harley,
General Clark, Doctor Brown, Father White. One often
hears of the Englishman's "reserve"; how he likes to" keep himself
to himself; and how on a long railway journey, with four Englishmen in the
carriage, often there won't be a word spoken during the whole journey. I'm sure
that wouldn't be the case in
The Englishmen think it is ill-mannered to ask
personal questions. The American doesn't feel that at all. In the short ride
between the boat on which you arrived in
The Americans houses have no hedges or fences separating
them from the pavement or from each other. There are none of those little
shut-off gardens; generally just a strip of grass with trees on it. The
American in his home doesn't object to being-seen by everyone- he actually
likes it. And inside the house, instead of the separate hall, living-room, so
typical of the English house, the American has the "open plan" house,
just one large room where all the family activities (usually noisy) go on with.
With the sociability goes overwhelming hospitality. I
don't think any door in the world is more open to the stranger than is the
American's. You are taken to parties at the houses of your friends and your
friends' friends; you are invited to theatres, dinners, sports meetings; from
the first minute you are on " first name"
terms with the people you meet; they all show the keenest interest in your
affairs.
The Americans like new things, a new car every year,
the latest thing in television.