The Ordinary and the Extraordinary

The media in the U.S. and abroad concentrate, quite understandably, on the extremes in America and American life. Items about crime and corruption, the weird and the way-out make more inter­esting stories than do the concerns of everyday life. Consequently, much of the information foreign observers get and many of the attitudes and views they form are based on the sensational and extraordinary in American society rather than on the everyday and ordinary.

Taking a look, for example, at such a simple statistic as the number of pets in the U.S. - not in itself of any fundamental significance - does nevertheless give us an insight into what everyday interests many Americans have. It may come as a surprise to many that Americans have more dogs and cats per capita than, for example, the French or the British. Similarly, the fact that some

 million American households had their own veg­etable gardens does not seem to fit the image of an urban population .Yet, a large number of Americans spend their free time digging and planting, weeding, or worrying about the moles undermining" the lawn. In a "nation of

farmers " now moved to the cities and suburb', is logical that most Americans would have take their love for gardens, animals.

House and Home

The lives of most Americans revolve around the homes and houses. The percentage of Americans owning the houses and apartments; they live is the highest among western nations. Most Americans still live in "single-family dwellings." That houses which usually have a front and backyards. Contrary to a common belief, only about 5 percent of all Americans live in mobile homes.

Most of America has a more or less four-season climate, and the rhythms of life around the home tend to follow the seasons. Spring means that storm windows must be taken down in those areas where it gets cold in winter. The screen windows intended to keep out insects, need to be cleaned painted and installed. After the winter, the gardener needs a lot of work. In summer, the lawn must be mown every week or so. It's a good time to scrap and paint whatever is wood on the house. The car gets washed every week or so usually in the driveway. As soon as autumn leaves begin to fall they must be raked, and the storm windows now to be gotten ready and put up again. In winter, the walks and driveways must be kept clear of ice and snow. What you waned to do - put in a new patio, or build on a new room, or finish the attic or basement - will have to wait until next summer. It's cold and the furnace just broke down. There is s always something that needs to be done around the house, and most American homeowners do it themselves.

Shopping, that is, the big food shopping, is usually done once a week at the local supermarket. One advantage of a service-oriented economy (and one that foreigners frequently comment on) is that many businesses, with employees working in shifts, stay open late to provide services and possibilities for shopping. Most Americans, like most people everywhere, are always trying to keep their budgets under control, and always going over. The food will often be paid for by check. It's convenient and, moreover, as all checks are returned by the bank, you have a

 record of everything spent. Most stores will pack your groceries for you, and many still take them out to your car. The big brown bags traditionally provided can be reused later for a lot of things, from masks for the children to garbage bags and wrapping paper for packages. By the way, plastic bags are making their entry, but being resisted by many shoppers. The young men and women who pack the groceries are almost always neighbor­hood teenagers who work part-time.

!n many American families children are ex­pected to help around the house. They are assigned "chores" which might include, for in­stance, vacuuming the rugs, washing and waxing floors, cleaning windows, mowing the lawn, shoveling snow, keeping the car(s) clean, looking after the pets, and on. Some families give a 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 ("Do you pay me to wash your clothes?").

At the same time, many American middle-class families expect their children to find part-time jobs, especially as they enter their teens. This might be working at the local supermarket or service station, mowing lawns, delivering news­papers, or babysitting. In fact, about 75 percent of high school seniors work during the average school week. Most of these teenagers aren't work­ing because their families can't afford to buy things for them. Rather, the idea seems to be that the work experience is (as parent» are so fond of telling their children) "good for you." One effect on American society is that 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 kid who just packed your groceries or filled your gas tank could well be your neighbor's son or daughter. In general, Americans feel that young people should appreciate the value of work and learn how to stand on their own two feet. : Most Americans expect their children to leave home at an earlier age than do 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 teenagers "get whatever they want " from their parents comes from a time when the standard of living was much higher in the U.S. than it 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 teen­agers). The common meal of the day is usually eaten in the evening. This varies in time according to fam­ily traditions and depending upon each family members schedule. It's usually the only time of the day when everyone is home. If both parents work, all are off to school or work in the morning (or still sleeping from a night-shift job). Most Americans drive to work, and most children walk to school or take public transportation. Those yellow school buses serve primarily rural areas and schools with children from widely scattered

areas.

 

EXERCISES:

I GIVE RUSSIAN EQUIVALENTS OF THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS:

 Incurable optimist; to stem from; to be trend-setter; to be a welcome break in a dreary existence; the harshness of daily life; courteous convention; to become adept at making new acquaintances; to keep one’s nose out of smbd’s business; to break down class barriers; understated quip; to exchange banter and verbal witticisms; intentionally exaggerated lie; to disguise smbd’s abilities and achievements; to fit the image of an urban population; to observe customs and conventions.

II GIVE ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS OF THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS:

Формировать традиции гостеприимства; помогать уставшему путнику; невольное дружелюбие; признак плохих манер; избегать определенных тем в непринужденной беседе; подшучивать (обманывать); добрососедские отношения; ценить индивидуализм превыше всего; понимать различие между вежливым поведением личным участием; стремиться к уединенности и изоляции; чувствовать себя свободно в повседневной и профессиональной жизни; определять социальное положение; безразличие к чужому внешнему виду или привычкам; терпимость к проявлению чужих культур; сокращение всех имен собеседников до их американского аналога, ударить лицом в грязь.

III FIND SYNONYMS AMONG THE FOLLOWING:

 A) Dreary, convenience, weary , accurate, false, sad ,expensive, , connotation, tired, incurable, implication, ample , estrangement, intricate, superficial ,occasional, tangled ,abundant ,surface, phoney , casual, ineradicable , advantage, costly, precise , accidental, alienation, scattered.

 B) MATCH THE SYNONYMOUS VERBS:

1 to amuse                         A to explain , to clarify, to translate

2 to summarize                  B to suppose, to believe , to deduce

3 to change                        C to form,to figure out , to outline

4 to modernize                  D to alter, to modify, to adjust

5 to observe                       E to improve , to develop , to progress

6 to deserve                       F to notice , remark, to take in

7 to shape                          G to entertain

8 to rotate                          H to value

8 to interpret                     I to make conclusion , to sum up,

                                          to review

9 to trace                     J to merit , to win , to earn to justify

10 to attract                       K to delude, to cheat, to trick

11 to assume                     L to captivate , to fascinate ,

12 to appreciate                 M to revolve, to turn , to circle

13 to banter                       N to indicate, to mark

IV COMMENT ON THE STATEMENTS FROM THE TEXT:

1 The casual friendliness of many Americans should be interpreted neither as superficial nor as artificial, but as the result of a historically developed cultural tradition.

2 There is a delicate balance between two views. One is to be friendly to your neighbor. The other is to keep your nose out of his or her business. The line drawn is fine, but like the line that separates one family's grass from the next, its there, even when you can't see it.

3 Americans have always felt less constrained and more informal in their social and profes­sional lives. In other words, they have had over two centuries to forget that "you should only speak when spoken to."

4 In general, Americans like to appear to be less than they are, to disguise their abilities and achievements, or to joke about s them, and then see how others react. The rules of this game are difficult to learn, especially for people who aren't even aware that it's being played.

 

 V DISCUSS THE QUESTIONS:

1 Why are general statements about American lifestyles frequently resented by Americans?

2Why is it difficult to summarize American ways of life and attitudes?

3 What are two generalizations that can safely be made about Americans? Do you agree with them?

4What does casual informality and friendliness of Americans originate from?

5What do Americans imply when they use the word “ friend”?

6 Why can courteous convention be misinterpreted by foreigners?

7 What does neighborliness mean for an American?

8 What are the neighborly relations based upon in the USA?

9 Are the relationships between neighbors different in small cities and suburbs and large megapolises? Why?

10 What does a statement” Good fences make good neighbors” imply?

11 What does American informality recall to?

12 How did immigration, the Revolution and frontier experience reflect upon the cultural traditions of American society?

13 What are the reasons of general informality of Americans? In what daily situations is it most vividly seen?

14 What topics are usually avoided in conversation with Americans?

15 What are the features of American humor? Do they enjoy self-mocking? What is it ”kidding around”?

16 What are other favorite forms of amusement?

17 Why can intentional understatements sometimes be misunderstood?

18 What are the most popular dwellings in the USA? What seasonal activities are involved into the housekeeping?

19 What services are provided in the USA for efficient and convenient shopping?

20 What domestic “chores” are expected to be done by the children?

21 Why do American parents consider it reasonable and useful for children to start part-time work in their early teens?

 

VI TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH:

1 Одним из стереотипов является утверждение, что в США существует "бесклассовое" общество. Однако это верно лишь в том понимании класса, которое традиционно используется в Европе или Азии, где принадлежность к тому или иному социальному слою еще при рождении в значительной степени определяет социальное положение в дальнейшем. Действительно, в США можно "свободно перемещаться" между социальными группами лишь изменяя свой финансовый статус, ведь именно наличие или отсутствие денег определяет здесь принадлежность к той или иной "касте". Именно отсюда берет начало "американская мечта" и еще один штамп - об особой демократичности американского общества и "потрясающих свободах". Однако в силу наличия сформировавшейся еще в ХХ веке "молодой аристократии" и специфической модели развития американского общества, неравенство в социально-экономическом статусе богатых и бедных здесь ничуть не меньше, чем любой другой стране мира.

2 Жители США более материалистичны и индивидуалистичны , чем представители других культур. Уровень достатка и внешняя независимость здесь превращены в настоящий культ, хотя признаки благосостояния открыто и не демонстрируются (по крайней мере, эта черта явно скромнее, чем во многих наших мегаполисах). Сдерживающим фактором здесь является превосходно развитое гражданское общество и мощнейший институт общественного мнения. Следует учитывать, что и само общественное мнение воспитывается на тех же идеалах индивидуализма и "больших возможностей", поэтому оно ни в коем случае не ограничивает человека в проявлении его стремления к достатку и свободе, осуждая лишь особо циничные формы реализации этого процесса.

3 США являются одной из наиболее религиозных из промышленно-развитых стран планеты. Здесь представлены практически все конфессии планеты, причем действуют они без малейших ограничений (в рамках закона, конечно), что приводит к формированию сложнейшего смешения религиозных культур, часто настолько взаимопроникающих друг в друга, что разделение их "до первооснов" просто не представляется возможным. Официально большинство населения США исповедуют протестантизм (около 52%), католицизм (24%) и другие ветви христианства, однако на самом деле общая картина значительно сложнее и многообразнее. Причем уважение к институтам церкви, вне зависимости от собственных убеждений огромно, а её представители играют заметную роль в общественной жизни страны.

4 Еще одна важнейшая черта американцев, прямо вытекающая из их индивидуализма, - "прайвеси". Понятие частной жизни и права независимого существования здесь настолько же незыблемы, как и право частной собственности. Причем это проявляется не только и не столько в ограждении своего жилища или бизнеса от внимания окружающих - большинство американцев как раз наоборот - очень общительны и гостеприимны, дружелюбны и открыты. Но только до определенного предела, который устанавливается не законами (хотя и ими тоже), а сложившимся укладом жизни и балансом интересов по отношению друг к другу ("не лезь ко мне, и я не потревожу тебя"). Отсюда берет начало множество столь бросающихся в глаза черт в поведении, вроде отсутствия очередей (даже если таковые случаются, то люди в них часто стоят на очень большом удалении друг от друга, как бы стараясь не вторгаться в сферу чужих интересов), обилия пустых мест в ресторанах и кафе при полностью занятом зале (подсаживаться за чужой столик без приглашения не принято даже при наличии за ним большого количества свободных мест), полного безразличия к чужому внешнему виду или привычкам и даже отсутствия полноценных заборов между соседними домами или участками (а зачем они, если никто и так не войдет без приглашения?) и множества других вариантов. Отсюда же вытекает и некоторая неприязнь многих американцев к случайным знакомствам или нежданным собеседникам, активно скрываемая впрочем за общей дружелюбностью поведения.

5 Американцы ценят пунктуальность и буквально "живут по расписанию", не уступают кому-либо место в общественном транспорте, не снимают головной убор и обувь при входе в помещение, не дарят подарков при посещении чужого дома, но обязательно предварительно согласуют свой визит, даже если хозяин и гости хорошо знакомы. Хотя многие обычаи и традиции заметно различаются у представителей различных этнических групп, проявить в чужой компании что-то свое, "народное", вовсе не возбраняется - американцы крайне терпимы к проявлению чужих культур (хотя это не избавит, естественно, от расспросов и обсуждения данного факта после - это уже не американская, а вполне общечеловеческая черта). Также характерной привычкой жителей США при общении является сокращение всех имен собеседников до их американского аналога, независимо от статуса собеседника и его воззрений на сей процесс (в целом американцы придерживаются довольно запанибратского тона в общении с любым человеком, с которым мало-мальски знакомы, но редко позволяют себе "вольности" с незнакомыми людьми).

6 Несмотря на то, что кулинарии США и местной системе быстрого питания в целом отпущено немало язвительных стрел, общий уровень кухни в стране достаточно высок, а в хороших ресторанах совсем не уступает лучшим международным традициям. Поведение за столом здесь полностью соответствует типичным европейским нормам. Причем в большинстве случаев американец уделит много внимания правильной сервировке стола и его оформлению, набору блюд и напитков, интерьеру заведения и его репутации, но останется потрясающе равнодушным к соблюдению каких бы то ни было канонов в случае, если он один или считает себя таковым. Однако издавать при еде какие-то звуки (например, шумно прихлебывать или дуть на пищу, разговаривать по телефону, громко звать официанта и т. д.) считается крайне неприличным, много внимания уделяется и этикету (основы его преподают во многих школах), салфетки и д ругие предметы гигиены есть на каждом столе (даже в заведениях быстрого питания), а чистота в помещениях (и в туалетах!) идеальная. В США используется так называемый американский стиль использования столовых приборов во время еды - в отличие от Европы, здесь держат вилку не в левой руке, а перекладывают ее в правую.

7 Практически во всех штатах курение запрещено во всех общественных местах, в том числе в больницах, аэропортах, вокзалах, автобусных остановках и даже в офисах (в аэропортах и вокзалах имеются специально оборудованные комнаты для курения), а также во всех заведениях общественного питания, вне зависимости от их уровня и формы собственности (исключение составляют лишь казино, активно лоббирующие право курения на своей территории). Американцы достаточно массово отказываются от никотина и запрещают курение в своих домах, лишь в провинции по-прежнему можно курить практически повсеместно, но даже в самых удаленных городках есть зоны, где курение запрещено полностью (все тот же транспорт и общественные здания, например). Перед тем как закурить, рекомендуется сначала уточнить, не запрещено ли это в данном месте вообще, а затем спросить разрешения окружающих.

SPORTS AND RECREATION

 MIND THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE FOLLOWING DIFFICULT WORDS:

churchma   [#tS{:tSm{n]         священник, священнослужитель

collegiate   [k{#li:dZiit]           университетский , относящийся                                              к колледжу; состоящий из кол                                              леджей

attendan     [{#tend{ns]           присутствие; посещение

overlap       ,{uv{#l@p]           частично покрывать; заходить                                                 один за другой; перекрывать

challenge    [#tS@lindZ]          проба сил; серьезное ис                                                            пытание

retirement

benefits      [ ri#tai{m{nt #bEnifit] выходное пособие

intramural  [,intr{#mju{r{l]     находящийся, происходящий в                                                стенах, в пределах (чего-л.)

overshadow [ ,{uv{#S@d{u]               затемнять; затенять, отбрасы                                               вать тень , быть более влиятель                                               ным, важным

tobogganing [ t{#bOg{n]           санный спорт

license        [#lais{ns]               лицензия; лицензионное согла                                                шение, разрешение удостовере                                                 ние

track and field [tr@k @nd fi:ld ] лёгкая атлетика

hang-gliding [h@N #glaidiN]    дельтапланеризм

buzz           [b[z]                                   гудеть, жужжать;                                                                    2)бормотать, говорить

                                                                   невнятно, сквозь зубы                                                         (часто ругательства) ;                                                                шептать на ухо; гудеть

                                                                  (о толпе)

calisthenics [,k@lis#TEniks]                 художественная                                                                   гимнастика

unmatched opportunities  [ [n#m@tSt ,{p{tju:nitiz]      

                                                                  бесподобные, несравни                                                        мые возможности

rugby         [#r[gbi]                              регби

soccer         [#sOk{]                                         футбол

 

READ THE TEXT:

All-American Sports?

In 1911, the American writer Ambrose Bierce defined Monday as "in Christian countries, the day after the baseball game." Times have changed and countries, too. In the U.S. of today, football is the most popular spectator sport. Base­ball is now in second place among the sports people most like to watch, except, that is, in Japan, where it has become the most popular sport. Both baseball and football are, or course, American developments of sports played in Eng­land. But baseball does not come from cricket, as many people think. Baseball comes from base­ball. As early as 1700, an English churchman in Kent complained of baseball being played on Sundays. And illustrations of the time make it clear that this baseball was the baseball now called "the American game." Baseball is still very popular in the U.S. as an informal, neighborhood sport. More than one American remembers the time when he or she hit a baseball through a neighbor's window (nice neighbors return the ball...).

What makes football in the U.S. so different from its European cousins, rugby and soccer, is not just the size, speed, and strength of its players. Rather, it is the most "scientific" of all outdoor team sports. Specific rules state what each player in each position may and may not do, and when. There are hundreds of possible "plays" (or moves) for teams on offense and defense. Be­cause of this, football has been called "an open-air chess game disguised as warfare." Those who don't understand the countless rules and the many possibilities for plays miss most of the game. They are like people who, watching a chess game for the first time, conclude that the purpose is to knock out as many pieces as possible. One reason for the growing popularity of American football in several European countries is that the rules of the game are beginning to be better under­stood.

Baseball and football have the reputation of being “typically American" team sports. This is

ironic because the two most popular participant sports in the world today are indeed American in origin - basketball and volleyball. The first basketball game was played in Springfield,

Massachusetts, in 1891. It was invented at a YMCA there as a game that would fill the empty period between the football season (autumn) and the baseball season (spring and summer). Volleyball was also first played in Massachusetts, and also at a YMCA, this one in Holyoke, in 1895. During the First and Second World Wars, American soldiers took volleyball with them overseas and sports, it is helped to make it popular. Today, of course, both basketball and volleyball are played everywhere by men and women of all ages. They are especially popular as school sports.

Professional and collegiate basketball games in the USA attract large numbers of fans. Most of the important games are televised live. By the way, it's not always true that professional basketball players must be at least six feet and seven inches (two meters) tall. At present, one of the most popular professionals is a player who is only five feet and seven inches.

There is an enormous amount of live broadcasting of all different types of sports events,

professional and amateur, at state, national, and international levels. Americans are used to having baseball and basketball, college and professional games, golf, tennis, and auto racing, swimming meets and the Olympics carried live length. In season, college football games live all day Saturday. On Sundays there are live television broadcasts of the teams. Usually one or two games are throughout the land, and many others only to regions where the teams have most of their fans. Surprisingly, this live broadcasting of sports not only increased interest in the sports but also increased actual attendance at the stadiums or arenas.

Hockey, baseball, basketball are the " major sports “.Their seasons now often overlap. Some football games are still being played in January in the snow and ice. Pre-season baseball games start in warm ,sunny regions like Florida and Arizona about the same time. There are many other sports and sports activities which attract millions of active participants. Among them tennis, marathons, track and field, skiing, skating, rowing and sailing, archery, squash and badminton, weighlifting, wrestling.

The question remains why so many sports are so popular in the United States .One reason may be that the variety and size of America and the different climates found in it provided Americans with a large choice of ( summer and winter) sports. In addition, public sports facilities have always been available in great numbers for participants, even in sports such as tennis, golf and

skating. The fact that the average high school offers its students a great variety of sports often including rowing, tennis, wrestling and golf may have contributed to the wide and varied interest and participation of Americans have traditionally done well internationally in many of these sports.

Another reason might be that competition, by teams or individuals of any type. It's the challenge, some say. Others point out that American schools tradition of all English-speaking societies in using sports activities as a way of teaching ”social values." Among these are

sportsmanship (when they win, American players are expected to say, "well, we were just lucky” and persistence. As a result, being intelligent and being good at sports are seen to be things that can go together and, as an ideal, should. While there are colleges where sports seem to be dominant, there are many others which have excellent academic reputations and are also good in sports.

Others conclude that Americans simply like sports activities and always have. They like to play a friendly game of football at family picnics or whenever a few young people come together.

 "Shooting baskets" with friends is a favorite way to pass the time, either in a friend's driveway (the basket is over the garage door) or on some city or neighborhood court. And on a beautiful autumn afternoon - the sun shining in a clear blue sky, the maple trees turning scarlet and the oaks a golden yellow — it is fun to go with friends to a football game. And go they do.

Among the 28 professional National Football League (NFL) teams, the average number of fans attending each game is close to 60,000. And, of course, there are the millions watching the game on TV. By tradition there are always many parties which follow football games, win or lose, and these are especially popular at univer­sities. Some critics say that among the millions of those attending football games are many who think it's the first part of the party (and our research shows that this might be correct). Friends and relatives often come together to spend a Sunday having drinks, barbecueing, and, yes, watching a game or two. But with or without parties, Americans do like their sports, for whatever reason you care to choose.

The money earned by some professional ath­letes does not seem so impressive when one thinks that only a very few of the best will ever make it to a professional team. And once there, at best they will only have a few years to play, even in baseball and basketball. They know that they will soon be replaced by someone who is younger, faster, big­ger, or better. Professional players' organizations are therefore very concerned with such things as retirement benefits and pensions. More and more, they are also concerned with getting a good education, with acquiring university-level skills that will allow them to find good jobs when their playing days are over. In­creasingly, universities and sports officials have enforced rules which require athletes to be properly enrolled in academic programs in order to qualify for a university team. Recently, a new rule has been adopted which states that all college athletes must meet set academic standards. It they do not, they are not allowed to take part in sports. At present, for example, among all professional football players in the NFL, more than a third have earned university degrees. The old image of the professional athlete being "as dumb as an ox" is largely one of the past.

Sports and Money

Intercollegiate sports and money have always been a hotly debated topic. Rules prevent any college athlete from accepting money. Whenever some basketball player is found to have accepted "a gift," the sports pages are full of the scandal. As a result, some college teams whose members have violated the rules are forbidden to take part in competitions. Several universities like the highly respected University of Chicago do not take part in any intercollegiate sports whatsoever. Many others restrict sports to those played among their own students, so-called intramural sports and activities.

Those who defend college sports point out that there are no separate institutions or "universities" for sports in the U.S. as there are in other coun­tries. They also note that many sports programs pay their own way, that is, what they earn from tickets and so on for football or basketball or baseball games often supports less popular sports and intramural games at the university. Gener­ally, however, sports and academics are separated from one another. You cannot judge whether a university is excellent or poor from whether its teams win or lose.

Most Americans think that government should be kept separate from sports, both amateur and professional. They are especially concerned when their tax money is involved. The citizens of Den­ver, Colorado, for example, decided that they did not want the 1976 Winter Olympics there, no matter what the city government and businessmen thought. They voted "no" and the Olympics had to be held elsewhere. The residents of Los Angeles, on the other hand, voted to allow the (Summer) Olympics in 1984 to be held in their city, but they declared that not one dollar of city funds could be spent on them. Because the federal government doesn't give any money either, all of the support had to come from private sources. As it turned out, the L.A. Olympics ac­tually made a profit, some $100 million, which was distributed to national organizations in the U.S. and abroad.

Leisure Sports

The attention given to organized sports should not overshadow the many sporting activities

which are a part of daily American life. Most Americans who grow up in the North, for example, also grow up with outdoor winter sports and activities. Skating, certainly, is one wide­spread activity, with most cities, large and small, flooding areas for use as skating rinks. Sledding and tobogganing are equally popular. Students at snow-covered campuses "borrow" the metal or fiberglass trays used in dining halls and race downhill standing up on them (or trying to).

Fishing and hunting are extremely popular in all parts of the country and have been since the days when they were necessary activities among the early settlers. As a consequence, they have never been thought of as upper-class sports in the U.S. And it is easy to forget how much of the country is open land, how much of it is still wild and filled with wildlife. New Jersey, for example, has enough wild deer so that the hunting season there is used to keep the herds smaller. Hunting licenses are issued by the individual states, and hunting is strictly controlled. Some hunters don't actually hunt, of course. They use it as a good excuse to get outdoors in the autumn or to take a few days or longer away from the job and family. Indoor poker games are said to be a favorite activity of many hunters who head for cabins in the woods. There is the classic joke about a man who returns home after two weeks in the woods and is asked if his hunting trip was successful. "Fine," he answers, "I won $75 from a guy who actually brought his hunting rifle along."

There are many more fishermen than hunters and many more lakes and rivers than bears. Minnesota advertises itself on its license plates as the land of "10,000 lakes." This, of course, is not quite true: there are more. Aerial photographs and maps show that there are about twice that number (each larger than 25 acres). Michigan not 70 only has a long coastline from the Great Lakes, it also has what official descriptions simply call, without counting, "thousands of lakes." From Oregon to Southern California, Maine to Florida to Texas are the ocean beaches. Finding enough water is no problem for most Americans, and where there's water, there are boats.

Overall (not including rowboats, canoes, or anything else driven by paddles), there is about one boat for every 25 people in the U.S. today. In Minnesota, one out of seven people owns a boat

 and in Arkansas, one out of nine. In Arizona, a state usually known for its mountains and deserts, there are still enough lakes and reservoirs for over 10,000 boats.

As could be expected, all water sports and activities are very popular, including swimming, skin diving, sailing, white-water canoeing, water skiing, and power-boat and "off-shore" racing. Many Americans, of course, just like to go to the beach on a hot summer day, swim a bit, and then take a nap in the sun. Except for a few areas, such as around New York City, the beaches are not crowded, so long walks along the beaches, for example those of Northern California or those of Lake Superior, are quite relaxing. And, although the thousands of students who head for Florida's beaches each spring get headlines, many more thousands of other Americans enjoy small beach parties where there's no one else except a few friends, a fire, and the warm summer night.

Anything that Has Wheels

There are several sports and sports activities in the U.S., all having their strong supporters, which many people think are a bit strange or at least unusual. For example, Americans will race just about anything that has wheels. Not just cars, but also "funny cars" with aircraft and jet engines, large tracks with special motors, tractors, pick-up trucks with gigantic tires, and even motorcycles with automobile engines. By contrast, several sports are popular, because they do not involve motors. The first "people-powered" aircraft to cross the English Channel was pedaled by an American. And the first hot-air balloon to make it across the Atlantic had a crew from Albuquerque, New Mexico.

There are also several sports in the U.S. which were once thought of as being "different," but have now gained international popularity. Among these, for instance, is skate-boarding. Another example is wind-surfing which very quickly spread in popularity from the beaches of Califor­nia and Hawaii. Hang-gliding became really popular after those same people in California started jumping off cliffs above the ocean. Those who like more than wind and luck attached a small lawnmower engine to a hang-glider and soon "ultra-light-weight" planes were buzzing around.

The most recent unusual sport that first reached popularity in the U.S. before spreading elsewhere is the triathlon. This most demanding sport came from a late-night discussion in a Hon­olulu bar in 1977 about which sport was the most exhausting: swimming, bicycle racing, or long-distance running. Someone suggested that they all be put together. The result was the first triathlon, the "Ironman," in 1978, with 15 partici­pants. This contest was a 3.9 kilometer ocean swim, followed immediately by a 18,0 kilometer 60 bicycle race, and ending with a 42 kilometer run. Five years later there were already 1,000 such competitions throughout the U.S, and the triathlon is becoming more and more popular in Eu­rope, too.

Some Americans watching triathlons conclude that keeping fit can't be that much fun. It is clear,

 however, that since the publication of Cooper's book Aerobics (1968), sports in America turned from an assortment of team activities to what one observer called "a prescription for everyone's health." The emphasis on physical fitness has involved increasing numbers of Americans in ac­tivities that provide the necessary physical condi­tioning and at the same time offer enjoyment and recreation. Swimming, jogging, cycling, and calis­thenics can be done in company with family members and friends, have no real age limits, and are performed more for health and fun than for competition. Everyone can participate in these activities. The widespread public support for the Handicapped Olympics in the U.S., for example, indicates that "everyone" does, indeed, mean everyone.

National Parks

According to the Economist, Walt Disney World in Florida is now the world's greatest single tour­ist attraction. Disney World over 21 million visitors, most of them from out­side Florida and many from outside the U.S. This number puts it just ahead of America's second most popular attraction, the museums of the Smithsonian Institution in Washington, D.C. People might make fun of Mickey Mouse, but an attraction that brings in 6 million more visitors a year than the city of Paris is taken seriously. A very successful Japanese version of the original Disneyland (California) already exists, and France has just won the competition with Spain to get the next.

While this says something (we're not sure what) about recreation in the U.S., Japan, France, and other countries, Walt Disney and his imitators cannot compete in their man-made, make-believe worlds with America's greatest natural attrac­tions. These are the National and State Parks, the Wildlife Sanctuaries, and wilderness regions. These can neither be imported nor exported, but

only preserved and protected. Americans are very lucky that very early a few of their countrymen insured that these vast areas would remain much as they had always been.

 The first National Park was established in 1872, when President Grant signed a law creating Yellowstone National Park, an area of more than 2 million acres (800,000 hectares), mostly in Wyoming. This was the first of many similar laws which meant that many of the great wilderness areas which still existed throughout the U.S. would be protected and preserved. They would be kept in their original state, as much as possible, while allowing generations of Americans to visit their natural wonders. This act also served as an international model. Since the establishment of Yellowstone, some 100 other countries have cre­ated similar national parks.

In the 1980s, the U.S. National Park System had grown to include some 330 different areas from coast to coast, of which the Grand Canyon, the Everglades, and the Sequoia National Parks are just some of the best known. The system of National Parks and National Preserves has an area of over 100,000 square miles. This is an area 2 larger than Oregon or Wyoming, or, alternatively, the United Kingdom or West Germany. In addi­tion to the National Parks, there are also the many State Parks, wilderness areas, protected sea­shores, and recreational areas.

Besides protecting natural wonders and pre­serving wildlife, these National and State Parks give Americans unmatched opportunities "to get away from it all," to escape from the worries and hectic life of the modern, urban world. Camping and hiking have become extremely popular throughout the nation as a result. Wilderness trails are found in all sections of the country. The thousands of camping sites and areas have well-earned international reputation for being inexpensive, uncrowded, and clean. Access to the most popular parks and areas is, of course, strictly controlled and limited. Visitors to the Grand Canyon, for example, are required to take out of the canyon everything that they take in. And this means everything, not just food, cans, and gar­bage.

Because Americans had lived so close to the wilderness for so long, it is often said that they have a special love for, and need to temporarily return to, the "great outdoors." Whether this is true or not, it remains a fact that for many Ameri­cans going to where other people are not is still a very important part of their leisure. Especially in the western parts of the nation, the ability to go a few miles out of town, to leave the city, the farm, and even the modern highway, is something people value deeply. This side of America - its enormous parks and forests, lakeshores and sea­shores, trails and wilderness areas - is the one that so frequently awes, and surprises, foreign visitors.

Vacations

There are no national or even state-wide dates for school vacations. Each school district sets its own. Generally, "school's out" from around the first week in June until the last week in August. How­ever, many school districts sponsor "summer school" for children who have fallen behind and wish to make up work, or, alternatively, for pupils who want to take extra courses. Most universities and colleges also have summer semesters.

The average American employee usually has three or four weeks of paid vacation time during the summer, but this varies considerably. Auto­mobile workers who have spent several years on the job, for example, can commonly expect around five weeks of paid vacation. Some Ameri­can families simply spend their vacations at home, that is, the time is used to work (and play) around the house. Others might own or rent a cottage near a lake or in the mountains. Locations where swimming, fishing, and other water activ­ities are available, are especially popular. A great many Americans take to the road and "see America first." The widely available and inex­pensive camp grounds throughout the country also give younger families the chance to-travel on a limited budget. Every year more than 60 million Americans visit their National Parks.

Some middle-class families send their children to summer camps for a week or two. These camps are scattered throughout the country and offer a wide range of activities. Some of the camps are owned and operated by the Boy Scouts, the Girl Scouts, or various churches. Others are sponsored by the Red Cross and might teach swimming, boating, and life-saving. Among the many sum­mer camps, private or nonprofit, are music camps, computer camps, hiking and backpacking camps, tennis camps, and camps with farms and ranches. There are also groups which organize low-cost or free summer camps for inner-city children. Most cities and communities provide special summer programs, from sports and crafts to concerts and dances, for children who spend the summer in the city. Quite often, however, American high school and college students do not take (and do not expect) any vacation at all; if they can find a summer job, they will work. But, of course, this is not what they would rather do.

 

EXERCISES:

I GIVE RUSSIAN EQUIVALENTS OF THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS:

Spectator sport; outdoor team sports; professional and collegiate basketball teams; to be televised live; amateur sports; to attract large numbers of funs; to increase actual attendance at the stadiums and arenas; to take part in athletic activity; public sports facilities; to contribute to the wide and varied interest in sports; sportsmanship and persistence; a hotly debated topic; to take a nap in the sun; to keep fit; to perform for health and fun; to protect and preserve great wilderness areas; to give unmatched opportunities; to control and limit the access to the most popular parks.

II GIVE ENGLISH EQUIVALENTS OF THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS:

командная игра под открытым небом;привлекать большое количество поклонников;профессиональный и любительский спорт;принимать участие в марафоне;

спортивное снаряжение;способ проверить собсвенные силы;безупречная академическая репутация;нарушить правила;финансовая поддержка из негосударственных источников;

вздремнуть на солнце; спортивная ходьба;аеробика;санный спорт; дельтапланеризм; завоевать международную популярность; сохранять дикую природу.

Ш AGREE OR DISAGREE WITH THE FOLLOWING STATEMENTS:

1 Universities and sports officials are inclined to ease the rules which require athletes to be properly enrolled in academic programs in order to qualify for a university team.

2 Skate-boarding and wind-surfing which very quickly spread in popularity from the beaches of Califor­nia and Hawaii.

3 Swimming, jogging, cycling, and calis­thenics demand special facilities, have certain real age limits, and are performed more for competition than for health and fun .

4 Most cities and communities provide special summer programs, from sports and crafts to concerts and dances, for children who spend the summer in the city.

5 Hunting licenses are issued by the federal government , and hunting is strictly controlled.

6 The most recent unusual sport that first reached popularity in the U.S. before spreading elsewhere is the hang-gliding.

7 By the way, it's always true that professional basketball players must be at least six feet and seven inches (two meters) tall.

8 Many Americans, would rather prefer to go to the beach on a hot summer day, swim a bit, and then take a nap in the sun than to be ingaged in some water sports and activities like swimming, skin diving, sailing, white-water canoeing, water skiing, and power-boat and "off-shore" racing.

9 The emphasis on physical fitness has involved increasing numbers of Americans in ac­tivities that provide the necessary physical condi­tioning and at the same time offer enjoyment and recreation.

10 Most Americans share the opinion that government should be kept separate from sports, both amateur and professional.

 

IV MATCH THE NOTIONS IN A PART AND DEFINITIONS IN B PART:

A 1 spectator sport; 2 neighborhood sport; 3 amateur; 4 rugby football; 5 life-saving ;6 tennis; 7 recreation; 8 to overlap; 9 camp;10 jogging;

B 1 the practice or techniques of saving people's lives ;

2 an individual or group activity pursued for exercise or pleasure often involving the testing of phisical capabilities taking the form of a competitive game;

3 a form of football played with an oval ball in which the handling and carrying of the ball is permitted;

4 a sport that attracts more people as spectators than as participants;

5 a racket game played between two players or pairs of players who hit a ball to and fro over a net on a rectangular court of grass, asphalt, clay;

6 a person who engages in an activity, esp a sport, as a pastime rather than professionally or for gain being unskilled in or having only a superficial knowledge of a subject or activity ;

7 refreshment of health or spirits by relaxation and enjoyment ;

8 to coincide partly in time, subject, etc;

9 a place where tents, cabins, or other temporary structures are erected for the use as temporary lodgings by a group of travellers, holiday-makers, Scouts;

10 running at a slow regular pace usually over a long distance as part of an exercise routine;

 

V INSERT THE MISSING WORD COMBINATIONS IN THE GAPS:

offense and defense, professional players' organizations, rugby and soccer, triathlon,

 sporting activities, aircraft and jet engines, baseball and football, sportsmanship, great variety of sports, competition.

 

1 Both ………are, or course, American developments of sports played in Eng­land.

2 What makes football in the U.S. so different from its European cousins, …….., is not just the size, speed, and strength of its players.

3. There are hundreds of possible "plays" (or moves) for teams on ……… .

4 are therefore very concerned with such things as retirement benefits and pensions

5 Swimming, jogging, cycling, and calis­thenics can be done in company with family members and friends, have no real age limits, and are performed more for health and fun than for ……..

6 The most recent unusual sport that first reached popularity in the U.S. before spreading elsewhere is the…… .

7 The attention given to organized sports should not overshadow the many ……….

which are a part of daily American life.

8 The fact that the average high school offers its students a ………often including rowing, tennis, wrestling and golf may have contributed to the wide and varied interest and participation of Americans have traditionally done well internationally in many of these sports.

9 Among the ”social values” brought up in children are ……..(when they win, American players are expected to say, "well, we were just lucky” and persistence.

10 Americans will race just about anything that has wheels. Not just cars, but also "funny cars" with………, large tracks with special motors, tractors, pick-up trucks with gigantic tires, and even motorcycles with automobile engines.

VI COMPLETE THE TAG QUESTIONS:

1 Hang-gliding became really popular after those same people in California started jumping off cliffs above the ocean,……..?

2 The average American employee usually has three or four weeks of paid vacation time during the summer,……?

3 There are several sports and sports activities in the U.S., which many people think are a bit strange or at least unusual,……?

4 Sledding and tobogganing are equally popular,……?

5Several universities like the highly respected University of Chicago do not take part in any intercollegiate sports whatsoever,…..?

6 Some Americans watching triathlons conclude that keeping fit can't be that much fun,…..?

7The widely available and inex­pensive camp grounds throughout the country also give younger families the chance to-travel on a limited budget,….?

8 Most Americans think that government should be kept separate from sports, both amateur and professional,….?

9 Those who don't understand the countless rules and the many possibilities for plays miss most of the game,….?

10 American high school and college students hardly take (and do not expect) any summer vacation at all,….?

VII QUESTIONS FOR DISCUSSION:

1 What are the most popular spectator sports in the USA today? Why?

2 What makes football in the U.S. so different from its European cousins, rugby and soccer?

3 What two most popular participant sports in the world today are American in origin?

4 Is live broadcasting of professional and collegiate games popular in the USA?

5 What sports and sport activities attract millions of participants?

6 What are possible reasons of the popularity of sports in the USA?

7 Why do professional players' organizations pay special attention to such things as retirement benefits and pensions?

8 Why did universities and sports officials enforce rules which require athletes to be properly enrolled in academic programs in order to qualify for a university team ?

9 Who are sports sponsored by in the USA?

10 What sporting activities accompany Americans in their daily life?

11 What water sports are the most popular?

12 What nontraditional kinds of sport activities are widespread in the USA?

13 What does the triathlon competition include?

14 What are the greatest natural tourist attractions in the USA?

15 How is the National Park System developing in the country?

16 How long does the average American employee vacation last?

17 How do people in America prefer to spend their vacations?

18 How is the children’s recreation activity organized in the USA?

 

VIII TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH:

Америка очень спортивная страна. Спортом занимаются не только в специально отведенных для этого местах: любителей бега, например, можно встретить практически повсюду. Постоянная и строгая забота о своем здоровье стала составной частью американского образа жизни, поэтому спортивные площадки и бассейны прочно вошли в здешний быт. Вообще, большинство американцев занимаются спортом весьма активно, может быть потому, что давно уже поняли - сохранять здоровье обходится гораздо дешевле, чем его восстанавливать. Наиболее популярными видами спорта в США являются, пожалуй, бейсбол, американский футбол, баскетбол, плавание, теннис и легкая атлетика. Любимые виды оздоровительной активности – пеший туризм, ходьба, гребля, охота и рыбная ловля. Все они пользуются популярностью и как развлечение, и как тренировка. Но в Америке существует много других видов спортивной деятельности, которые привлекают миллионы участников. Одни просто хотят получить удовольствие, другие испытывают страсть к состязанию, а третьи стремятся к хорошей физической форме и здоровью. Всем этим требованиям хорошо удовлетворяют командные виды спорта – такие, как бейсбол, баскетбол, американский футбол и волейбол, получившие широкую популярность в ХХ веке. Никакой другой вид спорта не вызывает у американцев таких ностальгических воспоминаний, как бейсбол. Столько людей в детстве увлекаются этой игрой, что ее называют «национальным времяпрепровождением». В своем нынешнем виде она возникла из целого ряда сходных игр, в которые люди играли не одно столетие. Хотя современный бейсбол, несомненно, сформировался в Северной Америке, точное происхождение этой игры определить трудно. Сегодня профессиональный бейсбол привлекает на стадионы миллионы зрителей и еще развлекает миллионы людей, которые слушают или смотрят трансляции по радио и телевидению.

 

MEDIA

 MIND THE PRONUNCIATION OF THE FOLLOWING WORDS:

Slender                  [ #slend{]   тонкий, узкий (о предметах)

Zurich                    [#zju{rik]   Цюрих (город в Швейцарии)

Hague                    [heig]         Гаага (город в Нидерландах, ме                                               стопребывание королевы,

                                                      парламента и правительства

                                                      государства)

circulation              [,s{:kju#leiS{n]     тираж (газет, журналов)

                                                      распро       странение (информации,

                                                      изданий)

leisurely                 [#leZ{li]     не спеша, спокойно; на досуге,                                               медленный, неспешный,

                                                      неторопливый

simultaneous          [,sim{l#teini{s]      одновременный 2) симультан                                             ный 3) совместный

nonprofit               [nOn#prOfit] некоммерческий, не ставящий                                                 себе целью извлечение прибыли

 journalistic ethics  [#ETiks]     журнальный мораль, нравствен                                               ность, этика

charitable donations [# tS@rit{b{l d{u#neiS{n] благотворительный,

филантропический дар, подарок, подношение; денежное пожертвование (в пользу кого-л.)

bureau                    [#bju{r{u]  бюро; комитет; отдел, отделе                                                   ние, управление

ridicule                  [#ridi,kju:l] осмеяние; насмешкa

ridiculousness        [ri#dikjul{snEs] незначительность, несерьёз                                                   ность, смехотворность

malpractice            [m@l#pr@ktis] должностное преступление, пре                                           ступная халатность

echoe                     [#Ek{u]                 отдаваться эхом; отражать

scholarship             [#skOl{Sip] стипендия , образованность,

                                                      познания, учёность, эрудиция

paperback              [#peip{,b@k] бумажная обложка, сброшюрованное издание в бумажной обложке

intermittently         периодически; с перерывами, время от вре                          мени

censorship              [#sEns{,Sip] цензура (государственный надзор за печатью и средствами массовой информации)

 

READ THE TEXT:

Newspapers

When it comes to American newspapers, a lot of people outside the United States think of that slender, serious paper, the International Herald Tribune, said to be on the daily reading list of many world leaders. The Herald Tribune, how­ever, is not really an American paper. It is pub­lished in Paris (and printed simultaneously in Paris, London, Zurich, Hongkong, Singapore, The Hague, Marseille, and Miami) as an international digest of news, most of it taken from its much larger parents, The New York Times and The Washington Post. Many people in America have never heard of it. And few Americans would read it when they can get the real thing, that is, the full-sized daily newspapers.

Today a total of 9,144 newspapers (daily, Sunday, weekly, etc.) appear in 6,516 towns in the United States. Most of the daily newspapers are published rain or shine, on Christmas, Thanksgiving, or the Fourth of July (Independ­ence Day). Including the 85 foreign-language newspapers published in 34 different languages, the daily newspapers in the United States sell over 63 million copies a day. The 762 Sunday papers are usually much larger than the regular editions. The record for a Sunday paper is held by The New York Times. One issue on a Sunday in 1965 con­tained 946 pages, weighed 36 pounds, and cost 50 cents. Reading the Sunday paper is an American tradition, for some people an alternative to going to church. Getting through all of the sections can take most of the day, leaving just enough time for the leisurely Sunday dinner. The Sunday newspapers have an average circulation of 57 million copies. There are also more than 7,000 newspapers which are published weekly, semi-weekly, or monthly.

Most daily newspapers are of the "quality" rather than the "popular" (that is, non-quality) variety. Among the twenty newspapers with the largest circulation only two or three regularly feature crime, sex, and scandal. The paper with the largest circulation, The Wall Street Journal, is a very serious newspaper indeed.

It is often said that there is no "national press" in the United States as there is in Great Britain, for instance, where five popular followed by three quality newspapers dominate the circulation

figures and are read nationwide. In one sense this is true. Most daily newspapers are distributed locally, or regionally, people buying one of the big city newspapers in addition to the smaller local ones. A few of the best-known newspapers such as The Wall Street Journal can be found throughout the country. Yet, one wouldn't expect The Milwaukee Journal to be read in Boston, or The Boston Globein in Houston. There has been one attempt to publish a truly national news­paper, USA Today. But it still has only a circula­tion of 1.2 million and, in its popular form, can only offer news of general interest. This is not enough in a country where state, city, and local

 news and political developments most deeply affect readers and are therefore especially inter­esting to them.

In another sense, however, there is a national press, one that comes from influence and the

sharing of news. Some of the largest newspapers are at the same time news-gathering businesses. They not only print newspapers, they also collect and sell news, news features, and photographs to hundreds of other papers in the U.S. and abroad.

 Three of the better-known of these are The New York Times', The Washington Post's, and the Los Angeles Times' news services. In one famous example, an expose of the CIA published in The New York Times also appeared in 400 other American papers and was picked up or used in some way by hundreds more overseas. "Picked up" is not quite right. Such stories are copy­righted and other newspapers must pay for their use. Often newspapers try to avoid paying for this news by using the original newspaper's story and quoting the story indirectly ("The Washington Post reported today that..."). Because so many other newspapers print (or "borrow") news stories from the major American newspapers and magazines, they have great national and interna­tional influence. This influence spreads far be­yond their own readers.

In addition, these newspapers and others such as The Christian Science Monitor, The (Baltimore, Sun, the St. Louis Dispatch or The Milwaukee Journal are frequently mentioned among papers of international excellence. In a large interna­tional survey of newspaper editors, The New York Times was ranked by most as "the world's top daily."

Syndicated columnists, journalists whose ar­ticles are sold by an agency for simultaneous publication in a number of newspapers, have much the same effect. Serious editorial column­ists and news commentators from the major news­papers appear daily in hundreds of smaller papers throughout the nation. This allows the readers of a small town daily to hear the opinions of some of the best national and international news analysts. Many newspapers also use syndi­cated columnists as a way of balancing political opinion. On the so called op-ed pages (opposite

 the editorial page) of newspapers, columns from leading liberal and conservative commentators are often printed side by side.

Political and editorial cartoons are also widely syndicated. Well-known political cartoonists

 such as Oliphant or MacNelly are known to most American and many foreign newspaper readers. Comic strips from Jules Feiffer, Garry Trudeau, or the creator of "Garfield" are similarly dis­tributed. Satire and humor columns often have international reputations as well. The humor of Art Buchwald or Erma Bombeck is enjoyed from New Mexico to New Delhi, although the first writer is at home in Washington, D.C., the latter in Arizona.

Structure of US News Media
The American media is made up of profit-making and nonprofit enterprises. A private, nonprofit news service, which is called the Public Broadcasting Service or PBS, is partially funded by the U.S. government and partially funded by charitable donations.
There are widely available press publications which are generally considered detailed, high quality publications . Some are available throughout the country, such as the New York Times and the International Herald Tribune (owned by the New York Times), the Washington Post and the Los Angeles Times (owned by the Washington Post), as well as news magazines such as Time and Newsweek They often keep editorial opinions in separate columns from news. However, they generally carry little international news compared to the practice in other countries.

Major providers of television news are ABC; CBS News ;CNN; Fox News Channel ;MSNBC; NBC News;
Major newspapers include: New York Times; Los Angeles Times; USA Today ;The Wall Street Journal ;Washington Post
Major news magazines are Newsweek ;TIME; U.S. News & World Report ;
News Agencies

American newspapers get much of their news from the same sources which serve about half of the people in the world, that is, the two U.S. news agencies AP (Associated Press) and UPI (United Press International). These two international news agencies are the world's largest. Unlike some others - the French news agency AFP for example,- neither is owned, controlled, or operated by the government. AP is the oldest agency internationally (founded in 1848) and the largest. It maintains reporters and cameramen at 122 domestic and 65 foreign news bureaus. It has some 10,000 subscribers - news­papers, radio and television stations and other agencies which pay to receive and use AP news and photographs - in 115 countries. UPI is the second largest, with 92 domestic and 81 foreign bureaus in over 90 countries. It is estimated that altogether, around 2 billion people get most of their news directly or indirectly through AP and UPI. It is also said that one reason why there seems to be so much "American" news interna­tionally is that both agencies have their headquar­ters in the U.S.

A basic characteristic of the American press is that almost all editors and journalists agree that as so much as possible news should be very clearly separated from opinion about the news. Follow­ing tradition and journalistic ethics, young news­paper editors and reporters are taught that opin­ion and political viewpoints belong on the editorial and opinion pages. They are aware that the selection of what news is to be printed can cause a bias, of course. But an attempt must be made to keep the two separate. Therefore, when a news story appears with a reporter's name, it means that the editors consider it to be a mixture of fact and opinion.

There is also a very good economic reason for this policy of separating news and opinion. It was discovered in the late 19th century that greater numbers of readers trusted, and bought, news­papers when the news wasn't slanted in one direc­tion or another. Today, it is often difficult to decide if a paper is Republican or Democrat, liberal or conservative. Most newspapers, for example, are careful to give equal and balanced news coverage to opposing candidates in elec­tions. They might support one candidate or the other on their editorial pages, but one year this might be a Republican, and the next a Democrat. AP and UPI owe their international reputation and success to this policy. Only by carefully limiting themselves to the news - who said what and what actually happened how, when, and where -are they trusted and consequently widely used. To protect their reputations for objectivity, both AP and UPI have strict rules. These prevent news­papers from changing the original AP and UPI news stories too much and still claiming these agencies as their source. In addition to selling news, AP and UPI make available a dozen or so photographs and political cartoons for any major story each day. These give different views and show anything from praise to ridicule. Sub­scribers are free to choose and print those which suit them best. Just as there is no official or government-owned news agency in the U.S., there are no official or government-owned newspapers. There is no state censorship, no "official secrets act," nor any law that says, for example, that government records must be kept secret until so many years have passed. The Freedom of Information Act allows anyone, including newspaper report­ers, to get information that elsewhere is simply "not available." Courts and judges cannot stop a story or newspaper from being printed, or pub­lished. Someone can go to court later, but then, of course, the story has already appeared. Government attempts to keep former intelligence agents from publishing secrets they once promised to keep - from "telling it all," as the newspapers say - have been notoriously unsuc­cessful. One of the best-known recent examples was when The New York Times and The Washing­ton Post published the so-called "Pentagon Papers." These were "secret documents" con­cerning U.S. military policy during the war in Vietnam. The newspapers won the Supreme Court case that followed. The Court wrote (1971): "The government's power to censor the press was abolished so that the press would re­main forever free to censure the government."

The tradition of "muckraking" - digging out the dirt and exposing it for all to see - is still extremely strong, and investigative reporting is still a large part of a journalist's work. This is one reason why so many younger Americans are at­tracted to careers in journalism as a way of effect­ing change in society. Even small-town news­papers employ reporters who are kept busy so searching for examples of political corruption, business malpractice, or industrial pollution. They are assisted by court decisions which make it harder for "public figures" to sue for libel or slander. Almost anyone who is well known is a public figure, whether they be politicians, judges, policemen, generals, business leaders, sports figures, or TV and movie personalities.

Needless to say, some Americans are not happy with this strong tradition of investigative reporting. They say that it has gone too far, that it gives a false impression of the country, that it makes it almost impossible to keep one's private life private. The press, they say, is not and should not be part of government. The American press responds by quoting their constitutional rights and proudly repeating Thomas Jefferson's noble words: "Our liberty depends on freedom of the press, and that cannot be limited without being lost." They perform a public service that is neces­sary for a healthy democracy, they claim. Less nobly, they also know, of course, that when some­thing which has been hidden behind closed doors is moved to the front pages, it can sell a lot of newspapers.

Magazines

There are over 11,000 magazines and periodicals in the United States. More than 4,000 of them appear monthly, and over 1,300 are published each week. They cover all topics and interests, from art and architecture to tennis, from aviation and gardening to computers and literary criticism. Quite a few have international editions, are translated into other languages, or have "daughter" editions in other countries. Among the many internationals are National Geographic, Readers Digest Cosmopolitan, Vogue, Time, Newsweek, Scientific American, and Psychology Today.

The weekly newsmagazines - the best known are Time, Newsweek, and U.S. News & World Report-serve as a type of national press. They also have considerable international impact, above all Time. This newsmagazine appears each week in several international editions. There are some for various parts of the United States, for the Far East, for Australia, for Europe, and so on. Time claims that although the advertising changes in each edition, the content remains the same internationally. This is not quite true: in the U.S. editions, for instance, there is no section called "European Notes." In any case, no other single news publication is read so widely by so many people internationally as is Time.

There are two other reasons why Time has such international influence. First, several other news­magazines were modeled on Time. Among these are the leading newsmagazines in France, Ger­many, and Italy. Secondly, Time also sells news, news features, interviews, photographs, graphics, and charts to other publications throughout the world. Feature stories that first appear in Time axe is therefore echoed in many other publications in many other countries.

The newsmagazines are all aimed at the aver­age, educated reader. There are also many peri­odicals which treat serious educational, political, and cultural topics at length. The best known of these include The Atlantic Monthly, Harvard Edu­cational Review, Saturday Review, The New Re­public, National Review, Foreign Affairs, Smith­sonian, and, of course, The New Yorker. Such widely read periodicals, along with the hundreds of professional journals, provide a broad and substantial forum for serious discussion. Again, a lot of what first appears in these publications is

often reprinted internationally or in book form. Many of the long The New Yorker essays, for example, have later appeared in shortened form in publications such-as England's The Observer Magazine or Germany's Die Zeit .

Books 1

Despite fears that the so-called electronic media especially radio, television, and videos - might damage book publishing, the opposite seems to be true. Book sales since the introduction of tele­vision have increased considerably, well beyond the increase in population» In fact, the U.S. leads in the number of books read per capita. These books range from the most recent best seller or biography to histories, gardening and cookbooks, or technical volumes and encyclopedias.

Several reasons have been offered to account for this fact. First, American schools have traditionally stressed and tried to develop a "love of reading," to make it a habit. This general educa­tional emphasis has been successful. One notes how many people are reading books - not only newspapers or magazines - in city buses, airports, during lunch breaks, or on the beach. Secondly, public libraries have always been very active in communities throughout the country. Here, too, the general policy has been to get books to people rather than to protect the books from people. A favorite way of raising money for libraries is to have thousands of used books donated by the community and then to have a book sale ("Any five for $1!"). The money made in this fashion goes to buy new books for the library. Such popular community fund-raising activities also in­crease the feeling among people that the library is theirs.

The third and probably most important reason is that there are no laws which protect book sellers

 or fix prices. Anyone can sell new and used books at discount and sale prices, and just about

everyone does. Very early, books were sold everywhere, in drug stores and supermarkets, depart­ment stores and 24-hour shops, through book clubs and by colleges as well as in regular book stores. Many university book stores are student-owned and run. They operate on a nonprofit basis, that is, all profits go towards keeping the prices of books down, for paying the student employees, and often to support student scholarships and other financial aid. Then, there are the large "paperback supermarkets" located in most shopping centers, which sell mainly paperback books on a variety of subjects. These, too, have done a great deal to keep the book trade healthy and growing. Nationwide radio and television shows, new movies, and filmed versions of books have often helped to create spectacular book sales.

Radio and Television

The problem of describing American radio and television is simply this: there's so much of it, so many different types, and so much variety. In 1985, there were over 9,000 individual radio sta­tions operating in the United States. Of this num­ber, over 1,000 were non-commercial, that is, no advertising or commercials of any type are per­mitted. These public and educational radio sta­tions are owned and operated primarily by col­leges and universities, by local schools and boards of education, and by various religious groups.

At the same time, there were close to 1,200 individual television stations, not just transmit­ters that pass on programs. Like the non-commercial radio stations, the non-commercial television stations are supported by individual dona­tions, grants from foundations and private organ­izations, and funds from city, state, and federal sources. In short, if someone wanted to describe what can be heard and seen on American radio and television, he or she would have to listen to or watch close to 10,000 individual stations. There are similar types of stations, but no one station is exactly the same as another. All radio and television stations in the United

 States, public or private, educational or commer­cial, large and small, must be licensed to broad­cast by the Federal Communications Com­mission (FCC), an independent federal agency. Each license is given for a few years only. If stations do not conform to FCC regulations, their licenses can be taken away. There are several regulations which should be noted.

Although the FCC regulates radio and televi­sion transmissions, it has no control over recep-

tion. As a result, there are no fees, charges, taxes, or licenses in the United States for owning radio and television receivers or for receiving anything that is broadcast through the air. This also means that, for example, anyone who wishes to build his or her own satellite receiving antenna - that metal dish now seen in many gardens or on rooftops of houses - may simply do so. No permission is needed and no fees are paid.

Laws prohibit any state or the federal government from owning or operating radio and televi­sion stations (stations such as Voice of America may only broadcast overseas). There is also no governmental censorship or "reviewing" of pro­grams and content. There are no governmental

 boards or appointed groups which control any radio or television broadcasting. Rather, the FCC ensures that no monopolies exist and that each area has a variety of types of programming and stations. It also regulates media ownership: no newspaper, for example, may also own a radio or TV station in its own area, nor may a radio station also have a television station in the same area. No single company or group may own more than a total of 12 stations nationwide.Another FCC regulation requires stations to give equal time to opposing views at no charge. Likewise, all commercial stations are required to devote a cer­tain percentage of announcements and advertising.

The big cities, by contrast, are served by a large number of local radio stations, often by more than 25. People who live in cities such as New York, Chicago, or Los Angeles, for instance, have a choice of up to 100 AM and FM stations and many different "formats."

There is also a great variety among television stations, although there are fewer overall. Smaller cities and areas have one or two local stations, and the larger cities ten or more. In Los Angeles, for example, there are 18 different local television 85 stations. Ninety percent of all American homes can receive at least six different television sta­tions, and more than 50 percent can get 10 or more without cable, without paying a fee, or any charges of any type.

Allowing just about everyone a piece of the air" has resulted in a tremendous variety. It has meant, for example, hundreds of foreign language radio stations including those broadcasting in Chinese, French, Japanese, Polish, and Portuguese. About 160 radio stations throughout U.S. broadcast only in Spanish. About half a dozen or so radio stations are owned by American Indian tribes and groups. There are some radio stations operated by university students. Many of these stations are members of a nationwide university broadcasting network which enables them to share news and views.

 The majority of commercial television stations receive most of their programming, roughly 70 percent, from the three commercial networks. The networks with their financial and profes­sional resources have several advantages.They are able to purchase the distribution rights, for example, to the most recent films and series.They can attract the best artists and performers. Above all, they are able to maintain large news- gathering organizations throughout the nation and throughout the world. They also have a considerable income from selling news and video material to other international television systems.

Local television stations also have their own news teams, reporters and film crews. Usually local television stations will offer between half an hour to two hours of local, city, and state news, weather and business information in addition to the national network news programs. In a city where there are three stations, for example, viewers will also have a choice of three local, city, and state news reporting programs and series. The local stations are also in competition with one another for getting the most recent news. Numerous books, studies, and popular articles have been written about American commercial television and its programs, their quality or lack of it, their effects, real and imagined, their symbols, myths, and power. There are enough pres­sure groups in the U.S., however, - religious, educational, and those representing advertisers -so that what does appear on commercial televi­sion programs probably represents what the majority of people want to see. Most of the commer­cial series and programs which have been success­ful in the United States have also been successful internationally. They have been regularly pur­chased and shown even in nations that only have government-financed or controlled television sys­tems. No commercial network in the U.S. thinks that Dallas, for example, is fine drama. But they've watched foreign television companies such as the BBC and ITV fight over the broadcast

 rights, and others hurry to make their own imita­tions. They conclude, therefore, that such popu­lar entertainment series are in fact popular.

A few remarks on how much television that "typical American" watches should be added. Obviously, there is a lot to watch and a great variety of it. Live sports events are televised at full length and attract a lot of viewers. Recent full-length movies are popular and there is always at least one station that has the "Late Late Movies," often old Westerns or Japanese horror films that start after midnight and go on until 3 or 4 a.m. And quite a few viewers in the United States and elsewhere enjoy the many television series and made-for-television specials which seemingly never end. Statistics show that the number of hours spent watching television are highest for women over 55 years of age, and lowest for young men between 18 and 24 years.

Television sets in America are turned on in much the same way and for the same reasons that radios are, as background music and noise. Life does not stop in either case. Many morning and daytime programs are only viewed intermittently, while other things are going on and demand one's attention. The television set is only watched, in other words, when something interesting is heard. If our typical American were actually "glued to the tube" an average of six or seven hours a day, seven days of the week, very few would be going to school, earning university degrees, raising families, working, running businesses, or even getting much sleep. And few would have time to read all those newspapers, magazines, and books.

 

EXERCISES :

 I TRANSLATE INTO RUSSIAN THE FOLLOWING EXPRESSIONS AND THE SENTENCES IN WHICH THEY WERE USED IN THE TEXT:

International digest of news; average circulation; news of general interest; to be copyrighted; domestic and foreign news bureaus; to cause a bias; state censorship; muckraking; to give false impression of the country; business mal practice; to protect one’s reputation; widely read periodicals; to damage book publishing; books donated by the community; to create spectacular book sales; be licensed to broad­cast; fight over the broadcast rights.

 

II FILL IN THE GAPS WITH THE MISSING WORDS AND EXPRESSIONS:

 

news coverage , photographs, graphic and charts, news-gathering businesses, editors and journalists, daily newspapers ,the Sunday paper, commercial television, investigative reporting , owning radio and television receivers , serious editorial column­ists.

 

1 Reading… is an American tradition, for some people an alternative to going to church.

2 Most ….are distributed locally, or regionally, people buying one of the big city newspapers in addition to the smaller local ones.

3 ….not only print newspapers, they also collect and sell news, news features, and photographs to hundreds of other papers in the U.S. and abroad.

4 ….and news commentators from the major news­papers appear daily in hundreds of smaller papers throughout the nation.

5 A basic characteristic of the American press is that almost all ……agree that as so much as possible news should be very clearly separated from opinion about the news.

6 Most newspapers, for example, are careful to give equal and balanced…… to opposing candidates in elec­tions.

7 The tradition of "muckraking" - digging out the dirt and exposing it for all to see - is still extremely strong, and …..is still a large part of a journalist's work

8 There are no fees, charges, taxes, or licenses in the United States for …….or for receiving anything that is broadcast through the air.

9 Time sells news, news features, interviews, …….to other publications throughout the world.

10 Numerous books, studies, and popular articles have been written about American…….and its programs, their quality or lack of it, their effects, real and imagined, their symbols, myths, and power

III MAKE UP TAG- QUESTIONS TO THE FOLLOWING SENTENCES:

1 Getting through all of the sections can take most of the day, leaving just enough time for the leisurely Sunday dinner, …..?

2 There are no governmental boards or appointed groups which control any radio or television broadcasting, ….?

3 The majority of commercial television stations receive most of their programming, roughly 70 percent, from the three commercial networks…?

4 Most of the commer­cial series and programs which have been success­ful in the United States have also been successful internationally,…?

5 A favorite way of raising money for libraries is to have thousands of used books donated by the community,…..?

6 Local television stations will offer between half an hour to two hours of local, city, and state news, weather and business information in addition to the national network news programs.

7 No single company or group may own more than a total of 12 stations nationwide.

8 Often newspapers try to avoid paying for this news by using the original newspaper's story and quoting the story indirectly.

IV FIND THE PROPER DEFINITION TO THE NOUNS GIVEN BELOW:

 

Muckraker, analyst, columnist, commentator, commercial, editor.

 

1) a person who edits written material for publication; a person in overall charge of the editing and often the policy of a newspaper or periodical;

2) a journalist who writes a regular feature in a newspaper;

3) a person who provides a spoken commentary for a broadcast, film, etc., esp. of a sporting event; a person who writes notes on a text, event;

4) a commercially sponsored advertisement on radio or television;

5) a person who analyses or is skilled in analysis;

6) a person who seeks out and exposes scandals, especially concerning public figures;

7) a professional specializing in a humorous or satirical drawing, esp. in a newspaper or magazine;

V DISCUSS WITH YOUR GROUPMATES THE FOLLOWING QUESTIONS:

1 What is the total number of newspapers in the USA today?

2 What largest Sunday papers can you name?

3 Is newspaper reading popular in the USA?

4 What is the proportion of quality press and tabloids in the USA?

5 What is meant when it is said that there is no ” national ” press in the USA?

6 Why did the attempts to publish a truly national newspaper fail?

7 What are three best-known papers and news-gathering businesses?

8 What American papers are frequently mentioned among papers of international excellence?

9 What does the notion “syndicated” columnists imply?

10 What is the structure of American news media?

11 What are basic news agencies in the country? What do they provide?

12 What is the basic characteristic feature of American press?

13 What are the reasons of conducting a policy of separating news and opinion?

14 What are strict rules followed by both AP and UPI to protect their reputations for objectivity?

15 How far can American newspapers go in their claims to publish the secret governmental

 material?

16 What does the «muckraking» mean?

17 Why aren’t Americans happy with the strong tradition of investigative reporting?

18 What are the most popular journals in the USA which have daughter editions in other countries?

19 What magazine has a considerable international impact? Why?

20 Who are newsmagazines targeted at?

21 Did the appearance of so-called electronic media cause the decline in book-publishing?

22 What kinds of books are popular among Americans?

23 Can you prove that Americans is a reading nation?

24 What are the popular community fund-raising activities?

25 How can a variety of American radio and television be explained?

26 What are the advantages of commercial networking?

27 What is a typically American television marked by?

28 Who are the most enthusiastic TV watchers in the USA?

29 Can you say that a TV is an international disease in the USA?

VI TRANSLATE INTO ENGLISH:

Четыре крупнейшие газетные компании США New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times и San Francisco Chronicle объединились для создания общей сети рекламы, сосредоточившись на рекламодателях VIP-класса, жаждущих привлечь внимание аудитории, сообщает Reuters. New York Times, USA Today, Los Angeles Times и San Francisco Chronicle скооперировались в относительно автономную компанию, названную quadrantOne, чтобы оперативнее и надежнее работать с перспективными рекламодателями. Новая сеть станет вторым примером онлайн-сотрудничества газет за последние годы. Большинство остальных издателей уже активно сотрудничают с Yahoo!. В QuadrantOne заявили, что эта сеть достигла показателя в 50 миллионов уникальных посетителей в месяц. "Каждая компания-участник согласилась отдать некоторое количество рекламного места для общей сети, тем самым предлагая заказчику широкий выбор, а также возможность проведения агрессивной рекламной кампании в лучших газетах страны", - заявила Дана Хэйс (Dana Hayes), исполняющая обязанности исполнительного директора новоиспеченной фирмы. Для New York Times такое решение очевидно, так как совсем недавно компания получила "любовное письмо" от акционеров, где последние в суровой форме настоятельно рекомендуют обращать больше внимания на продажу онлайн-рекламы. Что касается Los Angeles Times, то там администрация уже давно поняла необходимость более трепетного отношения к Вебу, еще в 2005 году открыв тематические RSS. В целом же, издатели все больше сил тратят на то, чтобы привлечь интернет-пользователей, так как посещаемость новостных агрегаторов (да и в принципе онлнай-СМИ) растет с каждым днем.

 

 

СПИСОК ЛИТЕРАТУРЫ:

1 О.А. Письменная «Окна в англоязычный мир» - М.:ООО «ИП Логос»,2004.-544 с.

2 http://wwwclipartbank.ru/index.php.

3 http://wwwfotobank.ru/image html.

4 http://baracuda-fotoplex.ru/USA/photo 6191.

5 http://ru.wikipedia/org/

6 D.K.Stevenson American Life and Institutions -U.S.Information Agency Washington,DC 20547,1993-144c.

 

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