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II. Give the idea of the folk songs in Russian.

III. Answer the following questions.

1. How can you characterize the American folklore?

2. What American songs are based on historic events?

3. Did you hear any American folk songs when a child?

4. What American folk song(s) do you like most? Why?

5. What songs are sung on holidays and celebrations?

6. Can you recite your favourite American patriotic poem?

7. What American folklore heroes can you name?

IV. Write the tall tale character's name on the line before the statement.

Johnny Appleseed                      Pecos Bill                Daniel Boone

Paul Bunyan                              Davy Crockett         John Henry Jesse James                                Casey Jones

 

1. _____ Davy Crocket _______ was helped by the bear to unfreeze the sun.

2. _____ Johnny Appleseed ___saved Ohio settlers from an attack.

3. _____ Pecos Bill ___________ fell to the ground and Death Valley (in California) was formed.

4. _____ John Henry _________ helped build a railroad tunnel through Big Bend Mountain.

5. ______ Pecos Bill __________ first saw his wife, Rebecca, in the forest one night.

6. ______ Jesse James _______ did a good deed, then robbed the landlord to get his money back.

7. ______ Casey Jones ________ always brought the train in on time.

8. ______ Paul Bunyan’s faithful companion was a blue ox.

 

V. Dramatize one of the songs you like most.

TOPIC 7: AMERICAN WAY OF LIFE

The United States is a young country. Americans are not afraid of new ideas. They built the first skyscrapers and they put the first man on the moon. They like to be modern. They like exciting, modern cities, new houses, and new cars.

At the same time, Americans love old things. They like to visit historic houses and museums. They build old pioneer towns and remember the days of the “Wild West”. Americans are interested in old traditions, but they are good at making new traditions too.

The people of the United States are a mixture of many different nationalities. In one city you can find people whose parents, grandparents or great-grandparents came from China, Africa, South America, Southeast Asia, and every European country. These different people brought to their new land a wonderful mixture of customs and traditions. The Germans brought Christmas trees. The Irish brought St. Patrick’s Day celebrations. The Scots brought Halloween.

Americans still celebrate the festivals of the Old World. Sometimes, in fact, the old celebrations are more important in the US than in the countries they came from. American children have more fun at Halloween than Scottish children do in Scotland.

There are new American festivals and traditions as well as the old ones. Only Americans celebrate Thanksgiving,Memorial Day, and the Fourth of July. Rodeos and high school homecomings only happen in the US.

 

FESTIVALS AND FAIRS

Each year in the US there are festivals to celebrate almost everything you can think of. Some festivals are only for a day, while others last for a few months. Some are serious, and some are funny and noisy. Some attract thousands of people, and some just a few.

Festivals that many people enjoy are the state fairs. These are usually at the end of summer. Farmers enter their animals in competitions and hope to win a ribbon: blue or purple (first), red (second), or white (third). There are also prizes for the biggest and best crops and for homemade food, clothes, toys, etc. there are rodeos and square dances, and often famous entertainers.

Each part of the US has its own special festivals. When people from Europe, Europe, Asia, and Latin America came to live in different parts of the USA, they brought their celebrations with them. For example, there are Oktoberfests (German), Nordland festivals (Norwegian), Tulip Time (Dutch), Chinese New Year, and cherry blossom festivals (Japanese). These celebrations have their own special food, drink and entertainment.

One of the best known festivals in the world is “Mardi Gras”. It takes place early in the year in New Orleans, Louisiana. For two weeks there are big parades, parties, and dances. When the parades pass by, everyone shouts, “Throw me something, Mister!” and they fight to catch the small presents thrown to them. Mardi Gras brings many musicians from all over the world to New Orleans, the home of Jazz music.

Not all festivals are as famous as Mardi Gras. You can go to the National Hollering Festival, or the Missouri World Championship Goose Callin’ Contest or the Iowa Hobo Convention.

EVERYDAY LIFE

When Americans are introduced for the first time, they usually shake hands. When they meet friends or relatives they haven’t seen for a while, they sometimes kiss them on the cheek. It is common for two women or a man and a woman to kiss in this way, but men almost never kiss each other on the cheek.

America is a friendly country. In small towns people say “hello” to friends and strangers on the street. Even in cities, strangers may start up a conversation. Waiters in restaurants will often introduce themselves by name, and talk with customers as they serve them. When the customers leave, they will take them to “take care” or “have a nice day”. Sometimes foreigners feel Americans are too friendly. People you have just met may ask you personal questions or tell you all about themselves.

Many people take a bottle of wine or some flowers when they are invited to dinner at someone’s home. At a “pot luck” dinner, all the guests bring something to eat. You should ask your hosts what kind of food they would like you to bring. Usually it is a salad, vegetables, or a dessert. When you are invited to dinner, it is usual to arrive ten or fifteen minutes late. This gives the hosts time to finish their preparations.

Americans love to get together and to have parties. Traditional party occasions are a birthday, moving to a new house, a wedding, New Year’s Eve, and the Fourth of July. “Bridal showers” are for women who are getting married, and “baby showers” are for women who have just had a baby. All the guests bring a useful present for the new home or the new baby.

In the US there aren’t too many “rules” for different social occasions. Americans like to relax and enjoy themselves, and most social occasions are informal.

AMERICAN SOCIAL RELATIONS

• American society is much more informal than that of many other countries.
• When someone praises an American upon his achievement or upon his personal appearances, which is a very polite thing to do in America, the Americans turns it aside.
• Students do not rise when a teacher enters a room.
• A teacher though friendly, pleasant and informal in class, expects students to study hard, and he grades each student’s work critically and carefully. He also expects to be treated with respect.
• Americans are likely to admit and laugh at their own mistakes.
• Many adults and teenagers are involved in volunteer work and raise money for charitable purposes or work in hospitals.

AMERICAN SUPERSTITIONS

Good Luck

• To see a white cat on the road is lucky.
• When moving to a new home, put the cat in through the window, not the door, so that it will not leave.
• Mistletoe in the house protects it from thunder and lightning. It also cures many diseases, is an antidote to poison and brings good luck and fertility.
• Put salt on the doorstep of a new house and no evil can enter.
• Seeing a spider run down a web in the afternoon means you'll take a trip.
• If a black cat walks towards you, it brings good fortune, but if it walks away, it takes the good luck with it.
• A cat onboard a ship is considered to bring luck.
• For good luck throughout the year, wear new clothes on Easter.

Bad Luck

• It is bad luck to see a white cat at night.
• Never put your shoes on the bed, that means a death in your family.
• Do not give your partners the following items as gifts: shoes - encourages them to walk out of the relationship; perfumes - attracts a third party that can break up the relationship; bags – encourages them to pack and leave the relationship.
• If a bird flies into a house, it is a sign of death.
• It is a bad luck to walk under a ladder.
• It's bad luck to let milk boil over.
• If a mirror in the house falls and breaks by itself, someone in the house will die soon.
• It is bad luck to see an owl in the sunlight.
• If 3 people are photographed together, the one in the middle will die first.
• Dropping an umbrella on the floor means that there will be a murder in the house.
• It's bad luck to open an umbrella inside the house, especially if you put it over your head.
• Seeing an ambulance is very unlucky unless you pinch your nose or hold your breath until you see a black or a brown dog.
• If you say good-bye to a friend on a bridge, you will never see each other again.
• If someone is sweeping the floor and sweeps over your feet, you'll never get married.
• It is bad luck to light three cigarettes with the same match.
• It is bad luck to cut your fingernails on Friday or Sunday.
• It brings bad luck for a flag to touch the ground.
• It is bad luck to kill a ladybug.
• It will cause a quarrel if knives are crossed at the table.