Giáo trình văn hóa mỹ (dùng cho sinh viên cao đẳng tiếng anh)

TRƯỜNG ĐẠI HỌC QUẢNG BÌNH KHOA NGOẠI NGỮ GIÁO TRÌNH (Lưu hành nội bộ) VĂN HÓA MỸ (Dành cho sinh viên cao đẳng tiếng Anh) Tác giả: Nguyễn Thị Hồng Thắm Năm 2013 LỜI NÓI ĐẦU Văn hóa Mỹ giáo trình biên soạn theo khung chương trình giáo dục cao đẳng tiếng Anh Giáo trình biên soạn theo hướng cung cấp cho sinh viên kiến thức đất nước người nước Mỹ; hệ thống giá trị, phong tục tập quán, xã hội, hệ thống trị, giáo dục Mỹ làm tảng để tìm hiểu vận dụng kiến thức tiếp thu ngôn ngữ Anh, hoạt động giao tiếp liên văn hoá Ngoài ra, học phần rèn luyện cho sinh viên kĩ đọc hiểu, phân tích, tổng hợp, nghiên cứu vấn đề văn hóa – xã hội Bên cạnh đó, sinh viên rèn luyện kĩ nói thông qua buổi trình bày nhóm buổi thảo luận TABLE OF CONTENTS Unit 1: THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY Page 3-7 Unit 2: THE PEOPLE……… Page 8-14 Unit 3: THE POLITICAL SYSTEM…… Page 15-20 Unit 4: EDUCATION Page 21-29 Unit 5: FAMILY LIFE Page 30-34 FURTHER READING: FOOD AND DRINK Page 35-36 FURTHER READING: TRANSPORT Page 37-39 Unit 6: HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS ………………… Page 40-42 REFERENCES .Page 43 UNIT 1: THE PHYSICAL GEOGRAPHY The United States shares land borders with Canada (to the north) and Mexico (to the south), and a territorial water border with Russia in the northwest, and two territorial water borders in the southeast between Florida and Cuba, and Florida and the Bahamas The contiguous fortyeight states are otherwise bounded by the Pacific Ocean on the west, the Atlantic Ocean on the east, and the Gulf of Mexico to the southeast Alaska borders the Pacific Ocean to the south, the Bering Strait to the west, and the Arctic Ocean to the north, while Hawaii lies far to the southwest of the mainland in the Pacific Ocean Forty-eight of the states are in the single region between Canada and Mexico; this group is referred to, with varying precision and formality, as the continental or contiguous United States, and as the Lower 48 Alaska, which is not included in the term contiguous United States, is at the northwestern end of North America, separated from the Lower 48 by Canada The State of Hawaii is an archipelago in the Pacific Ocean The capital city, Washington, District of Columbia, is a federal district located on land donated by the state of Maryland (Virginia had also donated land, but it was returned in 1847.) The United States also has overseas territories with varying levels of independence and organization The continental United States contains two harbor indented coasts of several thousand miles from which well watered coastal plains rise to two mountain ranges between which is an arable plain overlaid by thousands of miles of interconnected and navigable rivers The Texas continental crossroads, the southerly deserts, and the basin and range country of Utah and Nevada complete the picture The combination of rivers navigable thousands of miles inland, running throughout virtually all of the largest contiguous area of farm land in the world, has helped to make the United States the world's breadbasket and wealthiest nation by far Considering both the natural features and the political unity of the states of the region of the Great Plains, contrasted with the river systems and political disunity of Europe as an example, nothing quite like it exists anywhere else in the world New Orleans—purchased along with the French territory of Louisiana in 1803—is the key to the Mississippi, Missouri, Ohio, Arkansas, Tennessee, and Red river system of North America In turn, Texas, with its own, unnavigable rivers, but productive land, acts as a buffer to protect New Orleans from the south and west Physiographic division The eastern United States has a varied topography A broad, flat coastal plain lines the Atlantic and Gulf shores from the Texas-Mexico border to New York City, and includes the Florida peninsula Areas further inland feature rolling hills and temperate forests The Appalachian Mountains form a line of low mountains separating the eastern seaboard from the Great Lakes and the Mississippi Basin The five Great Lakes are located in the northcentral portion of the country, four of them forming part of the border with Canada The southeast United States contain subtropical forests and, near the gulf coast, mangrove wet lands, especially in Florida West of the Appalachians lies the Mississippi River basin and two large eastern tributaries, the Ohio River and the Tennessee River The Ohio and Tennessee Valleys and the Midwest consist largely of rolling hills and productive farmland, stretching south to the Gulf Coast The Great Plains lie west of the Mississippi River and east of the Rocky Mountains A large portion of the country's agricultural products are grown in the Great Plains Before their general conversion to farmland, the Great Plains were noted for their extensive grasslands, from tall grass prairie in the eastern plains to short grass steppe in the western High Plains Elevation rises gradually from less than a few hundred feet near the Mississippi River to more than a mile high in the High Plains The generally low relief of the plains is broken in several places, most notably in the Ozark and Ouachita Mountains, which form the U.S Interior Highlands, the only major mountainous region between the Rocky Mountains and the Appalachian Mountains.[8][9] The Great Plains come to an abrupt end at the Rocky Mountains The Rocky Mountains form a large portion of the Western U.S., entering from Canada and stretching nearly to Mexico The Rocky Mountain region is the highest region of the United States by average elevation The Rocky Mountains generally contain fairly mild slopes and wider peaks compared to some of the other great mountain ranges, with a few exceptions (such as the Teton Mountains in Wyoming and the Sawatch Range in Colorado) The highest peaks of the Rockies are found in Colorado, the tallest peak being Mount Elbert at 14,440 ft (4,400 m) The Rocky Mountains contain some of the most spectacular and well known scenery in the world In addition, instead of being one generally continuous and solid mountain range, it is broken up into a number of smaller, intermittent mountain ranges, forming a large series of basins and valleys West of the Rocky Mountains lies the Intermontane Plateaus (also known as the Intermountain West), a large, arid desert lying between the Rockies and the Cascades and Sierra Nevada ranges The large southern portion, known as the Great Basin, consists of salt flats, drainage basins, and many small north-south mountain ranges The Southwest is predominantly a low-lying desert region A portion known as the Colorado Plateau, centered around the Four Corners region, is considered to have some of the most spectacular scenery in the world It is accentuated in such national parks as Grand Canyon, Arches, Mesa Verde National Park and Bryce Canyon, among others The Intermontane Plateaus come to an end at the Cascade Range and the Sierra Nevada The Cascades consist of largely intermittent, volcanic mountains, many rising prominently from the surrounding landscape The Sierra Nevada, further south, is a high, rugged, and dense mountain range It contains the highest point in the contiguous 48 states, Mount Whitney (14,505 ft or 4,421 m)[1] It is located at the boundary between California's Inyo and Tulare counties, just 84.6 mi or 136.2 km west-northwest of the lowest point in North America at Badwater in Death Valley National Park, at 282 ft or 86 m below sea level These areas contain some spectacular scenery as well, as evidenced by such national parks as Yosemite and Mount Rainier West of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada is a series of valleys, such as the Central Valley in California and the Willamette Valley in Oregon Along the coast is a series of low mountain ranges known as the Pacific Coast Ranges Much of the Pacific Northwest coast is inhabited by some of the densest vegetation outside of the Tropics, and also the tallest trees in the world (the Redwoods) Alaska contains some of the most dramatic and untapped scenery in the country Tall, prominent mountain ranges rise up sharply from broad, flat tundra plains On the islands off the south and southwest coast are many volcanoes Hawaii, far to the south of Alaska in the Pacific Ocean, is a chain of tropical, volcanic islands, popular as a tourist destination for many from East Asia and the mainland United States The geography of the United States varies across their immense area Within the continental U.S., eight distinct physiographic divisions exist, though each is composed of several smaller physiographic subdivisions These major divisions are:  Laurentian Upland - part of the Canadian Shield that extends into the northern United States Great Lakes area  Atlantic Plain - the coastal regions of the eastern and southern parts includes the continental shelf, the Atlantic Coast and the Gulf Coast  Appalachian Highlands - lying on the eastern side of the United States, it includes the Appalachian Mountains, the Watchung Mountains, the Adirondacks and New England province originally containing the Great Eastern Forest  Interior Plains - part of the interior contentintal United States, it includes much of what is called the Great Plains  Interior Highlands - also part of the interior contentintal United States, this division includes the Ozark Plateau  Rocky Mountain System - one branch of the Cordilleran system lying far inland in the western states  Intermontane Plateaus - also divided into the Columbia Plateau, the Colorado Plateau and the Basin and Range Province, it is a system of plateaus, basins, ranges and gorges between the Rocky and Pacific Mountain Systems It is the setting for the Grand Canyon, the Great Basin and Death Valley  Pacific Mountain System - the coastal mountain ranges and features in the west coast of the United States The Atlantic coast of the United States is, with minor exceptions, low The Appalachian Highland owes its oblique northeast-southwest trend to crustal deformations which in very early geological time gave a beginning to what later came to be the Appalachian mountain system This system had its climax of deformation so long ago (probably in Permian time) that it has since then been very generally reduced to moderate or low relief It owes its present day altitude either to renewed elevations along the earlier lines or to the survival of the most resistant rocks as residual mountains The oblique trend of this coast would be even more pronounced but for a comparatively modern crustal movement, causing a depression in the northeast resulting in an encroachment of the sea upon the land Additionally, the southeastern section has undergone an elevation resulting in the advance of the land upon the sea While the Atlantic coast is relatively low, the Pacific coast is, with few exceptions, hilly or mountainous This coast has been defined chiefly by geologically recent crustal deformations, and hence still preserves a greater relief than that of the Atlantic The low Atlantic coast and the hilly or mountainous Pacific coast foreshadow the leading features in the distribution of mountains within the United States The east coast Appalachian system, originally forest covered, is relatively low and narrow and is bordered on the southeast and south by an important coastal plain The Cordilleran systemon the western side of the continent is lofty, broad and complicated having two branches, the Rocky Mountain System and the Pacific Mountain System In between these mountain systems lie the Intermontaine Plateaus Both the Columbia River and Colorado River rise far inland near the easternmost members of the Cordilleran system, and flow through plateaus and intermontaine basins to the ocean Heavy forests cover the northwest coast, but elsewhere trees are found only on the higher ranges below the Alpine region The intermontane valleys, plateaus and basins range from treeless to desert with the most arid region being in the southwest The Laurentian Highlands, the Interior Plains and the Interior Highlands lie between the two coasts, stretching from the Gulf of Mexiconorthward, far beyond the national boundary, to the Arctic Ocean The central plains are divided by a hardly perceptible height of land into a Canadian and a United States portion It is from the United States side, that the great Mississippi system discharges southward to the Gulf of Mexico The upper Mississippi and some of the Ohio basin is the semi-arid prairie region, with trees originally only along the watercourses The uplands towards the Appalachians were included in the great eastern forested area, while the western part of the plains has so dry a climate that its native plant life is scanty, and in the south it is practically barren Elevation extremes:   Lowest point: Death Valley, Inyo County, California −282 ft (−86 m) below sea level Highest point: Mount McKinley, Denali Borough, Alaska +20,320 ft (6,194 m) above sea level Major Rivers and Lakes The United States has an extensive inland waterway system, much of which has been improved for navigation and flood control and developed to produce hydroelectricity and irrigation water by such agencies as the U.S Bureau of Reclamation, the U.S Army Corps of Engineers, and the Tennessee Valley Authority Some of the world's larger dams, man-made lakes, and hydroelectric power plants are on U.S rivers The Mississippi-Missouri river system (c.3,890 mi/6,300 km long), is the longest in the United States and the second longest in the world With its hundreds of tributaries, chief among which are the Red River, the Ohio, and the Arkansas, the Mississippi basin drains more than half of the nation The Yukon, Columbia, Colorado, and Rio Grande also have huge drainage basins Other notable river systems include the Connecticut, Hudson, Delaware, Susquehanna, Potomac, James, Alabama, Trinity, San Joaquin, and Sacramento The Great Salt Lake and Alaska's Iliamna are the largest U.S lakes outside the Great Lakes and Lake of the Woods, which are shared with Canada (Lake Michigan and Iliamna are the largest freshwater lakes entirely within the United States) The Illinois Waterway connects the Great Lakes with the Mississippi River, and the New York State Canal System links them with the Hudson The Intracoastal Waterway provides sheltered passage for shallow draft vessels along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts Climate Due to its large size and wide range of geographic features, the United States contains examples of nearly every global climate The climate is temperate in most areas, subtropical in the Deep South, tropical in Hawaii and southern Florida, polar in Alaska, semiarid in the Great Plains west of the 100th meridian, Mediterranean in coastal California and arid in the Great Basin Its comparatively favorable agricultural climate contributed (in part) to the country's rise as a world power, with infrequent severe drought in the major agricultural regions, a general lack of widespread flooding, and a mainly temperate climate that receives adequate precipitation The Great Basin and Columbia Plateau (the Intermontane Plateaus) are arid or semiarid regions that lie in the rain shadow of the Cascades and Sierra Nevada Precipitation averages less than 15 inches (38 cm) The Southwest is a hot desert, with temperatures exceeding 100 °F (37.8 °C) for several weeks at a time in summer The Southwest and the Great Basin are also affected by the monsoon from the Gulf of California from July–September, which brings localized but often severe thunderstorms to the region Much of California consists of a Mediterranean climate, with sometimes excessive rainfall from October–April and nearly no rain the rest of the year In the Pacific Northwest rain falls year-round, but is much heavier during winter and spring The mountains of the west receive abundant precipitation and very heavy snowfall The Cascades are one of the snowiest places in the world, with some places averaging over 600 inches (1,524 cm) of snow annually, but the lower elevations closer to the coast receive very little snow Economics and Land Use in the United States The U.S has the largest and most technologically advanced economy in the world It mainly consists of the industrial and service sectors The main industries include petroleum, steel, motor vehicles, aerospace, telecommunications, chemicals, electronics, food processing, consumer goods, lumber and mining Agricultural production, though only a small part of the economy, includes: wheat, corn, other grains, fruits, vegetables, cotton, beef, pork, poultry, dairy products, fish and forest products UNIT 2: THE PEOPLE OF AMERICA Americans, or American people, are citizens, or natives, of the United States of America The country is home to people of different national origins As a result, Americans not equate their nationality with ethnicity, but with citizenship With the exception of the Native American population, all Americans or their ancestors immigrated within the past five centuries Despite its multi-ethnic composition, the culture held in common by most Americans is referred to as mainstream American culture, a Western culture largely derived from the traditions of Northern and Western European immigrants It also includes influences of African-American culture Westward expansion integrated the Creoles and Cajuns of Louisiana and the Hispanos of the Southwest and brought close contact with the culture of Mexico Large-scale immigration in the late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries from Southern and Eastern Europe introduced a variety of elements Immigration from Asia, Africa, and Latin America has also had impact A cultural melting pot, or pluralistic salad bowl, describes the way in which generations of Americans have celebrated and exchanged distinctive cultural characteristics Racial and ethnic groups The United States is a diverse country, racially and ethnically Six races are officially recognized by the U.S Census Bureau for statistical purposes: White, American Indian and Alaska Native, Asian, Black or African American, Native Hawaiian and Other Pacific Islander, and people of two or more races; a race called "Some other race" is also used in the census and other surveys, but is not official The United States Census Bureau also classifies Americans as "Hispanic or Latino" and "Not Hispanic or Latino", which identifies Hispanic and Latino Americans as a racially diverse ethnicity that composes the largest minority group in the nation White and European Americans People of European descent or whites constitute the majority of the 308 million people living in the United States, with 74.8% of the population in the 2010 United States Census They are people who trace their ancestry to the original peoples of Europe, the Middle East, and North Africa White Americans are the majority in forty-six of the fifty states, with the exception of Hawaii The largest continental ancestral group of Americans are Europeans who have origins in any of the original peoples of Europe The Spanish were the first Europeans to establish a continuous presence in what is now the United States Overall, as the largest group, European Americans have the lowest poverty rate and the second highest educational attainment levels, median household income, and median personal income of any racial demographic in the nation Hispanic and Latino Americans Hispanic or Latino Americans make up the largest ethnic minority in the United States and form the second largest group after non-Hispanic Whites in the United States, making up 16.3% of the population, according to the 2010 United States Census Black and African Americans African Americans (also referred to as Black Americans or Afro-Americans, and formerly as American Negroes) are citizens or residents of the United States who have origins in any of the black populations of Africa According to the 2009 American Community Survey, there were 38,093,725 blacks in the United States, which represented 12.4% of the population African Americans make up the second largest race in the United States, but the third largest group after White Americans and Hispanic or Latino Americans; the majority of the population (55%) live in the South, while compared to 2000 Census there is a decrease of African Americans in the Northeast and Midwest Most African Americans are the direct descendants of captive Africans who survived the slavery era within the boundaries of the present United States, although some are—or are descended from—immigrants from African, Caribbean, Central American or South American nations Asian Americans Another significant population is the Asian American population, comprising 17.3 million in 2010, or 5.6% of the U.S population California is home to 5.6 million Asian Americans, the greatest number in any state; in Hawaii, Asian Americans make up the highest proportion of the population (57 percent) The largest sub-groups are immigrants or descendants of immigrants from Cambodia, Mainland China, India, Japan, Korea, Laos, Pakistan, the Philippines, Taiwan, Thailand, and Vietnam Asians overall have higher income levels than all other racial groups in the United States, including whites, and the trend appears to be increasing in relation to those groups Additionally, Asians have a higher education attainment level than all other racial groups in the United States For better or worse, the group has been called a model minority American Indians and Alaska Natives According to the 2010 Census, there are 5.2 million people who are American Indian or Alaska Native alone, or in combination with one or more races; they make up 1.7% of the total population Native Americans, whose ancestry are indigenous to the Americas, originally migrated to the two continents between 10,000-45,000 years ago These Paleoamericans spread throughout the two continents and evolved into hundreds of distinct cultures during the pre-Columbian era Following the first voyage of Christopher Columbus, the European colonization of the Americas began, with St Augustine, Florida becoming the first permanent European settlement in the continental United States From the 16th through the 19th centuries, the population of Native Americans declined in the following ways: epidemic diseases brought from Europe; genocide and warfare at the hands of European explorers and colonists, as well basic level, many schools celebrate African-American History Month or Hispanic singing, and foods from the nations from which the students have come Many schools have adopted (1) history or social studies textbooks that include more information about African Americans, Hispanic-Americans, and other minorities, and (2) American literature texts that include poetry and fiction written by Americans of all ethnic backgrounds In some colleges, the traditional set of Western great books, sometimes called the canon, has been replaced by a much broader set of literary texts, reflecting the experiences and backgrounds of the students who will be reading them Not all Americans support multicultural education, however Some fear that replacing the Western civilization and literary traditions, which have been the basis of American education, with a much broader historical and literary discussion will result in fragmentation of American society Schools have traditionally been the place where students of all ethnic, religious, and racial backgrounds have learned ―American‖ history, literature, and values With so many competing views of history or sets of values in the school, some fear that it will be difficult for the country to remain ―American‖ It is a serious question: Can a country as diverse as the United Slates have schools that reflect that diversity and still retain a core national identity and culture? (Source: The American Ways An Introduction to American Culture by Maryanne Kearny Datesman, JoAnn Crandalt and Edward N Kearny) 29 UNIT 5: FAMILY LIFE Family Structures What is the typical American family like? If Americans are asked to name the members of their families, family structure becomes clear Married American adults will name their husband or wife and their children, if they have any, as their ―immediate family‖ If they mention their father, mother, sisters, or brothers, they will define them as separate units, usually living in separate households Aunts, uncles, cousins, and grandparents are considered ―extended family‖ The structure of the American family has undergone enormous changes since 1950s Traditionally, the American family has been a ―nuclear family‖ consisting of a husband, wife, and their children, living in a house or apartment Grandparents rarely live in the same home with their married sons and daughters, and uncles and aunts almost never In the 1950s, 70 percent of American households were the ―classic‖ American family – a husband, wife, and two children The father was the ―breadwinner‖ (the one who earned the money to support the family), the mother was a ―homemaker‖ (the one who took care of the children and did not work outside the home), and they had two children under the age of 18 If you say the word ―family‖ to Americans, this is probably the picture that comes to their minds Yet, in reality, in the 1990s, only percent of American households consist of a working father, a stay-at-home mother, and two children under 18 An additional 18 percent of households consist of two parents who are both working and one or more children under the age of 18 living at home That means that a total of only 26 percent of households in the United Stales consist of two parents and their children The remaining households consist of the following: 30 percent are married couples without children; percent are single parents and their children; 11 percent are unmarried couples and others living together And perhaps most startling, in 25 percent of the households, there is someone living alone What has happened to the traditional American family, and why? Some of the explanation is demographic In the 1950s, men who had fought in World War II had returned home, married, and were raising their families There was a substantial increase (or ―boom‖) in the birth rate, producing the ―baby boomers‖ A second demographic factor is that today young people are marrying and having children later in life Some couples now choose not to have children at all A third factor is that people are living longer after their children are grown, and they often end up alone And, of course, there is a fourth factor - the high rate of divorce But numbers alone cannot account for the dramatic changes in the family Understanding the values at work in the family will provide some important insights The Emphasis on Individual Freedom Americans view the family as a group whose primary purpose is to advance the happiness of individual members The result is that the needs of each individual take priority in the life of the family In contrast to that of many other cultures, the primary responsibility of the 30 American family member is not to advance the family as a group, either socially or economically, nor is it to bring honor to the family name This is partly because the United Stales is not an aristocratic society Family name and honor are less important than in aristocratic societies, since equality of opportunity regardless of birth is considered a basic American value Moreover, there is less emphasis on the family as an economic unit because the American family is rarely selfsupporting Relatively few families maintain self-supporting family farms or businesses for more than one generation A farmer's son, for example, is very likely to go on to college, leave the family farm, and take an entirely different job in a different location The American desire for freedom from outside control clearly extends to the family Americans not like to have controls placed on them by other family members They want to make independent decisions and not be told what to by grandparents or uncles or aunts For example, both American men and women expect to decide what job is best for them as individuals Indeed, young Americans are encouraged by their families to make such independent career decisions What would be best for the family is not considered lo be as important as what would be best for the individual Marriage and Divorce Marriages are not ―arranged‖ in the United Slates Young people are expected to find a husband or wife on their own; their parents not usually help them In fact, parents are frequently not told of marriage plans until the couple has decided to marry This means that parents have little control, and generally not much influence, over whom their children marry Americans believe that young people should fall in love and then decide to many someone they can live happily with, again evidence of the importance of an individual's happiness Of course, in reality this does not always happen, but it remains the ideal, and it shapes the views of courtship and marriage among young Americans Over the years, the value placed on marriage itself is determined largely by how happy the husband and wife make each other: Happiness is based primarily on companionship The majority of American women value companionship as the most important part of marriage Other values, such as having economic support and the opportunity to have children, although important, are seen by many as less important If the couple is not happy, the individuals may choose to get a divorce A divorce is relatively easy to obtain in most parts of the United States Most states have ―no-fault‖ divorce To obtain a no-fault divorce, a couple states that they can no longer live happily together; that they have ―irreconcilable differences‖, and it is neither partner’s fault The divorce rate rose rapidly in the United Stales after the 1950s, but it had leveled off by the 1990s Approximately one out of every two marriages now ends in divorce Often children are involved The great majority of adult Americans believe that unhappy couples should not stay married just because they have children at home, a significant change in attitude since the 1950s Most people not believe in sacrificing individual happiness for the sake of the 31 children They say that children actually may be better off living with one parent than with two who are constantly arguing Divorce is now so common that it is no longer socially unacceptable, and children are not embarrassed to say that their parents are divorced However, sociologists are still studying the long-term psychological consequences of divorce Equality in the Family Along with the American emphasis on individual freedom, the belief in equality has had a strong effect on the family Alexis de Tocqueville saw the connection early in the 1830s He said that in aristocratic societies inequality extends into the family, particularly to the father's relationship to his children The father is accepted as ruler and master The children's relations with him are very formal, and love for him is always combined with fear In the United States, however, the democratic idea of equality destroys much of the father's status as ruler of the family and lessens the emotional distance between father and children There is less formal respect for, and fear of, the father But there is more affection expressed toward him ―The master and constituted [legal] ruler have vanished‖, said de Tocqueville; ―the father remains‖ What de Tocqueville said of American fathers and children almost two centuries ago applies to relations between parents and children in the United States today There is much more social equality between parents and children than in most aristocratic societies or societies ruled by centuries of tradition This can be witnessed in arguments between parents and their children, and in the considerable independence granted to teenagers In fact some Americans are worried that there is too much democracy in the home Since the early 1900s, there has been a significant decline in parental authority and children's respect for their parents This is particularly true of teenagers Some parents seem to have little or no control over the behavior of their teenage children, particularly after they turn 16 and gel their drivers’ licenses On the other hand, Americans give their young people a lot of freedom because they want to teach their children to be independent and self-reliant American children are expected to ―leave the nest‖ at about age 18, after they graduate from high school At that time they are expected to go on to college (many go to another city) or to get a job and support themselves By their mid-20s, if children are still living with their parents, people will suspect that something is ―wrong‖ Children are given a lot of freedom and equality in the family so that they will grow up to be independent, self-reliant adults Today, however, many young people are unable to find jobs that support the lifestyle they have grown up with, and they choose to move back in with their parents for a time These young people are sometimes called ―boomerang kids‖ because they have left the nest once but are now back again The Role of the Family in Society The American ideal of equality has affected not only marriage but all forms of relationships between men and women Americans gain a number of benefits by placing so much importance on achieving individual freedom and equality within the context of the family The needs and desires of each member are given a great deal of attention and importance 32 However, a price is paid for these benefits American families are less stable and lasting than those of most cultures The high rate of divorce in American families is perhaps the most important indicator of this instability The American attitude toward the family contains many contradictions For example, Americans will tolerate a good deal of instability in their families, including divorce, in order to protect such values as freedom and equality On the other hand, they are strongly attached to the idea of the family as the best of all lifestyles In fact, the great majority of persons who get divorces find a new partner and remarry Studies show consistently that more than 90 percent of Americans believe that family life is an important value What is family life? We have seen that only 26 percent of the household are the ―typical‖ American family - a father, mother, and children Many of these are really ―step families‖ or ―blended families‖ Since most divorced people remarry, many children are living with a stepmother or stepfather In a ―blended‖ family, the parents may each have children from a previous marriage, and then have one or more children together - producing ―yours‖, ―mine‖, and ―ours‖ Such families often result in very complicated and often stressful relationships A child may have four sets of grandparents instead of two, for example Blending families is not easy, and, sadly, many second marriages fail In addition to traditional families and blended families, there are a number of single parents, both mothers and fathers (more mothers), raising their children alone Many of the single mothers are divorced, but some have never married Indeed, by the mid-1990s, a starting onethird of all new babies were born to single mother Sometimes, single parents and their children live with the grandparents for economic and emotional support Sociologists and psychologists tell us that the family is the best place for children to learn moral values and a sense of responsibility Beginning in the early 1990s, experts began to voice concern over what was happening to many children in America Today, the stale of American family is frequently discussed, not only by experts but by the press, elected officials, and the general public The majority of Americans believe that the institution of the family and ―family values‖ are both in deep trouble, and they are asking the schools to provide more moral education than in the past But if you ask Americans how their own families are, most will tell you they generally happy with their family life Family Values In Values and Public Policy, Daniel Yankelovich reports on surveys done on family values There are 11 points that a majority of Americans agree are ―family values‖ Yaukelovich classifies six of them as "clearly traditional": • Respecting one's parents • Being responsible for one's actions • Having faith in God • Respecting authority • Married to the same person for life 33 • Leaving the world in better shape The other five are ―a blend of traditional and newer, more expressive values‖: • Giving emotional support to other members of the family • Respecting people for themselves • Developing greater skill in communicating one's feeling • Respecting one's children • Living up to one's potential as an individual The ideal of the American family is group cooperation to help achieve the fulfillment of each individual member, and shared affection to renew each member's emotional strength Families can be viewed as similar to churches in this regard Both are seen by Americans as places where the human spirit can find refuge from the highly competitive world outside and renewed resources to continue the effort Although in many cases churches and families not succeed in the task of spiritual renewal, this remains the ideal of church and family in America (Source: The American Ways An Introduction to American Culture by Maryanne Kearny Datesman, JoAnn Crandall and Edward N Kearny) 34 Further reading: FOOD AND DRINK Food in the United States is as diverse as the geography and the people that live here Each region has its particular style of cooking or special dish, and each dish has a history that intertwines with both the geography and people Dinner is considered the main meal of the day, usually served after 5:00 p.m but before 10:30 Breakfast and lunch are usually light and/or rushed during weekdays, but during the weekends or special occasions, breakfast can be a much more elaborate meal consisting of cereal, eggs, toast, pancakes, coffee, and/or fruit juice Lunch is usually served around noon, and an American lunch menu almost always includes sandwiches, soups, french fries and more Full desserts (sometimes called ―pudding‖ elsewhere) are typically only served after dinner, and become more elaborate for special occasions American Food Attitudes The United States has an extremely active food culture with many levels Food is sustenance in America, food is socialization and enjoyment, food is nutrition, and food often becomes the occasion for political argument, press coverage and even legal action Americans want to be well-fed They take for granted that the foods they eat will be satisfying as to quantity, quality or often the two combined Americans are demanding If they opt for ―fast-food‖ they want it immediately, cheaply, with variety, with an eye toward food safety and, more and more, with an accounting for nutritional needs At the other extreme, Americans seem constantly to be on the lookout for new ―fine-dining‖ experiences, artisanal breads and cheeses, specialty fruits, vegetables and meats, exotic gourmet products, tasty and innovative convenience foods for their freezers The standard American food market today, even in the smallest communities, carries gourmet and international food items that twenty years ago could be found only in big city ―gourmet‖ food shops Cooking in America has iconic significance Americans revere celebrity television chefs, engage in and watch cooking competitions, flock to food exhibitions and fairs Television programs in America feature ―dream‖ kitchens Many Americans collect recipes and cookbooks, insisting on having the latest equipment, gadgets, celebrity-endorsed pots and pans, cutting boards or knives Cooking schools, both amateur and professional, abound A great number of Americans soak up any information they can get about cooking from magazines, culinary books, television, the Internet; though many are too busy (or too lazy) to actually cook, the result is a populace that is becoming extremely well-educated and discriminating about food matters Food-related illness and eating disorders, especially obesity, are of great concern in the United States A large weight loss industry thrives; childhood obesity and school nutrition issues are constantly in the news, as are issues of food contamination and safety, even the possibility of terrorist contamination of the food supply The subjects of genetically modified organisms (GMO), food additives and hormone treatment of livestock are frequently in the news Federal 35 government nutritional standards and labeling requirements seem in a constant state of flux A large nutritional supplement industry thrives Certain food items are considered typically American, since they can be found anywhere in the United States: hamburgers and fried chicken for example Nevertheless, every region of the United States has its own specialties and food culture In addition, ethnic cuisines from every corner of the globe thrive in the United States, affect American tastes, and are themselves affected by American eating customs and the American food industry Pizza is a perfect example; it came from Italy to conquer America, but then metamorphosed into an American food, with variations no Italian would recognize today Mexican and Chinese cuisines have seen the same phenomenon; American supermarkets even sell American sushi varieties At the same time, in any major American city, you can find sophisticated restaurants and groceries selling the real thing If any trend could be considered certain as it relates to American food, it is the trend toward expansion of flavors and food elements, new ingredients, new dining experiences, and greater food knowledge among the population, all overlaid with a constant concern about health, nutrition and America's greatest health problem, obesity Beer & Microbrews Although beer has been a mainstay in America since Colonial times, since the 1980s, Americans have taken a renewed interest in ―going beyond Budweiser‖ and making new/rediscovering old recipes for beer and ale Though domestic sales are still dominated by larger macrobrews, all over the nation smaller, newer breweries and brands are showing up on tap in bars and on the shelves of liquor stores, many of them (like the now-mighty Sam Adams, a Boston-based beer named for the very real beer brewing patriot) are making inroads into the traditional territory of large corporations like Anheuser-Buch or Miller and often beating them mercilessly in taste tests Many of these beers are regional in nature: Brooklyn Lager (New York City), Harpoon Ale (New England), Pete's Wicked (Texas), Great Lakes (Chicago and Midwest), Red Brick (Georgia and the South), and Anchor Steam (California/West Coast) take inspiration from nations like Germany, Austria, Ireland, the U.K., and the Czech Republic, and should be given a try if they appear on a menu During special occasions, these brewers often have a limited edition brew circulating: keep watch for these as well 36 Further reading: TRANSPORT Scope of the American Transportation System America's transportation network is an important tie binding our economy together Our strong and efficient transportation system provides businesses with access to materials and markets, and provides people with access to goods, services, recreation, jobs, and other people Transportation touches each one of us every day in all aspects of our lives One in eight jobs throughout the economy is directly linked to transportation Each day, about 440,000 public school buses transport 24 million children to and from school and schoolrelated activities Transportation contributes 11 percent of the Nation's gross domestic product, amounting to approximately $950 billion Transportation accounts for 19 percent of spending by the average household in America - as much as for food and health care combined - and is second only to spending on housing The U.S transportation system carries over 4.7 trillion passenger miles of travel and 3.7 trillion ton miles of domestic freight generated by about 270 million people, 6.7 million business establishments, and 88,000 units of government Rail and maritime transportation each account for over 11 percent of the tonnage carried The system comprises of 3.9 million miles of public roads and million miles of oil and natural gas pipelines There are networks consisting of 120,000 miles of major railroads, over 25,000 miles of commercially navigable waterways, and over 5,000 public-use airports This vast system also includes over 500 major urban public transit operators and more than 300 ports on the coasts, Great Lakes, and inland waterways In 1999, the system carried 2.7 trillion miles of travel by cars and trucks, more than billion trips on public transit, more than 640 million passenger boardings on airplanes, 21 million trips on Amtrak, and nearly 700 million rail freight train miles Transportation is a strategic investment that is essential to strengthening America for the fresh challenges and limitless opportunities of the 21st century America will need an integrated transportation system in the future that moves people, goods, information, and services safely and efficiently American Modes of Travel The U.S transportation system includes the various modes of travel: highways, transit, rail, air, and water 37 Highway System The United States highway network consists of million miles of roads and streets Highway bridges also make up a critical link in the Nation's infrastructure At present, there are about 600,000 bridges on the entire highway network State and local governments control most roads and bridges in the United States, but all highways serve as part of an integrated national network The Interstate Highway System accounts for only percent of all highway mileage but carries 25 percent of the total vehicle miles of travel With the completion of the Interstate System in the 1980s, the focus shifted toward maintaining and improving the system, improving traffic flow, and upgrading connections with other modes of transportation Transit (Public Transportation) The U.S transit system includes a variety of multiple-occupancy vehicle services designed to transport customers on local and regional routes These services are operated by more than 5,000 public transportation systems throughout the United States and include rail, road, and water modes Currently, the public transportation fleet comprises 129,000 vehicles in active service, of which 58 percent are buses, 26 percent are demand-responsive vehicles, percent are heavy rail cars, percent are commuter rail cars, percent are light rail cars, and percent are all other transportation modes In 1998, Americans made 8.7 billion passenger trips on public transportation, with 61 percent of the trips on buses, 27 percent on heavy rail, and percent on commuter and light rail Passenger Railroads The advent of relatively inexpensive air travel in long-distance markets and the widespread availability of the private automobile for shorter trips generated new travel patterns and drew passengers away from railroad travel Following nearly a century and a half of intercity passenger operations by private freight railroads, the Rail Passenger Service Act of 1970 established The National Railroad Passenger Corporation (popularly known as Amtrak) Since its founding, Amtrak rebuilt rail equipment and benefited from significant public investment in track and stations, particularly in the Northeast Corridor Aviation Air travel is the fastest growing mode of transportation, becoming ever more popular and frequent The growing pervasiveness of air travel can be seen by the increasing numbers of people who have flown on a commercial jet: less than 50 percent in 1975 compared with more than 80 percent today 38 Maritime Shipping Maritime shipping has generally been intermodal; other forms of transportation are needed to haul cargo to and from ports The U.S maritime transportation system consists of waterways, ports and their connections to other transportation modes, vessels, vehicles, and system users Bus To save money, travel by bus, particularly between major towns and cities Gotta-go middleclass Americans prefer to fly or drive, but buses let you see the countryside and meet folks along the way As a rule, buses are reliable, clean and comfortable, with air-conditioning, reclining seats, onboard lavatories and no smoking permitted Car & motorcycle The American love of the auto runs so deep it often verges on the pathological And it will abide for at least one practical reason: the continent is too damn big Public transportation can’t cover it For maximum flexibility and convenience, and to explore rural America and its wide-open spaces, you have to have a car Independence costs you, though, as rental rates and gas prices can eat a good chunk of a travel budget Only for stays in large cities can you easily dispense with an auto Drive-away cars ―Drive-away cars‖ refers to the business of driving cars across the country for people who are moving or otherwise can’t transport their cars themselves For flexible travelers, they can be a dream come true: you can cover the long distances between A and B for the price of gas Timing and availability are key 39 UNIT 6: HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS National Celebrations Americans share three national holidays with many countries: Easter Sunday, Christmas Day, and New Year's Day Easter, which falls on a spring Sunday that varies from year to year, celebrates the Christian belief in the resurrection of Jesus Christ For Christians, Easter is a day of religious services and the gathering of family Many Americans follow old traditions of coloring hard-boiled eggs and giving children baskets of candy On the next day, Easter Monday, the president of the United States holds an annual Easter egg hunt on the White House lawn for young children Christmas Day, December 25, is another Christian holiday; it marks the birth of the Christ Child Decorating houses and yards with lights, putting up Christmas trees, giving gifts, and sending greeting cards have become traditions even for many non-Christian Americans New Year's Day, of course, is January The celebration of this holiday begins the night before, when Americans gather to wish each other a happy and prosperous coming year UNIQUELY AMERICAN HOLIDAYS Eight other holidays are uniquely American (although some of them have counterparts in other nations) For most Americans, two of these stand out above the others as occasions to cherish national origins: Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July Thanksgiving Day is the fourth Thursday in November, but many Americans take a day of vacation on the following Friday to make a four-day weekend, during which they may travel long distances to visit family and friends The holiday dates back to 1621, the year after the Puritans arrived in Massachusetts, determined to practice their dissenting religion without interference After a rough winter, in which about half of them died, they turned for help to neighboring Indians, who taught them how to plant corn and other crops The next fall's bountiful harvest inspired the Pilgrims to give thanks by holding a feast The Thanksgiving feast became a national tradition not only because so many other Americans have found prosperity but also because the Pilgrims' sacrifices for their freedom still captivate the imagination To this day, Thanksgiving dinner almost always includes some of the foods served at the first feast: roast turkey, cranberry sauce, potatoes, pumpkin pie Before the meal begins, families or friends usually pause to give thanks for their blessings, including the joy of being united for the occasion The Fourth of July, or Independence Day, honors the nation's birthday the signing of the Declaration of Independence on July 4, 1776 It is a day of picnics and patriotic parades, a night of concerts and fireworks The flying of the American flag (which also occurs on Memorial Day and other holidays) is widespread On July 4, 1976, the 200th anniversary of the Declaration of Independence was marked by grand festivals across the nation Besides Thanksgiving and the Fourth of July, there are six other uniquely American holidays 40 Martin Luther King Day: The Rev Martin Luther King, Jr., an African-American clergyman, is considered a great American because of his tireless efforts to win civil rights for all people through nonviolent means Since his assassination in 1968, memorial services have marked his birthday on January 15 In 1986, that day was replaced by the third Monday of January, which was declared a national holiday Presidents' Day: Until the mid-1970s, the February 22 birthday of George Washington, hero of the Revolutionary War and first president of the United States, was a national holiday In addition, the February 12 birthday of Abraham Lincoln, the president during the Civil War, was a holiday in most states The two days have been joined, and the holiday has been expanded to embrace all past presidents It is celebrated on the third Monday in February Memorial Day: Celebrated on the fourth Monday of May, this holiday honors the dead Although it originated in the aftermath of the Civil War, it has become a day on which the dead of all wars, and the dead generally, are remembered in special programs held in cemeteries, churches, and other public meeting places Labor Day: The first Monday of September, this holiday honors the nation's working people, typically with parades For most Americans it marks the end of the summer vacation season, and for many students the opening of the school year Columbus Day: On October 12, 1492, Italian navigator Christopher Columbus landed in the New World Although most other nations of the Americas observe this holiday on October 12, in the United States it takes place on the second Monday in October Veterans Day: Originally called Armistice Day, this holiday was established to honor Americans who had served in World War I It falls on November 11, the day when that war ended in 1918, but it now honors veterans of all wars in which the United States has fought Veterans' organizations hold parades, and the president customarily places a wreath on the Tomb of the Unknowns at Arlington National Cemetery, across the Potomac River from Washington, D.C OTHER CELEBRATIONS While not holidays, two other days of the year inspire colorful celebrations in the United States On February 14, Valentine's Day, (named after an early Christian martyr), Americans give presents, usually candy or flowers, to the ones they love On October 31, Halloween (the evening before All Saints or All Hallows Day), American children dress up in funny or scary costumes and go "trick or treating": knocking on doors in their neighborhood The neighbors are expected to respond by giving them small gifts of candy or money Adults may also dress in costume for Halloween parties Various ethnic groups in America celebrate days with special meaning to them even though these are not national holidays Jews, for example, observe their high holy days in September, and most employers show consideration by allowing them to take these days off Irish Americans celebrate the old country's patron saint, St Patrick, on March 17; this is a highspirited day on which many Americans wear green clothing in honor of the "Emerald Isle." The celebration of Mardi Gras the day before the Christian season of Lent begins in late winter is a big occasion in New Orleans, Louisiana, where huge parades and wild revels take place As its French name implies (Mardi Gras means "Fat Tuesday," the last day of hearty eating before the penitential season of Lent), the tradition goes back to the city's 41 settlement by French immigrants There are many other such ethnic celebrations, and New York City is particularly rich in them It should be noted that, with the many levels of American government, confusion can arise as to what public and private facilities are open on a given holiday The daily newspaper is a good source of general information, but visitors who are in doubt should call for information ahead of time 42 REFERENCES Crandall, J (1987), The American Ways - An Introduction to Amreican Culture, Prentice Hall Regents Falk, R (2004), Spotlight on the USA, Oxford Nash, G (2008), The American People: Creating a Nation and Society, Prentice Hall 43 ...LỜI NÓI ĐẦU Văn hóa Mỹ giáo trình biên soạn theo khung chương trình giáo dục cao đẳng tiếng Anh Giáo trình biên soạn theo hướng cung cấp cho sinh viên kiến thức đất nước người nước Mỹ; hệ thống... xã hội, hệ thống trị, giáo dục Mỹ làm tảng để tìm hiểu vận dụng kiến thức tiếp thu ngôn ngữ Anh, hoạt động giao tiếp liên văn hoá Ngoài ra, học phần rèn luyện cho sinh viên kĩ đọc hiểu, phân... sinh viên kĩ đọc hiểu, phân tích, tổng hợp, nghiên cứu vấn đề văn hóa – xã hội Bên cạnh đó, sinh viên rèn luyện kĩ nói thông qua buổi trình bày nhóm buổi thảo luận TABLE OF CONTENTS Unit 1: THE