Vocabulary

Text 6. American Values and Beliefs

Text 5. TIME FOR TEA

The British and tea are inseparable. 8 out of 10 people in Britain drink tea every day and Britain imports about 20% of all the world's tea. Tea makes up about half of all that a British person drinks. Tea has even played a part in British literature and history.

Do you remember the Mad Hatter's tea party in Alice in Wonderland! And there was the "Boston Tea Party" when a group of Americans threw a delivery of tea from the ships into the waters of Boston harbour because the ruling British government wanted to tax it. This particular tea party marks the beginning of the movement to make America independent..

Tea didn't come to Europe until 1610 and was introduced to Britain in 1657 by Catherine of Braganza, King Charles II's wife. But by the 1800s, the exotic drink became so popular that special ships ("clippers") were designed to bring it quickly from China.

Most people in Britain drink tea with black leaves although now herbal teas which do not contain caffeine are becoming more popular.

The taste of teas can be very different even if they are from the same farm and expert tea-tasters have to blend them to ensure that packets of tea which have the same label taste the same when you buy them in a shop.

The British are very fussy about how their tea is made. The teapot must be warmed before the tea is put in, the water must be boiling properly, the right quantity of tea — "one spoon for each person and one for the pot" — must be used and the tea must be brewed for three minutes. They see the drinking of tea as the opportunity to relax for a few minutes. It's also regarded as a great comforter. If you've just suffered a misfortune in Britain and you call on a friend, you're likely to be told, "Oh well, just sit down and I'll make you a nice cup of tea"!

to spot — распознавать, узнавать

toughness — твердость, несгиба­емость

value and believe — ценить и верить

to rely — полагаться

self-reliance — независимость, уверенность в своих силах

trait — черта характера

obligatory — обязательный

to designate — определять

pull yourself up by the bootstraps — вытаскивать себя за волосы

to account for — объяснять

confident — уверенный

unaffected — естественный, непосредственный

equal — равный

fortune — состояние, богатство

industry — трудолюбие

overall — всеобщий

failure — неудачник

incapable — неспособный

material wealth — материальное благополучие

reward — награда

to go along with — сопровождать

self-improvement — самосовер­шенствование

from rags to riches — из нищеты в роскошь, из грязи в князи

to attract — привлекать

humor — юмор

counterbalance — противовес

dash and roar — натиск и рев

whirring — шумный

snarl — затор, пробка

frayed tempers — раздражитель­ность

You can easily spot Americans abroad by their toughness. It comes from their sense of individual freedom — their first value and belief. Americans realize, however, that individuals must rely on themselves; otherwise they risk losing their freedom. They must come to both financial and emotional independence from their parents as early as possible, usually by age of 18 or 21. So, self-reliance usually is the second trait and moral value supposed to be obligatory to a true American.

It designates the ability of succeeding on one's own. "Pull yourself up by the bootstraps" is their saying as well as " Life is what you make it" and "Actions speak louder than words".

The third national value accounts for their confident and unaffected manners. It's an old belief that everyone in America has equal opportunity to succeed and equal chance for success. This value was particularly true at the times of settlers' moving west to make a new beginning. The differences in wealth were little at that time, so their fortune depended only on their industry. But if everybody had chance to better his living conditions, then.cry body's duty was to try, which led to the overall competition with one another. And up to now people who compete successfully are honored and called "winners". Those who do not like to compete and are failures arc dishonored and called "losers".

Here we come to the fourth American value — competition. Sixty per cent of the Americans believe that competition and desire to win is healthy and desirable. So you can hardly see a person wishing to look incapable or "a loser".

The fifth national value is material wealth. Most Americans believe wealth is a reward for hard work and that is possible to have a good standard of living if a person works hard. But gaining wealth goes along with self-improvement of a person. "God helps those who help themselves," says the proverb. As for the American Dream. "from rag to riches", it is still alive! And it goes on attracting immigrants from all over the world.

The sense of humor is highly valued in America. Humor is the great reliever of tension, the counterbalance to the dash and roar of our industrialized life with its whirring machines, traffic snare and frayed tempers. American humor confirms the importance of mating and the family, the high status of women and children, the pace and tension of life.

Americans love children, animals, gadgets, mother, work, excitement, noise, nature, television, shows, comedy, installment buying, fast motion sports, the flag, Christ, jazz, shapely women and muscular men, crowds, beefsteak, coffee, ice cream, do-it yourself.

Answer the following questions:

1. What are the main traits of character of a true American? 2. What is the sense of individual freedom for Americans? 3. How old are usually Americans when they come to financial and emotional independence? 4. What value accounts for their confident and unaffected manners? 5. Do Americans like to compete? Why? 6. Is the American Dream "from rags to riches" still alive? 7. What is humor for Americans? 8. What does American humor confirm? 9. What do Americans love?

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