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Read the article and then do comprehension exercise(1) and comprehension exercise (2). Finally, do some writing yourself and read texts written by other readers.
America is one of those countries that you have seen so many times on the television that you feel as though you know it already. I went there for the first time in April and realised that I actually had so much to discover about this amazing country.
I only went to New York and Chicago so it’s difficult to judge the whole of America on such a small example, but it’s a start. The stereotypes of pizzas the size of Manhattan, buildings so high they look like they are never going to end, waitresses with cheesy smiles in diners holding a coffee pot and saying have a nice day, are all true. In Chicago it was the start of the baseball season and so people were wearing ‘Chicago Bulls’ t-shirts everywhere. The windy city was in effect extremely windy although the origins of this nickname are apparently not linked to the weather but rather to some boastful Chicago politicians from the past. We ate a big breakfast in a diner and were taken aback at the overflowing plate that arrived at our table full of bacon, scrambled egg, pancakes and maple syrup. But hey, it was good! In New York we saw hordes of yellow cabs and NYC cops. Times Square was as flashy as I’d expected and more so. There was even a big wheel inside a shopping centre. We ate in food halls with hundreds of other tourists and locals alike. We took a picture of the chocolate fountain at the desserts counter and the chocolate dipped strawberries which were huge! We even sat and star-spotted while we ate.
America is not just about food, although there really is a Starbucks café on every street corner and with 33% of the population being overweight, it does play a large role in their society. More importantly though, this is young country with an ever-increasing history. One of the biggest celebrations in the USA takes place on July 4, Independence Day. This is when, in 1776, Americans declared their independence from England. They were very unhappy about the lack of American representation under King George’s ruling back in England. It was to this same governing body that they were expected to pay high taxes so you can understand their discontent. The Americans had had enough. Thomas Jefferson, at the time a member of congress, drafted the Declaration of Independence and since then this has been an extremely significant date on every American’s calendar.
Today if you go to America on the fourth of July you’ll be sure to see impressive firework displays, banners in the streets and parades. You’ll hear bands playing as they march down the streets and music coming from people’s houses as they celebrate this momentous occasion with their family and friends.
Americans like to party. They enjoy having fun and don’t only celebrate the fourth of July. Halloween is another huge festival that the whole family gets involved in. Children and adults alike hire elaborate costumes of ghosts and pumpkins and while the adults party the children go from house to house saying ‘trick or treat’. If they don’t get the chocolate or sweets they’re looking for then they’ll play a harmless trick on the innocent homeowner. There are several origins of this special date, one of which dates back to when the Celts in England and Northern France celebrated the New Year on November 1st. The crops were harvested on October 31st and then the priests would light fires and sacrifice animals. From these fires they would pass on an ember to the families in the villages who in turn would light a fire which was supposed to protect them from evil spirits.
This celebration, which takes place on the fourth Thursday of November, is also linked to crops being harvested. It was a date made famous by the Governor William Bradford who wanted to mark the wonderful harvest that the Pilgrims had produced in 1621. This became a nationally recognised day of thanksgiving in 1863 thanks to President Abraham Lincoln. This is a time when Americans catch up with their families around a table full of food. They traditionally eat Marshmallow salad, Turkey, and pumpkin pie. I’ve only ever been to a thanksgiving party in France, hosted by one of my American friends but I certainly got a feel of the importance of this day. Her mother had specially shipped over from the States turkey-decorated napkins and tablecloth, marshmallows for the salad, and corn candy sweets that no Thanksgiving celebration would be complete without. The Turkey was bought in France and not shipped over as judging by the size of it no postman would have been able to carry such a huge bird!
Maybe it’s because I do have American friends that I feel so at home with this country and its people, despite all the bad press it’s had over recent years. When we went visiting in April we were met with open arms, not just by my friends who have since moved back, but by their friends and their friends’ friends. When you walk into a shop you don’t just have a welcoming shop assistant, you also have immediate allies in the shoppers themselves. Conversations arise all the time with everybody, everywhere. They want to talk and they want to listen too and they are always ready to help. My trip has shown me that to know America and its people you have to go there. It’s not enough to watch endless episodes of American sitcoms and listen to the local news about what’s happening over there and what American people are supposedly saying. Don’t be fooled by what you think you know about this country, go there and find out for yourself. On this subject I only have one more thing to say… Happy Birthday America!
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Have you been to the USA? If so, do you agree with what the author has written here, or do you disagree? Send us your experiences when visiting the USA.
BuiDuyQuang writes “I haven’t travelled to the USA , but I know the USA and the most important holidays in the USA from the Internet and the TV. I agree with the author about how friendly the people in the USA are. I know this because I have seen films on cable TV. In the morning the people will say "Hello!" or "How are you?", when they meet you. I like the Halloween festival in the USA. The USA is a country that has a lot of universities famous all over the world, like Harvard, Yale, Berkeley, etc. I love the idea of the chocolate and ice cream in the USA. In the future, I will travel to the USA and I will eat the chocolate and ice cream too. Why not?”
Y. C. Chang writes:
I completely agree with the author. I’ve been to the USA and lived in California for three and a half years. This article makes me look back on those days I lived in America.—the big breakfast and friendly people are unforgettable. As a foreigner, I was touched by the warmth of American’s welcome everywhere. I did not have any friends or relatives in America when I just arrived. Nevertheless I did not feel lonely and helpless since Americans are enthusiastic and supportive. It’s true “Go there and find out for yourself.” Then you will know what America is.
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The World Fact Book: United States
Lonely Planet: USA
U.S. Census Bureau: USA Statistics in Brief
WWW-VL: history: United States
The Library of Congress: Meet Amazing Americans
BBC: Highlights of Letter from America by Alistair Cooke
The British Council is not responsible for the content of external websites.
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