Unit 1 national identity and national character

PRE-READING TASKS

Task 1. With a partner discuss the following questions:

1. Which documents do you usually use to identify yourself?

2. Do you always carry ID?

3. When are you usually asked to show your ID?

4. What information does your ID provide?

5. Do you have any ID on you at the moment?

6. Do you like the photo? When was it taken?

Task 2. Work in small groups. Ask and answer these questions:

1. Where is your home town? Were you born there? If yes, were your parents born there too?

2. When someone asks you where you come from what do you say? If that person was a foreigner and obviously didn’t know your country very well, would your answer be the same?

3. Which is most important to you in defining who you are: your town, your country, your language, your job or something else? Why?

Task 3. Read the dictionary definitions and discuss the ways in which you can

define the notions of “national stereotypes”, “national identity” and

“national character”.

Stereotype –	a fixed idea or image of what a particular type of person or thing is like.
Identity –	the definite character that a person or group sees themselves as having, which lets them feel different and separate from everyone else.
Character –	the combination of qualities that makes someone a particular kind of person, for example a good or bad, honest or dishonest person.

Task 4. What adjectives do you think go with the nationalities below? Use your

dictionaries to check new words. You may also add other adjectives to the

list suggested.

Hard-working, easy-going, punctual, friendly, reserved, emotional, lazy, outgoing, hospitable, social, formal, casual, enthusiastic, quiet, tolerant, talkative, sophisticated, well-dressed, fun-loving, respectful, humorous, serious, nationalistic, romantic

American	Japanese	German	French	Italian	British	Russian	Estonian
………..	…………	…………	……….	……….	………..	………..	…………

Which adjectives would you choose to describe Ukrainians?

READING

1. Skim the text. Pay attention to the titles of the parts the text is divided into.

Americans as They Are

The Melting Pot

What are Americans like? What do Americans like? In this huge nation of people from everywhere, is there a national character?

The most important feature of the U.S.A. can be stated in one word: diversity. Most Americans take pride in the great variety found in the country’s geography and population.

The story of the American people is the story of immigrants. The United States has welcomed more immigrants than any other country of the world. More than 75 percent of all people who ever moved from their homeland settled in the United States.

In the past, Americans used to think of the United States as a “melting pot” of immigrants. A “melting pot” meant that as immigrants from many different cultures came to the United States, their old ways melted away an they became part of a completely new culture. The United States was likened to a big pot of soup, which had bits of flavour from each different culture. All of the different cultures were so well blended together that it formed its own new flavour.

Today, Americans realize that the simple “melting pot” theory is less true. In reality, there are a few lumps left in the soup. Different groups of people keep many of their old customs. Often groups of Americans from the same culture band together. They live together in distinctive communities, such as “Chinatowns” or “Little Italys” – areas populated almost exclusively by Americans of a single ethnic group – which can be found in many large cities. Living in ethnic neighbourhoods gives new Americans the security of sharing a common language and common traditions with people who understand them. New metaphors have been suggested to describe America: “a bowl of salad”, “pizza”, or “mosaics”.

In time, however, people from different background mix together. They also mix with native-born Americans. Old traditions give way to new customs. The children of immigrants are often eager to adopt new, American ways. They often want to dress in American fashions, to speak English and to follow American social customs. By one estimate, about 80 percent of European immigrants marry outside their own ethnic groups by the time they reach the third generation. Third generation means that their great-grandparents were immigrants. Yet as successive generations become more “Americanized”, they often retain significant elements of their ethnic heritage.

American Traits

The great American novelist and humorist Mark Twain described the typical Englishman or –woman as a “person who does things because they have been done before” and the typical American as “a person who does things because they haven’t been done before.” Americans love to try something new out of curiosity and a belief that newer may be better.

Understanding immigration helps to explain some of the traits of the American people. The U.S. has had a continual influx of people with a pioneering spirit, with the courage to make major changes in their lives. For example, immigrants move to the United States because they are looking for a better life. It takes a lot of courage to leave behind everything that is familiar and come to a new country. Since before the independence of the United States, Americans have been a people willing to take risks and try new things. This willingness to strike out for the unknown takes an independence and an optimism that also is thought to be a characteristic of the American people today. Americans are a people who are quick to learn and are open to new experiences. They have to be. Immigrants both today and in the past have a whole new world to learn about. They often have to learn everything from a new language to new social customs and new ways to make a living.

Love of change is closely tied to faith in improvement. Americans have always been optimistic, believing in the perfectibility of people, the basic goodness of their country, and the ability of American ingenuity to improve the quality of life.

Immigrants also come to the United States because they differ from the majority of people surrounding them and because Americans also are known to be generally accepting of people with different ideas.

Immigrants also believe in the dream of the United States. They believe that by working hard and obeying the laws, they can have a better life. Often, Americans who have been here longer become less acutely aware of the rights and advantages that they have.

Immigrants help native-born Americans to appreciate the good things to be found in the United States.

John F. Kennedy, who was president during the early 1960s, was the grandson of an Irish immigrant. Kennedy once said that the United States was “a society of immigrants, each of whom had begun life anew, on an equal footing. This is the secret of America: a nation of people with the fresh memory of old traditions who dare to explore new frontiers…”

Typical American Behaviour and Values

Watching Americans in action, foreigners sometimes see behaviour that seems rude, misguided, or just plain silly. The following traits are characteristically, but certainly not exclusively, American.

Hurry, Hurry, Hurry. Almost every American wears a watch, and, in nearly every room in an American home, there’s a clock. “Be on time.” “Don’t waste time.” “Time is money.” “Time waits for no one.” All these familiar sayings reflect the American obsession with promptness and efficiency. This desire to get the most out of every minute often makes Americans impatient when they have to wait. The pressure to make every moment count sometimes makes it difficult for Americans to relax.

The desire to save time and do work more quickly and easily leads Americans to buy many kinds of machines.

The Importance of Money. Americans are often accused of being materialistic, of valuing wealth and possessions above all else. Money is valued both as a symbol of success and also for a more obvious reason – its purchasing power. Yes, Americans love to make a lot of money and spend it on themselves – to buy things that save time, give them pleasure, or serve as status symbol. However, Americans are also very generous and very willing to donate money to good causes. The American character includes a strong sense of obligation to help those in need.

Say What You Mean, and Mean What You Say. Americans believe that ”honesty is the best policy.” They are direct and assertive. They ask for what they want. In many cultures, respect for those in position of authority keeps people from expressing their true feelings or intentions. In the U.S.A., however, children often argue with their parents and citizens express opposition to action of the government. If the soup is cold or the meat is tough, the diner can complain to the waiter. If a teacher is wrong or confusing, a student may say so. If the boss makes a mistake, an employee may politely point it out. Assertive behaviour sometimes seems improper to foreigners, but it works well for Americans. In fact, assertiveness is almost a necessity in the business world.

The Need to Win. The extremely competitive nature of Americans is often criticized. Of course, competition is not always bad. In fact, it promotes excellence by encouraging individuals (and businesses) to try to do their best. But the desire to get ahead of others sometimes causes people to do things that are unkind and even dishonest.

The Practical Outlook. Americans admire what is practical, fast, efficient, and new. Sometimes they fail to appreciate cultures hat prefer more traditional, leisurely ways of doing things. Conversely, people from other cultures may dislike the practical, hectic American lifestyle.

Despite these traits, which many foreigners may view as faults, Americans are usually considered very likable. Most are friendly, kind-hearted, and eager to help visitors and immigrants. In this nation of immigrants, the foreigner does not remain an outsider for long.

Regional Differences

Regional variations also add diversity to the American character. Travel around the country and you will notice differences in language, diet, recreation, and even regional character. For example, New Englanders are commonly described as serious and self –reliant, Southerners as gracious and leisurely, and Westerners as casual and friendly. Californians are said to be eager to try new fads. Midwesterners are considered more conservative than Californians and less sophisticated than New Yorkers. Of course, many residents of a particular region do not fit these generalizations.

(Tiersky E., Tiersky M. The U.S.A. Customs and Institutions [Теxt]

: 4-th edition / E. Tiersky, M. Tiersky. – Longman, 2004. – P. 3 – 6.)

2. Read the text again and answer the questions. Prove your point of view using the information from the text. Discuss the questions in pairs.

1. What are the key words (or expressions) that describe in a concise form the most important feature of the American nation?

2. What factors shaped the American nation as a “melting pot”?

3. In what way has the idea of the “melting pot” been re-thought? Why has it been criticised?

4. What are the most typical traits characterizing Americans? Is there anything in the country’s history that can account for them?

5. What are some examples of the American pioneering spirit?

6. Are there any negative stereotypes about Americans? Are they quite true?

7. Americans are usually shown as sociable, conventional people who join groups and try to behave as everyone else in the group. However, some American books and movies have made a hero of the person who fights the majority will and tries to accomplish something good independently. What’s better – to be a joiner or a loner?