B. Living Standards (discussion)

1. Let’s have a talk about the living standards. The following questions will help you. While discussing the problem make use of the words and expressions given below.

1. How can you define “the standard of living”?

2. What does it depend on?

3. What are its important factors?

4. What is your family budget?

5. What is your parents’ monthly salary? (How much do they earn a month before (after) tax)

6. How much does your family spend on rent and the bills, on their car, book, entertainment, clothes, food, tuition, holidays, etc.

7. Do you think your family’s standard of living is high or low?

Words and expressions to be used in answers to the questions:

living standard, the balance between, monthly, salary, a salary before tax, a salary after tax, to spend money on smth, rent, public transport fees, foodstuffs, consumer goods, family budget, to pay the bills).

C. Hospitality

1. The Russian people are considered to be very hospitable. What hospitability is? Are you a hospitable host?

These words characterize a hospitable person: A hospitable person is always:

cordial warm-hearted neat, tidy friendly

sincere open-hearted kind tactful

sociable easy-going generous

A hospitable person is always ready:

• receive guests

• to give them a hearty welcome

• to make the quests feel at home

• to encourage the guests

• to entertain the guests

• to treat the guests to smth tasty

• to keep the ball rolling

Besides, a hospitable person must show:

consideration tact encouragement cordiality generosity

kindness understanding hospitality friendliness

That’s why in the presence of a hospitable person you never feel:

ill at ease out of place

awkward uncomfortable

undesirable discouraged

You never find a hospitable person:

annoyed untidy indignant

in low spirits displeased

No matter how a hospitable person feels and how busy she/he is, you always find a hearty welcome and generous reception.

2. Do you agree with these rules of hospitality? What other qualities of a hospitable person can you mention? Are the laws of hospitality the same or different in different countries. Can you give any examples? Here are some prompts to you.

• In my country usually we invite guests home at the weekend, in the early evening, about seven o’clock. The guests usually bring presents. You can see that in our country you should try to be modest and you shouldn’t show off too much. When we have foreign guests we try to serve traditional meals like sushi, tempura, or sukiyaki. When guests leave, the host and hostess see them out of the house.

• I usually invite my friends for an informal meal. I cook Spanish omelette, which is made with potatoes, onions and eggs, fried in olive oil. Then we have things like cheese, ham which is called Jabugo. And then things like olives, anchovies, mussels. We drink wine or beer. Some people may bring a bottle of wine or something for pudding. We usually meet late in the evening. Of course we dress casually” we just want to be relaxed and comfortable, and talk and laugh together.

• I’m from Texas. Sometimes when our family gets together with other families, we have what is called a ‘pot luck supper’, which can take place in the evening or even at lunchtime. This is an informal occasion held perhaps in the garden, so people dress casually but nicely. Invitations can be written or made by phone, and each person is asked to bring a dish of food. Guests are given a choice of salad or vegetables, or dessert. The hostess doesn’t know exactly what the guests will bring. It is a lovely surprise – to hold a dinner party without knowing what you are going to feed your guests. As the guests arrive, they put their dish on the table and drinks are provided. Some guests might bring a bottle of wine as a present. I really enjoy this kind of entertaining – it’s fun.

D. Watch the film “Family Album” (Episodes 7 “Man’s Best Friend”, 11 “A Place of one’s own”). Follow the directions in the Appendix “Traditions and Habits of American People.”