Pop Culture

For anthropologists culture includes everything that occurs in a society – all the customs and practices handed down from generation to generation. Culture covers the various forces that contribute to our behaviour in society. These contributions usually come from our formal institutions, such as churches, the state, and now, the media; standards of behaviour; laws and conventional practices and customs.

Popular culture can be defined as the culture of everyone in a society. It can be so pervasive that we seldom notice it. In order for us to notice it, we must step back and consciously observe it. We can do it by really looking around us at the objects in our society and asking ourselves why we idolize the things we do, why we buy the things we do, and why we believe in the things we do.

Throughout the history, every society has had its own popular culture. Most of today’s popular culture is mass-produced and is disseminated in large quantities through the mass media. Popular music, cheap paperback novels, soap operas, videocassette movies and millions of advertised products from designer jeans to disposable razors make up our everyday environment. Stephen King novels, Levi’s jeans and the golden arches of McDonald’s are instantly recognizable symbols in our modern-day pop culture.

Another term that has developed is mass culture. It refers to the things in our culture that are mass-produced and/or shared through the mass media. In today’s society that represents almost everything in our popular culture. That is why the terms popular culture and mass culture are used almost interchangeably.

Pop culture used to be looked down upon by many academics who felt that the study of everyday culture was not appropriate in a university setting where students examined Western civilization, philosophy and the sciences. Supporters of the study of popular culture point out that it is a part of our history and holds as much relevance as war, slavery and revolutions. They note that by examining the themes and styles of a culture we can better understand the values of people.

IІ ВАРІАНТ

1. Transform the direct speech into reported one according to the model. Pay attention to the rules of the sequence of tenses. Translate the sentences.

1. ”He’s broken my heart!” said Kim sadly.

2. “Well, I am not an experienced manager but I’m looking for a job”, murmured Jim to the interviewer.

3. The old man said, “I had to go in the cave, son”.

4. “Hans”, said the Miller, “I will give you my wheel-barrow”.

5. “Well!” cried Pinch, “You are the strangest young man, Martin, I ever knew in my life”.

2. Make the following sentences passive. Translate the sentences.

1. The teacher explained a new rule to the students.

2. I showed the documents to the officer.

3. The director dictated a telegram to the secretary.

4. Have they told you everything?

5. They often refer to Professor Arakin’s articles.

3. Translate the following sentences into Russian. Pay attention to the function of the Infinitive constructions in the sentence.

1. She saw him light a cigarette.

2. They let us examine the documents.

3. He doesn’t seem to leave for London a week ago.

4. I think it necessary for you to take a taxi.

5. Mary would like Nick to smoke less.

4. Choose the necessary modal verb among those in brackets. Translate the sentences.

1. A yellow sticker (can, must) be put on the windscreen by a police-officer.

2. She (can’t, mustn’t) lift this box, it’s too heavy.

3. But for the rain we (must, could) go for a walk.

4. Some people think that more parking space (should, may) be provided.

5. In those days a man (be to, could) be sentenced to death for a small crime.

5. Translate the sentences into Russian. Pay attention to the translation of the Gerund.

1. Translating such texts is rather difficult.

2. Without knowing the address, don’t go to look for his house.

3. They went on discussing the next item on the agenda.

4. I’ll never forget seeing her for the first time.

5. He stopped drinking coffee because it upset his stomach.