Directness, openness and honesty
Americans are more direct and open than people from other countries. They will not try to mask their emotions, as Scandinavians or Japanese tend to do. They are much less concerned with «face» than most Asians are. To them, being honest is very important.
They will often speak openly and directly to others about things they dislike, especially in a work situation. «If I dislike something you are doing, I should tell you about it directly so you will know, clearly and from me personally, how I feel about it».
They will try to do so in a manner they call «constructive», that is, a manner the other person will not find offensive. If they do not speak openly about what is on their minds, they will often show their reactions in other ways (through facial expressions and gestures). They do not think it impolite to show their feelings.
Looking to the future
Americans are less concerned about history and traditions than people from older societies. «History doesn't matter», many of them will say. «New things are better than old things». «It's the future that counts». They look ahead. They set goals for the future and work systematically towards them. Children are often asked what they want to be «when they grow up»; college students are asked what they will do when they graduate; and professors plan what they will do when they retire.
American education never stops. If 72-year-old Ann Smith wants to learn creative story writing, or Italian art, she can go to the nearest college and take a course in it. And millions of Ann Smiths are doing just that. Americans are usually optimistic about the future.
Change and progress
Americans believe in change and progress. They feel confident that they know what is going on and that they can change things that don't work. A bad president can be voted out. A bad doctor can be taken to court. A bad soldier can be punished. It may be this that gives them so much confidence in their system.
An old World War II poster expressed it well: «The difficult takes a while. The impossible takes a little longer». Of course, things can go wrong, as they do everywhere else in the world, but at least people feel that they can do something about it. «Where there's a will, there's a way», they say.
Achievement and success
People in the US want more than anything to be successful. They admire achievers and despise losers. To start with nothing, to work hard, and then to make a fortune – that's the American dream. Americans never seem to stop working. Some even hold two full-time jobs at the same time. This means that there is not much time for the good things in life, such as hours spent with one's family. Few families play games together, go for walks together, or even sit down every evening for a home-cooked meal.
Competition and free enterprise
Americans believe in competition and free enterprise. They think that competition and free enterprise have made their country «the best in the world». In the US you will see competition everywhere – in the American home and in the American classroom (even on the youngest age level). They even compete with themselves! They feel good when they «beat their own record» in a sports event or other types of competition. Americans believe that competition brings out the best in any individual!
TEXT 6. Read and translate the text. Answer the questions below.
Washington, DC
Washington is the capital of the United States of America. It's situated in the District of Columbia and is like no other city in the USA. It's the world's largest one-industry city. And that industry is government. The White House, where the US President lives and works, the Capitol, the home of the US Congress, and the Supreme Court, are all in Washington.
Washington was named after the first US President George Washington. He selected the place for the capital and Pierre L'Enfant, a French engineer, designed the city. Washington was first settled in 1790 and since 1800 it has been the federal capital.
In the very centre of the city rises the huge dome of the Capitol — a big white dome standing on a circle of pillars. The Capitol is the building where the US Congress meets. The Senate meets in the North side and the House of Representatives in the south side. This impressive building is seen from any part of Washington. It is also a museum of American art and history.
Not far from the Capitol is the Library of Congress, the largest library in the States. It contains more than 13 million books, more than 19 million manuscripts, including the personal papers of the US presidents.
The White House is the official residence of the US President. He works in the Oval Office.
One can hardly find a park, a square or an open area in Washington without a monument or a memorial. The most impressive and the best-known ones are the Lincoln Memorial, the Jefferson memorial and the Washington Monument. The Washington Monument is the highest monument in the US capital. It is 170 metres high and is made of granite covered with white marble. One of the newer national monuments is the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. It consists of the Memorial Wall and two sculptures. The Wall was designed by a 20-year-old student of Yale University, Maya Lin. The design is simple and powerful: a V-shaped black sunken wall with over 58 000 names of all American men and women who lost their lives in the Vietnam War. Today this is the most visited place in Washington.
There are some important museums in Washington where you can see famous paintings and sculptures, the dresses of Presidents' wives, the original of the Declaration of Independence, etc.
There are no skyscrapers in Washington, because they would hide the city's mo-numents from view. No building in the city may be more than 40 meters high (it’s a law).
Questions
1. Where is Washington situated?
2. Who is the city named after?
3. What governmental buildings are there in Washington?
4. What sights can you visit in the US capital?
5. Why are there no skyscrapers in Washington?