V. Fill in the blanks with the missing remarks. Reproduce the dialogue.
Harry: Do you know, Cecily, what my favourite season is?
Cecily: …
Harry: Autumn.
Cecily: That’s because there are many holidays in autumn.
Harry: …
Cecily: Then comes winter with Christmas on the 25th of December; New Year’s Day on the 1st of January. On the 20th of January, you observe Martin Luther King’s birthday, don’t you? But I know that one of the greatest American holidays is Thanksgiving and that that’s the favourite one.
Harry: Yes, it’s a time for the family to get together. Relatives from other cities come to spend a holiday at home and have a hearty meal.
Cecily: …
Harry: The Pilgrims thanked God for a good harvest. Now Americans thank the Pilgrims for having helped make our country what it is today.
Cecily: Sometimes, it seems to me that holidays unite not only the family but the whole nation.
Harry: …
VI. Read the following text and discuss it with your group-mates.
Americans are reputed to be friendly people. It is not uncommon for Americans to be informal and casual, even with perfect strangers. When in the United States, do not be surprised if somebody you do not know says “Hi!” to you for no reason, and people will quickly volunteer information about their professions, family, and other personal details. However, there is a difference between friendliness and friendships. As in any culture, it takes time for friendships and close relationships to form. Americans’ friendships tend to be shorter and more casual than friendships among people from some other cultures. It is not uncommon for Americans to have few close friendships during their lifetime and to consider other friends to be merely social acquaintances. This attitude probably has something to do with American mobility and the fact that Americans do not like to be dependent on other people. They tend to classify friendships, having “friends at work,” “friends on the basketball team,” and “family friends,” for example.
VII. Get ready to speak on one of the following items.