Subject matter: Informal communication Conversational formulas: Invitations and replies
to them, greetings, expressing concern
and sympathy, likes and dislikes, saying
good-bye
Structure study: the Present Perfect Tense Writing: Writing informal letters of invitation
and replies to them

READING AND SPEAKING

Text 1

1. Answer the questions before you read the text: Have you ever visited with a family in the USA? Did you have any difficulties communicating with your American friends colleagues?

2. Read the text. What is specific about Americans and communication with them?

V COMMUNICATION DIFFICULTIES

While you are in the United States you will certainly be interested to be invited to American families, visit their homes or even stay with them. When people from different cultures meet they may sometimes find that their communication is complicated , by a number of factors, that may be little understood by either side. Every person has been conditioned by his or her society and culture and these unconscious conditionings color the way they speak and the judgment they make of one another. It seems useful to try to accommodate one another when we become aware of communication difficulties and learn something about another culture.

Many Americans, especially in the smaller cities and towns, have never been out of the country and have had little experience with foreigners. But the old tradition of hospitality to strangers is still very strong. The ease with which Americans speak to people they've only casually met, the habit of informality, may surprise a foreign visitor. The casual friendliness of many Americans is neither superficial, nor artificial, but has its historically based cultural meaning, which should be interpreted properly. As anywhere else it takes time to become real friends.
There are three most frequently mentioned American "national characteristics": a friendliness to strangers, a strong sense of community and a general informality. Americans enjoy meeting new people and having guests. When they are introduced, men usually shake hands, women usually don't. Saying good-bye Americans rarely shake hands, except on business occasions. Americans tend to use first names in most situations and speak freely about themselves. There are topics, though, for example, income and religion, that many Americans feel are best avoided in casual conversations.
As a guest you may ask your host if there is anything you can do to help in the kitchen. It will be appreciated as a gesture and may be even more important than actually helping. Yes, being friendly is a virtue that Americans value highly and expect it from neighbors and strangers. So let Americans realize you are interested in them. Ask them questions about their families, leisure and interests. This will help the conversation. Hopefully after a light-weight conversation you can go on to a more substantive communication. Have a good time, say anything you want to, smile and above all laugh with them!

Exercises

3. Answer the following questions.

A 1. What are people most often interested to learn in a foreign country? 2. What can be done in a conversation with Americans to overcome communication difficulties? 3.What are some communication habits of Americans? 4. What questions would you ask if you were invited to an American home? 5. What questions should be avoided when communicating with Americans?

В 1. What communication difficulties may arise if people belong to different cultures? 2.Have you had experience of com-...