Entertainment in America And Some Other Things American

Entertainment in America… And Some Other Things American Society & Culture http: //www. acoolsoft. com/free-powerpoint-templates/party-powerpoint-templates. html Week 15

Getting Started…What are American Parties? American parties are not performances. There are usually no singing or dancing acts by the participants. American parties are free in form. People mingle. They eat. They drink. They freely walk around and socialize with whomever they choose. Parties

A Party is… -a get-together for friends/ co-workers/ classmates. This is often just a chance for friends to leave work behind and have some fun. -a chance to see old friends. We call these parties reunions. -a chance to make new friends. At some big parties, people can meet new people and get to know each other. sanibeldayspa. com, theunsystematicidiot. blogspot. com Parties

At parties, we… -always eat something, sometimes high quality food, other times something cheap and bought from the store. -sometimes play games. Americans love games. There are lots of games for teenagers & adults as well as children. -sometimes drink alcohol. There are many parties in America that do not have alcohol. -sometimes dance. The belief that most parties include dancing is not true. -sometimes have other activities depending on the purpose of the party and who is invited. Parties

Variety of Parties can be small, just a few people, or large, with more than 50 people. Some are quiet, with friends just watching a movie and eating snacks. Others are loud, with people dancing, listening to music, and chatting with each other. A party can take any form, and can take place anywhere. There are holiday parties, dancing parties, birthday parties, drinking parties, parties for couples, parties for families, parties for single people, parties for members of the same company. Some parties have more structure; others are very flexible and free in form. Parties

What else do we do for fun? -We’re similar to many cultures. We love to be with our friends and family. -Some people enjoy computer games. Others take part in sports teams or leagues that take up lots of time. -Lots of people are involved in clubs or activities that connect them to others. -We like to watch movies at home or go to a movie theater. -Sometimes we have game nights at our homes or nights when we get together and cook. http: //www. toomanypies. com/, http: //www. thepartydress. net/2009/03/friday-night-pizza-night/, http: //sf. funcheap. com/free-homefrys-game-nightmission/monopoly-game-night-sl-x/ Entertainment

Many people like to do some D. I. Y. projects, personally improve their homes, or produce creative art. -Many people (typically women) like to create crafts or scrapbooks, homemade books to show their photos and memories or do other crafts. -Lots of people spend hours creatively expressing themselves through writing and photography on blogs. Blogging is very popular in America right now. -Some couples enjoy completing various projects to improve their homes. They like to learn how to do it themselves and complete woodwork, re-decorating, etc. as a hobby. http: //www. xcellimark. com/blogging-for-a-positive-brand-image. aspx , http: //foxriverchristian. org/Get. Connected/Adults/Women/All. Day. Crops. aspx , http: //cn. fotolia. com/id/34883701 , http: //www. getwoodworking. com/news/article. asp? a=7502 Entertainment- D. I. Y. Projects

Exercise is a big part of many people’s lives. -Lots of people (though certainly not all!) spend at least 30 -60 minutes exercising every day. Our idea of exercise is an activity that really makes your heart rate (心跳) rise and helps you ( burn lots of calories. -Lots of people get a membership at a gym or sign up for exercise classes. http: //www. miamivalleydanceacademy. com/zumbafitness. htm , http: //www. expressnightout. com/2010/10/2010 -best-amateur-sportsleague-happy-hour-kickball/, http: //www. p 90 x 2 basedvdset. com/? p=46 Entertainment- Exercise & Sports

We enjoy a huge variety of music. -American music extends far beyond Lady Gaga, Michael Jackson, Jason Mraz, Brittney Spears, Justin Bieber, and Beyonce. Like so many countries, there are literally thousands of well-known singers with a huge variety of styles and themes. -Americans enjoy attending concerts when a music group comes to town. Many people also enjoy local musicians’ work in coffee shops. http: //www. themurraystatenews. com/2012/02/16/local-musicians-performvalentines-day-show-at-coffee-shop/, http: //kidstvmovies. about. com/od/jonasbrothers 3 dconcert/ig/Jonas. Brothers-3 D-Movie-Photos/Jonas-Brothers---Taylor-Swift. htm, http: //nashvillelove. webs. com/apps/blog/entries/show/14687706 -timmcgraw-faith-hill-headed-to-sin-city- Entertainment- Music

Giving Back to Society -Many Americans spend time regularly volunteering. Some people volunteer at places such as animal shelters, homes for old people, or for environmental causes. Some people spend time volunteering weekly; others do it less often. Some people volunteer locally; others prefer to travel abroad. -Some people volunteer because they are passionate about a cause (eg. Poverty, homelessness, environment, etc. ). Others do it because they feel it’s the right thing to do. Still other people volunteer because it’s a requirement for their school or other group. http: //www. metro. co. uk/newsfocus/722174 -be-inspired-byvolunteeringhttp: //www. goabroad. com/blog/2011/01/19/volunteering-abroad-you/ Volunteering

We enjoy relaxing and meeting friends in different settings. -It’s popular for people (friends, boyfriends/ girlfriends, co-workers, etc. ) to meet each other in a coffee shop. We often study, play games, have business meetings, and drink coffee or tea in these places. -We sometimes visit restaurants or shopping malls or parks to walk around and chat with friends. In evenings, bars are popular places for people to meet new friends or catch up with old ones. -Some women (usually women with plenty of money) enjoy visiting the spa together and chatting while they relax. Entertainment- Where to Go http: //www. prlog. org/10173833 -spa-party-with-friends. jpg, http: //www. thecoffeeartist. com/? attachment_id=604

Our idea of vacationing is often different from the Chinese idea of vacationing. -When I travel with Chinese friends, they often want to see beautiful sights. Often their idea of a good vacation is going to a place with lovely parks and mountains as well as famous temples and gardens. -When many Americans go on vacation, we also appreciate beautiful sights, but our interest is different. We often go to a place for the purpose of doing nothing. Some people like sightseeing, but lots of us like to find a place in the mountains or by the sea and just do nothing. We’ll gladly visit the same place every day just to relax. http: //www. virginisles. com/st-croix. php Vacationing , http: //www. corbisimages. com/stock-photo/royalty-free/42 -17994803/young-couple-relaxing-in-mountain-chalet? popup=1&caller=enlargement

Our idea of vacationing is often different from the Chinese idea of vacationing. (continued) -We like to bring a good book or some interesting movies and just forget about anything but relaxation. -When we do want to go out, we often want to do something rather than see something. For example, many of us would rather go to watch a movie or take part in an activity than simply go to a garden and look at nature. Of course, everyone is different… http: //www. all-inproductions. net/parties. html Vacationing

What does it mean to “hang out”? -”Hanging out” is not the same as going out. We can hang out in our home, classroom, or outside. -Hanging out simply means that we do an activity for fun with friends. http: //saratogacasino. com/vapor-nightclub/Parties-and-Lounges. aspx , http: //www. jessicashealthblog. com/exercise/creative-ways-to-make-video-games-productive-for-your-health/ , http: //ellelyzette. blogspot. com/2009/09/watch-scary-movies-september-20 -09. html , http: //living. msn. com/love-relationships/love-sex/three-cheap-double-date-ideas-2 Hanging Out

Throwing Trash on the Street- Why It’s Illegal -In America, we do not have workers who sweep the streets regularly. This kind of work is often left to volunteers. -Thus, littering (throwing trash outside) is illegal and much less common than it is in China. -Different states, towns, and locations have different rules about littering. Those people who litter must usually pay a fine if they are caught. -We want our country to look beautiful, want to prevent the spread of disease, and want to be safe, so littering is illegal. http: //www. featurepics. com/online/Littering-Fine-Sign-891361. aspx , http: //www. falkirk. gov. uk/services/corporate_neighbourhood/estates_managemen t/litterzone/schools/info_zone/why_do_people_drop_litter. aspx Littering & Pollution

Americans all have cars… They must be rich! -Except for big cities, America does not have lots of public transportation. Bus and train tickets can only be bought between a limited number of places, and these tickets are often fairly expensive. Most Americans have never ridden a bus or train to travel for an extended distance. -Our cities tend to be spread out over lots of land, so cars are essential for us to go to work, shopping, etc. Usually each adult has a car. -This does not mean that we’re all rich. Cars and gas for cars are huge expenses. Many of us buy used cars at a reduced price to save money. But expensive or not, cars are a necessary part of our daily life. http: //commons. wikimedia. org/wiki/File: 2009 -0311_Beat_up_car_driving_in_Durham. jpg , http: //dayerses. com/mercedes-benzof. html Getting Around… Cars

What is beauty through American eyes? -Americans’ idea of beauty is broad. -Many people prefer tan skin, skin that is not white. Some people spend time in the sun or at tanning beds to become tan. Other people use tanning creams or spray tanning processes to become tan. -Recently, there have been movements to promote accepting the way we are as beautiful. We think women who are really thin as well as women who are not very thin can be beautiful. http: //tanninglotionsnow. com/spray-tanning/ , http: //spraytantips 101. com/isspray-tanning-safe/, http: //airbrushtanningtips. com/, http: //www. smh. com. au/news/national/true-thighs-what-women-really-want-in -advertising/2005/08/13/1123353539124. html Idea of Beauty

Hamburgers -Hamburgers are BIG. -Hamburgers are made of beef. If it’s made of chicken, it’s not a hamburger. -Anything in Yizhou called a “hamburger” is not actually a hamburger. http: //www. healthline. com/health/high-cholesterol Food- Hamburgers

Pizza -A few weeks ago, someone asked how to make pizza, what pizza is, how big it is. -The only way to truly know is to experience it, but here are some pictures that might explain a little: http: //www. buzzle. com/articles/how-to-make-pizza-sauce. html , http: //www. 52 kitchenadventures. com/2012/03/15/quick-pizza-from-scratch/ , http: //vincesmarket. ca/2010/10/29/want-healthy-pizza-make-it-at-home/ Food- Pizza

Afternoon Rest -We’ve already mentioned this several times, but in case you’ve missed it, Americans don’t have a rest in the afternoon. Our jobs and schools are often too far from home to go back and rest, and our value on time doesn’t allow for this period of rest either. -Some Americans enjoy a nap on the weekends. http: //www. americanexecutivesecurity. com/security-services-for-construction-sites/ , http: //www. timeanddate. com/newsletter/all-the-time/the-care-of-time 2. html Afternoon Rest

Preventative Health Care -Americans go to the doctor often. The eye doctor, the dentist, and a general care doctor. Many of us have insurance plans for preventative health care, going to the doctor before there is a problem so we can prevent it. -Many of us go to the doctor each year for a physical exam, the dentist two times each year, and the eye doctor about every year to have a check-up. http: //www. yourcompletewellnesscenter. com/antiaging. php , http: //www. glamour. com/healthfitness/blogs/vitamin-g/2010/07/preventative-health-care-ameri. html , http: //www. cemex. com/CEMEX_SDR 2010/eng/Health. Safety 04. asp Preventative Health Care

Climbing Mountains -We have a different idea in English about what it means to “climb mountains. ” -Often in China, the idea of climbing a mountain is going to a mountain, climbing lots of steps, seeing nature, etc. -In America, mountains rarely have stairs. Climbing a mountain requires wearing outdoor clothes and shoes and often bringing a backpack and climbing gear. http: //aaronfeen. com/photos/category/mountains/ http: //promoshq. wildfireapp. com/website/6/contests/189651/voteable_entries/48343237, http: //yallcome. org/whattodo/hiking/hikers Mountain Climbing

Instant & Frozen Food -One thing that helps Americans be able to cook at home (due to really high restaurant prices) is a large variety of instant and frozen food. -Some of this food is really unhealthy, and other kinds are better. The food is usually boxed, canned, or frozen. It can often last for several months, so we can keep lots of it in our homes and prepare it conveniently. http: //bargainbriana. com/frozen-food-rebate-up-to-5/ , http: //www. worldoddities. com/the-mostillogical-frozen-food/, http: //www. magickitchen. com/info/Frozen-Food-Delivery. html, http: //easyfrugalliving. blogspot. com/2010/10/hot-2 -dollar-quaker-instant-oatmeal. html , http: //www. bbcgoodfood. com/recipes/2758/berry-cheesecake-in-a-glass- Instant and Frozen Food

“Drive-Throughs” -One of the greatest conveniences we enjoy in America is “drive throughs. ” These are places where we can remain in our cars and drive by a business or restaurant to receive a service or food. -For example… Drive through coffee shops, drive through ice cream shops, drive through fast food, drive through banking, etc. http: //careers. stateuniversity. com/pages/152/Bank-Teller. html , http: //www. dietsinreview. com/diet_column/07/la-closer-to-banning-new-fast-foodrestaurants/ Drive-Throughs

Questions? Comments?