16 Stereotypes 85 Americans: what differences? 1 READING WRITING Say if the sentences are true or false. Correct the false ones. T F 1 Watching American TV programmes helps us understand US culture. 2 Americans are usually on time. 3 Diners provide only dinners. 4 Americans have a larger personal space than other people. 5 In business situations it is better to avoid using first names. 6 In the US tipping for a service is compulsory. 2 86 LISTENING WRITING Listen to a recording comparing American and Italian lifestyles and create a table summarising the main differences. 3 SPEAKING WRITING What else do you associate the US and Americans with? Can you explain the following statements? Search the Internet to find further information. " Americans display their flag everywhere " Most Americans are overweight " Most Americans own guns Don9t base your expectations about the USA on TV shows and movies: they tend to exaggerate characters or lifestyles and aren9t exactly known to be accurate. So, here9s a short guide about cultural differences with the US. Time : Americans place a lot of value on their time. They often follow a schedule for daily events and work, they make appointments for meeting up with others, and it is important to be there at the time decided upon. Running late is quite rude. Diners : A diner is a type of restaurant that has a casual and relaxed atmosphere, with a menu that features a wide variety of classic American comfort foods such as burgers, sandwiches, breakfast dishes, pies, and milkshakes. Many diners are open 24 hours a day, 7 days a week, making them popular destinations for late-night meals or early-morning breakfasts. Big is better In the US everything is big! Be prepared for big portions: portion sizes in America tend to be huge, so it is perfectly fine to ask for your leftovers to be packed up when you eat out! Personal space : Americans tend to require more personal space than in some other cultures: if you try to get too close during a conversation, the person you9re talking to may feel that you9re in their personal space and will try to back away. If that happens, don9t try to close the gap and continue to talk from slightly further away. Informal addressing : Most Americans, even in a business setting, will prefer to be called by their first name. However, it is good principle to address them by their title (Mr., Mrs., Ms., Dr., or Professor) and last name unless you are invited to do otherwise. Americans may call you by your first name once they9re introduced to you. This is not considered rude but reflects a casual style. Tipping : One of the biggest cultural norms in America is tipping. In almost every situation where someone helps you, Americans provide a small tip on top of the total cost of their bill. Though there9s no mandatory amount, most people pay a tip that9s approximately 15 to 20 percent of their bill. glossary mandatory: obbligatorio to tip: dare la mancia Unit 16 " Stereotypes 97