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62. Design a poster showing main rules of successful work in the USA.

63. What do you know about life in the USA? Share your ideas with the group.

Life

in the USA

64. Read the following text and add some ideas to your mind map.

Life in the USA

Tipping is a standard practice in the United States for most services. As a general rule, tip approximately 15% - 20% for restaurants, taxi cabs, and other services. If you receive assistance at the airport of hotel with your luggage, tip $1-2 USD per bag.

Typical business hours for offices in the U.S. are from 8:00 or 9:00 am to 5:00 or 6:00 pm, with one hour taken for lunch. A lunch hour is usually taken between 12:00 and 2:00pm, but may vary. Shops and stores will often be open for longer hours and do not close over the lunch hour.

Important Laws

Drugs

Illegal possession of controlled substances (drugs) in the USA is subject to prosecution by law. The penalties for drug possession vary from

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state to state and region to region. Any type of illegal drug use is seriously frowned upon, as the U.S. is attempting to control the trafficking of illegal substances. You are subject to fines and possible time in jail for any drug possession or association with people who have drugs themselves.

Alcohol

You must be 21 years old to drink alcohol legally in the United States. If you are under 21, and are found with alcohol, you may be arrested and subjected to fines. In addition, if you purchase alcohol for persons under 21, you can be arrested and subjected to fines.

Many bars will only accept a driver's license or identification card from the Department of Motor Vehicles which states your age. This identification card does not authorize you to drive. Contact the Department of Motor Vehicles for information on the procedure for obtaining an identification card. Drinking alcohol in public (e.g., outside a restaurant, bar, or your residence) is prohibited in many places, especially in beach resort towns. You will be subject to fines if you are found guilty.

Driving While Intoxicated (DWI) or Driving Under the Influence (DUI)

A national campaign to raise awareness of "drunk driving" and decrease alcohol-related traffic accidents has swept the U.S. Because of this, the enforcement of DWI/DUI laws has become very tough. Fines can be up to $5,000. To keep yourself and others safe, don't drink and drive. Americans generally appoint a "designated driver" when going out with a group of friends. This person agrees to refrain from drinking alcoholic beverages and drives the rest of the group to and from their destination.

Local Law Enforcement

Unlike most countries, laws in the U.S. vary from state to state and even city to city. It is important to become familiar with and obey the local laws in the town or city where you are living, to avoid any potential legal difficulties. For example, the permanent population of resort towns may be only a few thousand, but during the summer months, the population may grow to more than 100,000. In an effort to maintain order, the local police often strictly enforce minor laws. Local laws govern alcohol consumption, noise levels, and group gatherings are strict. Your best source of information will be local residents and U.S. students who are living and working in the town or city.

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Smoking

Americans are likely to be much less tolerant of smoking than people in your country. As part of an intense anti-smoking campaign in the United States, tough measures have been taken to provide a smoke-free environment. It is illegal to smoke in many public places, so look around you before you light up: "no smoking" signs are usually posted in a clear, visible location. Smoking is banned on all domestic and international air flights; it is restricted in many office buildings and restaurants, and usually prohibited on public transportation. If you are in someone else's house and no one else around you is smoking, ask whether they mind if you smoke.

Crime

The United States has a rather notorious reputation overseas for being a violent country. Many people are often shocked at the proliferation of guns and gun-related crime. While it is true that crime rates are higher here than in Europe, few participants will encounter any such problems. Nonetheless, it is important to be aware of some of the potential dangers during your stay here. A little caution and common sense goes a long way in preventing problems.

65. Give your advice how to avoid getting into trouble being abroad. The following ideas can be helpful:

-underage drinking;

-drinking alcohol in public places;

-drug possession;

-disturbing the peace;

-disorderly conduct (talking back to the police, etc.);

-destruction of property;

-shoplifting or theft;

-not budgeting extra money for housing deposits/initial living expenses, etc.;

-false identification.

66. What problems can happen at work? Brainstorm ideas with the group. Read about some of them and say what you should do in case of trouble.

Problems at work

If you are having problems with a supervisor or co-worker, try to

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resolve it in a strictly professional manner. You are a new employee and may encounter problems that other co-workers have already experienced. Speak to them about these conflicts; perhaps they can help you resolve them quickly and harmlessly. In any job, you may meet people you do not like, or feel you cannot work with. You may find that speaking to the person directly will help take care of the problem.

Remember that sexual harassment and racial discrimination are very serious matters in the U.S. If you feel that you have been the victim of either sexual harassment or racial discrimination in your workplace, please contact the U.S. Equal Employment Opportunities Commission (EEOC) at 1-800-669-4000 or CIEE (1-888-268-6245) for advice.

You could be laid off (lose your job because business is slow) for any number of reasons, which may not reflect on your performance in that job. Layoffs are often the result of financial issues within the company. You are usually given some kind of notice before this occurs.

If you are fired, it is because the company is unhappy with you. You will rarely be fired because of lack of job skills. Most often, people are fired for being consistently uncooperative, or for disciplinary reasons. If you are doing something wrong, you will usually be told so before the situation becomes serious. Contact CIEE about problem situations.

If you are laid off or fired, you MUST contact CIEE as soon as possible at 1-888-268-6245!

67. Match the words with their definitions.

68. Make up 5 questions using the words above and let your partner answer them.

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69. Student A is an employer, Student B is an employee. Discuss the salaries and additional payment using the following text.

Getting Paid

Your Salary and Paycheck

You will most likely be paid weekly or sometimes twice per month. Check with your employer. You will always receive less than your "gross" or total salary, as there will be deductions taken out of each check. Your employer should give you a salary statement or pay stub or pay slip, which will explain exactly what was taken out. Depending on your agreement with your employer, you might also have uniform, housing, union membership dues, and other work-related items deducted from your salary.

There will also be taxes dedecuted from your paycheck. After you receive your first paycheck, be sure to review it to ensure your employer hasn't made any mistakes.

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Overtime

As a new employee, do not reject requests to work extra hours. Many companies will pay you one-and-a-half times more than the normal wage rate for extra hours. If they do not, you sometimes will have time off in compensation for overtime. Ask your employer for company overtime policies.

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