The understanding of American culture must not end with what we know on TV, because she has the most distinctive features of her own, which is diversity. As a country with a large immigrant population, the United States does not have a unique way of life, there is no only standard of conduct, and there is no unique culture. The diversity of the United States penetration in all aspects of the country, the following guidelines may not be able to help you overcome all from the cultural differences, but hope to everyone to prepare for the basic study in the United States and general plan to help.
Americans have a very different lifestyle than Chinese people. American food is light and easy to make, and the main course is meat, fish and chicken. A meal usually consists of only one main course, and salads and coffee are by no means less. Hot dogs and hamburgers are two of the most popular fast foods.
Americans are so active that more than a fifth of them move every year. The most detailed list of houses and apartments available on Sunday in newspapers across the country can be used to find homes or to find local estate agents. In addition to paying for rent, the rent house generally pays for utilities, namely gas, electricity, heating, hot water and simple electrical repairs and other repairs. The rent is usually a month, usually on the first day of the month. Electricity in most parts of the United States is 110-120 volts, 60Hz.
Almost every home in the United States has a car, and the American highway is very developed and accessible, so many americans work very far from where they live. They often go on a family trip during the holidays. The most popular means of transportation in the city are buses and subways. The subway is usually run day and night. Taxis are usually paid by distance or by distance. The whole country executes the right driving, the big city executes traffic regulation especially strict.
The American concept of time
Because of the fierce competition, the American society is full of movement and change, people are always in a hurry, and the result also has formed the americans' time view of tension. "Time is money" is the most accurate expression of the American attitude to time. Americans value time more than just because they think time is a tangible thing, but more importantly they recognize the urgency and lack of time. Americans believe that the question of time can fully reflect a person's self-cultivation, and his respect for others. Therefore, it is necessary to have a detailed schedule and strict adherence to it.
So we stress that being on time is not just about the individual's schedule, but if you're not on time, it reflects your lack of respect for others' time. In the study of life, apart from being on time, it is necessary to observe the deadline of various learning tasks. American schools generally teach students a subject, and then a group of students form a study group. Everyone is responsible for different aspects of learning team, if you don't have the prescribed deadline to complete you responsible for that part, influence is the whole team's performance, it is also a lot of American students constantly complaining about a problem. So being on time is a basic requirement for studying and living in the United States.
The way americans communicate
Talking to people is the most basic form of interpersonal communication. When you're talking to friends from all over the world, you're not just talking to each other, you're communicating with each other. The way language is expressed can often reflect the characteristics of a particular region or country.
Direct refreshing
Most of the time, conversations in the United States belong to a tendency to get information. They like to ask a lot of questions, and in a very direct way. They will use the most simple and direct language to get the information they want, the process, if they do not pay too much attention to wording beautiful, whether express tactfully, it sometimes inevitably conceded the interlocutors have a feeling not too polite. Answer this question, too, when the answer is no, americans will tell you "no" directly, also won't go to touch up for his answer, and if you don't have to know in advance to their speech habits, it felt embarrassed is inevitable.
Positive questions
Another obvious feature of the American way of communication is that there is no hesitation in asking questions. In the course of conversation, if americans don't understand what they don't understand, they often ask each other questions in a timely manner until they understand it. This feature is encouraged in class. In American classrooms, students can present any questions to the classroom at any time, and the lecturers will be more than happy to answer questions for students. Therefore, American classroom will always make students absorb knowledge in a relaxed, interactive and positive atmosphere.
body language
The tools of human communication are not just words, but body language. Spoke of the gestures, body posture, and facial expressions are the key to proper use of body language, we will divide the occasion, object, subject of flexible adjustment and use body language. Eye contact is the key of the above elements. Keep your eyes on the other side of the conversation while you're talking. This is something americans value too much.
Here are a few topics that can be used to talk to almost all americans:
Weather and mood
Some of my past experiences
My own campus life, or work content
Car, fashion, shopping, TV, music, clothing and other casual topics
At the same time, we should avoid the following topics:
Savings, income and other topics related to the personal economic situation
Family situation
Religious beliefs and so on
The last thing to note is that when you don't have a good grasp of your sense of humor, it's best not to play it at will. You know, different countries, different culture, have different understanding of humor, and the appropriate humor can active conversation atmosphere, it is easy to cause unnecessary misunderstanding, or conversely.
Were divided into 50 states, each state has different administrative rules and regulations, combined with geographical location, climate condition difference, leads to the residents of the states have different living habits. The same is true of America's diversity.
Climate change is a top priority. On the other hand is psychological preparation. Residents in different regions have different characteristics, such as: the east people look is always in a hurry, rush about for work, but with their southern leisurely, quiet and warm hospitality is famous for its character, the residents of the Midwest's character can be described as practical, stubborn, and tradition, the western residents seem to be more independent, attach importance to individualism, live along the west coast of the United States people impressed us is recreational, relaxed and optional. You're going to be on a trip to the United States, and you're going to have to look at the cities where you're going to school, and you're going to have a general idea of what you're going to do in these areas.
对于美国文化的认识决不能止于从电视上了解到的内容，因为，她有着自己最鲜明的特点，那就是多样性。作为一个拥有庞大移民人口的国家而言，美国不存在唯一的生活方式，不存在唯一的行为标准，更不存在唯一的文化。美国的多样性渗透在国家的各个方面，以下的指南也许不能帮你克服所有因文化差异而带来的困扰，但希望能对大家为留学美国而做的基本准备和大致计划有所帮助。
美国人的生活习惯与中国人有很大不同，美国食物味道清淡，制作简单迅速，主菜为肉、鱼、鸡类。一餐中一般仅一道主菜，而沙拉和咖啡是绝不能少的。热狗和汉堡包是最流行的两种快速食品。
美国人生性好动，每年都有超过1/5的人搬家。各地星期日的报纸登载周内租售房屋与寓所的最详尽名单，可以通过这些资料找房子，也可以找当地的地产经纪人。租房子除要付租外，一般还要付公用事业费，即煤气、电、暖气、热水和简单的电器修理及其他修理费。租金通常一个月，一般每月的第一天付。美国大部分地区的电力为110-120伏，60Hz。
美国几乎每家都有小汽车，美国的高速路十分发达，四通八达，因此很多美国人工作地点与居住地很远。在假日里，他们经常全家驾车出游。市内最常用的交通工具是公共汽车和地铁。地铁一般都是日夜开行。出租汽车一般按路程(短程)或时间(远程)计费。全国实行靠右行车，大城市执行交通法规尤为严格。
美国人的时间观念
美国社会由于竞争激烈，充满了运动和变化，人们始终处于奔忙之中，结果也就养成了美国人的紧张时间观。“时间就是金钱”这句话是美国人对于时间的态度的最准确表达。美国人对于时间的珍视不仅仅因为他们认为时间是一种切实的事物，更重要的是他们认识到了时间的紧迫和缺乏。美国人相信，在时间的问题上可以充分反应出一个人的自身素质修养，以及他对于他人的尊重。所以，有一份详细的作息时间表，并严格的遵守它，是相当必要的。
所以我们强调做到准时，不仅仅是关乎到个人的日程安排，若你没有做到准时，反应出的是你对他人时间的不尊重。在学习生活中，除了准时上课外，更需要遵守的是各种学习任务的截止时间安排。美国学校的教学方式一般是老师安排给学生一项课题，然后会由学生几个人之间结成学习小组共同来进行。学习小组中的每个人都会负责不同的方面，如果你没有在规定的截止日期内完成你负责的那一部分，影响的就是整个小组的成绩，这也是很多美国学生不断在抱怨的一个问题。所以，做到准时是在美国学习和生活的一个最基本的要求。
美国人的交流方式
与人交谈是人际交往中最基础的形式。当你与来自世界各地的.朋友们交谈时，你们之间交流的不仅仅是彼此的观点和话题，更深层次的是在进行着文化的交流。语言表达的方式往往可以反应出某个地区或是某个国家的特色。
◎直接爽快
大多时候，美国人的谈话属于有一种想要获取信息的趋势。他们喜欢提出很多问题，并且是用很直接的方式。他们会用最简单直接的语言表达来获取自己想要的信息，这过程中，他们并不太在意措辞是否优美，意思表达是否婉转等问题，这有时不免会让与之对话者有一种不太礼貌的感觉。回答问题也是一样，当答案是否定的时候，美国人会直接告诉你“不“，同样不会去为他的答案进行润色，若是你没有提前了解到他们这种说话习惯，那感觉尴尬就是在所难免的了。
◎积极提问
美国人的交流方式中还有一个明显的特点就是毫不犹豫的提问。在交谈过程中，如果美国人有不明白，没听清的地方时，他们通常会及时的向对方把问题提出，直到弄懂为止。这一特点在课堂上成为被鼓励的做法。在美国的课堂上，学生可以随时向授课教室提出任何相关问题，而授课者都会极为乐意的为学生解答问题。所以，美国的课堂总是会让学生在轻松，互动，积极的氛围里吸收知识。
◎肢体语言
人类交流的工具不仅仅是语言，还有肢体语言。说话时的手势，身体的姿势，以及脸部的表情都是恰当运用肢体语言的关键，我们要分场合，分对象，分话题的灵活调整和运用肢体语言。其中目光接触则是上述要素中的关键。交谈时要时刻保持自己的目光是与对方相接触的，目光自然和善即可。这一点也是美国人相当看重的。
这里我们给大家提供几个很适合与几乎所有美国人交谈的话题：
天气情况和心情
自己以往的某些经历
自己的校园生活，或是工作内容
汽车，时尚，购物，影视，音乐，服装等休闲话题
同时我们应该避免以下话题：
存款，收入等与个人经济情况有关的话题
家庭情况
宗教信仰等等
最后需要提醒大家的一点是，当你对自己的幽默感并没有十足的把握时，最好不要随意发挥它。要知道，不同国家，不同文化，对幽默的认识是有所不同的，恰当的幽默可以活跃谈话气氛，反之则很容易引起不必要的误解或是不愉快。
美国一共划分为50个州，每个州都有不同的行政法规，再加上地理位置，气候条件的差异，就导致了各州的居民都有着不同的生活习惯。这里同样体现的是美国的多样性。
气候不同是首要考虑的问题。另外一方面就是心理上的准备。不同地区的居民有着不同的性格特征，比如：东部的人看起来总是匆匆忙忙的，为工作而奔波着，南部的人却是以他们悠闲，平静并且热情好客的性格特点而闻名，中西部的居民的性格可以被形容成实际的，固执的，还有一点传统，西部居民显得比较独立，重视个人主义，沿西海岸居住的美国人给我们的印象就是休闲，放松，随意。将要踏上美国之旅的你，需要针对就读学校所处城市，在这些方面搜集资料，提前有个大体的概念。
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