8

TABLE OF CONTENTS

LIST OF TABLES AND FIGURES ...................................................... 22

1. INTRODUCTION ................................................................................. 26
1.1. WHO WILL BENEFI FROM TIS AND HOW USE I... .... ..... 26
1.2. WHY 1 WROTE TIS . ... .... ..... ... .... ... .... ... ..... ... .... .... ... ..... ......... 30
1.3. Is I EASY BEING AN IRAN (EMIGRANT)? ............................. 34
1.4. ATTIUDES TOWARD IMMIGRANS IN UNIED STATES ........... 42
2. LEARNING ENGLISH......................................................................... 48
2.1. WERE WE STARTED ....................................................................... 48
2.2. FIRST SEPS ....................................................... '" ..................... ,. .... 52
2.3. 1 UNDERSTAND SOMErnING .............................................................. 56
2.4. LIFE GETS EASIER ............................................................................. 60
2.5. STILL LONG WAY GO ................................................................ 64
2.6. PSYCHOLOGICAL D1FFICUL S ........................................................ 70
2.7. CILDREN AND LANGUAGE .............................................................. 74
2.8. TEXTBOOKS AND DINARIS ....................................................... 76
2.9. ACRONYS AND REVIANS .................................................... 82
3. RENTAL HOUSING AND uILITIES ............................ 86
3.1. RENTAL HOUSING MARKET IN UNlED STATES ........................ 86
3.2. FINDING AN RN .................................................................. 92
.3. SNING LEASE AND PAYING RENT ......................................... 106
.4. RENEWING OR RAIN LEASE ............................................. 108
3.5. PETS ................................................................................................ 108
3.6. UTILITIES....................................................................................... 110
3.6.1. Heat ....................................................................................... 110
3.6.2. Electricity .............................................................................. 112
3.6.3. Te/ephone .............................................................................. 114
3.6.4. Television .............................................................................. 122
3.6.5. he lnternet ........................................................................... 124
4. AUTOMOBILE ........................................................................... 128
4.1. ROLE OF AUTOMOBILES IN AMERICAN LIFE ............................ 128
4.2. AERICAN AUTOMOBILE SSIAN () .................... 130
4.3. TRAFFIC RULES AND RGULNS ............................................... 132
4.4. GING DRNER'S LICENSE ........................................................ 134
4.5. FINDING RIGHT R FOR YOU ................................................. 140
4.6. BUYING NEW R ....................................................................... 162
4.7. BUYING USED CAR ...................................................................... 170
4.8. FINANCfNG ..................................................................................... 180
4.9. CAR INSURANCE ............................................................................. 182
4.10. REGISRATION AND RE-RGISRN ........................................ 184

...............................................

1.

23

1.1.
1.2.
1.3.
1.

............................................................................................ 27
27
........................................... 31
I ()? ......................... 35
......................................... 43
, ....................

1...\JI ........................................................................ 49
2.1. ....................................................................... 49

3.

2.2.
2.3.

..................................................................................

2.-+.

...............................................................

2.5.
2.6.
2.7.
2.8.
2.9.

......................................................................

53
........................................................................ 57

65
71
.................................................................................... 75
..................................................................... 77
() ..................................................... 83
~ .....................................................

.....................

3.1.
3.2.

87

.....................................................................

87
93
107
109
109
111

............................................................................

3.. : ...........................................
.4. I ...............................

3.5.
3.6.

6l

I .................................................................
..............................................................

3..1.

............................................................................ ///
113
................................................................................. 115
3..4. ll ........................................................................... 123
3..5. ............................................................................. 125
-1. .................................................................................... 129
3.6.2.
3.6.3.

....................................................................

4.1.
4.2.

......................

4.3.

................................................

4.4.
4.5.
4.6.
4.7.
4.8.

.........................................................

4.9.

......................

....................................................

...........................................................
.............................................
l-IAJI ........................................................................

................................................................................

4.1 .

...........................................

129
131
133
135
141
163
171
181
183
185

10
4. 11. S INSPECTION ....................................................................... 188
4.12. GAS STINS .............................................................................. 190
4.13. PARKJN(i ....................................................................................... 194
4.14. ROADS .......................................................................................... 196
4.15. R IDNS ........................................................................... 200
4.16. CAR MAINTENANCE AND RAIR .................................................. 204
4.17. NLS FOR TRAFFIC RULE VIOLATIONS ................................. 206
5. BANKS AND BANING SERVICES ................................................ 214
5.1. TYPl::S OF SERVJCES ........................................................................ 216
5.2. CHOOSING BAN ......................................................................... 222
5.3. QPENINO AN ACCOUNT ................................................................... 228
5.4. CHECKBOOKS ................................................................................. 230
5.5. DEPOSITS AND CASH WJHDRAWALS .................................. 240
5.6. CARD, DEBJT CARD ............................................................... 242
5.7. 8ANK STATl:MEN N BALANCING YOUR ............... 246
6. CREDIT AND CREDIT CARDS ........................................................ 252
6.1. TYPES OF CREDJ CARDS ................................................................ 252
6.2. RD BUREAUS AND RED ISTORY ........................................ 254
6.3. How R CREDlT ISTORY .............................................. 256
6.4. CREDIT REPORT .............................................................................. 262
6.5. GING CREDlT RD; CREDJ LIMJ ........................................ 268
6.6. USIN(i CREDI CARDS FOR PURCHASES .......................................... 268
6.7. USJNCi CCS GET CASH ............................................................... 272
6.8. CREDJT CARD INTEREST ................................................................. 272
6.9. PAYING CURRENT LAN ........................................................... 274
6.10. PROBLEMS RELATED RED CARD USE .................................. 276
7. EMPLOYENT ................................................................................... 278
7.1. EMPLOYEE STATUS AND TYPES ' I::MPLOYERS ............................. 282
7.2. TYPES OF JOBS ................................................................................ 286
7.3. WGS AND SALARY ...................................................................... 288
7.4. BENI::FITS ........................................................................................ 292
7.5. JOB SEARCH ................................................................................... 300
7.6. APPL YINO FOR ...................................................................... 318
7.6.1. ApplicationfOrs .................................................................. 318
7.6.2. Resue ............................................................................ ...... 326
7.6.3. Cover Letters ......................................................................... 334
7.6.4. R.flns ............................................................................. 338
7.7. NECESSARY PAPl::RWOR ................................................................ 338
7.8. !:: INTERVIEW .............................................................................. 342
7.8.1. ringjr the intvi .................................................. 342
7.8.2. The intevie11-' ......................................................................... 348
7.8.3. Analyzing the ,'esults o.fyour intvi' ................................. 354
7.9. JOB OFFERS ..................................................................................... 356

11
4.11.
4.12.
4.13.
4.14.
4.15.

..................................................................................

189
191
.................................................................................... 195
......................................................................................... 197
- .............................. 201
4.1. - ........................ 205
4.17. ..................... 207
5. ............................................. 215
5.1. ................................................................................... 217
5.2. ................................................................................. 223
5.3. ........................................................................... 229
5.4. .......................................................................... 231
5.5. ................................. 241
5.. R, DEBIT R ................................................................ 243
5.7. 1 ............... 247
6. .................................................. 253
6.1. ........................................................ 253
6.2. .................................. 255
.3. ............................................ 257
6.4. CREDIT REpORT ............................................................................... 263
6.5. , .............................. 269
6.. . .............................................. 29
.7. .................................... 273
.8. ................................................................. 273
.9. ........................................................ 275
.10. , ................ 277
7. ................................................................................................. 279
7.1. .......................... 283
7.2. ................................................................................... 287
7.3. ............................................................................... 289
7.4. () .............................................. 293
7.5. ............................................................................ 301
7.6. , , ............................ 319
7.6.1. .................................................................................. 319
7.6.2. J ................................................................................... 327
7.6.3. ................................................. 335
7.6.4. } ....................................................................... 339
7.7. ................................................................................... 339
7.8. () .............. 343
7.8.1. ...................................................... 343
7.8.2. .............................................................................. 349
7.8.3. llm ........................................... 355
7.9. ................................................................. 357
...................................................

12
7.10. CLOTHThlG, BEAVJOR, AND SCHEDULE ...................................... 362
7.10.1. Clothing .............................................................................. 362
7.10.2. Work etiqueffe ..................................................................... 366
7.10.3. policies ................................................................ 368
7.11. LABORLAWS ................................................................................ 370
7.12. PROMOTION ................................................................................. 374
7.13. TERINATION ............................................................................... 376
8. INCOME ................................................................................................ 382
8.1. SCALE AND SOCIAL STRUCTURE ............................................. 384
8.2. INCOME GEOGRAPHY ...................................................................... 390
8.3. POVERTY LEVEL ............................................................................. 392
8.4. S-NI STATUS .............................................................. 396
8.5. SOURCES OF INCOMI.: ...................................................................... 398
8.6. S VINCJ AND INVESTING ................................................................. 398
9. EXPENSES ............................................................................................ 402
9.1. ALLOCA TION OF EXPENSES ............................................................ 404
9.2. FIXED EXPENSES ............................................................................. 404
9.3. VARIALE EXPENSES ...................................................................... 406
10. TAXES ................................................................................................. 410
10.1. FEDERAL INCOME ................................................................. 410
10.1.1. U. S. 1ndividual Return ................................................. 412
10.1.2. Who needs tojile { return? ........................................... 414
10.1.3. Where do 1 get.forms and insfructions, and which ones? ... 416
/0.1.4. What record is s.'/}' ( p,.epare? ................................ 416
/0.1.5. What is income, d'ht is nof? ....................................... 418
10.1.6. What ' exemptions and deducfions? ............................... 420
10.1.7. IRS audits ......... ................................................................... 422
10.2. STA 1:: INCOMI:: ...................................................................... 426
10.3. SOCIAL SECURIY TAXES ............................................................. 430
10.4. SALES .................................................................................... 434
10.5. AUTOMOBILE TAXES .................................................................... 438
10.6. PROPERTY ............................................................................. 442
11. EDUCATION ...................................................................................... 448
11.1. TYPES OF SCHOOLS ....................................................................... 450
11.1.1. Schools ..................................................................... 450
11.1.2. Magnet schools ................................................................... 450
11.1.3. Charfel' Schools .................................................................. 450
11.1.4. Private Schools ................................................................... 452
11.1.5. Schooling .................................................................. 452
11.2. NR DUION ............................................................ 452
11.2.1. idrg't ....................................................................... 454
11.2.2. Elementary School .............................................................. 454
11.2.3. ;fiddl School and Junior High School .............................. 460

13
7.10. II ................................................................ 363
7.10.1. . ............................................................................... 363
7.10.2. ............................................................................ 367
7.10.3. ll .................................... 369
7 .11. .................................................. 371
7.12. .......................................................... 375
7.13. ................................................................................ 377
8. I ............................................................................................... 383
8.1. ............................ 385
8.2. .................................................................... 391
8.3. ............................................................................ 393
8.4. ..................... 397
8.5. ................................................................... 399
8.6. ................................................ 399
9. ............................................................................................. 403
9.1. .................................................................. 405
9.2. .............................................. :.......... 405
9.3. ............................................................... 407
10. .............................................................................................. 411
10.1. ......................................... 411
10.1.1. lO ....................................................... 413
10.1.2. ? ................................ 415
10.1.3. , ll? ......... 417
/0.1.4. 1 ? ........................... 417
10.1.5. , ? .......... 419
10.1.6. "Exemptions" "Deductions .. ? .................... 421
10.1.7. lO . ............................................ 423
10.2. ...................................................... 427
10.3. ....................................... 431
10.4. (SALE ) ..................................................... 435
10.5. (AUTOMOBILE TAXES) ..................... 439
10.6. (PROPERY ) ............................. 443
11. ................................................................................. 449
11.1. .................................................................................. 451
11.1.1. ll (Public Schools) ........................... 451
11.1.2. nIww 1 (Magnet sh ......... 451
11.1.3. ll (Charter Schools) ............................... 451
11.1.4. (Private School~) .................................... 453
11.1.5. mw ( Schooling) ............................. 453
11.2. .......................................................... 453
11.2.1. (Kindergarten) ........................ 455
11.2.2. (Elementary Schoo/) .............................. 455
11.2.3. n ................................................... 461

14
11.3. SECONDARY EDUCATION .............................................................. 462
11.3.1. High School ................................................ ......................... 462
11.3 .1.1. Immigrants ccnagers ................................................ 464
11.3.1.2. Choosing High School ............................................ 474
11.3.2. General Equivalency Diploma (GED) ................................ 478
11.4. HIGHER EDUCATION ..................................................................... 478
11.4.1. Overview /Higher Education in the Us. ......................... 480
11.4.1.1. Colleges and Universities .......................................... 480
11.4.1.2. Liberal Arts ................................................................ 480
11.4.2. Choosing College ............................................................. 484
11.4.2.1. Resources to Help u Choose ................................. 484
11.4.2.2. Factors to Consider .................................................... 486
11.4.2.3. How Schools to Apply to? ............................... 494
11.4.3. he Application Process ..................................................... 496
11.4.3.1. Application Forms ..................................................... 496
11.4.3.2. Essays ......................................................................... 500
11.4.3.3. Academic Transcripts ................................................ 502
11.4.3.4. Test Scores ................................................................. 502
11.4.4. Making Final Decision .................................................... 514
11.4.4.1. Cost ofEducation ....................................................... 516
11.4.4.2. Financial Aid .............................................................. 518
11.4.5. Choosing Major ............................................................... 528
11.4.6. Lije m.') ................................................................... 530
11.4.6.1. Lcaving ............................................................ 532
11.4.6.2. What to Bring ............................................................. 534
11.4.6.3. Housing ...................................................................... 536
11.4.6.4. Dining ........................................................................ 542
11.4.6.5. Financcs ..................................................................... 546
11.4.6.6. Student Clubs and Organizations ............................... 554
11.4.6.7. ll and Drugs ..................................................... 556
11.4.6.8. Sex and Relationships ................................................ 560
11.4.6.9. Rcsources ................................................................... 564
11.4.7. Academics ........................................................................... 566
11.4.7.1. u r Not Alonc: Advisors and Advising ............. 566
11.4.7.2. What Do u Want to Study? ................................... 568
11.4.7.3. General Education or Core Requicments ................. 574
11.4.7.4. Credit Hours and Credits ........................................... 584
11.4.7.5. Grades and ........................................................ 586
11.4.7.6. Homework and Exams ............................................... 588
11.4.7.7. Senior Thcsis .............................................................. 592
11.5. GRADUATE/FIRST-PROFESSIONAL EDUCATION ............................. 594
11.5.1. .'! o.fGraduate De&rees ................................................ 596
11.5.2. Advanced Dgr-Gnting Institutions ............................. 598

15
11.3. ............................................................... 463
11.3.1. (High School) ............................................ 463
11.3.1.1. - ............................... 465
1] .3.1.2. ............................................................ 475
11.3.2. ................................. 479
1].4. () .............................. 479
11.4./. ................................ 481
11.4.1.1. ....................................... 481
11.4.1.2. ............................................ 481
11.4.2. ..Jl ................................................................ 485
11.4.2.1. ...................................................... 485
11.4.2.2. .................................... 487
11.4.2.3. ? ............... 495
11.4.3. . ........................................................... 497
11.4.3.1. ....................................................................... 497
11.4.3.2. (Essay) ..................................................... 501
11.4.3.3. ................................................ 503
11.4.3.4. .................................................... 503
11.4.4. ...................................................... 515
11.4.4.1. ................................................. 517
11.4.4.2. """'"'''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''''' 519
11.4.5. n.\t () .... 529
11.4.6. . ......................................................... 531
11.4.6.1. .............................................................. 533
11.4.6.2. ...................................................... 535
11.4.6.3. ......................................................................... 537
11.4.6.4. ...................................................................... 543
11.4.6.5. ..................................................................... 547
11.4.6.6. ....................... 555
11.4.6.7. .............................................. 557
11.4.6.8. ......................................... 561
11.4.6.9. ... 565
11.4.7. . ............................................................... 567
11.4.7.1. : ..... 567
11.4.7.2. ? ............................................ 569
11.4.7.3. ...... 575
11.4.7.4. - ............................................ 585
11.4.7.5. (GPA) ................................. 587
11.4.7.6. ................................. 589
11.4.7.7. (Senior thesis) ............................. 593
11.5. ...................................... 595
11.5.1. ...................................................... 597
11.5.2. ll ll, n .... 599

16

12.

13.

14.

15.

16.
17.

11.5.3. The application process ...................................................... 602

11.5.4. Financial Aid ...................................................................... 604
11.5.5. Student Life ...................................................... ................... 604
1] .6. CONTlNUING EDUCAION ............................................................. 606
SOCIAL WELF ARE AND RETIREMENT PROGRAMS ............ 610
12.1. rn FOR LOW INCOME INDIVrnUALS ............................................ 612
12.1.1. Supplemental Security 1n (SS1) ................................... 612
12.1.2. We(jare ................................................................. ............... 616
12.1.3. FoodStamps ....................................................................... 618
12.1.4. Temporary Assistancej(J1' Needy Families ......................... 618
12.1.5. L! 1n Energy Assistance Program ............... 620
12.2. PENSIONS, REIREMENT FUNDS AND ACCOUNTS .......................... 620
12.2.1. Social Security Benefits ...................................................... 622
12.2.2. 401 (k) and Keogh Retirement Plans ................................... 628
/2.2.3. 1RA and Roth 1RA Retirement Accounts ............................. 636
INSURANCE ....................................................................................... 640
13.1. INSURANCE TYPES, TRRMINOLOCjY, AND BASJC CONCEPTS .......... 640
13.2. U lNSURANCE ........................................................................ 644
13.3. LIFE INSURANCE ........................................................................... 652
13.4. HOMEOWNER'S INSURN .......................................................... 660
13.5. EALrn lNSURANCf ..................................................................... 666
13.6. DENTAL lNSURANCE .................................................................... 678
MEDICAL CARE ............................................................................... 682
14.1. EALTH CARE NNL LEVfL ..................................... 682
14.2. HOSPI ALS AND CLJNICS .............................................................. 684
]4.1. DOCTORS IN PRIVATf PRACTICE ................................................... 690
14.2. EMfRGENCY MEDICAL CARE ........................................................ 690
14.3. DENTlSRY ................................................................................... 692
14.4. CHOOSING DOCTOR AND MAINO AN APPOINTMENT ................ 696
14.5. YING FOR MEDlCAL SERVICES .................................................. 700
14.6. TIONS AND PHARACJES ................................................. 702
SERVICES FOR ELDERLY AND DISABLED .................... 704
15.1. HOUSING FOR l ELDERL ........................................................ 706
15.2. NURSJNG HOMES .......................................................................... 708
CHARlTY ........................................................................................... 716
16.1. CHARIABLE RGNIzNS ...................................................... 718
INFORATION ................................................................................. 722
17.1. DVRISING ............................................................................... 724
17.2. NEWSPAPRRS ................................................................................ 726
17.3. AGAzINEs .................................................................................. 730
17.4. RADIO ........................................................................................... 734
17.5. ................................................................................................ 736
17.6. TELEPHONE ........................................................................ 744

17
11.5.3. ........................................................ 603
11.5.4. ........................................................... 605
11.5.5. ll 'Uh ......................................................... 605
11.6. I:: .................................................... 607
12. ................................................. 611
12.1. ...................................................................................... 613
12.1.1. Supplemental Security Income (SS1) .................................... 613
12.1.2. Weifare ........................................................ ......................... 617
12.1.3. FoodStamps ........................................................................ 619
12.1.4. Temporary Assistancefor Needy Fs .......................... 619
12.1.5. Lo~' 1n Households Energy Assistance Program ........ 62/
12.2. , OI .................................... 621
12.2.1. Social Security Benefits ....................................................... 623
12.2.2. Ull nll ............................................................ 629
12.2.3. u IRA Roth lRA ................................... 637
13. ................................................................................ 641
13.1. , .......... 641
13 .2. .................................................... 645
13.3. .................................................................. 653
] 3.4. ................................................. 661
13.5. ........................................................ 667
13.6. ............................................ 679
14. ......................................................... 683
14.1. .......................... 683
14.2. ................................................................ 685
14.1. ................................................. 691
14.2. ..................................... 691
14.3. ........................................................................... 693
14.4. ........................................ 697
14.5. ................................................... 701
14.6. .................................................................. 703
15. .................................. 705
15.1. .......................................... 707
15.2. ......................................... 709
16. .......................................................... 717
16.1. ......................................... 719
17. ................................................................................. 723
17.1. ....................................................................................... 725
17.2. .......................................................................................... 727
17.3. ..................................................................................... 731
17.4. ........................................................................................... 735
17.5. ............................................................................... 737
17.6. .................................................................... 745

18
17.7. LIBRARlES .................................................................................... 746
17.8. INTERNET .............................................................................. 746
18. SHOPPING ........................................................................................... 754
18.1. RETAIL INDUSTRY ................................................................. 754
18.1.1. Supermarkets ...................................................................... 754
18.1.2. Malls ................................................................................... 756
18.1.3. Department Stores .............................................................. 758
18.1.4. Discount Chains .................................................................. 758
18.1.5. Wholesa/e Clubs ................................................................. 760
/8.1.6. Factory Outlets ................................................................... 760
18.1. 7. Pharmacies ......................................................................... 762
18.1.8. Convenience stores ............................................................. 762
18./.9. Boakstores .................................................................. ......... 762
/8.1.10. / O"der Catalogues ..................................................... 764
/8.1.1/. Consumer Clubs ................................................................ 768
18.1./2. The1nternet ....................................................................... 772
18.1.13. Distribution Networks ...................................................... 772
18.1.14. Second Hand stares .......................................................... 774
/8.1.15. Classlfied Ad., ................................................................... 774
/8.1./6. Flea Markets ..................................................................... 774
18.1.17. Garage Sales ..................................................................... 776
18.2. WHERE AND HOW SHOP .......................................................... 778
/8.2.1. Sales, C/earances.. .............. ......... .................. ....... ............. 780
/8.2.2. Coupons .............................................................................. 784
/8.2.3. Groceries ............................................................................ 786
18.3. REURNING AND EXCHANGIN<J MERCHANDlSE ........................... 788
19. BUYING AND SELLING " ................................................ 792
19.1. PROS AND CONS AMERICAN DREAM ................................ 794
19.2. BASIC TERMINOLOGY AND CONCEPTS .......................................... 796
19.3. WHAT CAN AFFORD'? ............................................................ 802
19.4. F ACTORS CONSIDER WIIEN CHOOSING ....................... 818
19.5. SEARCHING FOR ND VIEWING POTENIAL HOMES ...................... 822
19.6. PURCHASE AND SALE AGREEMENT ............................................... 830
19.7. ApPLYING FOR MORTGAGE LOAN .............................................. 832
19.7./. Traditional Mortgages ........................................................ 832
19.7.2. Government-assisted [n!'.' and ~peCal programs ............. 842
19.7.3. Mortgage r~financing ......................................................... 848
19.8. HOMEOWNERSIIlP ......................................................................... 848
19.9. QU LOAN OR LINE OF CREDlT ..................................... 850
19.10. SELLING REAL ESTATE ............................................................... 854
20. SERVICES .......................................................................................... 856
20.1. US POSTAL SERVICE ..................................................................... 856
20.2. LAUNDRY AND DRY CLEANING .................................................... 868

19
17.7.
17.8.

.................................................................................

747
747
18. .......................................................................................... 755
18.1. ....................................................................... 755
18.1.1. (Supermarkets} .......................................... 755
18.1.2. (Malls) .................................................. 757
18.1.3. ll.~ (Department Stores) ....................................... 759
18.1.4. ll (Discount Chaim) ................ 759
18.1.5. . (Wholesale Clubs) ................... 761
18.1.6. u-1 (Factory Outlets} .... 761
18.1. 7. (Pharmacie~) .......................................................... 763
18.1.8. (Convenience stores) ................................. 763
/8.1.9. ;JlC . (Book"t01es} ...................................... 763
18.1.10. ", (Mail Order Catalogs) .............. 765
18./.11. nlUulI ............................................ 769
18.1.12. (The Internet) .................................................. 773
18.1.13. O!lm (Distribution NtJOks) .................. 773
18.1.14. 1l (Second Hand} ........................ 775
18.1.15. , .;w (Classified} ............................ 775
18.1.16. (Flea Markets} ................................................. 775
18.1.17. '- (Garage Sales} ........................................... 777
18.2. ................................................................... 779
18.2.1. n.ll (Sales, Clearances) ....................................... 781
18.2.2. (Coupons) .............................................................. 785
18.2.3. ............................................................ 787
18.3. ........................................................ 789
19. .................................... 793
19.1. : "" "" ................................ 795
19.2. : ............................................... 797
19.3. ................................................... 803
19.4. , .................................. 819
19.5. ............................. 823
19.6. .............................................................. 831
19.7. ................................................................... 833
19.7.1. ................... ....................................... 833
19.7.2. n\ ............. ............................. 843
19.7.3. ll .............................................. 849
19.8. ........................................................................... 849
19.9. ............................................................... 851
19.10. ....................................................................... 855
J.:: .....................................................................................

20.
IE ....................................................................... 857

20.1. ........................................................................................... 857
20.2. ......................................................... 869

20
20.3. RESTAURANTS .............................................................................. 870
20.4. HAIR R .................................................................................... 874
20.5. RENT ALS ....................................................................................... 876
21. AMERICAN HOLIDAYS AND SPECIAL OCCASIONS ............. 880
21.1. HOLIDA YS ..................................................................................... 882
21.2. WEDDINGS .................................................................................... 894
21.3. FUNRLS ..................................................................................... 900
21.4. BIRTH & BIRTHDAYS .................................................................... 910
22. MISCELLANEOUS ........................................................................... 914
22.1. IF YOU LOST .......................................................................... 914
22.2. PUBLIC RESTROOMS ..................................................................... 916
22.3. GAMBLING AND LOrrERIES .......................................................... 916
22.4. PERSONAL HYGIl::NR ..................................................................... 918
22.5. CARHUL WITH ClLDREN ....................................................... 920
22.6. TIPPING ......................................................................................... 920
23. ABOUT NUMBERS ........................................................................... 924
23.1. NUMERICALS ................................................................................ 924
23.2. TIME ............................................................................................. 928
23.3. MONEY ......................................................................................... 930
23.4. MRASURRMENT SYSTEM ........................................................ 932
23.4.1. Length ................................................................................. 936
23.4.2. Area ..................................................................................... 938
23.4.3. VO/llme ................................................................................ 940
23.4.4. Weight ...................................................... ........................... 940
23.4.5. Temperatllre ........................................................................ 944
23.5. CLOTlNG ND SHOE SIZES .......................................................... 948
23.5. J. n 's clothing .................................................................... 948
23.5.1.1. Suits, overcoats, swcaters .......................................... 950
23.5.1.2. Shirts .......................................................................... 950
23.5.1.3. Pants, Jeans ................................................................ 950
23.5.1.4. Hats ............................................................................ 952
23.5.2. Women 's clothing ............................................................... 952
23.5.2.1. Overcoats, Dresses, Suits ........................................... 956
23.5.2.2. Pants, Jeans ................................................................ 956
23.5.2.3. Lingerie ...................................................................... 958
23.5.2.4. Hats ............................................................................ 958
23.5.3. Children ':;; clothing ............................................................. 958
23.5.4. Shoes ................................................................................... 962
AFTERWORD ........................................................................................... 966
APPENDICES
2001 NAIONAL OCCUPAIONAL EMPLOYMENT
AND W AGE ESIMA TES... .... ... .... .... .... .... ... ....... ..... ... ................ ....... 968
SOURCES .............................................................................................. 989
INDEX .................................................................................................... 994

21
20.3.
20.4.
20.5.

, .....................................

871
875
........................................................................ 877
21. ............. 881
21.1. .................................................................................. 883
21.2. ....................................................................................... 895
21.3. r ................................................................................... 901
21.4. ............................................................................ 911
22. ................................................................... 915
22.1. ............................................................... 915
22.2. I:: ........................................................... 917
22.3. ........................................................ 917
22.4. ......................................................................... 919
22.5. ............................................................... 921
22.6. ......................................................................................... 921
23. ................................................................... 925
23.1. All ...................................................................... 925
23.2. ........................................................................................... 929
23.3. ......................................................................................... 931
23.4. 1:: ................................................................ 933
23.4.1. ........................................................................ 937
23.4.2. ............................................... ..................... 939
23.4.3. ...................................................................... 941
23.4.4. ........................................................................... 941
23.4.5. Te/~mepaypa ...................................................................... 945
23.5. I::P ........................................................ 949
23.5.1. ' ' ............................................... ................ 949
23.5.1.1. , , ....................................... 951
23.5.1.2. ...................................................................... 951
23.5.1.3. , .......................................................... 951
23.5.1.4. ........................................................ 953
23.5.2. ................................................................ 953
23.5.2.1. , , ......................................... 957
23.5.2.2. , .......................................................... 957
23.5.2.3. , ................................................. 959
23.5.2.4. ........................................................ 959
23.5.3. : ................................................................ 959
23.5.4. ................................................................................... 963
..................................................................................... 967
.......................................................................

22

List of Tables and Figurcs

List of Tables and Figures

3-1: Abbreviations in Rental Housing Ads ................................................... 100

4-1 : Abbreviations in Cars for Sale Ads ....................................................... 144
4-2: Most l Car Makes in the USA ............................................. 146
4-3: Frontal Crash Safety Rating ................................................................... 152
4-4: Side Crash Safety Rating ....................................................................... 152
4-5: 2001 Compact Cars Safety Rating ......................................................... 154
4-6: Annua\ Gasoline Expenses .................................................................... 156
4-7: Monthly Payments for Different Loans ................................................. 180
4-8: Total Amount Paid [ Diftcrent Loans ................................................. 180
4-9: State Motor Vchic1e Registration Fees .................................................. 186
Figure 5-1: Personal Check (nk) ....................................................................... 232
Figure 5-2: Personal Chcck (fil1cd out) .................................................................. 236
5-3: Sample Transaetion Register (one-line method) ................................... 236
5-4: Sample Transaetion Register (two-line method) ................................... 238
Figure 5-5: Spelling numerals ................................................................................ 240
Figure 5-6: Deposit Tieket ..................................................................................... 240
Figure 7-1: Unemployment Rate Between 1970 and 2002 .................................... 280
7-2: Abbreviations in the "l Wanted" Ads ............................................. 312
8-1: for Different Groups ofFamilies in Current Dollars ...... 386
8-2: Income for Different Groups ofFamilies in
2001 CPT-U-RS adjusted dollars ............................................................ 388
8-3: Median Ineome for Four-Person Families, State in 2001 ................. 390
8-4: Poverty Thresholds in 2001 ................................................................... 392
8-5: Percent ofPeople Below Poverty Line State: Average 1997-1998 .. 394
9-1: Itemized Family Expenses ..................................................................... 404
10-1: 1999 Filing Rcquirements for Most Taxpayers ................................... 414
10-2: Retums examined IRS .................................................................... 424
10-3: Characteristics ofState Individual Income Taxes ............................... 426
10-4: FICA Rates ................................................................................... 432
10-5: Comparison of State and Local Sales Taxes July 1, 2001 .............. 434
10-6: Summary of Types of Automobile Registration taxes 2001 ............... 438
10-7: Motor Vehiele Sales and Excise Taxes ............................................... 440
Table 10-8: Residential Property Ratcs in the Largest City in Each State 2001 ..... 442
11-1: Characteristies Valued 12th Grade Studcnts .................................. 472
1e 11-2: Distribution ofHigher Education Institutions 2000 Camegic Classification.602
12-1: Retirement Agc Based car of Birth .............................................. 624
12-2: Savings Aecount and 401(k) l Comparison ................................... 632
12-3: Examp1es ofVesting Sehedule ............................................................ 634
13-1: Property Damage Coverage Caused Specifie Perils ....................... 664

23

3-1: ........................... 1 1
. 4-1: ............................. 145
. 4-2: ..................................................... 147
. 4-3: .......................... 153
. 4-4: Il ........................... 153
. 4-5: 2001 ............................... 155
. 4-6: ................................................................ 157
. 4-7: .......... 181
. 4-8: ................................ 181
. 4-9: .......................................................... 187
. 5-1: () ............................................................... 233
. 5-2: () ..................................................... 237
. 5-3: ( ) ................................... 237
. 5-4: ( ) ........................................ 239
. 5-5: II ........................................... 241
. 5-6: ................................................................................ 241
. 7-1: :J 1970-2002 .......................................... 281
:r. 7-2: ....................................... 313
. 8-1: .................. 387
:1. 8-2: 1998 ................ 389
. 8-3: 4- 2001 ............................ 391
. 8-4: 2001 ......................................... 393
. 8-5: , ...................... 395
. 9-1: ................................................ 405
. 10-1: 1l0 .................... 415
. 10-2: , ........... .425
. 10-3: .................................. 427
. 10-4: FICA ........................................................................... 433
. 10-5: 1 2001 ............... 435
. 10-6: 2001 ..................... 439
. 10-7: ........................ 441
. 10-8: yrnr 2001443
. 11-1: , ......................... .4 73
. 11-2:
2000 .......................................................... 603
. 12-1: .......... 625
. 12-2: 401(k) .... 633
. 12-3: Vesting Schedu1e ................................................................ 635
. 13-1: ............... 665

List ofTables and Figures

24

Movie Ratings ...................................................................................... 740

Income and Maximum Loan Amount .................................................. 804

Housing lu Estimates 2001 ............................................................ 806

Median Sale Prices ofExisting Singlc-Family Homes tor

Metropolitan Areas (in thousands of dollars) ....................................... 810
19-4: Abbreviations in thc "Real Estatc for Sale" Ads ................................. 824
19-5: Loan Terms .......................................................................................... 832
19-6: Monthly Payment and Total Amount Paid for 15- & 30-Year Loans. 834
19-7: First-Year Mortgage Calculation ......................................................... 836
19-8: Outstanding l at thc End of'Every Year for 30-Year Loan ... 838
19-9: Biweekly Payments Advantage ........................................................... 840
20-1: Express Mail Rates for Post Office to Addressec Service ................... 858
20-2: Priority Mail Rates for Post Office to Addressee Service ................... 858
20-3: First-Class Mail Rates for Post Office to Addressee Service .............. 860
20-4: Abbreviations Used in Addrcssing ...................................................... 864
20-5: State Abbreviations .............................................................................. 866
21-1: Average Cost ofa U.S. Wedding ................................................. 896
21-2: Funeral Homes Price List in Connecticut ............................................ 904
23-1: Numerals .............................................................................................. 926
23-2: uman Height in English and Mctric systems .................................... 938
23-3: Pounds and Kilograms Equivalencies ................................................. 942
23-4: Temperaturc Equivalencics ........................................................ 944
23-5: Celsius and Farcnheit Temperature Equivalencies .............................. 944
23-6: 's Clothing Sizes ........................................................................... 948
23-7: Men's Suit and Overcoats Sizes .......................................................... 950
23-8: Men's Shirt Sizes ................................................................................. 950
23-9: Mcn's Pant Sizes .................................................................................. 952
23-1 : ' s Hat Sizes ................................................................................. 952
23-11: Petite Clothing Sizes .......................................................................... 954
23-12: Misses Clothing Sizes ........................................................................ 954
23-13: Women's Clothing Sizes ................................................................... 956
23-14: Women's Suit and Dress Sizes .......................................................... 956
23-15: Bra Sizes ............................................................................................ 958
23-16: Swimsuit Sizes ................................................................................... 958
23-17: Children's Clothing Sizes ( to 2 years) .......................................... 960
23-18: Girls' Clothing Sizes from to Years ................................... 960
23-19: Boys' Clothing Sizes f Four to Years .................................. 960
23-20: Teen-agers' Clothing Sizes ................................................................ 962
23-21: 's Shoc Sizes ............................................................................... 962
23-22: Women's Shoe Sizes ......................................................................... 962
23-23: Children's Shoe Sizes ........................................................................ 964

17-1:
19-1:
19-2:
19-3:

.
.
n.
.'.

17-1:
19-1:
19-2:
19-3:

25

................................... 741
.......................................... 805
2001 .............................................. 807

( . .) ............................................................... 811
19-4: . .................. 825
JI. 19-5: ccy;~ ........................................................ 833
. 19-6: .. 835
. 19-7: ........................... 837
. 19-8: 30 JIeT .......................... 839
. 19-9: m .... 841
. 20-1: 3 ... 859
. 20-2: .... 859
. 20-3: ........................................ 861
. 20-4: , ............................................. 865
. 20-5: 3 .................... 867
. 21-1: ......................................... 897
. 21-2: ............ 905
. 23-1: .................................................................. 927
. 23-2: .................... 939
. 23-3: ........................................ 943
. 23-4: ................. 945
. 23-5: ....................... 945
. 23-6: ................................................ 949
. 23-7: .................................................. 951
. 23-8: ................................................ 951
. 23-9: ..................................................... 953
. 23-1 : .............................. 953
. 23-11: (Petite size) ........................... 955
. 23-12: (Misses size) ......................... 955
. 23-13: (Women's size) ..................... 957
. 23-14: .......................... 957
. 23-15: ................................................... 959
. 23-16: ...................................................... 959
. 23-17: ( 2- ) .......................................... 961
. 23-18: 1 10 ........ 961
. 23-19: 4 1 ............ 961
. 23-20: ......................... 963
. 23-21: .................................................. 963
. 23-22: 3 .................................................. 963
. 23-23: ................................................... 965
.

26

Introduction

1. Introduction

1.1. Who will benefit from this book and how to

use it
First and foremost, this book is intended for those who are either scriously considcring moving to the Unitcd States or havc already lived in this
country for some time. he book does not itself with the legal issues
related to immigration because there is plenty of information available this
topic already. Howcver, when it comes to adapting to everyday lifc in new
country, immigrants are sti1l1eft to their own devices.
he contents of this book reflcct almost 1l aspects of lifc that ncw
Amcrican resident has to [. arc described systematically person
who has experienced stagc of adapting to new culture and who is aware
both of his own difficulties and of those experienced other immigrants in
similar situations.
second group that will find this book especially useful includes
people who to this country business for cxtended pcriods of time and
are therefore faced with aspects of everyday life in America.
third group includes the ever-growing numbers of foreign studcnts
who pursue their cducation in American colleges and universitics. more
thorough understanding of thc culture that surrounds thcm wi11 undoubtedly
reducc the negative effects of"culturc shock" and wil1 allow the students to use
thcir time in the US more productivcly. The chapter devoted to education,
being the most extcnsivc, describcs the US cducation system, collcge admission process, and specifics of lifc campus.
People who do not speak Russian but belong to of the three
groups mentioned above wi11 also find this book to of l. As far as 1

27

1.

1.1.

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28

Introduction

know, books in English that discuss this subject are few and far betwcen, and
of them cover the issues of intcrest to new American residents in
detail.
The format ofthis book reflects its purpose. his bilingual cdition
used both pcople who have knowlcdge of English and those who are
fluent in it.
Oldcr readers, who often experience the most difficulty with learning
new language, read this book in their nativc language and disregard the
English version. The Russian tcxt givcs the English translations of the most
important words, names, and expressions, though thc fuH-tt English
translation an found the opposite page. the necessary abbreviations
are located in the appropriate chapters. The book is formatted so that the readers do not have to stop to look unfamiliar words.
Those readers who have some background in English use the Russian text as reference, which will aIlow them to save time bccause they will
not need to use the dictionary to look unfamiliar words and expressions.
Because detailed table of contents is provided, easily find part of
the book that need at an given timc. For cxamplc, before visit to the
doctor, skim the sections health care, and before meeting with
real-estate agent--thc chapter buying home.
Thc readers who are fluent in English rcad just the English version,
learning the necessary information and practicing their reading skilts at thc
same time. lf they encounter unfamiliar word, they easily find its
ing in the Russian version ofthe text, which wil1 make using bilingual dictionary unnecessary. The book also used less proficient readers to
practice English.
In the Russian version ofthe book, 1 deliberately did not translate certain
words from English. Instead, the Russian transcription of the word is used.
This is done to familiarize readers with certain concepts that thcy will hear and
use only in English. Another reason for this is the fact that in somc cases it is
impossible to find Russian word that directly corresponds to the English .
example is campus.
Americans use period instead of m to indicate decimal points,
whereas comma is used to indicate thousands. numbcrs in the book are
written this way.
Although the book is intended as reference, 1 occasionaIly use the first
person, and sections contain examples from family's experience and
that of other immigrants we in contact with. In those cases, the text is
italicizcd. Prices of goods and services arc given for iltustrative purposes only
and differ significantly in your region.

29

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30

Introduction

1.2. Why 1 wrote this book

idea for this book first to 10ng before arrival in the us.
When family rcalized that immigration was possibility, wc started avidly
reading everything we could find about America. surprise, 1 discovered
that there was almost useful information about everyday life in thc United
States and the proccss of acculturation immigrants must go through.
1 could find books that dcscribed number of things in general tcrms,
but they did not answer specific questions. Where do 1 go and what wil1
happens if ... ?
[ remembcr the only article, published in Soviet magazine "Scicnce
and Technology," that gavc the kind ofinformation [was looking for. Its author
talked about his first visit to the supermarket shortly after his arrival in the
Unitcd States. described in detail evcrything he saw and did from the
moment through thc door until the moment left. then described
meeting electrical engineer from the Soviet Union who had in the
United States for about ten years. In relatively short articlc, the author
painted detailcd picture ofthis man's living conditions, income, work history
over the period ofhis immigration, etc. At the timc ofhis conversation with the
author, Boris (1 think that was his ) was in charge of the Research and
Development department of cngineering firm. Our family got more out of
that article than out of everything we had read to that point, and we fclt
fident that we, too, could successfully adjust to life in new eountry.
It was then that [ decided, in the US, to gather the possible
cretc information about the issues every neweomer is bound to encountcr and
to write this book.
When we were already living in America, 1 careful1y seanned the bookstorc
eatalogs published in Russian-language newspaper "Novoye Russkoye Slovo,"
hoping to find book like this . No such luck. In recent years, the "For Dummies" book series has gaining popularity in America. of these books
provides clear and detailed introduction to topic such as using computers, cooking, starting business, losing weight, or dating. Some of these books havc
translated into languages, but neither they nor othcr books provide an
practical hclp for the problems faeed immigrants. Therc are some good books
translatcd ftom English that covcr certain narrow topics, such as "How to Find
Job in America" D. Fridcnberg, but will not fmd anything that guides you
through the challenges of everyday life in new eountry.

31

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(!()r Dummies),

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33

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32

Introduction

This is complete1y understandable. It would occur to Amcrican

author to exp1ain how to use coffee machine, , parking metcr.
Everyone leams these things as chi1d. , these aspects of life present
difficu1ties [ immigrants from developing countries. Qnly wc, having
grown in the 1and of "developed socialism" and often acquired than
advanced degrec, find ourselvcs in awkward situations an times day, when we
don 't know what to do and can't ask an because wc don 't speak English.
Thus, the first two to [ years 01' our lifc in America spent under constant
stress that accumulates and robs us of our already waning energy.
EventuaHy, wc find ways to solve simp1est everyday problems: we know
what to and where, how to ask for directions read , and where we
work 1'or cash. Those who easier time with English rapidly moving
becausc they now way of acquiring new information, which in tum fr
ther advances their language skiJ1s, which 1eads to bctter jobs and opportunities. Others, exhausted their initial phase 01' adjustmcnt to new , pcrk
and start passing their wisdom down to newcomes. However, they either explain
evcrything in general terms, omitting those small dctails that posed the most ro
lems because of their shecr , or go to the other extremc and overwhelrn new
immigrants with 1 thorough explanations that hard to understand and will
forgotten the t1me they relevant.
It is vicious circle. The new generation 01' newcomers faces the samc
bumps in the road to the Amcrican dream. For some, this results in nervous
breakdown depression, [or others--in tota1 disillusionmcnt in "the most
italist society of equal opportunity" and yearning for their old life in "the
most socialist socicty of equal lack of opportunity," which, although neither
prospcrous securc, was neverthclcss comforting in its predictability.
What could k this path to new lifc casier for immigrants is book to
tum to [ support and guidance whcn the need arises. book whose author has
experienccd and or less successfully dealt with the probJcms he is writing
about and who has leamed both from his own mistakcs and those of othes.
It so happencd that during ur first few years in the United Statcs, we
expcrienced enough "life" to last us 15-20 years: wcdding and few
funera1s, surgcry and sevcral illnesses, high school and col1egc graduations
and graduate studies, looking [ first job and working in one's ficld,
apartment search and purchasing m, and other events.
This book is attempt to use the knowlcdgc and experiencc ur family
has acquired during ur life in America to make the samc path easier [ others. It could not written earlier because of 1ack of cxperience, and it
would difficult to write it later because as l adjust to ncw cu1ture,
their pcrceptions of it 1ess acutc and their prioritics begin to shift.
Only after 1 had startcd writing did 1 understand why book like this had

34

Introduction

not yet written despite the United States' rnore than two-hundred-year
history of iigti. thing is, book like this could only wri1ten
first-generation imigrt. Children of imigrts who have grown
hcre cannot do it because, like those m in Arnerica, they don 't know what to
write about. However, first-generation imigt could not have gathered
the nccessary inforrnation using old technology. Only the arrival of uts
and the Intemct has rnade this possible. Also, two other uniquc circurnstances
helped to not only ttt this project but to cornplete it.
First, the idea for this book to long before our arrival in the US,
and frorn the beginning, 1 tried to analyze experiences and lm
frorn rnistakes.
Second, our daughter 01ga, having to this country without an
knowlcdge of English, not only graduated at the top ot'her high school class at
the age of 17 but started teaching English at the university level six years aftcr
her arrival. Her knowledge ofthe language made possible the publication ot'
bilingual version ofthis book, which significantly incTeases the book's potential readership and enhances its effectiveness.

1.3. Is it easy being immigrant (emigrant)?

"Emigrate--to leave your own country in order to live in another."
"Immigrate [Lat. immigr', to go into]--to enter another country in
order to live."
Longman Dictionary of i English
l

of generation, m and raised under the Soviet regime,

knew little about the bls of ernigration. We were told that mernbers of
thc Russian intelligentsia who lcft thc country after the Rcvolution suffered
frorn nostalgia, not having to find niche in their ncw lifc. Wc did
! know if this was true and could not cven imagine that we would
opportunity to to our own conclusions based experiencc.
In opinion, igts always leave ti country ! of necessity.
l because they longer live the way they living and
that in t country life wil1 bctter for them or, at least, their il
drcn. No leaves good life voluntarily.
igti is a)most always unexpected. It is not ! peoplc prepare for over period of years, even if years pass between the
decision to lcave and t actual departure. Those years are spent taking care of
endless formalities and waiting, not preparing for new lif'e. rnore obstacles are overcorne and the more energy spent, the )css ready people [! for

35

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34

Introduction

not yet written despite the United States' than two-hundred-year

history of immigration. The thing is, book like this could only written
first-generation immigrant. Children of immigrants who have grown
here cannot do it because, like those m in America, they don't know what to
write about. Howcver, first-generation immigrant could not gathcred
the necessary information using old technology. 1 the ivl of computcrs
and the lnternet has made this possible. AIso, two other unique circumstances
helped to not only attempt this project but to comp1ete it.
First, the idea [ this book to 10ng before our arrival in the US,
and from the beginning, 1 tried to analyze cxperiences and 1m
from mistakes.
Second, our daughter Olga, having to this country without
knowledge of English, not only graduated at the top of her high school class at
the age of 17 but started teaching English at the university lcvel six years
her arriva1. Her knowledge of the language made possible the publication of
bilingual version of this book, which significantly increases thc book's potential readership and enhances its effectiveness.

1.3. Is it easy being immigrant (emigrant)?

"Emigrate--to leave your own country in order to live in anothcr."
"Immigrate [Lat. immig, to go into ]--to entcr another country in
order to live."
Longman Dictionary of American English

pcople of gencration, rn and raised under the Soviet regime,

knew little about the problems of emigration. We were told that members of
the Russian intelligentsia who l the country after the Revolution suffercd
from nostalgia, ! having able to find niche in their new life. Wc did
not know if' this was true and could not imagine that we would
opportunity to to our own conclusions based expcrience.
ln opinion, emigrants always leave their country out of necessity.
l because they longer live the way they living and
hope that in another country life will better for them or, at least, tl1eir children. No leaves good life voluntarily.
Emigration is almost a1ways unexpeeted. It is not event l
for over period of years, if years pass bet\\-'ecn the
decision to leave and the aetual departure. Those years spent taking !'
endlcss formalities and waiting, not preparing [ new . obstacles are overcome and the cnergy spent, the lcss ready people [! for

Introduction

36

adjusting to new culture and the greater the shock. Thus, the overwhelming
majority of people who settle in new country know very little about that
country, are unprepared for what awaits them, and are often exhausted fm the
very process of emigration. This is even true of those who leave regions
that torn war. Thcy start building their new lives not even at zero, but at
negative mark.
Despite the fact that immigrants who to the US differ in
aspects, including country of origin, age, education, occupation, marital status,
etc., faced with the so-called "culture shock," which is characterized
several distinct periods of adjustment to new culture. They :
Excitement and euphoria
Culture shock itself, when

bccomes aware of cultural differences

Culture stress, when some adjustment

ers continue

blms

solved whilc oth-

Assimilation adaptation
The duration and acuity of these periods m vary widely, but the vast
majority of immigrants undoubtedly expericncc thcm.
The first weeks after arrival fiHed with the joyous feeling that the
struggle and waiting have finally culminated in success and that cvcrything
frightcning and unpleasant is firmly in thc past. Almost newcomers have
"sponsors" who help with the necessary formalities, finding housing, and
obtaining financial assistance. Being busy with the details of settling in and
suddcn absence of the difficulties that wcrc occupying immigrants' minds for
long time before they lcft their native country create an illusion of problem[ existcncc. The accessibility of things that were unavailable back home,
such as stores filled with merchandisc, cars, and adequate housing, help immigrants look to the future with confidence and hope.

1 remember letter 1 received.from relalives, who at fhaf point had

n living in fhe United States.for more fhan year, whee they ,'rot that in
America, there are problems ~vith.food, clofhing, or housing. Having spenf
our lives crammed into tiny apartments and used 10 slanding in lines {
.food and everything else, }ve '1' perp/exed and kept asking each other, What
otha rom.'> there ?
At first, very few immigrants think about how native Americans livc
their lives (1 m talking about Americans rn in the Unitcd States rather
than just people of American Indian dcscent who fd to as "Native

37

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38

lntroduction

Americans" in the United States). seen as creaturcs from another

planct who speak their own language. someone who does not understand
that language, everything that suuds him looks like movie scene
that has nothing to do with l life. The easy-to-use supermarkets and large
inexpensive departmcnt stores, where contact with thc staff is necessary,
make this feeling of unreality stronger. Only your feHow countrymcn and
othcr immigrants who ivd at the same time and going through the same
formalities, as weH as the few Americans who directly involvcd in thc
resettlement proccss and whom know , seen as "real" pcople.
cuphoria cxperienccd newcomers is reinforccd the fact
that pcople who ivd in the country with nothing and havc not yet worked
single day access to good food, decent clothes, and living conditions that
often superior to those in which they spent most oftheir lives.
fident that when find job, your standard of living will increase in ro
tion to your salary. In other words, if those who do not work havc something,
those who do must havc .
Graduall, immigrants find their way back to reality. first signs of
how diffcrent this rcality is [ what they used to do not seem significant
and overlooked. For example, whcn goes to thc store to sour
, she spends good hour trying to find it and leavcs with nothing bccause
she does not know what it is called in English and cannot ask. Somc time latcr,
when first impressions lose their freshness and the most pressing problcms
resolved, the picture becomcs clearer. This usuaHy coincides with the bcginning of the job search.
immigrants, those who were considered highly qualified
professionals in their nativc countrics, shocked to find that their employmcnt opportunities either nonexistent limited due to thci lack of
English proficicncy and American work expcience. If, top of everything,
the unemployment ate at thc momcnt is high, several unsuccessful
attempts to find job, immigrants lose hopc. They to frightening realization that thcir previous knowledge and experiencc now virtu uscless. Evcrything wc done automatically for long time now
rcquires enormous effort. is reminded of the ccntipede that forgot how to
walk and is paralyzed having to think which leg goes wherc. Some pcople
who find unskillcd jobs start thinking, after working [ some timc, that this is
they capablc of and suffer because it is definitcly not what they
expected.
These thoughts and emotions result in depression, which drains
l !' remaining cnergy and prevents them from acting to improvc the situation. Somc experiencc abrupt mood changes and irritability, some suffer
[ high blood pressure and headachcs, and some tum to alcohol. igs

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40

lntroduction

brcak under thc strain this trying ti p1aces both spouses. Suicides
among immigrants are not unheard 01' either. Under these conditions,
ing onese11' to other imigts who have in the country longer and are
doing better not only does not inspire, but causes distress bccause the situations being d are not equal.
Gradually, things change. Nws adapt to the new environment, restoring the invisible ties to the outside wor1d that werc broken when thcy left h.
The child.ren grow and assimi1ate into the loca1 culture rc1atively easily; the parents' lanf,ruage skills irnprove somcwhat and they find better jobs; thc 1'il's
i increases, which lcads to better living conditions, etc. he centipede starts
walking again, still tentatively but without having to think about evcry step.
Final1y, the child.ren finished thcir education. The grandchildren who
cventually are Aman citizens birth and not as result of passing test. The
i dream has materialized in the fonn of house with green lawn and two
or more cars in the garage. hc American neighbors who wave whcn they drive
are longer seen as extras fr fili movie but as [! pcople with their wn
good and bad qualities, joys and problems. Problems other than tood, clothing, and
housing, that, as it tums out, do exist in America.
Succcssf'u! adjustmcnt to new life depends ditTerent 1'actors,
but two of them are espccially important: expectations and being to new
s.

Every iigt, whether he or shc is consciously aware of it or not,

arrives in the US with certain ig of America that has created over
the course of thc person's life synthesizing ifrti reeeived 1' ncwspapcrs, programs, vis, books, ctc. 1 tell fro experiencc that in
most cascs, this image has notlling to do with reality. Becatlsc the United Statcs
is the richest and the most powerf'u! country in the world,
sciously be1icve that peoplc there work less and are paid uh more than citizcns of other country. [ reality, this is not the case. Amcricans spend long
hours at their jobs and work very ld. Whereas in France tl1e law' mandates
35-hour work week and weeks of vacation ti evcry year, in the United
Statcs the avcrage work wcck lasts 46 hours, and the average worker gets
more than two or tl1fee wceks of ! vacation time.
l1'peop1e to tl1e US cxpecting an robls and are psychologically
ready to v tll, if they have way back becausc they Icft not in search
of the easy but due to the fact that they could longer remain i11 thcir nati\'c
countrics, then it is very possible that they will v difticultics succcss[ll and in sllOrt pcriod of ti. reason for this is that at t11c giig of
thcir life in America, these l ri pleasant surprises tl unpleasant oncs a11d achieve 10t dig t11e initial period 01' euphoria and itmt,
beforc tlle ful1 Icity oft11c situti i5 clear to tllel11. Pcople W}lO do t hav'e

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42

unrea1istic expectations, who work hard and are grateful for everything they have
develop their ful1 potential and achieve cverything they are capablc of:
Those who 100king for the easy and caretrce they have secn in
beautiful American movics expcrience bitter disillusionment, and their period
of euphoria ends before it had to begin.
The perfcct county, one whose population is not dividcd into the rich
and the poor, the well-fed and the hungry, the happy and the unhappy, does not
exist anywherc in the world. Citizens of cvery county, if' it is poor and
ravaged war, think that their 110mcland has something good to offer, something that cannot found in the richest and most prosperous country in
the world. Bcsides, cveyday life is composed ofmany seemingly insignificant
details that are so ingrained in view !' thc world that we do not notice thcm
and take them for granted as something perfcctly natural. We do not notiec
these things until wc longcr havc them.
Pcople in dt countries have different ways of greeting cach other
and behaving in publie places, dress differently, and have difTcrent attitudes
towards children, tecnagers, and the eldcrly, as well as those of' the opposite
sex. They watch dt movies, like ditTcrent sports, ctc. This list go
and because wc are ta1king about f'accts that comprise society's culture. These cultura1 differences, in cases, have their roots in distant or
recent past, are integral part !" given society, and sometimes
thinks about why things are donc certain way.
After cntering another ty as permanent residents, wc are pcrplexed to
find out that things we arc used to are done diffcrently here. This new way of
life does not have to bctter or worse than our old , but precise1y beeause it is
diffcrent, it makes us [! out !' place for some time, until wc get used to it and
stop noticing it. The time ot' this period !' adaptation varies considerably
depcnding 's readincss to openly accept the mores and customs ot' different
culturc. After all, thc written and unwritten rules of conduct and 1rdditions are nothing more than conventions that are supposed to k our life easier, not to comp1icate it. They us of' the need to think about what to do moment of our
lives like the centipede that forgot how to walk. The quicker will leam and
accept the local ways, the shorter and casier your adjustmcnt period will .

1.4. Attitudes toward immigrants in the United States

Evcyone

knows that Amcrica is country of imigrants, but few

ple think about wlt that mcans in practical terms before they here. First,
some statistics. Over 181 years, from 1820 to 2001, roughly 7 million immigrants from contincnt ivd in the United States. Of these, 8.3 million

43

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44

Introduction

during the last tcn years, which makes for rate of about 830,000 immigrants year (DHS).
This means not only that the US is very ethnically diverse nation but
also that it has well-functioning system in place to help integrate newcomers
into society. Without this system, the government would not to handle
the constant stream of people who need not only the basics like shclter, food,
and clothes but also hclp with psychological, cultural, and linguistic adjustment.
This system has levels, from the United States Senate that creates
laws to regulate immigration, to the Iigti and Naturalization Service
that handles the formalitics at ll stages of' the immigration process, culminating in naturalization, to the many charitable and volunteer organizations that
directly assist imrnigrants with practical probIems such as tinding housing, language courscs, and applying for financial assistance.
Unlike professionals in certain fields who receivc temporary work visas
in the US and havc to retum home once the visas cxpire, the vast majority of
immigrants from impoverished or unstabIe regions of' thc world and are
granted permanent resident status rcgardless of their occupation, age, or education. It is understandabIe that people who escapcd from their native countries
for whatevcr reason oftcn with nothing and havc to start at zero.
i society, while providing iigts with shelter and fmancial
assistance at first, is not obIigcd to support indefinitely pcople who to
work. This country does irnigrants favor allowing them to and live
hcre, and it has right to cxpect that they will do everything in thcir power to
m self'-sufficient as soon as possible, so that they do not have to rely
the government [ assistance. lt is enough that elderly iigts, who have
never worked in this country and contributed nothing to its prospcrity, are entitled to financial assistance, free health , and subsidizcd housing [ the rest
of' their 1ives.
It is hard to tind city town in thc United States where there
immigrants. In places with large immigrant communities which retain somc
negative aspects of life in thcir native countries, the newcomers' relationship
with thc native population, local govemmcnt, and police complicated
misundcrstandings. Those who have assimilated into the mainstream culturc and live among Amcricans usually do not feel negativc attitudes
directcd toward thcm. Americans respect people who are hardworking, honest,
and independent. Despite the fact that the United States has not expericl1ccd
war, famine, al1d other hardships [ long time, is were
involvcd to greatcr or lesser degree in the events occurring elsewherc in the
world, and they [l compassion toward people who have expcrienced those
things firsthand.

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46

Introduction

Adoption of childrcn from othcr countries is widely practiced among

Americans. Quite oftcn, special need children who wcre rcjected their own
parents, find new family in the US.
The cvents of Scptember 11, 2001 have undoubtcdly affccted the country's immigration policy, rcsulting in significantly fewer refugees bcing
accepted during the month following the tragcdy. Howevcr, they have had little
effcct thc attitude toward immigrants as whole.
Thc majority of Americans undcrstand, that the valucs which Amcri socicty is based compromised if newly ivd rcsidcnts are not
acccpted as equal. In opinion, the message often heard in the month
aftcr the Septembcr attacks says it best: "ln America therc is cithcr room for
everyone or it's not America."

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48

Leaming English

2. Learning English

purpose of this book is ! to teach English. Its task is to provide with useful inforrnation about American culture in native language, helping [rce till1e and energy [ studying "this impossible
English." However, becausc I in situation similar to yours, find
expcriences with leaming the language useful.

2.1. Where we started

First, 1'11 tell where 1started. In school, I studied German 5th 10 7th
grade and English froll1 8th to 10th grade. So, thc ti 1 graduated, I
already forgotten German and not yet leamed English. Two years of' studying
English in college as engineering major consisted of' completing thc notorious
"thousands" (to pass lanbuage coursc, student had to translate technical text
that was several tllOusand sls long). In the 20 years since college graduation, 1 had made couplc ofunsuccessful at1empts to force myself'to learn English
in order to to read technicallitcrature. Howcver, 1 had found that, to put it
ildl, foreign languages were not fortc.
At forty years of age, having never abroad, not 10 of' the stillsocialist countries, 1 sharcd m misconception that two or threc years of'thc
so-called "language imrsi" would al10w an average person to rn f1uent
in thc language without eftort his or part. , the new unigrt
could read in the original the ll1asterpieces of the world literature that had
inaccessible to Soviet readers before. Imaginc surprise when in the early in
ties 1 rcad an intcrview in ncwspaper with owner of Russian bookstorc in
New York City. spoke ncw custOll1cr who had arrived in the US after f'orty,
and considered her his client forcvcr.
At the end of 1991, before cmigration, 1 had the opportuni1Y to visit
relativcs in the US. In preparation [or the trip, I bought English-Russian/

49

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50

Learning English

Russian-English phrasebook with the Amcrican tlag the . 1 read it

though several times and, confident that 1 would to understand at least
something and manage the neccssary questions answcrs, 1 was way.
Because during thc day was at work and 1 did not lv
drivcr's license, 1 spcnt time walking aound the central part 01' the small
town and f1ipping though 5 6 channels . And that was when 1 rcalized
that 1 reach the point !' reading mastcpicces in the oiginal.
For the tlrst two wccks, what 1 heard sounded likc 10ng word
that had nothing in common with the language in which we told our teachcrs
! the Trafalgar Square and the Westminstcr . only sign that this
was, indccd, English wcrc the captions that sometimes slid acoss the screen.
Howcvcr, because wcll-known daytimc talk show hosts pretty good diction, the end of the third week, if 1 concentratcd, 1 began to catch certain words that seemed familiar because thcy were f'requently rcpeated. But
while 1 was trying to translate them into Russian in head, 1 missed the fol10wing 1 or 20 words, and 1 had to 10cus again. Evcntually, 1 would simply
watch, paying attention to spcech.
It was even worsc in the litt1e shops where 1 wandered occasionally,
ing first memorized phrase [ book. salcspcrson ran toward
because usual1y there were other customcrs at this time of day. For some
reason, hc she al",'ays said something that was not in thc phrasebook, and
prcpared reply tumed ! to uscless.
In the evcning, when rclativcs back [ work, and weckcnds, 1
go to visit 10cal sights and large departmcnt stoes where bothers
and almost [l like [ person. But this freedom to an end as
soon as we entered more or less cxpensive stoe whcrc salesperson offcred
to help and asked ",' we intended to : check or credit card. hey also
asked ifwe had an account in this stoc, and if'not, whether wc wanted to fill out
application. Wc quickly said that we would in cash and lef1:.
Although now 1 understand what the sa1cspeople asked us, back then 1
relied completely relatives, who at that point had living in the US
[ two years. 1 describing this in so much detail bccause it seems to
that 1 was not alone in feeling the way 1 did and that l wi11 recognize themsclves when thcy read this. Aftcr staying [ littlc over month,
having tried turkey the tlrst Thanksgiving of lifc and not l1aving
advanced in kno\vledge of English iota, 1 rctumed l10 without
any l10 that 1 would l1ere permanently
Fate, 110wevcr, had decided otl1erwise. Exactly later, we wcrc
granted tl1e status 01' refugecs, [ more montl1s were spent obtaining tl1e
necessary documents, and when almost evcrything was ready, with only two
months lctl until dcparture, we realizcd that we had not found any time to

51

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52

Leaming English

study the languagc. Wc comforted oursclves with the thought that if hundreds
!' thousands of compatriots who had l thc country bcfore us somehow
managed to survivc, we would survive as wel1. most important thing was
to leave. However, 1 clearly remembered the uneasc feeling that pcople
younger than I still cxperienecd in the most mundae of situations af'ter several
years ofliving in .
1 traeked down English teacher 1 knew and asked hcr to rccommend
experienced teaeher [or family of three ( wife, daughter, and 1)
who could give us private lcssons using somc special method dcsigncd to help
the fcar of opening one's mouth and saying something wrong.
She found such tcacher and wamcd that lcssons would very expcnsivc.
And it was indecd so. We eould only afford 50 hours. During thcse hours,
we had not written singlc word, but instead walkcd around thc room in circle
and thrcw ll to other while repeating words or s rhymes aloud, listened to tapes, ete. An in-depth study of' the laguage was ruled out bccause
three of us started practically with nothing. wife had studicd German both in
sehool and in collcge, and teenage daughter had studied French. 1 cannot say
anything about rcsults, but that was hc had when we to America.

2.2. First steps

We in America at 1ast. We arrived 30, 1993. Thc first two to
threc weeks wcre spent taking care of 11 thc neccssary formalities, getting
leamer's driving pcrmit, and searching [ apartment and car (details
later). wife and 1 registered for English courscs ! adult cducation
ter, and daughter started attending summer school for children of' immigrants. this was done with the help of the Refugee Resettlement Services
and relatives, who wcre sponsoring us.
Beeause thc US is country that accepts imrni!,Jants year,
English courses [or people who spcak other languages (Eng/ish as Second Language) are availablc everywhere in the United Statcs. Thc courscs ofJ:ered
ffee of charge, and teachers voluntcers. UsuaHy, such courses offercd
through the adult education system, which is similar to the Soviet night schools.
he students rcprescnt diffcrent nationalitics. In our group, there were
Russians, Bulgarians, Poles, Vietnamese, Cambodians, Somalis, A(ghans, etc.
Class sessions usually 1asted two hours and ine1uded working with pictures and
fill-in-the-blank exercises. From time to timc we were divided into groups and
asked to tind out information about othcr or to describc something together.
Certainly, thesc courses he1p somewhat, but their effcctivencss leaves
much to desired. As imaginc, teaching 1anguage to people who do

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54

Learn ing English

not speak it and who differ dramaticaHy in age and level of cducation is not
casy task. age of students varied from 19 to 75, and their education - from
elementary to advanced university dcgrees.
For while group had teacher who had lived in France for several
years when she was young. Although she did not know French when she
left, she had managed to complete degrce program at Sorbonne. This woman
gave two pieccs of advice tor which 1 very grateful. First, always read
newspapers. Sccond, use English-only dictionary instead of bilingual
as often as possible.
Trying to read newspapers is uscful if do not understand
thing at first. This is because almost newspapers have the same format.
are divided into thematic sections labeled , , , and so . At the bottom of the first page wi1l find bricf tabIe of contents that 1ists a1l the scctions. do not have to ncwspaper evcry day. Sunday edition,
which is thc thickest, willlast wcek.
At first, simply look through the sections, getting used to
their format and layout. Despite thc fact that thc vocabulary used in newspapers is very extensive and complex, lot of words of Greek or Latin origin are
used in languages and theretore similar spelling in a1l ofthem,
though they are pronouneed ditIercntly. Besidcs, geographical names arc also
fairly easy to recognize. Ifyou add figures and photos to this, it turns out that it
is possibIe to take in lot of information without knowing the language.
gradual1y moving from photo captions and headings to the tcxt, wil1
incrcase your vocabulary and satisty somewhat the intormation deficit that is
incyitabIe in new language environment.
start using all-English dictionary instead of bilingual
built some vocabulary. Such dictionary usually explains
dit1icult words in simpler language and gives examples of their use in diffcrent
contcxts. Therefore, with some effort, not only understand what
necd without bilingual dictionary but also remember it better.
We attcnded our English class for about two months, until the middle 01'
August. At that point, I asked caseworker from the Refugee Rescttlement Service to help find work that was available. Without cmployment, the future
looked very uneertain, especially because in 1993, the United States was
just starting to recover from recession and getting job was not very casy.
more detailcd description of what an American job search process is likc
will givcn in the appropriate chapter, but tor now, thc only thing need to
know is that 1 ended working the second shift (ftom 3 untilll :30 ) thc
conveyor linc 01' loeal food-proeessing plant where to 80% of the work foree
at an givcn time was made of immigrants ftom differcnt countries, including
few Russians. Two ofthem were foremen, whieh meant that I did not to use

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56

Leaming English

English to communicate the job. 1 worked there 1 exaet!y two months

and leamed 1 few words related to the industry. 1 had to quit English c!ass
beeause it did not tlt into work schedu1e.

2.3. I understand something

In early Septcmber, the Refugee Resett!ement Serviee offered s that
taught the basics of starting and operating small business to its clients, with
interpreters available. Classes were he1d week Saturdays. were
[ Russians, so wc were assigned young who had 1iving in the
United States for fairly long time and was student at loea! university.
Because 1 had experience running wn business and knew what topics
were !ikely to covered, and the same 1ew words - business plan, profit, taxes,
purchase, sale, ctc. were mentioned and , after severa1 c1ass sessions 1
realized that I understood what was being said even before it was interpreted for us.
It was a!so very helpfu! that instructors spoke !1, in short sentences, and
paused to allow time for interpretation. his experience showed that instead of

trying to study language itself. it is very uset'ul to study something else in

that language. The !anguage is then acquired serendipitously.

wcek, 1 bought newspaper and eareful1y scanned the scction ofthe c1assitleds. day 1 across advertisement for sevcra1 electro-mechanical assembler positions. person with technical education that
sounded uh attractive than making chicken cut!ets.
Again ! asked easeworkcr to help . She callcd the company's
sonne1 manager, arrangcd interview, and even accompanied there
bccause 1 not ! would not able to exp!ain myse!f less
clearly but a1so had idea how to conduet myse!f. This is how 1 ended up as
the first immigrant and the only employee who did not speak Eng!ish at the
01' about 400 pcople. The ! person who knew !itt!e Russian was
01' the other workers - descendant of postrevo!utionary iigrti
wave. sometimes he!ped in especial1y difficult cases.
1 was hired as second-shift temporary l. 1 must mention here
that in the US companies have people always work thc same shift,
whether it is cvcning night. assigned to another shift, employees must
wait until space beeomcs available. diffcrence between temporary and
nt emp!oyccs will exp!aincd 1ater in the chapter employment.
During initial training, 11 new employees wcrc told that sa1ety regu1ations require to wear speeia! footwcar with metal inserts in thc toe
. We were to1d that sueh footwcar is available as boots, wa!king shoes,
sneakers, and so , and that the will reimburse us for to 40 dol-

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58

Lcaming English

lars spent this footwear aftcr we submit receipt. We wcre permitted to

wear regular shoes for week. Beeause this was said at normal speed,
without aHowances for laek of English profieicney and because 1 was
too ssd to ask for elarifieation, 1 understood l that we needed to
u footwear of typc, ineluding sneakers. 1 heard nothing about the metal
inserts and marveled at the company's generosity.
Because the special footwear our required looks exactly the
same as rcgular shoes and is available in styles, 1 did not suspect
that coworkers wore it. 1 wcnt and bought nice pair of' boots and submitted the receipt to accounting for reimbursement, all the while stiIl wearing
sneakers. eouple of days, whcn mentor asked why I was not
wearing stee/ [ hoots, 1 caught the word "steel," asked for details, and
realized mistake. ThankfuHy, 1 had not yet wom the boots 1 had bought. I
managed to retum them without the reeeipt and to u what was required. This
is how 1 leamed the most irnportant lesson - it is better to ask someone to
repeat themselves ten times than to leave something unclear. After this ineident, I leamed several ways to ask sorneone to repeat what was just said and
never stopped until 1 understood exactly what the rnatter was, if I had to
told the same thing 4 5 times, and sometirnes .
The work itself was ! cornplex but gave rn idea of the level of
teehnology and labor productivity in the US. Ten-year-old equiprnent with
nurnerieal eontrol systern worked in autornatic mode 24 hours day, seven
days week, without problems. The team next to ours assernbled in
reeord time cornplieated eabinets [ the big data stoagc systems. We
worked individually, assembling small deviees, whieh was not espeeially
dueive to aetive interaetion. Therefore, 1 decided to [ rnyself to ask of
eoworkers question ! least day.
During short breaks that we were allowed after two hours of' work, we
went to lounge where there was always ffesh newspaper available. 1 took this
opportunity to look through photos and headings. , an artiele about Russia
caught attention. 1 lookcd at it with interest, trying to understand what it was
about, but I was limited to understanding just two words: President and E/Isin. Suddenly, 1 heard someone ask: "/') he ( llndastand ,thig!" in fairly loud
voice behind back. surprisc, 1 understood the eonstruetion is (,
which 1 studied in sehool 10ng time ago. I did not let that 1 understood the rn
t, but I promised myself that 1 would undcrstand everything else soon.
However, 1 still had 10ng way to go, so for now, 1 earried poeket glish-RussianJ
Russian-English dietionary in toolbox and pointed finger to the needed word
if someonc could not understand rn pronunciation, which led pretty often.

59

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Lcaming English

2.4. Life gets easier

1 had at new job for about 6 months when 1saw announcement
the buHctin board that the needed electronics technician for
equipment repair. This was something 1 could l dream of in situation.
1 talked to our personnel manager and found out who was responsible for
filling the position, but 1 also leamed that more than thirty pcople had applied for
it. Nevertheless, 1 submitted resume and also asked to arrange meeting with
this person whom 1 had never met before. Somc time later, whilc 1 was working,
1 was called into his for conversation. Having explained the best 1 could
that 1 did this sort of work after graduating coHege, 1 expressed belief
that 1 could manage it despite lack of'English. he next day, arranged for
to meet with his leading tcchnician, who had working at the
for 18 years. 1 think the technician barely understood what little 1 tried to tell him
about previous experienee. Wc said good-bye and everything went as
beforc. 1 was still considered tcmporary employcc.
month and half had passed, and, having lost , 1 started sending resumc to other eompanies hoping to find job as technician.
day, foreman puHcd asidc and told that 1 would transferred to thc
day-shifl repair team for month and that if 1 performcd adequately, I would
hired as tcchnician permanent basis, with the responsibilities and
benefits thc position entailed. It was so unexpectcd that for long time, 1 could
not bclieve good fortune.
maintcnance and repair team consisted of four l, three !'
whom worked the day shift. 1 was paired with thc in charge !' servicing
the clectrical and ltis systems of the cquipment, and 1 shadowed
for some time.
1 must note here that English technical voeabulary is extensive than the eolloquial . 1 had noticed early that when pcople werc
faced with accent for the first time, they couldn't always understand , so
1 tri~d to speak in short phrases, imitating what 1 heard f those around .
Besides, 1 had always written out and leamed words related to certain topic in
advance, before 1 had to use them. Fortunately, 1 had thought to bring with
f Russia the necessary specialized dictionaries. At first, 1 always had
brief bilingual teehnieal dictionary and sheet of with pencil ready. 1
used everything to makc myself understood: pantomime, gestures, pictures, thc
dictionary, ete.
After 1 had in new position for about weck, we needcd lathe
to tum detail. This had an eleetric drivc for moving support,
but it had k down, and the machine was now used in manual mode.

61

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Leaming English

clectric drive had not repaircd becausc 1l the manuals that with the
machine had lost. Witl1 mentor's permission, 1 dragged it to workstation and drew the schcmatic couple of days, working it whenever I
had [ moment. Aftcr that, it was not difficult to find faulty microchip and
to replace it. Thc drive to life, and thc ncxt day 1 was told that ro
tion period was and 1 had the job.
Intercstingly, the situation 1 found myself in was almost exactly 1ike thc
described in the articlc about Boris that 1 mentioned carlier. When he tried
to get his first job in America, he was givcn broken piece of equipment with
instruction manuals and told tl1at l1 would hired it' he could repair it.
succeeded. This makes convinced 111at the book u hold in
l1ands is both necessary and useful.
So, tl1ree wecks aftcr the beginning of probation period and exactly
arrival in the country, 1 retumed to working tl1e cvening shift as
permanent staft' member. 1 cl10se tl1e evening shift purpose in order to have
some freedom during daylight hours for sclf-cducation and job searching, as 1
still110ped to find enginecring position sooner later.
new position required to communicatc with people , both in
person and the pl1one. For long time, calls made shudder and
tense inside. We say witl10ut doubt that everyone w110 is not fluent in the
languagc feels that way. Phone conversations espccially difficult because !'
the possiblc ways to communicate with tl1 person, the nl u use is
your voicc, which drasticaHy reduces hs of not only being unders100d
but most importantly, of understanding intcrlocutor.
At first, while translating word into nativc language in
hcad, u miss the next two, whicl1 is problem in facc-to-t'ace
communication. During telephone conversations, ur difficulties
pounded thc [! that u do not know in advance what u will talking
about and not ready to concentrate tl1e necessary topic quickly.
intcrlocutor at tl1e other end usually has idea about the difficulties
experiencing and quickly plurts out the standard convcrsation starters, which
makcs u treeze u completcly. It is not surprising tl1at immigrants,
cven those who havc living in the country [ several years and
municate in everyday situations less freely, cxpcrience difticulties
while talking tl1e phone.
In such cascs, 1 would always politely interrupt interlocutor, warn
him or her that 1 did not speak English well, and ask the person to speak
slower. During conversation, 1 would use dit'ferent ways !' asking to repeat
what was said.
Another problem is dcaling with answcring machines. In the majority !'
US businesses and organizations, incoming 110 calls routed to auto-

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64

mated telephonc network where recorded voice otIers several choices.

to respond pressing this or that key your . Sometimes
to go through this process several times before the i[n
tion need or to speak with real person.
At most banks and credit companies, obtain your complete
account i[nti at time without ever talking to actual person, which
is convenient. Such automated telephone systems difficult to use at
tirst, but thcir advantage is that hang at moment and start l1
over again if' madc mistake did not udstd something, especially
because the majority of such caHs are made to toll-free numbers.
little trickier are situations when person need is not there and
asked to leave message. advice to : hang , write message piece of paper first and read it aloud slowly several times.
contident that will not stumble over word, back and l
the message for addressec.

2.5. Still long way to go

working as technician [ only about three weeks when 1
leamed that 1 had interview at the where 1 had sent resume
year bcfore, shortly after arrival. his small developed, uf
tured, d sold electronic instrumentation, although I did not know about it
besides the [act that the work was related to developing electronic equipment.
l preparation [ the interview, in order to supplement rcsume, 1
brief1y described page everything 1 had done in the past that was rclated
to research and development: kinds ot' projects, initial data, deadlines, and
results, as wel1 as role in the projects.
This interview and its results are described in more detail in the chaptcr
employment. Two days after the interview, 1 received job offer in writing
and, fceling bit awkward, went to give notice to boss. surprise,
1 told him what I would doing, congratulatcd and wisl1ed
the best. 1 stayed at old job [or thc customary two wceks, whose end coincided with the lndependence Day wcekend. Right the holiday, 1 reported
to new position.
1 was hired as Associate Enginee, which is thc lowest ll in the
enginccring hierarchy and is diffcrent from tcchnician position (as cngineers
educated in the Soviet Union understand it) only in . As in the majority !'
Amcrican companies, thc employces' workspaces were dividcd low partitions, forming the so-called cuhicles -- individual ofIices that creatcd some
iIlusion of p,iva(),. I cubiclc, thcre was desk stockcd \vit11 supplies
1 had

Leaming English

64

mated telephone network where recorded voice offers severa1 choices.

You have to respond pressing this or that key your . Sometimes
you have to go through this process several times before hear the information you need or are to speak with real person.
At most anks and credit companies, obtain your comp1ete
account information at any time without ever talking to an actual person, which
is very convenient. Such automated telephone systems are difficult to use at
fst, but their advantage is that you can hang up at any moment and start
over again if you made mistake or did not understand something, especial1y
because the majority ofsuch cal1s are made to toll-frec numbers.
little trickier are situations when person you need is not there and
are asked to leave message. advice to you: hang up, write your message piece of paper first and rcad it aloud slowly several times. Once
are confident that will not stumbIe over every word, back and leave
the message for your addressee.

2.5. Still

long way to go

1 had been working as technician for only about three weeks when 1
leamed that 1 had an interview at the company where 1 had sent resume
year before, shortly after arrival. This smal1 company developed, manufactured, and sold electronic instrumcntation, although 1 did not know much about it
besides the fact that the work was related to developing electronic equipment.
In preparation for the interview, in order to supplcment resume, 1
briefly described one page everything 1 had done in the past that was related
to research and development: kinds of projects, initial data, deadlines, and
results, as weH as role in the projects.
This interview and its results are described in more detail in the chapter
employment. Two days after the interview, 1 received job offer in writing
and, feeling bit awkward, went to give notice to boss. surprise,
after 1 told what 1 would doing, congratulated and wished
the best. 1 stayed at old job for the customary two weeks, whosc end coincided with the Independence Day weekend. Right after the holiday, 1 reported
to new position.
1 was hircd as an Associate Engineer, which is the lowest level in the
engineering hierarchy and is different from technician position (as cngineers
educated in thc Soviet Union understand it) only in . As in the majority of
American companies, the employees' workspaces were divided low partitions, forming thc so-d cubicles -- individual officcs that crcated somc
i1Iusion ofprivacy. ln cubiclc, there was desk stocked with office supplies

65

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66

Leaming English

and chair. As 1 was told, pcrsonal computer was already rdercd , so

meanwhilc 1 gradually started to case myself into ncw rol.
It so happcned that 1 spent the last two years before emigration running
business rather than dcveloping new products. When 1 added to this the 1
spent in not working in field, 1 realized that whcn 1 started
new job, 1 was three years behind even whcn compared to Russian ltl
enginecrs. If 1 took into account the fact that at thc time, in Russia the
information about ncw technologies was lagging several years behind, the
amount of catching ] had to do 100ked ovcrwhelming.
Sevcral days latcr 1 was given tirst product development project and
started doing some preliminary research, as wel1 as leaming what l
leagues werc doing and how the compay's existing products worked.
As ] had expccted, ] communicated with the help of drawings, intctjections, the dictionary, and so . 1 have to say that 1 was very lucky bccause both
immediate supervisor and colleagues were patient l who did not
seem to mind long pauses and mistakcs.
At that timc, 1 viewed the shortcomings 01' office cuhicles as big advantagcs. Each cmployec had his her own phone, but because the spacc
thc partitions was , 1 had plenty of opportunitics to hear colleagues'
conversations with cach other, suppliers, clients, and so . This not l
helped practice listening and skills but also allowed to hear
technical tcrms being pronounced correctly and used in the right contcxt.
stat participation in technical mcetings and discussing work with eol1eagucs
gradually improved understanding of the English used in ficld,
although they did not do much to help mastcr thc evcryday aspeets of thc
laguage. But, as before, 1 tricd to ask 01' coworkers non-work-rclatcd
qucstion at least day.
praetical language skil1s developed mostly bccause our cveryday
needs gradually complcx. At that time we bcgan 100king [
house to and ur daughter started collegc. Thc necd to eommunicate with
l estate agents and bak credit specialists, as well as al1 the information broehurcs, eontracts, etc. that aceompanicd the process of buying home made it
neecssary to lm ncw words and concepts. vcry understandable intcrest in
thc higher cdueation system also eontributed to this proeess.
Whcn 1 startcd ncw job, e-mail was first becoming widespread. Thc
first mcssages J received took 10ng timc to translatc, and wccks had
passed before 1 got the courage to send of own.
Eight months aftcr 1 startcd, of the engineers left the and his
position was advertised in the newspaper. Bccausc that point 1 had aImost finished developing first product ad started participating in other projects, 1
askcd to considered 10r the position and was offercd it some time later.

67

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Leaming English

An important feature of the product devclopmcnt process in the U S that

is differcnt from what 1 was used to is always trying to match or excced the
quality of similar products offered competitors while reducing costs.
Achieving that requires hours spent 5earching [ parts and components
that satisfy thc quality and cost requiremcnts, which means looking through
piles of specialized catalogue5. While searching for patcnt information in the
beginning of 1996, 1 bcgan actively using the Intemet, which was then only
starting to gain wide popularity. Using search engincs, which to sift
through incredible amount of information in short period of time and to
find what is necessary for given project, has made more productive
researcher and al10wed to devote most of timc to reading and understanding what 1 read. Several months of such work did for tcchnical
English than the previous two years.
lt 50 happened that during this time the found itself in difficult situation, with product flaws resulting in big warranty expenses and sharp
reduction in demand. The was losing and in short period of
timc laid off employees. majority of' new projects were frozen, and
the remaining employees were thinking of leaving. Gradua11y, we found
the weaknesses in products and made the necessary changes.
Ha\ling made some changes, the an tried to revitalize of the
projects, for which 1 was the leading hardware developer. [ the acting
project manager, as well as the manager of our whole research and development department, because this was our only project at that point, and pretty
labor-intensive ! that. Here, I felt the effects ofmy limited language proficiency to the fullest extent because solving technical problems was thing,
but supervising other people, reporting to administration, comn1Unicating with
other departments and so required whole new set of" skills. Nevertheless,
habit of constantly putting myself in situations where there is nowhere to
go except forward helped here, too. Six months later, we put new product
samples the market, and in year they had completely replaced old models.
position, which forced to communicate with 11 kinds of people
in different contexts, noticeably improved English. of the signs
that it was so, although this seem strange, were other pcople's smiles
when 1 said somcthing itl, which never happened before bccause
ple had to concentrate so in order to understand . However, the biggest benefit of" new position wa5 that 1 longer tried to avoid thc spotlight,
embarrassed the way [ spoke. 1 eventually relinquished the purely administrative part of dutie5 in order to devote most of time to what gives
greater satisfaction - engineering, but the way 1 felt about myself and position in the have changed significantly. 1 frecly communicate with
people at alllcvels.

69

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70

Learning English

shame, 1 to say that in these years, I stil1 not found

the time for structured language studies. 1 have not takcn courses and
not opened textbook, although the habit of using bilingual dictionary
as little as possible when reading and learning new information has
useful to . 1 problems with everyday interactions, understand virtu 100% of the movies, television shows, or news broadcasts that 1 watch,
read newspapers with difficulty, and read technical literature faster
than 1 did in Russian. Nevertheless, I experience diffieulties when discussing topics that are new to in which 1 not interestcd before.
So how about reading the classics in the ginl? hat goal is still far off, but,
having rcad sevcral books Stcphcn King in his native l'l.Jag, 1 take cornfort
in the fact that ris need dictionary to read Shakcspcare.

2.6. Psychological difficulties

Having observed people of differcnt ages and educational backgrounds, 1 noticed that often, those who are educated and
also struggle more when trying to master the language. This is because they
embarrassed to speak in short sentences using simple words, which is inevitable at the initial stages of Icarning. Therefore, these pcoplc end not
ing enough practice and do not improvc, which leads to greater
discomfort. It is vicious circle.
If we attempt to mental1y reconstruct the proccss of lcarning our native
language, we will realize that it happened gradually long period of time.
We started making isolated sounds, then moved to syllables, then words
and short phrases. Often, we u not pronounce halfthe sounds in thc alphabet
properly, but because lguag needs at that timc were simple and everyone
around us expressed delight at new word we said, we had incentive to
keep trying. the coursc of lives, we trained u speech apparatus to
the sounds that make u our nativc language and to them in specific ways. We developed wn way of speaking years of practice.
Now, as adults and somctimcs in middle age later, we find ourselvcs
in situation wherc we to go through thc same process again, except
nobody is delighted with inept attempts at making sounds that either do not
exist in our native languagc at or associated with "uneducated" speech.
It is quite natural that at first, we try to say the words of another language using
only the sounds of native , resembling that tiny child we were who
could not pronounce half ofthe alphabet.

71

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72

Learning English

It is clear that in order to achieve more or less acceptable level in new

language, wc must spend as much time and effort as we spcnt mastcring our
native tongue, which is litcrally years, and most importantly, to havc the same
amount of' practice. The carlier start doing that, the better, and it does not
matter how "bad" your first attcmpts are. It is very dangerous to put off practicing the language in real-life situations until understand or spcak
bettcr. Believe , mattcr how long wait, will start at the same level.
he only diffcrencc will that will have lost time. Learning language
comparcd to Icaming to swim: matter how much practice dry land,
will not swim your first time in the water.
prepared to answer qucstions about when to the country, how
long havc herc, and whether like it for the rest of' your lifc. '
arrivcd recently, it is forgivable if do not understand question or answcr in
bad English, but ifyou have livcd in tl1e country for years, it is different
story. When we attcnded English classes right after our arrival, rather young
woman m Poland who then had living in thc US for about eight years
joincd group, which was l step above the absolute beginner lcvel.
Although we were very surpriscd this, it is widesprcad phenomcnon. l thc
US in 1990, there werc about 1.7 million people over the age of 18 who did not
spcak English at , and additional 4 million did not speak it well.
This happens most often with older l and womcn who stay
with small children, cspecially ifthey are surroundcd pcople from the same
country who use only their native languagc with cach other. When the children
old cnough to start school, thcir mothers find themselves in difficult situation: they do not speak the language, lot oftime has 10st, and thcy havc
acquired certain habits and patterns of bchavior that difficult to changc. At
the same time, the family with older children needs additional income, which
compels mothers to settlc {' unskilled work, giving the hopes of
stig the languagc.
l 1990, about 6 million US rcsidents lived in so-called isolated l
guage cnvironments. Ethnically homogeneous communities havc existcd sincc
the beginning of igti and are way for l who the
s country to support each other. Over time, s of' th havc grown and
developcd to the extcnt of ig almost self-sufficicnt, with their own
stores, schools, doctors' offices, radio and stations, and so . It is possibIc
to live wholc ' in the US speaking nativc language and not knowing word of English. new immigrants scc this as bIessing, scttle in
such muitis, and gradually their hostages \\'ithout noticing.
The advantages of living among fello\\' immigrants at price.
avoiding probIcms in the beginning, peoplc fail to make good use of' the time
when they most to learning \\' things, thBs rcducing \/ -

73

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74

Leaming English

pletely 10sing their chances of adapting to new culture. top of that, large
immigrant communities almost always foster thc samc negative aspects of life
in the old country that contributed to people's decision to emigrate. Very
oftcn, the more enterprising types profit from the plight of their less established
fcllow immigrants, compcnsating thcir labor wcll below its market cost. This
gives rise to arcas where the pcrcentage of the population living below poverty
level is highcr than thc average throughout the country.
Undoubtedly, the process 01' adapting to lifc in new country is difficult, and thosc who choose to do that have to preparcd [ anything. an
l who to thc US achicve grcat success precisely bccausc they anticipate having to v difliculties, are grateful for the very opportunity to
herc, and do not expect society to give th anything did not . In
bestseller titled The Millionaire Ne.xt Door that was publishcd for the first time
in 1996, the authors present data showing that percentage 01' millionaires
among descendants !' several cthnic groups with fairly rccent imigrti history is higher than among pcople ofEnglish descent (who were ssud to
the wealthiest), with descendants of Russian immigrants heading thc highest
pcrcentage 01' mi1lionaire households (Stanley & Danko, 1996, .18-19).

2.7. Children and language

Children who iigt as prcschoolers or during their first few years of
clemcntary school do not problems mastering the language, if
thcir parents do not speak English. I it from ri peers or fro
older brothers and sisters who are already in school. Thcy likcly to
problems with thcir native language and uitig with thcir parents if the latter do not k sufficient progress in English.
Thosc who arrive after lt school expcriencc some difficulties in
the beginning and faH or two bchind their peers, having spcnt that
time mostly leaming thc language. depends to significant extcnt the
child's individual abilitics, his or her willingness to k effort, and thc
atmosphere at school and at home. Because at the beginning, parents dealing with problems of their own, they are not always to rccognize
thcir childrcn's problcms in time. De1icicncies in language skills ncgatively affect leaming in thc other disciplincs, and such student will need
10ng time to catch to his or peers. Only thc most children, who
master the language faster than othcrs, perform to thcir [ potcntial
dill during their first few years in the ncw country.
Teenagers who arrive during their high school years 1ind themselvcs in the
most difficult situation of , especially if tl1e foreign language they studicd at

75

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(The Millionaire Next Door),

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(Stanley & Danko, 1996, . 18-19).

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76

Leaming English

was not English. At that age, relationships with peers are very important,
and in American high schools, ncw kids are not exactly wclcomed.
word blll(~'ing means intlicting physical or mcntal arm in order to humiliate and
intimidate the victim, what is referrcd to as hazing in the military or ccrtain studcnt organizations. his is not rare in American schools, as wel1 as
in schools of othcr countries. Thc l difference is that children of immigrants victims more often than others. somcone with supcrior command of the language will most likely ncver 10sc trace 01' focign
accent ifhe or she immigrated after thc age offifteen, which leads to nevcr -ending questions about where he or she is from. If student speaks vcry littlc
English at 1l, or she ignored classmates or
object ofteasing and cucljokes. This make hate school.
the other hand, academically strong students with goals and aspirations concentrate their studies, ignoring evcrything that is not directly
rclated to them. There are examples of yotmg pcople who arrivcd in
Ameica during high school, graduatcd at thc top of thcir class, and went to
the most prestigious univesities and colleges. In this case, they
tunity to make new friends because in college, evcryone is new and in the same
situation, or, as they say here, " gamc field is leveled".
In case, teenagcrs need 10t of attention and support bccause for
thcm, adapting to new culture is less difficult than it is for adults, and
more 50 ifwe take into account the chal1cnges oftheir agc.

2.8. Textbooks and dictionaries

etIectiveness of studying language largely dcpends not only

practicc, but also how matcrial is pesented--it should explained
ll, reinforce the skills lcamed carlier, and from simple to more
l conccpts. Thcre is huge number oftextbooks and self-instruction manuals tor studying English, but the problcm is that 01' them are written in
such way that they used only with thc guidancc ot' 5killed instructor.
We brought with us plenty of textbooks, having corrcctly assumed that
books in the US are expcnsive and also, hoping that textbooks with explanations in Russian, as opposed to those written only in English, wi1l make studying the language easicr. Thc problem tumed out to that l1 the textbooks wc
brought were 80 boring and ineffectivc tor leaming thc kind of language
needed in reallifc that we stopped using them almost right away.
In the beginning, thing 1 found vCl)' useful was the so-called V~'Ual Dictionaries - books with detailcd drawings of diffcrcnt objects ad placcs groupcd topic,
regula

77

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Dictionaries

Visua!

78

Lcaming English

with captions in Eng1ish. Their advantage is that find all thc words need in
givcn situation without having to search for each one sdtel in the regular dictionary.
Such dk.1ionaries can have diffcrent levels of sophistication - ftom thc simplest ones,
devoted to the most ldan topics, to the big, beautiful cncyclopedic editions.
For example, often find the Concise Encyclopedia in the refer sections 01' bookstores. Another good visual dictionary is thc
Ultimatc Visual Dictionary
1995 DK PUBLISHING, Inc.
95 Madison Avenue
Ncw York, NY 10016
http://www.dk.com

$39.95

Therc are also similar bilingual dictionaries for beginners that describe
actions as well as objects. For l:
"The Picture Dictionary ofthe English languagc"
Word Word. English/Russian
Steven J. Molinsky, ill Bliss, Gennadi G. Gorbatov
1996 PRENlCE HALL REGENTS
ISBN 0-13-125857-5
dictionary published NTC, called thc Dictionary 0/ Everyday
American English Expressions lists variations of expressions uscd in diffcrent situations and groups thcm topic, unlike most phrasebooks that only
supply way to say somcthing that is 1'or somc reason almost never uscd in
real life. In this dictionary, find 37 ways to explain why are late,
14 ways to Ict someonc know that did not understand him or hcr, and
other things.

Dictionary ofEvcryday American English Expressions

Prcsented According to Topic and Situation
Richard . Spears, . D., Stevcn R. Kleinder, ..,
Bctty J. Bimer, Ph. .
1994 NTC/Contcmporary Publishing
ISBN 0-8442-5779-6

$12.95

As f'a! as grammar tcxtbooks, of the bcst, if' not the best, is

bridge University Press edition in two books, the flfst of which is actually
textbook with exerciscs, and thc second - an answer key:

Jl

79

. ,

-
. ,

J,l .
: l

Concise Encyclopedia -

Ultimate Visual Dictionary

1995 PUBLISHING,
95 Madison Avenue,
New York, NY 10016
http://www.dk.com

$39.95
l

, l . :
" ~~"

Word Word. EnglishlRussian

Steven J. Molinsky, Bi11 Bliss, Gennadi G. Gorbatov
1996 PRENICE HALL REGENTS
ISBN 0-13-125857-5

Eng/ish

NTC,

Expressions

Dictionary

.!' Everyday

American

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Dictionary of Everyday American English Expressions

Presented dig to Topic and Situation
Richard . Spears, Ph.D., Steven R. 1einder,
.., Betty 1. Bimer, Ph.D.
1994 NTC/Contemporary Publishing
ISBN 0-8442-5779-6

$12.95

, ,
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Lcarning English

80

1. GRAMMAR IN USE
Reference and Practice for Intcrmediate Students of English.
Raymond Murphy, Roann Altman, William . Rutherford
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSITY PRESS
ISBN 0-521-34843-9
2. GRAMMAR IN USE
Answer
Raymond Murphy, Roann Altman, William
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSIY PRESS
ISBN 0-521-35701-2

Rutherford

This textbook has 124 lessons, of which takes up two opposing

pages and is devotcd to one grammar topic, such as \-'crb tense, using prepositions, and so . material is presented in well-thought-out order with
explanations of rules, neccssary examples, and exercises for independent practice. These books cost about 30 dollars, but it probably wil1 moncy well
spent. As far as 1 know, this textbook has been publishcd in Russia as well, but
it was combined into single book.
Besides textbooks and dictionaries, there are personal computer software programs that aim to make studying foreign languages easier. In any sotlware store you will tind language programs with various levcls of
difticulty. u will see titles such as Learn { Speak Spanish, Learn ( Speak
French, and so torth. These are programs for English speakers studying thcse
languages, but thcre is program called Learn to Speak English for those
studying English as second language. It allows to not only listen to correct pronunciation of' words and dialogues and to do grammar exercises, but
also to record and listcn to your own pronunciation. computer then m
pares your pronunciation to sample recorded native speaker and
"grades" how closely u imitate it. Thc program is made The
Learning .
1 have never used the widely advertised pocket electronic dictionaries,
just as 1 have quickly stopped carrying regular pocket format dictionary with
. There is new electronic device that looks like and works allowing the user to scan word in text and giving its translation. 1 longer
needed it the time it first appeared the market; however, having tried it
for short time, 1 think that in the beginning, it could usctUl to those who
oftcn work with printed texts.

81

1. GRAMMAR IN USE
Reference and practice for intermediate students of English.
Raymond u, Roann Altmal1, \'\'illiam . Rutherford
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSIY PRESS
ISBN 0-521-34843-9
2. GRAMMAR IN USE
AnswerKey
Raymond u, Roanl1 Altman, William
CAMBRIDGE UNIVERSIY PRESS
ISBN 0-521-35701-2

(

124

Rutherford

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Learn 10 Speak English

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Lcarning English

82

2.9. Acronyms and abbreviations

Abbreviation (from Late Latin abbreviare -- to shorten) - shortencd
form !' word or phrase uscd chicfly in writing, such as USMC for
United States Marinc Corps.
Amcrican Heritagc CoHcge Dictionary
As someonc who grew in communist where cumbersome
acronyms and abbreviations werc m, I have never thought about what
people in othcr countries did when they nccded to shortcn word and how
common it was.
In the US, abbreviations are used so widely and frequently that often,
thc samc abbrcviation correspond to several differcnt concepts which
sometimes have nothing to do with other and other times are related.
tcll what abbreviation stands for based the context, and this is not
always easy. For example:
FHA - Farmers Adm;n;strat;on ( organization that subsidizes the construction ofhomcs for 10w-income families in rural
areas; it now has diffcrent )
FHA - Forced Hot Air ( hcating system which uses hot air forced
fans through air pipes to heat m)
Not long ago, could sec this abbreviation in both its meanings whilc
looking through two- or-three line advertisements ofhomcs for sale.
Here is another l of abbrcviation that havc multiple
ings, and I did not list thc possibilities:
CD -

compact d;sk ( laser disk)

certificate 0/ deposit ( type of bank account)
ca.'ih discount (price rcduction given to those paying cash),
chie/ 0/ div;.'tion
Civil De/ense

find the most widely used abbreviations in the appendices USt1 placed at thc end of English-Russian dictionaries, but that is l small
part !' possible abbreviations. It is best to go to bookstore and look for
special dictionary of abbreviations in the dictionary section.
An incxpensive soft-covcr edition from the 21st try Reference series
called 21-81 nt Dictionary ojA ron.') and bbre~Jiation8 costs $5.99. 1f

2.9.

83

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compact disk ( ),
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ca.'ih discount ( ),
chief 0/ division ( ),
C;v;1 De/ense ( )
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"21 st century Rejerence"

21 st Centu1JJ Dictionary 01 Acronyms and Abbre'l-'iations

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84

Learning English

can 't fmd anything, you can ask salespcrson to order it for ask him her
where else m find it. Dictionaries of abbreviations can general or specialized, devoted to particular branch of kno\vledge. It is absolutely necessary to
have such dictionary ifyou want to read technicalliterature.
In Amcrica, popular way to abbreviate is substituting numbcrs lettcrs for words that sound the same.
For cxample:

4 Sale
2 You
E-Z
X-mas

means
means
means
means

For sale

Ea~y

Christmas

As { as 1 , the Soviet standards required the writer to explain

each abbreviation when using it for the first time if the number of abbreviations is small to list them in special supplemental seetion if their
exceeds four or five. [ American technical literature, including journal articles, tens and hundreds of abbrcviations used, but than not, you
wi11 not find explanations because abbreviations and acronyms
standard and most professionals leam them as students, but evcn Americans
frequently experience difiiculties. [ this book, 1 will try to explain the most
common abbreviations in the chapters where they are used. In the English text
tables of' abbreviations contain empty column where readers whose native
language is not Russian enter meanings of abbreviations in their native language.

85

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2
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X-mas

For sale

Easy
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86

Rental Housing and Utilities

3. Rental Housing and Utilities

Having roof over one's head is necessary condition of nl life.

housing problems expericnced an generations of citizens of the
former Soviet Union have so strongly ingrained in consciousness that
we could hardly believe that immigrants who to this country with nothing have an opportunity to live in decent conditions. 1 an say without doubt
that when 1 visited relatives in America before move, housing was what
struck most of , although 1 had seen only what was local standards the
most ordinary state-subsidized apartments for low-income families.
Seeing family ofthree who arrived two years before living in an apartment with two bedrooms, family of five--in apartment with f bedrooms, and family of ten -in apartment with six bedrooms convinced
that in this country, thcre is nced to spend the night under bridge or in
cardboard , which was something we repeatedly saw v before thc perestroika.

3.1. Rental housing market in the United States

housing market in the US is huge and is in state of constant flux. It
offers everything, from apartments in neighborhoods where not every would dare to live to magnificent mansions worth incredible amounts of
. As an market, it operates according to the law of supply and demand.
6-7% vacancy rate for rented units is considered healthy. When demand
exceeds supply, prices go , and the contrary, decrease in demand causes
prices to fal1. During periods when the is doing well and 10t of
ple an afford better housing, rents inevitably increase, leading to fewer housing choices for people with fixed low incomes.

87

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88

Rental Housing and Utilities

In the US, it is considered the r when housing expenses equal 30% of

thc household income. There are special govemment programs that aim to relieve
the den of housing costs low-income families. The most widespread are
Public Housing and Section 8 (an amendment to the United States Housing Act of
1937 and frequent1y referred to in the Russian-speaking community as "the eighth
program." We will consider both these programs in more detail.
In 1937 the Unitcd States Congress passed the United States Housing
Act according to which, portion of the federal budget was allocated to specially created organizations called Public Housing Authorities that were
trolled local governments. These organizations built and maintained
apartment complexes made up ofunits that were rented to low-income tenants
at fraction of the market price. the mid-1970s, thcre were about million such units throughout the country. Now this number is approximately 1.3
million and includes one-family homes and apartment buildings of various
sizes, as well as apartment complexes for the elderly. About 3,300 Housing
Authorities manage these units through grants from the U.S. Department of
Housing and Urban Development (UO). UD establishes eligibility criteria
that detennine who an placed waiting list for subsidized housing.
hese criteria vary depending the housing situation in given area. he
basic criteria are:
Annual income more than 80% of the median income for given
county or metropolitan area (50% of families in given area have
incomes above and another 50%--incomes below the median
income).
Age 65 or older or disability.
U.S. citizenship or eligible immigration status.
For eligibility criteria in your area, contact your local Housing Authority.
You also fd useful infonnation the Intemet.
In 1974 the Congress passed an amendment to the act of 1937 that is
now known as Section 8. According to this amendment, instead of building
low-income housing, local govemmcnts could allocate money to for private-sector housing rented low-income tenants. program m popular very quickly, and 1980, the number of participating units was equal to
the number of government-housing units. At present, it covers about 3 million
units and costs approximately 15 lli dollars year.
here are two kinds of Section 8 subsidies: tenant-based and projectbased. The tenant-based program provides vouchers that give tenants the freedom to use their subsidies to for wide range of private-market housing
options, and if the family changes residence within the area covered given

89

30%

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Section 8 ( !! 8, , 1937
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.
1937
Housing Act (

United States

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90

Rental Housing and Utilitics

Housing Authority, the grant is transfd to the new unit. Under the projectbased option, certain properties are subsidized, and when family moves
out of subsidized apartment, the next family the waiting list moves in.
he rent for govemment and Section 8 housing is charged sliding
scale, so that tenants spend more than 30% of their income, regardless of its
size. Thus, as family's income increases, its rent payent goes as well
because the portion paid the govemment through Section 8 decreases. At
certain income level, living in such housing simply becomes impractical, and
l move to private apartments where rents are determined the market.
American way of describing houses and apartments an differ from
what are used to. Apartments are seldom described the number of
rooms; in most cases, they are characterized the number of bedrooms: twobedroom, three-bedroom, f-drm, and so . If apartment is said to
have six rooms, this number includes kitchen and bathrooms. two-bedroom apartment is understood to have kitchen, living room, bathroom,
and two bedrooms. bedroom with its own bathroom is called master bedroom. he living room is almost always entered directly from the outside or
shared hallway, if it is an apartment building; there is usually separate vestibule. kitchen is frequently connected to the living room or is adjacent to it.
here are two kinds of apartments that are smaller and cheaper than even
one-bedroom units. An e:fficiency is single room that serves as kitchen,
living room, and bedroom, with separate bathroom. studio has
bined kitchen - living room and small bedroom or alcove that is somewhat
separate from the living quarters, as well as bathroom.
here are separate names for toilets and bathrooms. ll of them are
rfd to as bathrooms. full bathroom includes bathtub with shower,
toilet, and sink; 3/4 bathroom has shower stall, toilet, and sink; and
1/2 bathroom is simply room with toilet and sink. he same house or
apartment an have several bathrooms of different types.
Kitchen shelves, cabinets, and cupboards are built in regardless of
whether it is house or an apartment, so do not have to anything
except dinner table and chairs. refrigerator, stove, and sometimes dishwasher are also standard in most apartments.
will rarely see wardrobes in American houses and apartments.
bedroom is usually equipped with spacious built-in or walk-in closets for storing clothes and other items.
landlord m an owner of so-called "duplex" ( two-family
m) who 1ives in unit and rents the other in or~er to cover part of his or
her mortgage payment, or it m an that owns apartment complexes
with hundreds or thousands of apartments.

91

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92

Rental Housing and Utilities

3.2. Finding apartment

Even though America is free country and anyone live anywhere,
immigrants usua11y little idea where they will end and even less control over it. It 11 depends where sponsor found for them. At best,
they relatives who serve as their sponsors and can give them some idea
about what their destination is like.
must not think that every family that arrives in America has m
pletely fumished apartment already waiting for them. Although it m seem
strange, that is what some immigrants actually expect. In reality, the newly
arrived immigrants go through the same process as any American who is looking for apartment, although their sponsors provide them with temporary
living space. apartment search begins only after arrival.
Because apartments are usually rented for period of at least year, you
should first think about which factors are most important to you: cost, apartment size, or location.
the overwhelming majority of immigrants at first have income
other than assistance received from the state or charitable organizations, cost is
the most important factor. In order to accurately estimate how much you
afford to spend rent, it is best to talk to those who already in the
same situation, such as friends relatives who had arrived before you. Make
budget that includes 11 of your future expenses, including 11 obligatory
ments. Onl then will you to te11 what afford.
size of your apartment is deterrnined not only preferences
and the size of your family. newly arrived immigrants are used to
crowded living quarters and would not mind enduring them for little longer
to save money. It is not always possible, however, because American housing
standards very different from what is familiar to us. two-bedroom
apartment that has more than four people (two adults and two children) living
in it is considered overcrowded. The owner of the apartment m refuse to rent
to larger family or decide to charge more money.
apartment's location is important to different types of families for different reasons. You must decide what is the most important factor in your circumstances. For families with school-age children, the quality and proximity of
schools can crucial factor in their apartment search. In the US, children up to
certain age required law to attend school. Public schools only accept
children who live in the same city, town, or urban division, depeoding the
community's size (exceptions sometimes made, but schools charge tuition for
studeots who commute from other areas). Schools m differ significantly io
size, quality ofteaching, background ofteachers and students, and general atmo-

93

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94

Rental Housing and Utilities

sphere. We wi11 discuss this in more detail in the chapter education. If do

not like your public school, there is very little that can do, given that
most likely cannot afford private school and are not to homeschool your
children even ifyou want to because do not speak the language.

Having arrived in late spring" the first thing we did was ask /, advice
choosing school/or our daughter, who then hadfinished ninth grade in Russia. At the Re.fugee Resenlement Services, we were given the 0/ school
that then had children 0/ immigrants from different countries and where
there was n talk %ffering native-language instruction to immigrant groups
/ certain size. That was exactly what we did n! want.
Having attended/or some time n English course where students spoke
different languages, we had our doubts about the effectiveness .! such n
approach. So we simp/y asked about schoo/s that had good reputation. We
were to/d ! such school in n town. moving there, we .J;ignificantly /owered chances 0/ qua/ifying/ state programs that provided rent
assistance, but we made choice, and as it turned out, ;t was the right n.
Because nine years o/the Russian school curriculum corresponded to ten
years in the American school system, daughter was admitted to the eleventh grade. She chose subjects that were either her /avorite directly related
to /anguage study. ! that time. the school had only n student besides ,
daughter who needed instruction in English as second language. he school
employed good visiting Eng/ish as Second Language (ESL) teacher who
spent 2-3 hours day with the two students. hankJ; ( this intensive ESL
riculum and studying English her own at home, two years /ater daugh( graduated fro high school as n 0/ the top (n students in her c/ass 0/
more than 200.
ln America, as rule, adult children who have their wn families do not
live with their aging parents. It is general1y accepted that older people have their
wn interests that are often not compatible with the interests of young people,
even if it is their wn children or grandchildren. There are apartment or condominium complexes for older people that provide many services to k everyday life easier, such as meals, housekeeping, laundry, grocery shopping, or rides
to doctor appointments or outings. For older immigrants, the most essentia1 factor when choosing an apartment is often whether people from the same country
who are close to them in age live in the neighborhood or within walking distance.
Other factors to considered when choosing place to 1ive can the
proximity of college or university for student, supermarket - for family
without car, swimming l or gym - for future 01ympic champion, and
many other things. It is also important to remember that in the United States,

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96

Rental Housing and Utilities

the crime rate varies significantly not only from state to state city to city, but
also from neighborhood to neighborhood block to block. places
where people never lock their homes, let alonc cars, and where an item that
was left unattended is still there several days later. However, there enough
places where car cannot left unlocked for even minute, and walking
alone is dangerous not only at night, but also in broad daylight.
Govemment housing programs for low-income people that were
described above very often have long waiting lists. length of the wait is
largely determined location. Big cities with large immigrants populations
are in the worst position. Whereas the national average for time spent waiting
for govemment housing in 1998 was 11 months, in New York it was 8 years, in
Oakland - 6, and in Cleveland and Washington - 5. time spent waiting for
Section 8 vouchers averaged 28 months, while in Los Angeles it was 1 years,
in New York - 8, in Houston -7, and in Memphis and Chicago - 5. Ifwe take
into account that large numbers of the needy concentrated in big cities,
where waiting lists are very 10ng, in less populated areas receive
assistance sooner than the national average suggests. However, as we
already said, immigrants not given preference when it comes to govemment housing, and therefore the ftrst apartment after arrival is usually found
the free housing market.
l who have just arrived in new country, whether it immigrants,
intemational students, businessmen, or professionals with work visas, are at
first completely dependent the l of their sponsors, relatives, friends, or
col1eagues. Not knowing the language, person feels almost helpless and is, in
most cases, not able to find and rent an apartment without someone's help.
There are several reasons for this, as we wil1 see later.
Information about apartments for rent an found in many sources.
Some of them, such as flyers with tear-off phone numbers posted utility
poles, fences, or bulletin boards traditional and familiar to most l;
others, such as Intemet listings, have only recently gained popularity and are
not as common in countries where the majority of the population does not have
access to personal computers.
most popular source is classified sections of daily and Sunday newspapers, including the ones that are published in languages other than Eng1ish in
big cities with large immigrant communities from certain countries. Apartments are advertised in sections called Rentals or Rea/ Estate for Rent. Advertisements are written in very brief form, so some skil1 is required for their
reading. Below some examples ofreal ads ( abbreviations and punctuation or lack of it are the same as in the original).

97

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98
IN TWO FAMILY . 2 BR,
LR, kit., yard. ResponsibIe, quiet
nonsmokers. 5725/. heat & utils incl.

Apartment in two family m. Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen,

yard. Rent is $725 month, heat and utilities are included. tenant
must responsible, quiet, nonsmokers.

2 BR - 1 st t1r.,hdwd t1, LR, DR, kit.,

coin laundry, pets, 5800+sec & utils.
Two-bedroom apartment the first floor. Hard-wood floors, living
room, dining room, kitchen, coin operated laundry. Pets are not
allowed. Rent is 5800/month plus utilities. Security deposit required.

Studio & 1/1, /, pkg pool,

laundry from 5550-5650;
Section 8/Shelter Plus/City Miami Voucher
Studio and one-bedroom apartment with bathroom, air conditioner,
parking, l, laundry. Rent starts from $550 for studio and $650 for
an apartment. Participants of Section 8, Shelter Plus or City of Miami
Voucher programs accepted.

most frequently used abbreviations in ads for rental housing are

given in 3-1 page 100:

99

IN TWO FAMILY . 2
LR, kit., yard. Responsible, quiet
nonsmokers. S725/mo. beat & utils incl.
Apartment in two family . Two bedrooms, living room, kitchen, yard.
Rent is $725 month, heat and utilities are included. tenant must
responsible, quiet, nonsmokers.
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725

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2 BR - I st t1r., bdwd Ors, LR, DR, kit.,

in laundry, pets, 5800+sec & utils.
Two-bedroom apartment the first floor. Hardwood floors, 1iving room, dining room, kitchen, coin-operated laundry. Pets are not allowed. Rent is $8001
month plus utilities. Security deposit required.
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Studio & 1/1, /, pkg pool,

laundry from 5550-5650;
Section 8/Shelter PluslCity Miami Voucher
Studio and one-bedroom apartment with bathroom, air conditioner, parking, l, laundry. Rent starts from $550 for studio and $650 for an apartment. Participants of Section 8, Shelter Plus or City of Miami Voucher
programs accepted.
.

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650 . " rp", rp

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Rental Housing and Utilities

100

3-1:

apt
1

avail
, bth
R, br, bed
bsmt
DR, Din
DW
Effic
flrs, fl
flr

fplc
fum
gar
hdwd
WW,H.W.
incl
kit
19

LR, liv,
N/S, N.S.

off-st, off st

prkg,pkg
refs
sec dep, sec
twnhse,
unfum
utils,
W/D
w/dhk-up
yd

Abbreviations in Rental Housing Ads

apartment
air conditioner
avai1able
bathroom
m

basement
diningroom
dishwasher
efficiency
floors
floor
fireplace
fumished
garage
hard wood
hotwater
included
kitchen
large
livingroom
smoker
offstreet
penthouse
parking
references
security deposit
townhouse
unfumished
utilities
washer/dryer
hook-up
yard

.3-1:

apt

apartment

air conditionner

avail

available

Jl ,

bth

bathroom

BR, br, bed

bedroom

Wl

bsmt

basement

DR,Din

diningroom

DW

dishwasher

efficiency

flrs, fl

floors

flr

floor

fpIc

firep1ace

furn

furnished

gar

garage

hdwd

hard wood

()

WW,H.W.

hotwater

Jl

incl

included

Jl

kit

kitchen

19

large

LR,liv,

1iving room

N/S, N.S.

JI

off-st, off st

offstreet

penthouse

( )

prkg, pkg

parking

JUJ

refs

references

security deposit

townhouse

dep, sec

twnhse,

101

smoker

unfurn

unfumished

()

utils,

utilities

(n,~
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IW/D

washer/dryer

i w/dhk-up
iyd

hook-up

JUJ l(lOWI .

yard

Rental Housing and Utilities

102

When 100king for apartment through newspaper ads, it is best to use

daily newspaper and to contact the landlord immediately if you are interested
in an apartment because good apartments rented at attractive prices do not
remain vacant for 10ng. Besides, you must remember that person who
recently arrived in the country is at disadvantage compared to others and will
therefore need to spend more time and effort to find housing.
he reason for this is very simple. Landlords r interested in tenants
who do not cause much trouble for them or the neighbors, keep the apartment
l, and rent time. Real estate rentals, like any business in free r
ket environment, do not generate huge revenues, and not receiving or two
monthly payments tum profit into 10ss. Hiring lawyer if evicting tenants is necessary an substantial blow to the budget. avoid such consequences, landlords develop certain criteria that they use for selecting tenants
m mass of applicants. Some of these criteria r as follows:
Sufficient and steady income;

ank

account with

certain balance;

At least one major credit card;

good credit history (see the chapter credit);

stable tenant history in the past (at least 6 months at the same
address);

References

former landlords;

Personal references.
As you see from this list, nothing except the last item is li to
l who in the country for very short time. Personal references
r the only thing that convince landlord to rent to you. You only get
these references from your relatives, friends, or sponsors. It is better if
they co-sign the lease agreement. apartment search without such l
can tum into very difficult task, and you end up paying much more than
necessary only because your landlord agreed to rent you an apartment without
being to verify your ability to .
As we already mentioned, cost is of the most important factors in
choosing apartment, but the monthly rent amount given in ads often does
not include the cost of heat and sometimes even water. Annual heating costs
can vary widely depending the heating system efficiency in particular
apartment, the local climate, and energy prices. It can range from $400-500 to
$1,500-2,000, and in cold areas the bulk ofthese expenses falls the winter
months. hese additional costs must tk into account when comparing

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104

rent prices. In addition to heating, in hot areas must take into account air
conditioning costs during the summer.
After you have found advertisement that are interested in and
contacted the landlord, make an appointment to see the apartment. During
your visit, attention to what kind of heating system is used in the bui1ding.
It is best to ask the landlord about it, as well as about average heating expenses
ifthey are not covered rent.ln the US, you wi11 almost never see the centralized steam heating systems that immigrants m the former Soviet Union are
used tO. Instead, there are difIerent types that use difIerent kinds of fuel,
with its own advantages and disadvantages. type of heat used in
building directly related to the state of the energy market at the time of
the bui1ding's construction. Homes built during the energy crisis of the 1970s
and 1980s have electric heat, which was slightly cheaper than oi1 heat at
the time but is one of the most expensive heating systems today. If heating and
hot water are not covered rent, must have clear idea of what it wi11
cost you before you sign the lease agreement.

following kinds of heating systems are the most popular:

Forced Hot Water (FHW) - hot water under pressure is forced into
pipes through heat exchanger. This system most closely resembles
steam heating but is more effective.
Forced Hot Air (FHA) - air is heated in fumace and forced into
room with the l of fans through special air ducts bui1t into wal1s.
disadvantage ofthis method is very dry air, as well as high concentration of dust in the air if the heating system outlets are close to the
floor (sometimes, they are 10cated right in the floor). l with respiratory conditions will most likely feel worse in apartment that
uses this heating method.
Monitor Heat - heat m heating device that works liquified gas
is distributed convection. If the door to roorn is closed, the heat
does not reach there, which is why the Monitor Heat system is usull supplemented with electric heaters. This method works for small
one-level houses and apartments.
Electric Heaters - heating with the help of electric hcaters is frequently used in addition to Monitor Heat. In hot climates, buildings
rn have centralized electric air conditioning systern that cools the
air in the summer and heats it in the winter.

105

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Rental Housing and Utilities

106

attention to windows; check whether they an help retain heat and

whether they open easily. Check the plumbing and make sure that water flows
from the faucets and that the toilet works. Examine kitchen appliances and the
condition of the carpet, tile, linoleum, or hardwood floors.

3.3. Signing the lease and paying rent

Sooner or later wil1 fmd an apartment that the landlord wi11 agree to
rent to you. Before moving in, you wi11 have to sign contract. ln an cases,
you are required to sign contract for minimum of year that is rfd to
as lease. If you move out of the apartment beforc the lease runs out, wil1
responsibIe for rent payments until the cnd of the term or until the landlord
finds new tenant, whichever is earlier. After the year is , the contract
extended for another year or changed to month-to-month rent agreement,
which allows to move out at time as 10ng as give the landlord
enough notice (usually month). Sometimes, it is possible to g for
month1y (and in some cases even weekly) contract from the very beginning.
he lease agreement tains information about its participants, the rent
amount, time constraints, and acceptabIe methods of payent. It describes the tenantlandlord relationship in detail, focusing primarily the tenant's responsibilities. he
basic purpose of the lease is to protect the landlord & unscrupulous tenants; therefore, most of its sections are dedicated to rules of tenant conduct and keeping the
apartment lan and safe. Ideally, shou1d leave an apartment in the samc condition in which you found it, taking into account normal wear and tear. will
obIiged to compensate the landlord for an damages you are responsibIe for.
Before signing the lease, carefully examine the apartment and check the
condition of appliances and equipment. If after moving in find something that you missed at first or defect that is not obvious at first sight, let the
landlord know immediately.
After signing the lease, must the first month's rent (and sometimes
the last month 's rent as well) and what is called security/cleaning deposit or simply security deposit. his deposit is equa1 to month1y rent payent and is
intended to partly cover the landlord's expenses in case do not l with the
conditions of the lease when moving out or something in the apartment is damaged. If everything is in order, the is returned to , and if it is not, sum
necessary to cover the damages wi11 subtracted from your deposit. When lan
ning move, remember that your security deposit will retumed not the day
move out, but 1-3 weeks later, and ifyou need to security deposit for
new apartment, cannot count this for some time.
Rent payments are usually due month1y and in most cases are expected

107

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108

Rental Housing and Utilities

the flfSt day of month. landlords prefer to paid check

instead of cash. Always ask for receipts that indicate the date and amount paid.
these receipts with ofthe lease. Iffor any reason cannot make
payent time, it is best to let the landlord know in advance, explain the
reason for the delay, and tell him or her when you expect to .

3.4. Renewing or breaking the lease

As was already mentioned, most apartments are leased for certain
period of time, after which the contract has to renewed for the next year or
automatically passes into the month-to-month rent stage. Usually, fonnal
actions are required in this case. When the lease runs out, it means that two
tenns ofthe agreement are longer in effect: time constraints and rent.
can m out of an apartment any time want and do not have to give your
landlord more than one month's notice, and the landlord can change the rent if
he or she wants or considers it necessary to do so.
Rent is usually raised if the demand for apartments or the cost of their
maintenance increases. If your rent includes heat and the cost of fuel goes up,
should expect rent increase. Ifthe demand for apartments increases and
landlord is sure that his or her units will fill , he or she m raise rent. Usu1l, landlords notify their tenants about the change in advance. month's
notice is given if the lease is monthly, and week's - if it is weekly. You
if fd better deal, but often simply must accept reality.
landlords are interested in good tenants and try to keep them at l1 costs,
including slightly cheaper rent for long-tenn tenants who do not cause any
trouble.
Although it sounds strange, rent decrease is possible, too. If, for
ple, large enterprise was closed in certain region and its employees moved
away and vacated many apartments, landlords will to lower rent to fill the
vacancies.

3.5. Pets
Americans love their pets. here are over 50 million dogs and more
cats in this country; however, most of them with families that have their
own homes. Pets an make your apartment search much more complicatcd,
because an landlords include tenn in their leases forbidding tenants to
pets ('" pets"). It is done for two reasons: to keep premises clean and to

109

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110

Rental Housing and Utilities

avoid disturbing other tenants. tell the truth, landlords are sometimes willing to overlook the presence of cats. However, it is not always that simple,
especial1y if have dog.
Not knowing anything about all this, we brought with us cat who had
n member 0/ our /amily .from the moment 0/ .., rth and had stoically
endured all the hardf)hips 0/ the journey. While looking /or n apar/ment, we
noticed that there was cat in evef)' other window 0/ the apartment complex
where we 11!anted to live, although the lease said "n pets" We rented n apar/ment there and lived in it /or about years without n problems.

3.6. Utilities
When renting apartment, tenant is usuaHy responsible for paying for
utility services directly to the companies that provide them, except cases
where heat is included in rent and paid for the landlord.
After the lease is signed, the landlord provides the tenant with
numbers of appropriate companies, and the tenant must contact them to
accounts in his or her that should paid regularly to avoid disconnection. should do this in advance ifyou do not want to move into apartment without electricity or service.

3.6.1. Heat
Heat usually does not require immediate action, unless it is electric.
gas or diesel fuel tank already filled, and your only responsibility is
to schedule regular fuel deliveries in the future. When move out, fill the
tank to the level it was at when moved in.
secure your fuel supply, it is possible to sign contract with m
that will agree to monitor leveI of fue1, fill the tank whenever nccessary, and send bills to your m. aIso choose to monitor the level of
fuel yourself and order one-time delivery whenever need it. ln most
areas, there are several companies that deliver fuel, and their prices m differ.
Before placing order, it is usefuI to two or three companies and m
prices. difference of few cents per gallon an save significant
amount of over .
Order fuel delivery at Ieast few days before your supply runs out.
Although an urgent delivery is possible at time of day or night, it costs
more than planned , so do not wait until the last minute. If fueI prices go

111

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112
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Rental Housing and Utilities

it is

cost-efficient to fill

tank; if prices drop, order the mini-

fuel prices fluctuate significantly, some companies offer contracts al10wing their clients to large amount of fuel in advance at
fIXed price; the an then promises to deliver it even if the price goes
considcrably. his worth it, but must careful. cases
when supplier is not to [I1 its obligations. This usual1y happens when
prices rise significantly in short period oftime. In these cases, the c1ient ends
being punished twicc: the bankrupt supplier is to refund the
already paid and the client sti11 has to fuel at the current high price.

3.6.2. Electricity
Most apartments are equipped with their own electric meter which is
mounted the outside of the building. After signing thc lease, must
tact the that provides electricity to that area and personal
account in your . In this case, unlike with diesel or gas fuel, have
choice: the company that owns the power grids in given is your source
of electricity.
he power industry, although privately owncd and operated, was until
recently strictly regulated the govemment, which limited wholesalc and
rctail electric power prices. Deregulation of this industry and the emcrgence of
[ market causcd electric companies to specialize in either generation
distribution. Distributing companies electric power [ generating ones
at wholesale prices the free market and deliver it to consumers through their
power grids at prices sufficient to turn pofit.
Free market electric power prices vary depending whether the power
is generated power stations using coal, nuclear energy, water. In some
cases, consumers choose which source their electric power comes from.
People who are concerned about environmental issues agree to for
electric power produced with the least damage to the environment.
electric employees regularly read power meters in their
area. Based these readings, receive monthly ill that indicates how
electricity consumed and its price. Often, the price of kilowatthour vary depending how was consumed the time of day. For
example, the fst 100 KW cost more or less than the fol1owing 200, or the
powcr consumed during peak hours will priced higher.
must bills time. If are having financial problems
and are temporarily unable to , must contact the an and discuss
conditions which they would agree to continue supplying power. If do

113

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Rental Housing and Utilities

114

not do this, your power will disconnected, and reconnection will possible only after your debt plus interest, as well as additional
tion fee. he cost of electricity in our area is $35-$65 month ifthe heat is not
electric and there is not much need for an air conditioner. If live in an
apartment with electric heat in area of the country wherc need heat in
the winter and the air conditioner is always in the surnmer, your electric i11
twice that, or even more.
There are special reduced rates for 10w-income families. As rule, to
qualify for them, must also qualify for SSI, food stamps, Medicaid, or
other fonns of assistance. must notify your electric an ofyour eligibility when your account or when eligible for assistance,
if that happens later. If your income increases and lose cligibility for
above-mentioned programs, also 10se your right to reduced electricity
prices and must notify the an.
When moving out, notify the about your plans in advance if
do not want to for the next tenant. If move within the same area,
close account and irnrnediately another for the new address.
If move to different region, simply close your account.

3.6.3.

/n

About 94% ofUS homes have telephones. The phone service connection
is usually made just days after the phone receives your request. It is
possible to install severallines simultaneously.
As with electricity, do not choice whom to contact for telephone connection. Again, this wi11 the an that owns telephone cables
in your area. In most cases, it will also provide with 10l service, but
when it comes to long-distance and intemational cal1s, have choices.
If the local does not provide these services, it has partner
that will serve ifyou do not object. Ifyou do not like that company's rates
or terms of service, sign contract with other long-distance provider, and your local wi11 switch your 10ng-distance calls to that provider for $5. When g for your phone connection, choose
whether or not want your number listed in the local telephone directory,
and ifyes, whether want the listing to contain your ful1 or partial address.
Let's consider typicallist of services telephone companies provide:
Residential service - includes ll10l telephone calls. Calls to telephone numbers that begin with certain number combinations
(exchanges) specified in your company's telephone directory are

115

,
, .

, ,
,

(connection fee).
$35-65 ,

-
2-4 .

. ,

, , .
,
. ,
,
.

, ,
. ,
.
, .

3.6.3.

94%

.
.

, ,
. ,
. , ,

(international)

(/ong distance)

. ,

- , ,
. ,

$5

.
, , ,
.

Residential serv;ce -

.
,

Rental Housing d Utilities

116

considered local. must remember, however, that whether n

bers are classified as local or lg-dist often depends not
actual distance but which telephone owns them or which
administrative district they are located in. Before calling unfamiliar number, fd out whether it is local for or not.

Intrastate Long-Distance Ca/Js - long-distance calls within the same

state. In some states with low population density, such calls cost more
th calls to other states, even the ones located opposite coast.
Interstate Long-Distance Calls - lg-dist calls between states.
International Long-Distance Calls - intemational cal1s.
TolI Restriction with PIN Ove"ide - the ability to block a1l10ng-dist calls from certain number; special code will needed to
make these calls. This is useful service for families with teenagers
who love to talk the .
Toll Restriction - blocking of lllg-dist calls.
Operator Block - blocking of calls that use operator assistance.
calls made with the help of operators have high rates.

ll

Forwarding- allows u to automatically forward calls made to

to other number. For example, are expecting
important but cannot at that moment. u forward
the cal1s received while u are out to work or n
ber at which reached.

nr

Return -

allows to contact the last caller to your number regardless ofwhether u answered the or not. Useful ifyou did not make
it to the in time to pick it u or conversation was interrupted for
reason d do not know your caller's phone number.

Call Waiting - lets u know if someone else cal1s when u are

already the . It is possible to switch between the two conversations without interrupting either.
Three-Way Calling - allows u to talk simultaneously to two
ple who are at different phone numbers.

Call Answer Service - replaces answering machine d allows

cal1ers to leave messages even when your telephone line is busy.

CaHer - tel1s what number every ll u receive was made from.

Th telephone switchboard transfers information about the caller's
d number to your ifthe caHer's phone is not blocked. must
have special phone or plug-in device to use this service.

(exchanges),

117

,
,

. ,
, ,
, .

lntrastate Long Distance Calls -

. ,

lnterstate Long Distance Calls -

lnternational Long Distance Calls - .

"

Restriction with PIN Ove"ide -

"

Restriction -

Operator Block -

"

Forwarding -

,
.

"

Return -

, . ,
-

, .

"

Waiting -

, -

, .

, .

Three-Way Calling -

, .

"

Answer Service -

,
.

Caller ID -

,
.

, .

118

Rental Housing and Uti1ities

Line Blocking - blocks transfer of

ifnti

about your phone

number to phones equipped with CaHer ID.

Call - aHows you to track the numbers obscene or prank caHs are
made from. Traced numbers are registered the telephone switchboard and not disclosed to the client. If the same number is registered
twice within month, the client is sent notice based which he or
she contact the tk other measures. The telephone
switchboard wi1l disclose the number only to legal authorities.
telephone card that allows you to k long-distance caHs from an . heir cost will added to
. his is useful, for example, when you need to make personal
from work. Remember that the rates for the calls made
using card are much higher than those for the caHs made from
home telephone number.

Calling Card -

someone and the cost added to

his or her phone biH. The majority of such calls are made with the
l of operator, who asks the person receiving the ll whether
he or she agrees to for it. As with 11 operator-assisted services,
these calls are relatively expensive.

Collect Call - allows you to

and charge it to
third party. For l, you from hotel room to another
city and charges added to home telephone biH.

Third-number Call - allows you to make

service that helps you 10cate residential and

business and address listings. Throughout the US, the
number for directory assistance is 555-1212, preceded the threedigit area code that is different for area.

Directory Assistance -

Most of the services listed are provided at

Therefore, telephone bi11 has several parts:

additional cost.

monthly charge for telephone line and 10l telephone ca11s

(Residentia! service) or the so-called Basic service, which usually
costs about $20. Lower rates are possible for 10w-income families.

Charges for

an

additional services.

In-state 10ng-distance charges.

Interstate 10ng-distance charges.
Intemationallong-distance charges.
Phone-card charges.

Line

1king

119

Call

Calling

Card -

,
. ,
.

Collect Call -

. ,

.
,

Third-number Call -

. ,

Directory Assistance -

,
(

code)

555-1212,

.
, ,

. ,
:

dentia! service)

$20.

Basic service,

(Resi-

120

Rental Housing and Utilities

If your long-distance and intemational calls are carried different

telephone company, these charges appear separate II, or they
included in the ill sent your local company.
Technological advances and cutthroat competition have resulted in telephone rates that are almost 1 times lower now than they were ten years ago.
Also, telephone companies now provide many more services than they did
decade ago. This does not , however, that customers are paying 1 times
less than before for service. simply spend 1 times as time
the for the same amount of .
The majority of companies that provide long-distance and intemational
services offer reduced rates to selected groups of clients. take advantage of
these rates, to subscribe to them, which requires monthly payment,
usually of about $5 or $6. This payment is charged regardless of whether or not
actua11y make the calls during any given month. If do not subscribe to
any such program, you will the maximum rate. must decide whether it
is worth it to you to $60 or $70 year for reduced rates. If, for example,
make 11 to another country once year for 1 minutes, even the highest
per-minute rate will cost less than year's worth ofmonthly payments for
the lower rate. If make such calls frequently, however, reduced-rate programs certainly make sense. ln case, before making any long-distance or
intemational calls, fd out the exact rates to avoid unpleasant surprises.
Unexpected bills of tens and hundreds of dollars are not that rare.
Some companies do not require monthly payment and also give customers special numbers (access codes) that make it possible to place cal1s as needed
without switching from your regular company. It sometimes makes sense to use
such services for intemational calls because most people do not make them very
often, and dialing several additional digits is not too inconvenient.
Phone numbers in the US consist of seven digits for local calls, for
example, 123-4567, and ten digits for long-distance calls, for example
(123)456-6789. he three numbers that are frequently placed in parentheses
are called anArea Code. Before dialing ten-digit number, must dial "1",
which allows you to access long-distance lines.
Th majority of enterprises and organizations are equipped with intemal telephone switchboards, which alIow using or more incoming telephone lines for 11
internal phones. I this case, internal has an additional number ca11ed an
extension, which is usually written after the main phone number; for example, (123)
456-7890 Ext. 1234 or (123) 456-7890 1234. Th extension line is dialed only after
you have dialed the main number, the connection has een established, and the automated response message has told that dial the extension.
Numbers beginning with 800 and 888 are toll-free, which means that the
line's owner, not the ca11er, pays for 11 ca11s. These numbers are used many

121

(Long distance ca//s)

, .

. ,
.

10

1 .

,
. ,
, ,

$5-6.

. ,

. ,

$60-70

. , ,

1 , ,

. , .
,
, , .

(Access codes),

, .
,

, ,
,

123-4567,

, , ,

(123) 4566789. , , Code.

"1",
.

. ,
,

sion

()

Exten-

(123) 456-7890 Ext. 1234 (123) 456-7890I234.

, ,
, .

800 888

Free),

, .

Rental

122

usig

and Uti1ities

customer-service departments.
Numbers beginning with 900 (and some other exchanges) are the exact
opposite of 800 numbers. CaHs to numbers beginning with 900 are paid
for the caller, sometimes at rates as high as several doHars per minute. Such
numbers usually belong to companies that sell infonnation or, more often, provide services such as sex. an telephone companies offer service
that blocks such calls (900 Block), which is usually free.
Most businesses and organizations, as well as the majority of private
phones, are equipped with answering machines - devices that allow the caller
to l message if the person or she is trying to reach is not there or an
not answer the . heir negative side is the fact that if the is long-distance, you will charged for it if do not talk to and do not
leave message.

3.6.4. Television
he

majority of programs in the US are distributed through

network or satellites with reception to individual sate11ite antennas. Only
small number of channels is broadcast over air. hese channels
received through traditional antenna, but the quality of reception largely
depends distance from transmitting tower, elevation, and so . same
channels that are broadcast over the air are sometimes also picked
networks, but seldom satellite ones. Most houses and apartments are
a1ready equipped with . assortment of channels you watch
with this depends your preferences.
networks provide five basic categories of services:

Broadcast Only - allows you to watch l those channels that are

broadcast over the air, but with high-quality images. There are usu more than 1 such channels. his service costs about $1
month.
Basic - offers 30-50 different channels, including channels
broadcast in air. This package costs between $35 and $45.

Preiu

Channels are the channels that offer the most popular films
and programs. hese are the channels such as (
Office), Disney, sports channels, and so . One such channel
cost about $] month, but if you subscribe to more than , the
price is reduced.

900

123

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. ,

900,

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(900

/k).

(answering machine)
(message) ,

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Broadcast Only -

, ,

10.

$10 .

-
30-50 ., ,
. $35-45.

Basic

;u

Channels -

, .

o.ffice). Disney.

O.::IHOrO TalLX .l0 ~ .10 $} ,

.: 6.1. ~f O.1JIH 111 . .

Rental Housing and Utilities

124

Jliew Channels are the channels broadcasting programs that

need to paid for individually; each program costs between $1 and
$6. For this purpose, special device is installed that is connected to
telephone and unblocks signal after you agree to for
viewing particular broadcast.

AII Channels - allows to view 11 channels without restrictions.

When ask for your connection to activated, you are charged
small connection [ and need to for month in advance. If you
change the type of service receive, [ m also apply.
Satellite is serious competition for networks, often offering
greater variety ofprograms for the same price. For long time, the cost ofthe
equipment necessary for reception served as dtt for customers. However, mass production of modem sate11ite dishes has lowered their cost enough
to make them accessible to almost an.
You will often see advertisements offering free installation ofbasic satellite equipment to network clients if they agree to subscribe to certain
satellite programming package for at least year. In some cases when home
is located far from network, satellite dish offers the l access to TV
programming. The cost of the required equipment rises significantly if home
has more than TV set and the subscriber wants to to simultaneously
watch different programs, because each TV requires separate receiver.
In areas where the number of immigrants who speak your language is
low, sate11ite is your only opportunity to watch programs in your native
language, whereas places with large immigrant populations, programs in different languages broadcast television.

3.6.5. The Internet

These days, Intemet access is almost as essential as phone access simply
because e-mail is rapidly replacing other forms of communication, including
regular mail. 1 m not even talking about 11 the other opportunities it offers,
which will considered in more detail in the chapter information.
Intemet access is offered so-called Intemet Access Providers and
requires signing contract. The most widespread means of network access
today are the telephone modem and the modem. he telephone modem,
although not the fastest, is the cheapest of the two and is more than sufficient

125

ew Channels - , I]>,
rm $1

$6. cr, mo

, 1IaJI ,
rnac ormmy IIpOC .

All Channels -

, ,

(connectionfee)

.
.

, I]> .

,
.

. , ,
.

),

I]>

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I]>, .

3.6.5.

mm

, , ,
(E- .
, rn,
.

(Internet Access Providers),

.
, ,

126

Rental Housing and Utilities

for most users. It is standard feature of retail-sold computers.

find numbers of Intemet Access Providers in the tele book. The monthly cost of unlimited access is little more than $20.
of the in criteria in choosing provider is whether it offers local te]e number for access. If are not sure, check with your telephone m
to certain that the number your provider gave is not long-distance
for .
Ifyou Intemet access and change residence, also make sure that the
number using for access is sti1l10cal for . If it is not,
ask your provider whether they another number in your area. If not,
will to switch to another provider; otherwise, your m
astronomical.
Network access through cable modem is faster. Another advantage is that using the Intemet does not tie the telephone line, which is the
case when use the telephone modem. However, such connection costs 2-3
times more, and the service is not available in areas.

127

, ,

$20.

. ,

, , ,

Long distance

().

,
,

, . , ,

. ,

,
.

.
,
,
, ,

2-3

he

128

4.

4.1.

Automobile

Automobile

role of automobiles in American life

Apparently, only in America is it possible to believe that automobile is not lury but means of transportation. Henry Ford has put the
country wheels when launched the first automobile assembly in
1913. Automobiles m affordable for large segments ofthe population and
quickly popular. Construction of the National System of Interstate and
Defense Highways, which began during the Great Depression and was for the
most part completed in the 1970s, has made the automobile the main mcans of
transporting both passengers and cargo that has replaced the railways in
places.
In 2000, the US population was 281,422 and had 221,475 registered
vehicles, that means about 790 automobiles for 1000 l (U.S. Census
uru. Statistical Abstract of the United States 2002). In practical terms, the
figure for America means that a1most every US resident aged 16 years or older
has car. Americans, figuratively speaking, grow in thc car because children ridc with their parents starting practically at birth. It is also not unusual to
see people who are weH into their 70s or even 80s behind the wheel. In artil discussing restrictions for clderly drivers, Walter tells about an Arizona resident named George Freestone who was about to tum 102 years old in
2000 and sti11 drove car at his age, sometimes letting his 81-year-old wife
drive (, 2000).
lfthere is an automobile museum or an antique car show in your area,
means go. will see the whole history of automobile industry. Those
who arrived from countries where passenger car was sti1l rarity in the 1950s
will amazed the cars that existed in the US long before then.

129

4.

4.1.

-, , ro
, . ,

1913

Highways),

rp

/ Interstate

and De/ense

(National System

70- ,

, ,
rp , .

2000

281,422.
221,475 ro, 790
(U.S. ens Bureau. Statistica1 Abstract of the United States 2002).
, 16

1000

. , , ,
,
,

70 80.

, 1x

Wa1ter

ny ,

2000 102

, 81- (,

(Antique Car Show),

2000).

. . ,
,
, .

130

4.2.

The Automobile

American Automobile Association ()

Widespread use of automobiles inevitably leads to situations when technical malfunctions happen the road and require immediate repair (if the
problem is easily fixed) or towing the car to the nearest garage (if the repair
needed is more extensive). simple flat tire put person who has never
had to install spare in difficult position even if physical1y or she is
of doing it, and the problem wil1 even more serious for an elderly or disabled person. And if car insurance, which we wi1l talk about later, is intended
to cover charges related to car accidents and other events, automobile clubs or
associations exist to help people in situations not related to car accidents.
charge thcir members an annual fee and provide free emergency services.
largest organization of this kind is the American Automobile Association, bctter known under the abbreviation which is pronounced "triple-a".
he annual membership fee in 2003 was $44 for single driver or $70
for married couple. Unlikc an insurance policy, an membership covers
the drivcr, not the car. In other words, matter what car are driving when
problem occurs, wil1 provided free service. help :
start your car if the battery is dead;
open the car when the keys are lockcd inside;
change flat tire;
deliver the gasoline need to reach the nearest gas station (
[ the cost of gas, but not [ delivery);
fix

simple malfunction while

the road;

tow broken to garage or safe place. For those with basic

membership, the first 5 miles are free, and the rest of the way is subject to price stipulated the , not the towlng company.
Free towing for distances to 100 miles is given to the members
who + (triple-a-plus) card.

of the association Is given membership card with

phone number that allows them to for help 24 hours day, 7 days week.
lf something happens to the road, ask passing drivers to make
the ll for from the nearest phone. With the spread of ll phones, calling
for help is becoming easier than ever. association 's switchboard operator
immediately contacts the auto repair shop nearest to , which sends an
gency vehicle as soon as possible. In cities this take 30-60 minutes, and in
remote areas how long to wait depends the distance.

131

4.2.

.
,

, .
, ,

,
, "I-".

2003

$44

$70

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bIX

5 I,

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100 .

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132

he

Automobile

However, if u are member, it does not mean that u do not

to watch your gas level or can repeatedly 10ck your keys in the car.
number of free services u can receive during calendar year is limited, and
ifyou exceed this limit, u will to . Nevertheless, even single incident easily worth the annual membership fee. lf your car breaks down
30 miles from the nearest town and u are not member, u are at
disadvantage and are forced to as m as u are asked to fix it or to tow
it off to garage or elsewhere.
' addition to the services described , the helps its members
with travel planning, supplying free detailed maps for particular route, as
well as reserving tickets and hotel rooms.
is not the only organization that provides these services. Large
insurance companies m similar automobile clubs. In addition, some car
manufacturers include free emergency service as part of car warranty. After
the warranty expires or the l reaches certain mi1eage, the owner loses the
right to these services.

4.3. Traffic rules and regulations

Traffic rules in the US differ from those in Europe. most obvious
difference is America's almost complete lack of conventional traffic signs.
understood everyone, rles must very simple and clear. herefore,
most signs are simply text (in English, of course). For example:
"NO TURN ON RED." his sign requires explanation. In the US, at
intersections with traffic lights, the right turn red light is permitted after
full stop, except when this sign is present. In these cases, must wait for
green light.
"WRONG WAY" ( road with one-way traffic).
"DO NOT PASS"
Most conventional signs without text are yel10w warning signs, but even
the few prohibiting signs that exist use text in addition to conventional sign:
"STOP"
"YIELD"
"DO NOT ENTER"
"NO U TURN"

133
30-60 yr, -

, ,
'I

. I ,
, , ,
. ,
.

30

ro , ,

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4.3.

CIIIA

I ,

(, ), , :

''NO TURN ON REO"- " ". ro

. CIIIA , ero,
cer , mo ,

. ro cera.

"WRONG WAY" -

" " (

).

"00 NOT PASS" -

" ".

, :

"STOP" - "",
"YIELO" - "",
"00 NOT ENTER" - " ",
"NO U TURN" - " ".

he

132

Automobile

However, if you are member, it does not mean that you do not
have to watch your gas level or repeatedly lock keys in the car. he
number of free services receive during calendar year is limited, and
if you exceed this limit, will have to . Nevcrtheless, even single incident easily worth the annual membership fee. If your car breaks down
30 miles from the nearest town and you are not member, are at
disadvantage and are forced to as m as you are asked to fix it or to tow
it off to garage or elsewherc.
In addition to the services described above, the helps its members
with travel planning, supplying free detailed maps for particular route, as
well as reserving tickets and hotel rooms.
is not the only organization that provides these services. Large
insurance companies m have similar automobile clubs. In addition, some car
manufacturers include free emergency service as part of car wty. After
the wty expires or the vehicle reaches certain mileage, the owner loses the
right to these services.

4.3.

raffic

rules and regulations

Traffic rules in the US differ from those in Europe. The most obvious
difference is America's almost complete lack of conventional traffic signs.
understood everyone, rules must very simple and clear. herefore,
most signs are simply text (in English, of course). For example:
"NO URN ON RED." This sign requires an explanation. In the US, at
intersections with traffic lights, the right tum red light is permitted after
full stop, except when this sign is present. In these cases, must wait for
green light.
"WRONG WAY" ( road with one-way traffic).
"DO NOT PASS"
Most conventional signs without text are yeIlow warning signs, but even
the few prohibiting signs that exist use text in addition to conventional sign:
"STOP"
"YIELD"
"DO NOT ENTER"
"NO U TURN"

134

The Automobile

Another difference is the rule for driving through intersections. Drivers

must stop completely before each intersection where there is "STOP" sign
and continue only after they are sure that doing so is safe. There are intersections that have "STOP" signs at entrances from directions; these are
caHed 4-way stops. Drivers take tums going through such intersections the
first , first go basis.
Books that explain traffic rules are distributed free of charge. They an
found at an Bureau ofMotor Vehicles office or ordercd calling the same
office.

4.4. Getting driver 's license

In the United States, it is very difficult to get around without r, unless
in large city with an extensive public transportation system. Being
to drive gives people freedom. Teenagers acquire this freedom when they
get driver's license and stop being dependent their parents to drive them
where they need want to go. For an elderly people, the day when they r
forced to surrender their driver's license means the end ofthis freedom.
Because driver's license has photo and is renewed regularly, and
because most adults have , it has the main document that establishes one's identity in the US. driver's license wi1l serve as your visa
when travel anywhere in North America, including Canada and Mexico
( cannot do this if are not permanent US resident and do not have
green card - in this case, not aHowed to back ifyou leave the
country).
For long time, the minimum age for getting driver's license in most
states has 16. However, in light of the menacing motor vehicle accident
statistics for young drivers when 11 out of each 100,000 sixteen-year-old
drivers die in motor vehicle accidents, whereas the national average for ages
is only 32 out of each 100,000 drivers (U.S. Census Bureau. Statistical
Abstract of the United States 2002), more and more states restrict young
ple's driving privileges. Some states require drivers under certain age to m
plete driving course under the direction of skilled instructor. Often, young
people r issued provisional licenses that restrict driving after dark and prohibit them from transporting passengers other than members of the immediate
family. After one- or two-year period, license acquires non-provisional
status.
Driver's licenses are issued the Bureau of Motor Vehicles. In Maine,
this process occurs in two stages:

135

. re
m yrn

""

"CTOIr'
4-way Stop:
- .

(u / Motor

cle)

Vehi-

, , .

4.4.

,
,

. .

. ,
, .

, ,

.

, ( ,

, ).

16

11 100,000 ,
32 100,000 (U.S. sus
Bureau. Statistical Abstract of the United States 2002),
, .

/ Motor

Vehicles

( ).

136

Automobile

after passing an that tests knowledge of traffic rules, you

are issued driver's permit that allows to drive under the supervision of an experienced driver;
after passing driving test, also called
driver's license.

road test, you are issued

The driver's permit test is taken in written form and is administered in multiple-choice format. have to choose an answer to question out of four possibilities, only one of which is t. The include as many as two or
three dozen questions. It is acceptable to take the test with the help of an interpreter,
who can your ftiend or relative if the bureau does not an employee who
speaks your native language. This person signs statement in which he or she
agrees not to help the examinee with the answers. In many places with large populations of immigrants who speak rtain language, the test can administered in
their native language. At the time of the permit , the applicant's eyesight is
also checked. The driving permit test fee in the state ofMaine was $10 in 2000.
Once you permit, you practice driving under the supervision of an experienced driver who to occupy the front passenger seat of your
car. driver who has had license for certain period of time that vary
from state to state (the age of an instructor m also specified) and has enough
patience can teach you to drive. There are private driving schools that also
require driver's permit for admission. Driving lessons are usually paid for an
hourly basis, with the minimum rate being about 30-35 dollars per .
When you obtain your driving permit, you also receive postcard which
must mail to the Bureau ofMotor Vehicles when you are ready for the road
test. Some timc later you will notified of the date, time, and location of your
. It is good idea to visit the site beforehand and to practice driving through the nearby streets, where the test wil1 most likely given. The
pcrmit is valid for 18 months. If you have not taken driving test during this
time, you will need to start the whole process over again.
the day of your test, you must accompanied person with
valid license and you car insurance card and registration certificate, your
permit, and proper ID with photo. It is better to rri in the car you practiced in or at least one you are familiar with. he test is administered using
car and takes about 25-30 minutes.
Before the test, will asked to demonstrate that parking lights,
brake lights, windshield wipers, and headlights are in good working order. After
that, you get in the car with the examiner and follow his or her instructions for traveling route that requires you to perform common driving tasks, such as entering
traffic from parking 10t, right and left turns, driving through intersections with or

137

lfI'

(Driver sPerit).

(Driver :~

License).
lfI'

Mu/tip/e Choice -

, ,

. ,

, .
.

- $10.

, .

( )

. ,
.
, -

30-35

,
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m,
.

18 .

, .

,
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25-30 .

, , .

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,

, , OCTaOBK~
, .

138

Automobile

without traffic light, stopping and backing , ralll parking, and so .

Below find "typical reasons for road test fil" from one ofthe
versions ofthe Motorist Handbook and Study Guide published in our state.
Fai1s to l observe while leaving parking

Does not adjust to conditions.

Unfamiliar with vehicle.
Disregard for traffic rules.
Unnecessary stops.
Improper lane position.
Tums, left and right.
Approaches in wrong l position.
Enters in wrong l position.
Fails to recover from tum.
Cut m.
Incorreet signal when tuming failed to signal.
Does not traffic lights.
Does not stop red (constant f1ashing).
Does not stop yellow (constat).
Does not use caution (yeHow flashing).
Stops and does not proceed green light.
Does not make tum green arrow with constant red light.
Lacks parking ability.
Backs onto sidewalk.
Strikes other vehicle fixed object forcibly.
Unable to l park vehicle in two attempts (parallel).
Was unable to park with 18 inches of .
Fails to properly observe while parking.
Stop ad start grade.
Fails to signal.
Fails to to right.
Rol1s baek hill approximately 'h length.
Speed.
Exceeding posted limit 5 ...
slow to judge ability.
Fails to adjust to conditions (State ofMaine).
If you successfully pass 1he test, you will photographed and issued driver's
license 1he spot. new driver's license is va1id until fifth irthd mting ftom the
date of issue. In state the cost of first driver's license is $30. Its irati date aIWaYS

139

" ",

;
.

;
;
;

:
, ;
, ;
;
;
.

;
;

45

. ;

}{;
;
;

5 ;

(State ofMaine).

, .
,
.

- $30.

. ,
,

140

Automobile

coincides with your rthday to mak it easier to remember. herefore, if ou pass the test
shortly before birthday, our license will valid for litt1e over five yean;, and if you
pass it short1y after, it will valid for aJmOSt six yean;. For older l, begirming at certain age, the period between driver's license renewals is reduced to two or even one .
Unless you are an elderly driver, additional tests are required to renew
license. In an states, drivers who are 75 older must k the driving test
in order to renew their license. he renewal [ is $10. Renewals done mostly
to update the u of Motor Vehicles records and your photo. If you change residence between renewals for an reason, you must notify the u, and they will
put ll with new address the back f license. his service is ftee.
Suspension of driving privileges for violating traffic rules is punishment with far-reaching consequences. he person whose license is suspended
becomes vulnerable in ways. His or her employment choices are limited
not only because the workplace has to accessible public transportation
bicycle but also because many employers check prospective employees' driving records and can refuse to hire someone with suspension. Besides, many
jobs require valid driver's license.
l with intemational driver's license that was issued in another
country usually drive for limited time after they pass pennit . If
you stopped li while driving with such license, prepared for
10ng waits while the officer establishes that license is valid.

4.5. Finding the right car for

he

title ofthis section refers to finding car not because it is difficult to

find l where cars are sold, but because it is often difficult to find
exactly what you want and need among thousands and thousands of cars being
sold at given moment. he automobile market in the US is not just large, it
is enonnous. About 17 mil1ion new vehicles and as many used ones are sold in
this country year.
Where an you buy in America? Almost at m. Seriously,
though, there two main ways to purchase vehicle: through licensed car
dealer through private sale. You also buy at auction through the
Intemet, but that is not for .
Large dealers, as rule, concentrated in certain areas, usually along
busy roads or highway exits and fairly close to other, which makes
your task little easier. hey usually sell new cars of different models but
made the same manufacturer those made different manufacturers that
not in competition with other. also sell used cars that
traded in for new ones, low mileage, and are in good condition.

141

, , .
, ,
.

JO .

75

caar .

- $10. .

amp

m .
,

.
,

, 6

(Driving Record)

oaar .

, .
, ,
, , - ,

. ,
,

4.5.

, , , ,

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.

17

.
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, :

(Car Dealers)

, .

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10 ' ,
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142

Automobile

If are buying new car, large dealer will most lik:ely have the color
or model want. lfthey don't, can fill out order form and will notified when the car aivs. Ifyou used car, average, will more at
large dealership, but also more certain that the car is not "lemon."
Smaller dealers m sell both new and used cars, but their assortment of
new cars is considerably smaHer. here are dealers that sell and trade only used
cars, in numbers ranging from 5-1 cars to several hundred and more.
usually have repair shop where the cars are madc to look presentable. Not
smal1 dealers have vaJid licenses to sell cars. Their prices are lower, but they
also offer fewer guarantees.
cars sold privately are usuaHy displayed near homes or in other
accessible places with sign For Sale in window or windshield and phone
number which can to find out the details or set appointment.
Besides, there are automobile sections in the Classified sections of newspapers, where private car sale ads are 10cated alongside dealer ads. Some m
ples of ads with explanations are shown below:
MAZDA 626 '93 -108 mi, auto,
/, recent struts, brakes, exhaust, tires,
cond. $5,300Ibest. 655-2000 eves.
Model MAZDA 626, 1993 - 108,000 miles, automatic transmission,
air conditioner, recently replaced struts, brakes, exhaust, tires, in excellent condition. Asking $5,300 or best offer. 655-2000 in the evcnings.

VW JETTA CARAT '92. Green,

gray cloth interior, 5 spd, air, PW,
sunroof, so. car, rust, 107 ,
new battery, runs great, 32 MPG,
$36001best offer. 442-460435
Model VW JETTA CARAT 1992. color, gray cloth interior,
5 speed standard transmission, air conditioner, power steering wheel,
sunroof, Southem car, rust, 107,000 miJes, new battery, runs great,
32 miles per gal1on. Asking $3600 or will accept best offer. 4424604 extension 35.
As see, there is 10t of abbreviations, and some of them are
rather difficult to understand. hercfore, the most frequently used ones are
shown in 4-1 page 144, grouped function.

143

, .

, ,
, , "".
,

, ,

5-1

. , , ,
.

. , .
, ,

For Sale ()

. ,

Classified,

MAZDA 626 '93 -108 mi, auto,

/, recent struts, brakes, exhaust, tires,
cond. $5,300/best. 655-2000 eves.

MAZDA 626, 1993 , 108,000

(164,800 .),

. ,

. .
.

$5,300
655-2000 .

VW JETTA CARAT '92. Green,

gray cloth interior, 5 spd, air, PW,
sunroof, so. car, rust, 107 ,
new battery, runs great, 32 MPG,
$36001best offer. 442-460435
annm JEfA R,

1992 my.

, 5-
,

J,

rp

. annm , ,

107,000

(164,200 ), , , 32
(13.5 ). $3,600
. 442-4604, 35.

.4-1

145

, .

he

144

4-1:

Abbreviations in Cars for Sale Ads

of car, engine, and transmission

u

2dr

2 door,

4drsdn

4 door, Sedan

Wgn, wagon

Station Wagon

Conv.

Convertible

),

V6, V8

4,6,8 cylinder engine

3.1,3.1L

3.1 Liters vo1ume

4spd,5spd

4 or 5 speed std. trans.

Auto

Automatic transmission.

Standard, std

Standard transmission

AWO

FWD,FW

Front Wheels Orive

Wheels Drive

Options
4

4-

17" al10ys

17-inch whee1s

ABS

Antilock Brakes

/,

air

changer

Air Conditioner

Alarm

Alarm System

am/fm

AM/FM Radio

amlfm cass.

AlFM

Cruise

Cruise Contro1

, /

Power. assisted brakes

PL,PIL,POL

Power door locks

PW, P/W

Power windows

pwr seat

Power seat

Ti1t, ti1t wheel

Tilt Steering Wheel

Radio, Casette

Sunroof, moonroof
Loaded, loaded Pkg

Many options

Interior features

seat

Buckets

Bucket seats

C10th

Cloth interior

Automobile

.4-1:

145

, r

2dr

2 door, Coup

4drsdn

4 door Sedan

Wgn, wagon

Station Wagon

Convertible

4,6,8 cylinder engine

4-,

3.l,3.1L

3.] Liters volwne

06

4spd,5spd

4 or 5 speed std. trans.

4-, 5- ..

Auto

Automatic transmis.

..

Standard, std

Standard transmis.

AWD

FWD,FW

Front Wheels Drive

4 ),

6, 8

Wheels Drive

6, 8

4CD

4 CD changer

17" aBoys

17-inch wheels

ABS

Anti10ck Brakes

Air Conditioner

Alarm

Alarm System

amlfm

A/FMRadio

amlfm cass.

A/FM

/,

air

Radio, Cas.

Cruise

Cruise Control

,/

Pwr. assisted brakes

PL, PIL, PDL

Power door locks

PW,P/W

Power windows

Pwr seat

Power seat

Ti1t, ti lt wheel

ilt

Steering Wheel

Sunroof, moonroof
Loaded, loaded Pkg

an

options

seat

Buckets

Bucket seats

The Automobile

146

4-1:

Abbreviations in Cars for Sale Ads

Leather

Leather interior

Split bench seat

Tinted, privacy glass
dditil

information

lowner
Book $2500

Retail value $2500

Highway mi.

Highway mileage

Low mls.

Low mileage

rnint eond.

Excellent condition

New sticker

Recently passed State

lnspection

Most ofthe American automobile market is shared between the three largest domestic automobile manufacturers--General Motors, Ford, and Chrysler
(which now belongs to Daimler-Chrysler), as well as number of Japanese, German, Swedish, and Korean companies. Other countries' share in the total amount
of sales is insignificant. he most popular makes are listed in 4-2.
Each of these makes has several models, which are usually updated every 4
to 6 years. In tum, every model is il in several styles that differ from each
other in features such as engine power, transmission type, style, interior, and so
, which adds to hundreds of varieties for 11 tastes. his makes choosing
vehicle difficult regardless ofwhether this is your first car or your twentieth.

4-2:

Most Popular Car Makes in the USA

ur

Ford

LandRover

Pontiac

Audi

GMC

Lexus

Porsche

BMW

Geo

Lineoln

Saab

Buick

Honda

Mazda

Saturn

Cadillac

Hyundai

Mercedes- nz

Subaru

Chevrolet

Infmiti

Mercury

Suzuki

Chrysler

lsuzu

Mitsubishi

Toyota

Daewoo

Jaguar

Nissan

Volkswagen

Dodge

Jeep

Oldsmobile

Volvo

Eagle

ia

Plymouth

4-1:

147

Cloth

Cloth interior

Leather

Leather interior

Split seat

Tinted, privacy glass

lowner
Book$2500

Retail value $2500

:
ighwaymi.

ighway

Lowmls.

Lowmileage

mint cond.

Excel1ent condition

New sticker

Recently passed State

Inspection

$2500

mileage

I<D aro 1 eIfX ecrex

re , (rop

I<D -), ID C3JI , ,

mpe . 1
are pacIIpOC1p3ex np . 4-2.

1 cJJ1<D , I<UIOp
4-6 . mIa ,
ero, 1 Jm'e,
, , , ro :
onrn cry . ro
:, , ro am'3.

.4-2:

Acura

Ford

Land Rover

Pontiac

Audi

GMC

Lexus

Porsche

BW

Lincoln

Saab

Buick

Honda

Mazda

Satum

Cadi11ac

Hyundai

Mercedes-Benz

Subaru

Chevrolet

Infiniti

Mercury

Suzuki

Chrysler

Isuzu

Mitsubishi

Toyota

Daewoo

Jaguar

Nissan

Volkswagen

Dodge

Jeep

Oldsmobile

Volvo

Eagle

Kia

Plymouth

148

The Automobile
Let's review some basic criteria for choosing an automobile:
Purpose. In other words, who will drive this car and where. young
single person and family with 1 children wi1l need very different
cars. former choose fuel-efficient two-door compact car,
whereas the latter need 15-seat an.
Safety. As rule, the larger the car, the safer it is for its passengers
and the more dangerous it is for another vehicle that is involved in an
accident.
Efficiency. he more powerful the vehicle, the more expensive it is
to operate. This is especially important for those who often commute
10ng distances.
Price. This is listed after the three previous criteria because it really
is not the most important factor when making choice, as there are
many options available in price ranges, starting from several hundred doHars and up to $50,000-$70,000 or higher.
Reliability. This parameter is frequently directly related to the prcvious (but not always). he higher the car's mileage, the greater
the possioolity ofbreakdowns and high repair costs.
Your driviog experieoce. If you have never driven before, will
most likely choose car equipped with an automatic transmission.
are easier to operate.
Your tastes aod prefereoces ( l certaio car). This criterion
an as high your list as want, and the most
important consideration, depending your fmancial resources.
Let's 100k at the above-mentioned criteria in more detai1.

Purpose. American automobile market has saturated for

decades. herefore, automobile manufacturers, striving to increase their share
of the market in the [ of stiff competition, have tried to satisfy specific
demands of different groups of buyers expanding the assortment of available models. his led to the introduction of minivans, sport-utility vehicles,
small pickup trucks, and so .
Most automobiles belong to of the following types:
2 door Sedan, - two-door car that an size. an
models are available in two-door versions that cost somewhat less
than their four-door counterparts.
F amily Sedan - four-door automobile with up to six seats that use to
the top choice for family trips in the past.

149

. , . ,
, , ,

1 .

15

. , ,

.

. ,
. ,
.

. ,
,

50-70

.
( ). ,

, ,

. , ,
, ,
. .

( ).
, ,
.

.
.

. , , .
.
:

2 door Sedan,

- - am, I<OO

. arc - ,
, .

Family Sedan -
, .

150

The Automobile
Station Wagon - five-door car with increased luggage space or an
additional seat. models were availablc in this version before
minivans hit the market.
Convertible - car with soft retractable top. Usually of the
most expensive versions ofmany models. New models start from
$20,000 and higher.
Sports car - two-door car with powerful engine, designed, as
rule, for wealthy buyers. Examples are Porsche Boxter and Chevrolet Corvette.
Minivan - minibus with to eight seats is one of the most popular
automobiles for families with children. It is now available from 11
manufacturers.
Van -

bus with to 15 seats, frequently used for group trips.

Cargo Van - used for de1ivery of small cargoes or tools and materials
people in the service industry.
Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) - car with increased clearance, usually
four-wheel drive, and powerful engine that is capable oftowing
boat or camper.
Pickup Trnck - small truck used for transporting both passengers and
cargo. hese are made in wide assortment ll manufacturers and
frequently have an extended with additional passenger seats.
Recreational Vehicle - self-propelled house wheels or camper
used for recreation. hese vary from small simple - campers to
huge vehicles with several rooms and ll amenities.

Automobiles

in following sizes based

wheelbase:

Minicompact

< 95 inches

<241

Subcompact

95-99 inches

241-251

Compact

100-104 inches

254-264

Medium Size

105-109 inches

267-277

Full Size

11 0-114 inches

279-290

Large Size

> 115 inches

>292

Safety. Despite the strict car safety requirements, about 40,000 people in
the US die in car accidents every year. Even more people are injured annually.
Even if this figure is less than the equivalent statistic in other countries, it is
nevertheless significant number.

151

Station Wagon - -

Convertible -

().

Sports

20,000

, ,

'i .

Porsche Boxter, Chevrolet Corvette.

Minivan -

.
.

Van -

15,

Van - aroy,

, .

Sport Utility Vehicle (SUV) -

, .

Pickup Truck - ,
.
.

Recreational Vehicle -

l-,

.
:
m

Minicompact

< 95 inches

< 241

Subcompact

95-99 inches

241-251

Compact

100-104 inches

254-264 m

Medium Size

105-109 inches

267-277 m

Full Size

11 0-114 inches

279-290 m

Large Size

>115 inches

> 292

. 1 OC11f ,

m J

40,000 .

J . ro , pymx
CIpaX, , , - .

he

152

Automobile

Several organizations in this country monitor traffic safety improvements. is the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA).
It carries out safety tests for new car models that enter the market (New Car
Asscssment Program - NCAP) and publishes safety ratings.
Tests simulate head-on col1ision of two equivalent cars moving at the
speed of 35 mj]es per (56 kmIhr) and side col1ision at intersection.
Results of the head-on collision are reported separately for the driver and for
passengers and expressed the number of stars m 1 (the worst) to 5 (the
best) as shown in 4-3.

4-3:

*****
****
***
**
*

Frontal Crash Safety Rating

10% or less chance of serious injury
11 % to 20% an of serious injury
21 % to 35% chance of serious injury
36% to 45% an of serious injury
46% or greater chance of serious injury

Source: NHTSA
he

results of side impact tests are assessed separately for front and back seats
and ls expressed the nber of stars, as shown in Table 4-4.

4-4:

*****
****
***
**
*
Source:

Side crash safety rating

5% or less than of serious injury
6% to 10% an of serious injury
11 % to 20%

of serious injury

21 % to 25%

of serious injury

26% or greater chance of serious injury

NTSA

serious injury is considered to requiring immediate hospitalization and 1ife threatening. check the safety ratings of most currently sold cars the Internet at www.nhtsa.dot.gov. Ratings for 2001 compact
cars are given in 4-5 page 154.
Because car insuran is mandatory in the US, the costs of car repair and medica1 treatment ofthose injured in an accident are usually paid the insurance. here
fore, insurance companies keep trnck of safety statistics for each car model, taking
into account the extent of dnag to the vehicle and the severity of passenger injuries. he safer the car, the lower its insuran cost with other things being equal.

153

,
.

National

Highway

Traffic

Safety

(NSA)

Adm;n;stration

).
, pmOK

Assessment Program - NCAP)

(New

arn,
ra

35

(56

), .

. m
J

.4-3:

*****
****
***
**
*
:

1 ()

5 () . 4-3.

10%

11 % 20%

21 % 35%

36% 45%

46%

NHTSA

cro rI
I<Dcmo , I<a .

.4-4:

*****
****
***
**
*

44.

5%

6% 10%

11 % 20%

21 % 25%

26%

: NSA

, .

www.nhtsa.dot.gov. . 4-5
2001 .

155

aro are,

.
ar,

.
rn, .

154

4-5:

Automobile

2001 Compact Cars Safety Rating

Frontal Star Rating

Side Star Rating

2001 Make & Model

Driver's

Passenger's

Front Seat

Rear Seat

Chcvrolet Cavalier 2-DR

***
****
****

****
****
****

*
*

*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
****
****
****
****
***
****
****
****
***
****
*****
*****

*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
****
****
****
*****
****
****
****
*****
*****

**
***
***
****

Chevrolet Cavalier 4-DR

Dodge Neon 4-DR
Ford Escort ZX2 2-DR
Ford Focus 2-DR
Ford Focus 4-DR
Honda Civic 2-DR
Honda Civic 2-DR (side abg)
Honda Civic 4-DR
Honda S 2000
Hyundai Elantra 4-DR
ia

Sephia 4-DR

Mazda 626

4-DR

Nissan Sentra 4-DR

Plymouth Neon 4-DR
Pontiac Sunftre 2-DR
Pontiac Sunfire 4-DR
Satum L Series 4-DR
Toyota Celica 2-dr
Toyota Prius 4-DR
Volkswagen Beetle 2DR
Volkswagen Golf 4-DR
Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR

***

****
***
***
*****
****
****
*****
***
***

***

***
**
***
****

*
*

**
***

****
****
*****
****
****
****
****
***

***** ***
****

****

Source: NHTSA

The Insurance Institute for Highway Safety is financed insurance

companies and investigates factors that lead to car accidents, as welI as their
consequences:
drivers - age, fatigue, alcohol consumption, and so

cars - frontal and side collisions, reliability of safety belts and airbags, col1isions between cars of different sizes
the environment - road construction and improvement

2001

155

4-5:

Chevro1et Cavalier 2-DR

Dodge Neon 4-DR
Ford Escort ZX2 2-DR
Ford Focus 2-DR
Honda Civic 2-DR
Honda Civic 2-DR (side abg)
Honda Civic 4-DR
Honda S 2000
Hyundai Elantra 4-DR
Kia Sephia 4-DR
Mazda 626

4-DR

Nissan Sentra 4-DR

Plymouth Neon 4-DR
Pontiac Sunfire 2-DR
Pontiac Sunfire 4-DR
Satum L Series 4-DR
Toyota

*
*
***
*
****
***
***
*****
****
****
*****
***
***

**
***
***
****
*
****
****
*****
****
****
****
****
***

***
*
*
**
***

***
**
***
****

*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
****
****
****
****
***
****
****
****
***
****
*****
*****

Ford Focus 4-DR

2-dr

Toyota Prius 4-DR

Volkswagen Beetle 2-DR
Volkswagen Golf 4-DR
Volkswagen Jetta 4-DR
II: NJS

*** ****
**** ****
**** ****

Chevrolet Cavalier 4-DR

2001

*****
****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
*****
****
****
****
****
*****
****
****
****
*****
*****

***** ***
**** ****

lnsurance Institute for Highway Safety

),

, , ,
:

- ,

, ;

- ,

, ;

he

156

Automobile

This institute also conducts tests and publishes its own ratings that
found at www.h.sjty.Ofg.
he third widely known organization that conducts tests and maintains
safety ratings is the Consumer Union, which publishes Consumer Reports
magazine as well as Consumer Digest and other publications. Consumer
Digest found in the periodicals section of bookstores and libraries. It
goes sale at the beginning of the year and contains information new cars.
must remember that the ratings stated above compared only
for cars in the same class. Obviously, when two cars of different sizes collide,
the outcome for the smaller vehicle will considerably less favorable even if
the two have an identical safety rating.
Fuel efficiency. Gasoline costs are an inevitable aspect of vehicle ownership that should considered before purchase. Obviously, automobile
wil1 consume fuel. he question is, what type and how m?
he overwhelming majority of automobiles use gasoline, with few
exceptions that run diesel fuel. Almost everywhere in the US, gasoline is
sold in three grades, depending the amount of octane: Regular, Premium,
and Super. If the cost of Regular is 100%. Premium will cost 115-120%, and
Super - 130-135%.
Experts say that there is need to use higher grade gasoline than is
specified in your car ml. It does not increase the mileage and, therefore,
waste of money.
Motor vehicle specifications usually show gas mileage as two numbers
separated slash (1) that represent fuel consumption during city and highway driving. For example, 36/42 MPG means that the car goes 36 miles per
gallon of fuel driving in the city and 42 miles per gallon driving highway.
Average annual mileage is about 15,000 miles. 4-6 shows l gasoline costs for different mileages at the gasoline of $1.50 per gallon. It is
assumed that the car accumulates half of its mileage in the city and another half
highways.

4-6:

Annual Gasoline Expenses

Town
MPG

Highway

Chevrolet Metro

36

42

$384.62

$576.92

$769.23

$961.54

Nissan Altima

29

33

$483.87

$725.81

$967.74

$1,209.68

Toyota Camry

27

32

$508.47

$762.71

SI,016.95

$1,271.19

Chevrolet Blazer

16

20

$833.33

$1,250.00

$1,666.67

$2,083.33

Ford Truck 44

14

18

$937.50

$1,406.25

SI,875.00

$2,343.75

Model

Mileage
10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

157

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Consumer Reports,
Consumer Digest

(Consumer Union),
Consumer Digest .

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(gasoline)

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Regular; Premium Super.

100%, Premium 115-120%, Super - 130-135%.
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Chevrolet Metro

36

42

$384.62

$576.92

$769.23

$961.54

Nissan Altima

29

33

$483.87

$725.81

$967.74

$1,209.68

Toyota Camry

27

32

$508.47

$762.71

$1,016.95

$1,271.19

Chcvrolet lazer

16

20

$833.33

$1,250.00

$1,666.67

$2,083.33

Ford Truk 44

14

18

$937.50

$1,406.25

$1,875.00

$2,343.75

10,000

15,000

20,000

25,000

158

Automobile

Additional factors that influence fuel consumption are transmission type

and air conditioning. anul transmission adds 3-6 miles per gallon
pared with an automatic , whereas working air conditioner lower the
car's efficiency about 3 miles per gallon when driving in the city.
Besides fuel, cars require routine maintenance. It includes, for
ple, oil and oil fi1ter changes every 3-4 thousand miles or 3-4 months (whichever comes first) , air fi1ter changes every 10-15 thousand miles, and
transmission service every 30 thousand miles. Generally, the more expensive
car, the more expensive its maintenance.

Price. he price of new car depends its class, and the price of used
one also depends its year, mileage, and condition. Cars in the US are not an
investment. Evcn car without mileage loses value with passing year;
therefore, dealers try to get rid ofthis year's models before the year's end.
Because the used-car market is estimated in billions of dollars, there is
plenty of information available about second-hand cars. here are price catalogues for situations. National Automobile Dealers Association u
lishes the Official Used Car Guide with prices that are used the
dealers in the country.
most easily accessible source of information is the so-called
Blue Book. It is smaH pocket-format book with dark u cover that
found in the "Automobiles" section of any bookstore. It costs about five dol1ars
and is updated nnll. It lists prices for used cars from the previous year
and earlier. prices are for cars with the average mileage of 10-12 thousand
miles per year. ti factors are given for cases when the car has more or
less mileage than the average, and also depending its condition. u
[d this information free the Intemet at www.kbb.co.
As 1 already mentioned, there are cars for sale in ll price ranges. One's
first car in America is usually bought for cash simply because people who have
recently aivd in the country are ineligible for credit because they don't have
so-cal1ed "credit history," something we will discuss later in the book.
Remember that in most cases get what paid for. Something that seems
inexpensive at first sight is not always so. If are sold car very cheaply,
something is not right.

Reliability. We bought our first car directly fro its owner two weeks
after our arriva/. We liked it iedialely, and the price was acceptable; ore
over, lhe owner was wing 10 se// cheaper. According ( the litle, the car was 8

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160

The Automobile

years old, ! there were only 47.000 miles its odometer. he owner told us
that it was his daughter:~ , which she used /or shopping /rom t;me to time.
Our joy at this purchase lasted exactly months. n day, the engine quit
b~y road. Smoke was coming from under the hood, and when / pulled over
and stopped, redj1uid started leakingfrom the engine.
When with the help / cousin, ( whose home the car was towed, we
took the engine apart, it tumed out that from the condition /the cylinders, it was
clear that the car had minimum 0/147,000 miles (old cars had only five
decimal places the odometer, and after 99,999 miles, it turned back 10 zero).
Repairing the engine would have cost us approximately as much as
replacing it with another engine /rom car with lower mileage, ! it had
much smaller chance 01 success. We ended buying another engine and
replacing it ourselves (thanlifully, relatives had done ;t several limes)
because we simply didn't have the n /or pro/essional repair. Even so, we
almost doubled what we had or;ginally paid/or the car.

'!

car so can drive it, not spend time undemeath it, unless it is
your hobby. In spite of the fact that there is shortage of spare parts in the US,
repairs can expensive than buying another car. AIso, landlord
not like it very much if set makeshift garage in his parking 10t.
Consumer Reports magazine keeps track of problems with car
models and publishes annual lists of models that have perfonned average as well as models that are the most risky.

Driving experience. As we already mentioned, automobiles with

automatic transmission are easier to drive and therefore are much more
preferable for beginners. he size of the car is also important from safety
standpoint, but if live in large city with heavy traffic and crowded parking lots, it will difficult for to maneuver large car.
Personal preferences. person has his or her own tastes and preferences. l like different clothes, different hairstyles, they spend their free
time differently, and so . person likes pizza, another likes pel'menis, the
third likes jellied fish. This has nothing to do with income or education. Often
people with identical income and education levels, who grew in the same
neighborhood or the same family, totally different tastes and personalities. This is completely nnl.
same principle applies to car choices. person like tiny
sports cars, another - conservative sedans, and someone else love Jeeps
like the ones featured in movies about Africa. Car manufacturers target differ-

160

Automobile

years old, ! there were only 47,000 miles its odometer. The owner told us
that it was his daughter s , which she used/or shopping from time ( time.
Our joy at this purchase lasted exactly two months. n day, the engine quit
busy road. Smoke was coming from under the hood, and when 1 pulled over
and stopped, redfluid started leakingfrom the engine.
When with the help 0/ cousin, 10 whose home the car was towed, we
took the engine aparl, it turned l that from lhe condition /the cylinders, it was
clear lhat the car had minimum 0/147,000 miles il (old cars had only five
decima/ p/aces the odometer, and after 99,999 miles, il turned back ( zero).
Repairing the engine would have cosl us approximately :; much as
replacing it with another engine /rom car wilh /ower mileage, but it had
much smaller chance / success. We ended buying another engine and
replacing it ourse/ves (thankfully, relatives had done it severa/ times)
because we simply didn't have the n /or pr~fessiona/ repair. Even so, we
almost doubled what we had originally paid/or the car.

car so drive it, not spend time underneath it, unless it is

your hobby. In spite of the fact that there is shortage of spare parts in the US,
repairs can more expensive than buying another car. Also, your landlord
not like it very much ifyou set mak.eshift garage in his parking 10t.
Consumer Reports magazine keeps track of problems with many car
models and publishes annual lists of models that havc performed above average as well as models that are the most risky.

Driving experience. As we already mentioned, automobiles with an

automatic transmission are much easier to drive and therefore are more
preferable for beginners. he size of the car is also important from safety
standpoint, but if live in large city with heavy traffic and crowded parking 10ts, it will difficult for to maneuver large car.
Personal preferences. Each person has his or her wn tastes and preferences. l like different clothes, different hairstyles, they spend their free
time differently, and so . One person likes pizza, another likes pel'menis, the
third likes jellied fish. This has nothing to do with income or cducation. Often
l with identical income and education levels, who grew in the same
neighborhood or even the same family, totally different tastes and personalities. his is completely normal.
same principle applies to car choices. person like tiny
sports cars, another - conservative sedans, and someone else 10ve Jeeps
like the ones featured in movies about Africa. Car manufacturers target differ-

161

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162

cnt models to buyers from different age and socioeconomic status groups, trying to cover the whole range of demands. find what want if
are patient.
Taking into account the criteria men60ned above d your budget,
w your search down to several models d dctermine the acceptable
age d mj}eage range for your car.

4.6. Buying new car

Purchasing car will probably of your largest expenses, second
only to buying . difference is that the value of house, as rule,
grows over time, but the value of car falls, matter what kind of car it is.
Despite this fact, people make dccision to without any preparation.
Experts say that car buyers in the US about four billions dollars more
ll than they could havc (Ross, 1992 as cited in Green, 1995). Some
less for their cars, others more. In some cases, people to $20003000 more. This happens for the fol1owing reasons:
Not everyone knows that MSRP or Manufacturer Suggested Retaj}
Price specified the manufacturer is not final and bargain
with the seller. This does not apply to small number of dcalers that
sell at fixed prices.

he

huge number of models and different options availabIe the

market easily confuse consumer. professional salesperson
who sells cars every day assess the situation very quick1y and
therefore has psychological advantage over buyer who makes
such purchase every few years at best.

The buyer does not know beforehand what or she wants and
afford.

With little preparation, save bundle or much better

equipped or more expensive car for the same .
First of 11, should determine how m an spend if are
paying in cash or how credit afford at the ut interest rate.
While estimating your budget, must remember that in addition to the cost
of the car, there are other expenses such as registration and insurance. In states
where the registration [ includes excise tax these expenses significant
($400-600 and more per year). Find out beforehand how it costs to register particular make and model. excise tax decreases as the car depreciates, and if have only owned used cars before, have paid small

163

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164

Automobile

amount . Registering new r therefore very unpleasant

surprise. Ask your insurance agent how m it wi11 cost to insure the r
want to . Whereas could have only liability insurance for used
bought in cash, r required to collision and comprehensive insurance
[ r bought credit. This wi11 considered in more detail in the chapter
insurance.
After have done your homework, look through newspaper advertisements, catalogues, magazines, and based the criteria considered above,
make list ofmodels that fit requirements and r priced within the limits
of your budget plus 10%.
next step is to find out how the dealer pays for the car--the socalled Invoice Price. This price varies over the course of . an estimate it using publications such as Consumer Report Buying Guide or find out
the exact numbers calling Consumer Report Service at 1-800-205-2445.
$12, comprehensive information will sent to fax or mail. It is even
easier to do this over the Internet, for example, at www.carprice.com
www.autoadvice.com.
10nger certain model is in production, the less the manufacturer costs
r; therefore, an r manufacturers offer additional discounts so-called
rebates the models that have in production [ number of years.
an also find out about them through Consumer Report Service the Internet. amount, which an vary from $300 to $2000 and higher, has to
deducted from the Invoice Price to determine the dealer's expenses. Destination Charge will added to the result.
After have determined the dealer's expenses, add the dealer's profit
in amount of $300-500 [ that costs between $13,000 and $20,000 or
$800-1,000 for more expensive . This will the minimum price
have to negotiate. In an cases it wi11 at least 10% lower than the
specified MSRP.
r, especially new , should not an impulse purchase.
l know that at the end of the month dealers easier to bargain
with but still the d after their old breaks down the highway,
regardless of when that was.

One of the factors should consider is your plans regarding the new
: are going to sell it in the near future [ as as
going to drive it for as long as possible? This is because the price
expect to sell your r [ depends its , mileage, and condition. However, the indicated in the documents often does not reflect the actual date
when the car was assembled and sold. In the [11, next year's

165

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170

Automobile

4.7. Buying used car

l

say that the best car is new . Nobody doubts it. When
new car, receive manufacturer warranties for several years or to
certain mileage, which frees of worries about repair. Some models
now warranties that cover the engine and transmission to 100,000
miles (160,000 kilometers). Howcver, most immigrants cannot afford
sive cars in the bcginning and to make do with used ones and deal with
the consequences.
In most cases, ncwly arrivcd immigrants their first car with the l
of friends or relatives, holding thcm responsible for the decision and often
blaming them if the purchase tums out to unsuccessful. his is unfair to
l who agreed to help . should understand that when
used car, take chance, even if it is not very old. 1 already mentioned
first experience, which 1 one wi1l repeat. Nobody is immune to mistakes, but of them can prevented. must know some things and
attention when . However, in any case, should thc who
makes the final decision and is responsible for the consequcnces.
There are three main factors that affect car's reliability:
Design and craftsmanship. Different models different reliability ratings. Some defects m corrected of charge while the
vehicle is under warranty. However, everything that requires repair
after the warranty expires has to covered the owner, so choosing morc reliable model makes good sense.
Maintenance. Regular and timely maintenance significantly extends
car's life and decreases the probability ofserious malfunctions that
require extensive repair. Neglecting maintenance leads to premature
deterioration of the most expensive components: the engine and
transmission. heir repair or replacement can cost thousands of dollars.
Accidents. serious accident m cause hidden defects that
are not immediately apparent, which is why the owncrs of cars that
repaired after an accident often try to get rid of them as
soon as possible.

can minimize the influence ofthe flfst ofthe factors doing

your research. Consumer Buying Guide publishes information about reliability
of almost makes of cars that are sold the American market. There
also find information about the most reliable models of used cars in

4.7.

171

. ,

100,000 (160,000

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172

Automobile

price categories, as weH as models that are best avoided.

The information about maintenance and accidents obtained l
from the seHer (who wil1 not volunteer it to ) or based thorough
inspection and test-drive.
If using newspaper ads to look for , need to make list of
questions to ask the owner before him or her. he information in newspaper ads is often very condensed; besides, it is good idea to have the data
specified in the ad confirmed the owner. If ask the same questions in the
same order of potential sellers, there is less chance that wil1 miss something; also, it wil1 easier for to the results of your search. list
of questions that covers the minimal necessary information look like this:
Are u sel1ing such-and-such car (model,

)?

Is the transmission manual or automatic?

What kind of options does it have: air conditioner, sun-roof, cruisecontrol, AlFM radio, stereo casette player, CD player, power locks,
power mirrors, power windows, power seats?
What color is it?
What is the mileage

it?

How long have u owned it?

What condition is it in?
Has it ever been in

accident?

Why se1ling it?

How much are asking?
If, after these questions have answered, still interested and
would 1ike to see the , need to ask additional questions.
How and when 1 an look at it? (Try to set an appointment during
daylight hours).
Address and detailed directions.
Before looking at the

How regularly has the

ask few more questions.

been serviced?

Have there been an repairs done recently?

Are there receipts for maintenance and repair?
Begin your visual inspection from

distance.

asymmetry when u

173

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174

Automobile

are looking at the front or the back, even if it is hardly noticeable, indicate
that the car has in an accident. Also look at the general outlines ofthe car
from both sides and attention to paint. the door, fender, hood, or trunk
surfaces differ in color or apparent age? If yes, it is possible that they were
replaced or repainted after accident.
next step is closer look at body surfaces for presence of
scratches, dents, rust spots, and other defects. Bring flat flexible magnet like
the ones that some businesses use as business cards and press it against few
points doors, fenders, hood, and so . If it does not stick, it means that
under the paint there is thick layer of body fiHer to cven out dent. Check
gaps around doors, the trunk, and thc hood. should uniform 1l the way
around.
If damaged parts of the body have replaced, more than likely thcy
were painted because new parts usually in black and used ones seldom
have the necessary color. attention to places next to chrome, plastic, or
rubber parts that are usuaHy covered with masking tapc during painting. If the
car has been repainted, sometimes sce new paint these parts or old
paint showing through right next to thcm.
After that, check how each door opens and closes. attcntion to the
inside bottom part of the doors whcre rust usuaHy appears first. Open the trunk
and look under the carpet its bottom and sides for presence of rust and also
for possible latent defects or traces of repair if thc car was hit from behind.
Presence of recently painted spots also point to this. Check if spare tirc
and jack, which are usuaHy stored in an indentation in the bottom of the
trunk, are in place.

next part ofthe inspection is aimed at finding out how weH the vehil has been maintained. Open the hood and examine the engine for oil or other
fluid leaks. Even slightly leaky gasket cause an problems and require
expensivc repair. Look for rust or traces of differcnt paint, as weH as paint
rubber part surfaces, which also indicates repair after accident or repainting.
Check the belts for cracks. out the oillevel gauge, wipe it with cloth or
paper towel, insert it completely, and it out again. attcntion to the level
of oil and to how clean it is. If the engine is cold, open the radiator carefuHy, using cloth, and look at the condition of coolant. [f there is thin
of oil its surface, the head gasket is most likely broken, and its repair is
expensive.
next step is inspecting the bottom of the car. [f are buying it
from dealer who has garage, ask to put the car lift. Otherwise,
will need to crawl under the car. It is good idea to flashlight. First

175

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176

Automobile

of , look for t1uids the ground directly under the engine. Examine the
t100r and the frame of the car for rust. This is especially important in regions
with cold climate where in the wintertime the roads are treated with sand and
salt. Sand acts as sandpaper, scraping off paint or protective coating, and salt
accelerates the si of metal. If rust the body affects only the car's
appearance and not its road performance, rusty t100r or frame indicate
decreased durability, and the car m not pass its next state inspection. Also
attention to an recently painted spots. Check the condition of the exhaust
pipe and the mur. hey m rusted through and require replacement.
Finally, attention to the tires. Together with brakes, headlights, and
parking lights, they are important for passenger safety and are checked during
annual state inspections. degree of wear is measured the depth of
grooves the tire tread. If it is 1.5 mm or less, tire should replaced. If
tires are worn out unevenly, it signal problems with wheel alignment or
result of an accident.
After inspecting the car, you need to find out who actually owns it.
do this looking at document called Certificate of itle, where in the
top right-hand comer you find the Vehicle Identification Number ( unique
number assigned to car) that consists of series of numbers and letters.
Compare it to the number located the bottom of the windshield the
driver's side. should match. column Owner(s) Name and Address
lists the names of owners. Make sure that the person are dealing with is the
owner.
If the car was bought credit, the and address of the credit organization that financed the purchase will specified in columns First Lienholder Name and Address or Second Lienholder Name and Address (1 cannot
guarantee that this is done in states). Ifthe car loan has been paid in full, the
owner should have appropriate papers from the ank certifying this fact. If the
loan has not been paid, the car does not actually belong to m or her. When
car that is owned someone else, virtually guarantee yourself
unnecessary problems. Even if are buying very inexpensive car, this
thorough inspection is necessary for two reasons:

change mind and not the car ifyou find any significant defects or discrepancy between what see and what
have told the owner.

get reason to ask for 10wer price if still like the car but
have found defect the owner did not tell about.

careful when buying cars with the mileage of 65-75 thousand miles
that have already had two owners. Very often the first owner, who sells the car

177

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178

The Automobile

right after its wanty expires, does not perform l1 the necessary maintenance
procedures, and the second owner only does the bare minimum. It is preferable
that the owner have evidence of any maintenance that has done. The mileage at which the current owner bought the car is indicated in the top part of the
Certificate of Title.
After the inspection, you want to tak:e the car for test drive.
attention to how the car starts and how the engine works before you start driving.
attention to exhaust fumes. Bluish smoke means that the car is buming
and white smoke signify broken head gasket. Check the headlights, parking lights, windshield wipers, radio, heater, and conditioner ifthere is .
During your test drive try to find place where could test the car at
ll acceptable speeds, having tested the brak:es first. During several cycles of
speeding and braking, look at how smoothly the transmission switches from
one gear to another. Are there unusual sounds in the engine or transmission? Does the car puH to side when brake? If you take your hands off
the steering wheel straight stretch of the road, does the car continue to go
straight or does it drift to side? The reason for this bad wheel alignment or simply different tire pressurcs different sides. bumpy road, if
the car bounces for long time after going over , shock absorbers are
most likely not working properly.
Stop in safe place and, with the engine still running, the hood.
Look if there are oil or other fluid leak:s; also check under the car. Do
smell burned oil or anything else?
attention to how comfortable you feel bchindthe wheel. Ifthe position of the steering wheel is not adjustable, is it comfortable for you? How
about the amount of effort necessary for steering (there are cars where the
steering wheel is very tight or so loose that it seems not to connected to
thing). How good is visibility when you change lanes or back up?
Ifyou are buying car that is fairly expensive for you and are not sure of
its condition, after 100k at it and agree price, you say that before
, you would like to show it to professional mechanic. Such inspection cost about fifty dollars but save you hundreds repairs or help
avoid headache in the near future.
At the end of the transaction, the owner should give you the Certificate
ofTitle. the back ofwhich should recorded the transfer ofthe car to your
and current odometer reading. You also must ask for receipt stating the
sum paid. Based this receipt, you will the sale tax (if it exists in your
state) when you register car. The paperwork differ in different states.
Check with the Department ofMotor Vehicles to see which documents are
essary to complete your purchase.

179

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180

Automobile

4.8. Financing
Very few l can an automobile and the full price in cash.
Most will need to borrow or part of the m from different sources. As
wil1 explained in the appropriate chapter, being to get credit, as well as
its tenns, largely depend your so-called "credit history". Here we will only
consider the possible sources of credit for purchasing car.
In the US, can go to car dealer without penny in your pocket and
l driving an expensive new car. Of course, will to for this
pleasure over certain period of time and will end paying off not only the
cost of the car, but also the interest your loan, which, depending the
tenns of the 10an and interest rate, can add to 10t of m.
4-7 shows monthly payments to made $10,000 loan
depending interest rates and loan terms.

4-7:

Monthly Payments for Different Loans

Interest Rate and Montbly Payent

Loan nn
(months)
2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12

$842.39

$851.50

$860.60

$869.88

879.16

24

$425.40

$434.25

$443.21

$452.27

461.45

36

$286.43

$295.24

$304.22

$313.36

322.67

48

$216.95

$225.79

$234.85

$244.13

253.63

60

$)75.28

$184.17

$193.33

$202.76

212.47

4-8 shows the total amount paid

interest rates and terms.
4-8:

$10,000 loan for the same

Total Amount Paid for Different Loans

Interest Rate and Total Amount Paid

Loan nn
(months)
2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12

$10,109

$10,218

$10,327

$10,439

$10,550

24

$10,210

$10,422

$10,637

$10,854

$11,075

36

$10,311

$10,629

$10,952

$11,281

$ll,616

48

$10,414

$10,838

$11,273

$11,718

$12,174

60

$10,517

$11,050

$11,600

$12,166

$12,748

181

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$10,000.

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12

$842.39

$851.50

$860.60

$869.88

879.16

24

$425.40

$434.25

$443.21

$452.27

461.45

36

$286.43

$295.24

$304.22

$313.36

322.67

48

$216.95

$225.79

$234.85

$244.13

253.63

60

$175.28

$184.17

$193.33

$202.76

212.47

4-8

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$10,000.

2.0%

4.0%

6.0%

8.0%

10.0%

12

$10,109

$10,218

$10,327

$10,439

$10,550

24

$10,210

$10,422

$10,637

$10,854

$11,075

36

$10,311

$10,629

$10,952

$11,281

$11,616

48

$10,414

$10,838

$11,273

$11,718

$12,174

60

$10,517

$11,050

$1l,600

$12,166

$12,748

182

The Automobile

an financial institutions provide loans for car purchases. Loans are

given for both new and used cars, but usually in the latter case the older the car,
the higher the interest loan. Usually dealers have agreements with creditors and receive profit from sale, and apply for 10an right at the
dealership. As is clear from thc tables above, the total amount grows quickly as
the term of the loan and the interest incrcase. This is why salespeople ask
how much an afford to month. Varying the term ofthe 10an, they
adjust the result to your given amount, often at high interest rate, and pocket
the difference in addition to the profit they make the sale itself.
often find better loan terms yourselfby calling or visiting local
banks or credit unions. Credit unions often offer the best interest rates, but they
have some restrictions. Usually they only serve people who live in the town or
county where the union is located, and besides, need to member
of the union, which often means opening account with the minimal balance
of$10-50.
Sometimes car manufacturers, hoping to increase sales, provide special
financing at 10w interest rates. This financing is not necessarily available to
every buyer. There are certain limitations, usually based the customer's
credit rating (his or her credit history).
When take out loan, make sure your contract states that
prepay amount (including paying the 10an in full) at an time without penalty. This way off your debt at time if your financial situation
improves or find another loan source that offers lower interest.
Loan refinancing is widespread because loan interest rates vary with the
state of the . During the life span of 10ng-term loan, very often there
are times when the current interest rate is lower than it was when the
loan was originally taken out. [ this case, it makes scnse to take out new
loan and to off the old . Usually, there are additional expenses associated with car loan, as opposed to mortgage ( 10an for buying );
therefore, it an refinanced the next day ifyou find better terms.

4.9. Car insurance

In most states, the law requires to insure your vehicle before
register it. In some states, driving an uninsured car is considered felony.
Considering that in the US approximately 200 mi1lion cars are insured
every year with the average li costing at least $500, car insurance is an
industry with annual revenue of more than $100 bi1lion. The -

183

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500 ,
100

184

Automobile

nies involved vary wideJy in regards to insurance tenns they offer, cost, the
promptness with which claims are handled, and quality of service.
insurance includes several components that wiJI discussed below
and covers particula vehicle and not particular driver, except in specially
stipulated cases when your regular vehicle is replaced another , for
ple, if u renting while vacation business trip, if your is
being repaired serviced, if it is 10st as result of accident, theft, other
incident. However, if u have simply lent the to friend, in case of accident, it is urs and not his her insurance policy that wil1 have to cover the
damage. his topic is considered in detail in the chapter insurance.

4.10. Registration and re-registration

cars in the US registered whenever they change owners and re-registered periodically. government agency caHed the Bureau of Motor Vehicles
keeps track of vehicles and issues each wn an official document caHed
Certificate of Title that confmns the ownership of the vehicle, as wel1 as the
Vehicle Registration fonn, which needs to updated annull. 1f was purchased with 1, the Certificate of Title is issued in the owner's , but it
lists the organization that financed the purchase and owns the rights to it until the
1 is paid in fuH.
he Certificate of Title is raely needed in everyday life and is used l
when changes owners or its ownership needs to proved. However, the
l Registration must kept in the and presented, along with your
driver's license and insurance cad, to police officer who stops .
registration is done at your local municipality Bureau of Motor
Vehicles and should u next step after purchasing an insurance policy. If
bought the from dealer, they should supply u with the papers
essary for registration. If the car was bought from private wn, he she
has to give u the Certificate of Title with the transfer section filled out and
his signature the back.
When u register ur , u are given 1icense plates and stick-on
labels indicating year and month to which the plates valid. hus, ur
is re-registered during the same month - the month in which it was registered for the first time. Depending the state live in, u must registration [ or registration fee plus excise tax. Ifyou trade in an old for
new before u registration is u, the unused part of the registration [
wi1l applied to your new . also keep your old license plates if
want.

185

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186

Automobile

Car registration fees in different states are shown in 4-9.

4-9:

State Motor Vehicle Registration Fees

Arizona 1/

$8.00

Wasbington

$30.00

Jndiana

12.00

West Virginia

30.00

Kentucky

12.00

New Hampshire

31.20

South Carolina

12.00

Florida

32.50

Mississippi

15.00

Colorado

32.74

Oregon

15.00

Nevada

33.00

Wyoming

15.00

Alaska

34.00

Nebraska

17.50

Connecticut

35.00

Montana

19.25

Pennsylvania

36.00

Delaware

20.00

Maryland 2/

38.00

Georgia

20.00

Missouri

39.00

North Carolina

20.00

NewMexico

42.00

Tennessee

21.50

South Dakota

42.00

NewYork

22.50

Vermont

43.00

Ohio

22.75

Wisconsin

45.00

Alabama

23.00

Hawaii

46.42

Maine

23.00

Idaho

48.00

Utah

24.50

Texas

59.80

Arkansas

25.00

New Jersey

73.50

Kansas

25.00

Illinois

78.00

Massachusetts

25.00

North Dakota

79.00

Louisiana

26.50

District of Columbia

88.00

Vlfginia

26.50

Oklahoma

90.00

Califomia

30.00

Jowa

93.00

Rhode Island

30.00

Minnesota 3/

108.75

1/ There is also $1.50 fee earmarked for air qua1ity.

2/ Includes an $11 fee earmarked for the Emergency Medical Services System.
3/ Maximum tax.
Source: Government ofDistrict ofColumbia, 2002.

License plates have the same size and shape throughout the US, but their text
and design differ depending the state. Besides, in state there are standard
license plates as well as custom-made, so-called vanity license plates, which
you an write anything you want within reasonable limits. The inscription

187

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.4-9:

4-9.

Arizona 1/

$ 8.00

Washington

$30.00

Indiana

12.00

West Virginia

30.00

Kentucky

12.00

New Hampshire

31.20

South Carolina

12.00

Florida

32.50

Mississippi

15.00

Colorado

32.74

Oregon

15.00

Nevada

33.00

Wyoming

15.00

Alaska

34.00

Nebraska

17.50

Connecticut

35.00

Montana

19.25

Pennsylvania

36.00

Delaware

20.00

Maryland 2/

38.00

Georgia

20.00

Missouri

39.00

North

20.00

NewMexico

42.00

Tennessee

21.50

South Dakota

42.00

NewYork

22.50

Vermont

43.00

22.75

Wisconsin

45.00

Alabama

23.00

Hawaii

46.42

Maine

23.00

Idaho

48.00

Utah

24.50

Texas

59.80

Arkansas

25.00

New Jersey

73.50

Kansas

25.00

Illinois

78.00

Massachusetts

25.00

North Dakota

79.00

Louisiana

26.50

District of lu

88.00

Virginia

26.50

Oklahoma

90.00

California

30.00

Iowa

93.00

Rhode Island

30.00

Minnesota 3/

108.75

1/ $1.50 .
2/ $11.00 .
3/ .
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The Automobile

188

more than 6-8 characters, depending the state. Vanity plates cost more but are
popu1ar, and some people collect them. the Intemet, an find
special dictionary for decoding the abbreviations used vanity license plates.
There are also special license plates that differ from the standard design
and are dedicated to certain organization or cause, for example, local university or protecting the environment. extra revenue generated from sales
of these plates goes into the state treasury with special-purpose designation.
There is annual fee that must paid in order to use these plates.

4.11. State inspection

vehicle's condition, functioning, and safety are also checked annll.

This is done car service stations that have speciallicenses to conduct State
Inspections. state inspection includes:
VIN Number / License Plates lRegistration
Windshield and WiperslWindshield Washer

dlightsldlight

Aim, Signals/4-Way Flashers, Tail

Lamps/Brake Lightslackup Lights/Other Lighting Devices

Service Brake and ParkinglEmergency Brake

Seat Belts
Tires

Joints/SteeringlSuspension and Body PanelslFuel nk

Exhaust System
Emissions TestlEmissions Components (if applicable)
The inspection in our state costs about 1 dollars. If something about
your vehicle does not meet requirements, the inspector willlet know. After
paying for the inspection, take the car elsewhere to fixed or fix it
yourself and then retum to re-inspect it for free as long as back reasonably soon. After your vehicle passes the inspection, special sticker indicating year and month to which it is valid will placed your windshield
near the rearview mirror. he sticker color varies year, and the month is
indicated punching holes around the sticker's perimeter moving clockwise
from January to December.
he state inspection date is not always related to the car registration date.

6-8

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190

In some states it is not mandatory to pass State Inspection when car changes
owners. In this case, if car from dealer, it is almost guaranteed that
it wil1 have fresh sticker valid for year, whereas when privately, 11
depends when the previous owner last passed the inspection. do not
have to inspect the car until its sticker is close to its expiration date. In other
states car must pass inspection before new owner use it. For example,
in Massachusetts motor vehicle inspection stickers are not transferable to new
owner, sellers of used vehicles must remove inspection stickers prior to transfig the vehicle to the new owner.
The Massachusetts Lemon Aid Law allows to void or l motor
vehicle contract or sale if your vehicle fails to pass inspection within seven days ftom
the date of sale AND if the estimated costs of repairs of emission- or safety-related
defects exceed l00! of the purchase price. Different versions of the Lemon Aid Law
exist in man states. In some cases they nl protect from defects in new cars.
find state inspection rules the Intemet your's state official
web site at www.state.xx.us or wwW.XX.gov, where "" is two-letter state
abbreviation. find it in the chapter to postal service

4.12. Gas stations

It is amazing how m gas stations there are in the US, from tiny conveni stores with or two gas pumps scattered along country roads to the supermodern facilities that serve twenty cars simltaneously d are located at busy
intersections next to several competitors. Names of companies that wn the stations and names of gasoline grades confusing for inexperienced people.
his remind~ /

story ! two women that 1 heard from n /

.fellow immigrants. They bought car at dealership and asked the salesman
( fill it . went with them to the nearest gas station andfilled the tank. he
women, having memorized the / the that owned the gas station, subsequently got their gas only at this s stations. n, when
they had 10 drive 10 another stale and were running out / gas, they 100k the
first highway exil they saw and drove around some 10wn looking/or gas stalion with the /amiliar . their horror, they ld not find it anywhere
because the did not do business in that state.
In order not to fd yourself in similar situation, need to know at
least something about the petroleum products retail industry in the US.
Most of the market belongs to several large petroleum corporations that
wn tens of thousands of stations. But besides them, there are smaller

191

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192

The Automobile

enterprises of different sizes down to those that have singe gas next to
sma11 convenience store that sells basic food and personal r items.
With rare exceptions, ll gas stations se11 three basic grades of gasoline
that differ their octane content. These are usually referred to as Regular,
Plus, and Super, and sd to octane numbers 85-87, 88-90, and 91 and
higher. m sometimes see the word Unleaded that means "contains
lead" and is reminder of the time when gasoline with lead was also used.
Now 11 gasoline is made without lead, and Unleaded simply means Regular.
Gasoline prices are specifted per gallon and already include taxes. Gasoline
with higher octane content costs more. The difference is about 10-15% m
pared to 10wer grade. So, for example, if Regular sells for $1.50, Plus
cost $1.70, and Super - $1.87. he majority of cars are designed for the use of
Regular gasoline, and experts say that using higher grade fuel does not increase
mileage or prolong the life of the engine. herefore, if your r manual does
not indicate that high-octane fuel is necessary, using it is waste of m.
here are two types of gas stations:
Self-Service - when ftll the car and with credit card
directly at the or in other fn inside the building.
Full-Service - when stop at m without leaving the r, and
gas station employee does everything. Usual1y the cost ofservice is
included in the gas price; therefore, prices at such stations r
10-15% higher.
Very often, both types are combined at the same gas station where one
row of pumps m Self-Service, and another - Full-Service. In this case
will see the appropriate sign the side of the m. In large cities and
highways u usually have to before pumping gas. u tell the cashier
what your car is at, and he or she programs the mcter for the appropriate
amount of gasoline, after which the m will stop automatically. In rural
areas, where thcre are fewer unscrupulous customers, ftrst and
then . But there, video cameras r monitoring and recording everything that happens.
At full-service gas stations, attendant will often clean your windshield
hoping for tip and m also offer to check the levcls of your and other u
ids. here is trick gas station attendants sometimes use mechanically iIIiterate l, especially those from other states, who r easily rccognizabIe
their license plates.
If agree to an oillevel check, the attendant lifts your hood, pulls out the m
suring stick, wipcs it, and then inserts it, but not aIl the way down. After pulling it !,
he shows it to and says that there is an oilleak in your engin and u need to add

193

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194

Automobile

some oil immediately. of course, agree. brings some empty oil bottles and pretends to add significant am1t, and then measures your actual oillevel. This whole
tirn, cannot see anything is doing because ofthe lifted ood generously
compensate the attendant for the cost of oil and his work that has supposedly prevented
an expensive repir, and thank him profusely. on retuming , go to garnge to
look for leak that was never there and some more for the services of hani.

1 read about this trick soewhere and reebered tie soe years
ago when n acquaintance fro another state stopped /or short visit. She
was very upset the/act that at the last gas station n attendant told her that
there was alost oil in her Honda s engine. She was very surprised because
she had never seen singe drop under her car parking lots. here is good
chance she was victi / n attepted oil sca.
Certainly, tricks like that are the exception rather than the rule, but ifyou
master some elementary car maintenance skills, wiJ1 not need
for these services.

4.13. Parking
Parking car is not always easy, especially in large cities or in the business district of even small town. It is difficult to find free parking in such
places. Never park in places where there are signs indicating that parking is not
pennitted. Your chances of getting ticket are relatively high because there is
shortage of parking .
On-street parking spaces are usually equipped with parking meters. he
cost of parking is directly proportional to how time your car spends in that
parking space. meters accept quarters, so it is good idea to keep them with
or in the car just in case. Some new meter models also accept nickels and
dimes. he maximum amount of time can program meter for usually does
not exceed 2 hours. Remember exactly when your parking time is . It is always
better to back before then. Fines for parking violations are one source of
income for Iocal authorities. In some places that are equipped with parking
meters, parking is free in the evenings and weekends, but the meters are still
working and those who do not know when they can park for free continue to .
If need to park the car for 10nger period of time, wil1 need to
find 10ng-tenn parking 10t or multi-story garage. Such parking is usually
fairly expensive- several dol1ars , but the longer your car is parked, the
less per . Paid parking does not guarantee the car's safety.

195

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196

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Automobile

There are places where parking is allowed l with special permit. Violators m find that their car has towed to special parking 10t
which they must first find. In order to retrieve their vehicle, they must for
both towing and parking.
Parking next to retail outlets is always free for the customers, but if it is
smal1 store, should not l the car there for 10ng; will easily found out
and not find your car when return. Parking spots that are the most
niently located and closest to the building entrances are usually reserved for handi drivers. fine for parking in these spaces without the legal right to do so
is the highest ($50 or more) of possible fines for parking violations.
Parking with the car facing in the direction opposite to traffic is a1so considered violation, as well as parking in manner that blocks access to fire hydrant.
If are fined for parking in wrong l or for an expired parking
meter, wi1l usually [d violation notice or "ticket" the windshield of
the car, under wiper. It wi11 tell what are fined for, how , and
where to send your payment. U sually, it also explains what to do if disagree with the penalty.
Sometimes, people distributing flyers that advertise certain product,
service, or event put them under windshield wipers of parked cars as if they
were parking tickets. This definitely makes people attention but gives
few unpleasant moments to the owner ofthe car and is therefore not very effective as advertising technique.

4.14. Roads
The automobile road network in the US is very extensive and generally is
in very good condition, especially when compared to roads in countries where
the majority of immigrants from. It is based nation-wide grid of socalled highways or freeways that covers the entire territory of the country.
Roads that belong to this network are rfd to as Interstate and are
numbered in particular order. Odd-numbered roads go from south to north,
and even-numbered ones - from west to east. Road numbers increase from
west to east and from south to north. Therefore, Route 5 runs along the Pacific
coast, and Route 95 - along the Atlantic ; Route 1 passes along the south border of the country, and Route 94 - along the northem border. Road
numbers are indicated dark signs with red tops that are shaped like
shields. Main roads usually two-digit numbers. The third digit can
added in two cases: an odd one when the road enters city, and an one
when the road loops around city without entering it. For example, Route 95

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198

Automobile

runs near Boston, whereas Route 495 is 100 that begins Route 95 and
ends there, but runs significant distance from the city.
l very smaH part ofthese roads are to11 roads in the fuH sense ofthe
word, when the fare depends the distance go. hese roads are marked in
11 atlases. majority of such roads are concentrated in the northeast part of
the country, as weH as in Florida and Oklahoma. entrances to such roads
are equipped with to11booths, where you either certain amount or take
special coupon that indicates where have entered and at the exit.
However, in addition to to11 roads, there are points where 10l authorities coHect transit taxes. In this case, to11 plazas are 10catcd directly the road
and collect the same payment from cars passing in direction. You an
travel distance for free both sides of these plazas, but if you pass them,
need to . Only cash payments are accepted, except for cases when drivers have prepaid passes or when cars are equipped with special devices for
cashless to11 payments. [ is usually quite small: from 25 cents to few
doHars. Those who need to an expense report get receipt that lists the
amount and time of payment.
There is also older nation-wide system of roads that are less
important and not so systematica11y numbered, where Route 1 runs along
the Atlantic coast in the Northeast. The numbers of these roads are marked
white shield-shaped signs that look slightly different from thc other
ones. Within state, if 10l roads are numbered according to system at 11, nobody knows what it is.
Detailed road atlases are sold in 11 bookstores and supermarkets, as we11
as at gas stations and in other places. hey usuaHy cost about $10. Using
them to [d your way long trips is fairly easy. 11 highway entrances and
exits are numbered, and as you approach them, you will see at least or two
warning signs. Those who have access to the Intemet tk advantage of
modem technology when planning trips. do this, go to www.yahoo.com and
choose Maps, and then enter the address of your destination, which will a110w
you to see it . If you then request Driving directions and enter your
starting address, you will given detai1ed driving instructions, complete with
numbers of 11 necessary roads and exits, as we11 as the length of leg of
your trip and travel time estimates that are based the allowed speed limits
these roads.

It is much more difficult to [d your way in big cities with heavy traffic,
especiaHy during rush hours. Ifyou are learning to get around the city live
in, get detailed and try to remember at least where the major highways
are, and also mark the place where you live in case you need to ask how to get

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200

The Automobile

there. Often, when go in direction, the road looks completely different

than it does when back, not to mention that in an places there is
one-way traffic, and have to back using difIerent route.
This is exactly what happened during our first independent trip. Ajier
leaving home, we soon dove into highway underpass and started going in the
direction we needed without having bothered 10 look around. When it was time
( drive back, we passed that underpass several times without recogizing it
because from the other side it looked 10tally different. hankfully, 1 had
which 1 had marked the location olour apartment, and we were 10 get
directions there.
If go to an unfamiliar city and have little driving experience, it
make sense to leave car outside the city line and take advantage of public
transportation. If must drive to an unfamiliar place, always make sure
have detailed of the area. Detailed maps of individual cities, counties, or
whole states are also easily accessible.
more thing needs to mentioned. l places where roads with diffcrent levels of traffic intersect, an traffic lights work in an automatic mode,
when the green light allowing for traffic the busier road is most of the
time. Traffic along the perpendicular road is allowed l when it is necessary
- when cars approach the intersection from that side. For this purpose, there is
sensor under the pavement that detects the presence of cars. If stop too
early or late--a significant distance from the white line, the sensor will not
work, and sit there waiting for green light as long as want.
Often, will see nets that are installed along highways to keep wild
animals from crossing the road. Also, in wooded areas thcre are often signs
waming of the possible presence of deer or moose. This is not an empty waming. 1 know at least half dozen l who had collisions with deer and
myself witnessed several such incidents. At best, such accidents result in death
of thc animal and damage to the car. Collisions with moose often have fatal
outcomes for both the driver and the passengers. When driving at night, try to
use your high beams as much as . This way, notice an animal
in time to stop, primarily its light-reflecting eyes.

4.15. Car accidents

Given large number of cars American roads, car accidents are not
rare event. Almost every driver is involved in at some point in his or her

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202

The Automobile

life. As was already mentioned earlier, about 40,000 people die in car accidents
every year, several times as an are injured, and an more than that end
with damaged cars.
If are involved in car accident, regardless of its seriousness, it is
good idea to police so that the incident an ffii documented. If
are hit but for some reason do not time to wait, in addition to asking
the driver at fault for his or her , address, telephone number, license
ber, and insurance information, write down way to reach witness who
agrees to conflrm the incident. However, remember that if the damage is more
than $500, the insurance an not agree to for repairs without
official police report.
Very often, after bumper-to-bumper collision at 10w speed, there are
visible signs of damage because the extemal bumper cover is made of plastic, which is crumpled the impact and then resumes its original shape,
cealing intemal damage. This damage to the bumper lessens impact and
prevents serious damage to both the car and the passengers.
1 witnessed n incident when rainy day, driver entered busy road
.from quiet street at low speed and, with not enough time to stop, hit the in
.front 01him, which in turn hit the n in .front .! it that turned out to Cadil' worth $50,000. Although there was visibIe damage, the repair o.f the
Cadillac was estimated at $860.

l,

If accident is more serious, flrst see if an was injured and needs

and then police ifthere is nearby or ask passing drivers to do

so.
Ifyou do not speak English, always numbers ofyour friends
or relatives who could help explain what happened. At the very least, leam
to say your nationa1ity in English correctly. In this case, li officer
telephone an that serves intemationallines and ask for services of
translator who knows your native language. This is also common practice
in hospitals when patients do not speak English.
police officer who arrives at the scene interviews the l involved
in the incident and ls out report. or she also gives driver forms that
need to ld out and sent to the sd address within 48 hours of the
incident. In these documents, everyone states his or her version of what
pened.
will need to contact your insurance and report the accident. After that, everything depends whose fault the accident was and the
type of insurance the participants have. If were at fault, will deal only
with your own insurance .

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204

Autornobile

4.16. Car maintenance and repair

say that to have of mind in America, you need three people

trust: doctor, lawyer, and mechanic. 1 would say that this is not far
from the truth.
Even the most reliable cars require regular oi1 and filter changes, brake
checks, and so , in addition to more substantial repairs. Most car owners
know very little about how their vehicles work, which means that at the fust
sign of car trouble they dependent the goodwill (or lack thereof) of
mechanic at the nearest garage.
Americans spend about $100,000,000 year car repair. According to
some data, to 40% of this sum is paid for repairs that were not necessary or
were not performed. It is therefore not surprising that having mechanic
trust is so important.
Here are some basic car maintenance and repair issues:
Maintenance and sma1l repairs, such as oil and oil filter changes, air
and fuel filter changes, brake pads changes, flushing the radiator and
coolant change, greasing, and replacing exhaust pipes, headlights,
windows, tires, and so .
Mechanical repairs ofthe engine and transmission, as well as electric
and electronic equipment.
Repair and restoration of the body and interior after accident.
According to the kinds of repair listed above, there are different types of autoservi
providers. Some ofthem specialize in certain type ofrepr, while others do everything.
Maintenance and small repairs are done numerous smaI1 enterprises
specializing in fast service, rnan of which are part of national or regional chains,
such as Jiffy Lube, Midas, Prompto, and so . hey perform the majority of
tasks from the first list, except, perhaps, window repair and replacement, which
is done companies specializing only in glass. Large department store chains
that se1l auto parts, such as Sears, provide similar services.
In regards to more complex mechanical repairs, the picture becomes
little more complicated. Service providers vary from tiny garages with the
owner doing the work to medium-sized workshops specializing in certain
makes and models to state-of-the-art enterprises associated with large automobile dealers that handle repairs for most vehicle types.
Restorative repair of the kind needed after an accident is carried out
specialized enterprises called Body Shops. hey also of different sizes,
but, as rule, they do not do purely mechanical repairs.

205

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206

The Automobile

4.17. Penalties for traffic rule violations

The cost of traffic rule violations in the US is high. worst penalty is
suspension of one's driver's license for certain period of time, because as
we already mentioned, without license person loses his or her freedom to
about and becomes dependent others. This penalty is applied l for
serious or repeated violations, for violations that happen during the probationary period after person receives provisional license for the first time, or for
failure to fines for earlier violations.
Most traffic violations are punished fines in difIerent amounts that
range from $1 to $400 and higher. In America, this is referred to as getting
traffic ticket. However, paying the [ does not exhaust the consequences of
violation. infractions except parking violations are ref1ected your driving
record for the period of to six years and afIect the cost of your car insurance.
The more violations , the higher insurance cost, because are
considered higher-risk driver. single speeding ticket affects thc cost of insurance for at least 3 years.
Usually, when break traffic rule, will stopped patrol
car with f1ashing lights rather than an officer foot. This in itself is
unpleasant enough for an, and worse for someone who has l
recently arrived in the country and does not speak the language well. It is very
easy to give in to panic and start acting the way would act in your country.
not do that under circumstances.
National Highway Traffic Safety Administration in the publication
Strengthening the Citizen and Law Enforcement Partnership at the Trqffic Stop
offers the following recommendations.
"raffic

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Stops Are Dangerous.

officers are killed each year and thousands more are injured in traffic related incidences. For example, in 1999, over half of ll o:fficer, line-of-duty
deaths were related to tra:ffic incidences. In addition, when the use ofweapons at
the traffic stop are added, the percentage oftraffic related deaths is more than 55
percent. Every stop for traffic violation has the potential for danger.
Routine traffic stops, as they are sometimes called, sometimes turn out to
anything but routine. O:fficers find uninsured drivers, drivers with suspended
licenses, impaired drivers, i1legal firearms, drugs and fugitives. Discoveries l
these are 11 in day's work for an officers. his is why o:fficers are trained to
l great deal of emphasis their safety and take defensive posture at the
stop until the risk of confrontation or injury is diminished.

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208

The Automobile
What

Do?

Whether are stopped state highway patrol or state police

trooper, county sheriff deputy, or 10l police officer, under our laws and
10l ordinances, are expected to cooperate. Just as the officer strives to
maintain level of professionalism during the traffic stop, drivers and other
uts do their part, too, following these simple guidelines.
1. proper identification: valid driver's license, proof ofvehicle registration and proof of insurance.
2. When being signaled officer to stop, look for the nearest
l to position your vehicle as far out ofthe lane oftraffic as
possible. GeneraHy off to the right side of the roadway or to
where the shoulder is wider, unless otherwise directed. Signal your
move to the side of the roadway, stop, then turn your flashers.
3. Never attempt to outrun the patrol vehicle or pretend not to see the
lights or hear the siren.
4. Stay in your vehicle. If are asked to exit the vehicle, do it slowly.
5. Remain calm. Ifthere are passengers, also ask them to remain
quiet and cooperative with 11 reasonable requests. Do not let
in your vehicle make threatening statements or gestures to the
officers.
6. seat belt fastened until the officer has seen wearing it.
7. Avoid automatical1y thinking that this stop was based race, gender, religion, national or ethnic origin. Wait for the officer's explanation. Officers are trained to know that this type of traffic stop
violates federal civil rights laws.
8. urn the interior lights when the stop occurs during darkness so
the officer easily see that 11 is in order.
9. Understand that officer wi11 turn the patrol car's headlights and
spotlights during darkness for safety purposes. It helps illuminate
the interior of your car.
10. Understand the reason that there are times when officers have to
speak loudly because they are near traffic and other noisy conditions. hey are not trying to intimidate .
11. hands in view, preferably the steering wheel. Ask your
passengers to place their hands in plain view such as their laps.
12. Do not duck down or make sudden movements, especially toward
the floorboard, rear seat, or passenger side of the vehicle. he
officer m interpret these movements as an attempt to hide illegal
goods or to obtain weapon.

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210

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Automobile

13. Tum offyour engine. Also, ifin use, tum offyour l1 telephone
and radio to facilitate communications.
14. Roll down your window 11 the way so you and the officer
communicate.
15. Ask for identification ifthe officer is not in uniform or does not
have marked patrol vehicle.
16. Remember the of the officer.
17. Remember, the first words spoken u (and the officer)
very well determine the tone of the intcraction during the traffic
stop.
18. 00 not immediately reach into your glove , console pocket or
backseat. Wait for the officer to request your license, registration
and proof of insurance. If the documents are out of reach, tel1 the
officer where theyare and reach for them slowly. Otherwise, keep
your hands the steering wheel.
19. Give the officer chance to explain the violation. Most officers are
trained to ask for identification first before providing explanation ofthe stop.
20. Answer the officer's qucstions to the best ofyour knowledge.
21. If the charge or citation is not clear, ask for explanation in
respectful manner.
22. There is need to apologize over or to elaborate the offense, in
effect, to testify against yourself. Simply civil and polite. If
there are special circumstances suundig the incident, provide straight, honest and up-front explanation.
23. Avoid provoking the officer or showing off in front of other u
pants. 00 not interfere with the questioning or the arresting of
other occupants. Comply with the officer flfSt and then, if needed,
seek explanation.
24. 00 not argue with the officer at the roadside. Ifyou disagree with
the citation or the officer's actions, discuss it later with the law
enforcement agency or the judge.
25. Let the officer know ifyou are carrying properly registered
weapon. In these cases, the officer have special procedure
that, for ml, m require u to identify the location of the
weapon, to state if the weapon is loaded, to step out of the vehicle,
etc. Also, the officer ask for your permit numbcr to radio in
check and compare it to the serial number the weapon. In some
states, weapons are registered for specific purposes such as hunting
and target practice. So the officer m required to ask you questions about your activities.

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212

Automobile

26. Report the incident to the officer's agency, ifyou feel the officer
has acted issi. Document the officer's specific misconduct in written statement and submit it within few days after the
incident. the agency and fol1ow their procedure. Also, since
traffic enforcement procedures vary from state to state, consult attomey or law enforcement agency representative who are
familiar with laws and agency policies.
27. Ifyou receive citation, in most states wi11 asked to sign it.
his is not an admission of guilt. It only means that received
the citation. Any refusal to sign the citation could result in an st
or being taken to the station to post collateral and for the
ofIense.
28. Don 't surprised if another patrol car appears. Since law
enforcement agencies use one-person patrol cars, this is done to
assure the officer's safety.
29. Do not resist pat down search. his will done only if the
officer has reasonabIe suspicion that carrying anything that wouldjeopardize the officer's safety.
30. flexibIe. here are many issues of safety and officer concems
that unique to your traffic stop. No traffic stop is routine.
Cooperate with the officer and follow instructions.
31. Practice the golden rule. Treat the officer l or member of
your fami1y would want to treated.
32. Treat law enforcement officers with respect. In fact, say 1l0 to
officers next time see one around your community. Write the
agency when officer is exceptionally kind and helpful.
33. your children to respect and to talk to law enforcement officers when they meet them in the community, schools, etc. Help
them realize that officers serve and protect everyone in the
munity. We must continue to pass-on, from generation to generation, respect for professionallaw enforcement officers" (NTSA).

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166

The Automobile

model. For example, in September 2002 could 2002 or 2003

model. 1 few years, the latter will worth more because it is officially
year younger; however, when buying the newest model, will more as
well. At the same time, in early 2003 could brand-new 2002 model
with zero mileagc at significant discount. During the second half ofFebruary,
when most people are still paying off their Christmas bills, car dcalers carry
out what is probably the largest sale of the year that is often referred to as President's Day Sale. During this time, dealers try to get rid of aHlast year models.

In the US, it is standard practice for dealers to take old car in

exchange for new , the so-called trade-in, where the buyer pays the price
difference between the car he or she buys and the he or she trades in. 1f
are going to trade in, must know exactly how much your old car is worth
before enter dealership showroom. find this out visiting two
or three used car dealers and telling them want to seH your car or using
the Kelley Blue Book, but here should look in the Trade-in lrnn, which
contains two values: for cars in fair condition, and another for those in
good condition. Both of these prices will lower than the amount for which
seH the car to private party or its retail value, which applies to car
in excellent condition that has professiona11y prepared for sale. The difference between them ref1ects the dealer's potential profit.
Ifyou want to car credit, must also do some prep work we
will talk about later. browse through dealers' parking lots weekends or after closing to finalize your choice.
he next step is test drive. For this, wi11 have to meet the salesperson face-to-face, but should teH them front that want to try out
some cars and have not decided what will yet. Try two or three cars
that most closely fit your requirements. It is possible that will disappointed and reconsider your choice. In case, after the test drive, it is good
idea to leave without engaging in negotiations. Only having done 11 this
are ready to meet salesperson for the actual purchase.
As rule, each region has at least 2 or 3 places where model have
chosen is being sold. Check them , using the price offered at place as
reference point at another. At the first meeting, salesperson will usually write
down your , address, and phone number and ask what are looking for,
why, and whether will trade in your old car, as well as how much want
or are to per month. For successful purchase, use the fo11owing tips:

168

The Automobile
Never say that have decided to trade in your old car until are
done bargaining about the new and the price is recorded in writing.
Ifyou are offcred model with more expensive options, say that
are not going to for what do not need.

not show how like the car you've chosen.

Ask for

of the invoice for the car.

Talk about price, not about month1y payments.

Show that serious buyer and close the deal today ifyou are
satisfied with the price but that are ready to leave otherwise.
Leave ifyou are not satisfied with something. In most cases, the salcsperson will make concessions. or she has chance to sell something
on1y while are at the dealership. lf leave, 1 guarantee that
will get the next day or the day after with better offer. After ,
there is 10t of cars in America, and an always fd another .
Never extended warranty or additional services like ti
sive coating from dealer. Most likely, don 't need it or
do it later for less .
If have agreed the price and have it written down paper in
the salesperson's handwriting, say that you've changed your mind and
decided to trade in your old car. This time, act as salesperson, and ifyou
have negotiated good price for the new car but trade yours in for $1,0001,500 less than what it is worth, will have 10st . Here is some advice
about trade-ins:

your old car before shopping for new . Professional

cleaning (detai1ing) costs little over hundred dollars; however, if
your car was in poor condition, such cleaning make such difference in its appearance that will not want to sell it. If the car
has wom tires, replace them with used ones in decent shape. It will
cost less than hundred dollars but will save couple hundred.

Do not leave anything in the glove compartment except car manuals

or invoices ifyou recently had something repaircd or replaced (battery, tires, brakes, and so ).
Ifyou know the exact value ofyour car, stand your ground. rcady
to leavc if are not given what others have offered . Very
often, selling the old car yourself is much more profltable than trading it in, but it requires more effort.

212

he

Automobile

26. Report the incident to the officer's agency, ifyou feel the officer
has acted issi. Document the officer's specific misconduct in written statement and submit it within few days after the
incident. the agency and follow their procedure. Also, since
traffic enforcement procedures vary from state to state,
sult an attomey or law enforcement agency representative who are
familiar with laws and agency policies.
27. Ifyou receive citation, in most states you will asked to sign it.
his is not an admission of guilt. It nl means that you received
the citation. Any refusal to sign the citation could result in an arrest
or being taken to the station to post collateral and for the
offense.
28. Don't surprised if another patrol car . Since many law
enforcement agencies use one-person patrol cars, this is done to
assure the officer's safety.
29. Do not resist pat down search. his will done only ifthe
officer has reasonabIe suspicion that you carrying anything that would jeopardize the officer's safety.
30. flexibIe. here are m issues of safety and officer concems
that unique to your traffic stop. No traffic stop is routine.
Cooperate with the officer and follow instructions.
31. Practice the golden rule. Treat the officer like you or member of
your family would want to treated.
32. Treat law enforcement officers with respect. In fact, say hello to
officers next ti you see one around your community. Write the
agency when an officer is exceptionally kind and helpful.
33. your children to respect and to talk to law enforcement officers when they meet them in the community, schools, etc. Help
them realize that officers serve and protect everyone in the
munity. We must continue to pass-on, from generation 10 generation, respect for professionallaw enforcement officers" ~SA).

26.

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214

and banking services

5. Banks and banking services

before our aivl in the uS t we heard 10t of inaccurate infonnation about American anks. For some reason, 1 remembered movie scenes
where crowds of deceived investors storm the doors of bankrupt ank, trying
unsuccessfully to get back their hard-earned . We had 1ived most of our
lives under the socialist regime, when the savings ank was the l fanil
institution that served the people t and single branch of the State ank handled the distribution of cash and transactions between the enterprises over
large area or whole city. However, we had chance to witness the
beginning of the uncontrollable proliferation of anks fonned God knows
who that were intended to serve the emerging free market. Although 1 had
some experience in managing smal1 business and obtaining commercial
10ans, 1 never had to use nk for personal needs, because such sen;ices.
fortunately, did not yet exist at the time of our departure. However. when \\'
were already in America, we often read in the press and heard from the friends
and family back in Russia about situations that were very similar 10 those
movie scenes.
if American anks were also like that . it \\'35 '"ef)' loog ~
ago. Banks are so deeply embedded into can daiJY life tbaI it is djffjrnll
to imagine time when this was ! so. he bankjng net"A"on is calkd tbe CI('diovascular system ofthe 1 ooom. and tbat is ,~" tIUi:.. [jU ~-In&

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lq)CDIIIoIX COIO08. ..1)"JOllIl ~".:Je ..IlO OPO.:ual .10 ~

WIC1AI]IIOR3D.11W]: lQI)II(JpIII_ ~ 00 ce~' wp. ~~TC~

216

Banks and banking services

am

profit from the interest their clients' money generates, as well as charging for the services that they offer. Different anks offer different sets of services and charge different fees; therefore, it makes sense to spend some time
and find bank that fits ut needs better than others.

5.1.

ypes

of Services

We will review on1y the most basic services that almost 11 banks and
credit unions offer. Because will use these services in English, 11 terminology is presented in English first, and then in native language.

Accounts
Checking un! - an account from which money can withdrawn
using persona1 checks written the account holder to the order of
l or organizations in exchange for goods and services. he
holder can check accompanied proper identification anywhere checks are accepted, and or she also send check
mail anywhere in the US or even abroad. Money in this account an
also used with the l of or Debit cards. Money in checking account usua11y does not am interest; moreover, in most cases
the account holder pays monthly fee for using the account if its l
an falls below certain minimum an day of given month.
Savings un! - an account that is the most similar to the traditional
savings account that was popular in the USSR. he balances in the
account arn interest, wblch vary depending the balance. he
higher the balance, the blgher the interest.

Market un! - an account that earns blgher interest than

savings account. Besides, are a110wed to write to three checks
month and use an card. However, balances in such an account
m not covered the bank's insurance.

lndividual Retirement un! (lRA) - savings account for the

money plan to use after reaching retirement age. s account
type has number of tax advantages that are considered in the
ter social security.
Certificate / Deposit (CD) - contribution invested for certain
term. Early withdrawal of the contribution is punished the 10ss of
the earned interest for 3-6 months. Interest earned such investments is higher than that earned other types because the bank has
complete freedom to use the money during the agreed-upon period.

217

5.1.

! arn, JIJI I
, ,
.

()

Checking Account (

!) - ,

,
, .
,

laIO,

.

Debit .

, , , ,

,
i!o, i!
.

Savings Account ( !) - !

cl

, .
,

. ,
.

n Market Account - cpaHe~

. ,
.
.

Individual Retirement Account (IRA)

( !)

, d

llO . , I<OO'O~
, .

Certificate

Deposit (CD)

( )

ll .

3-6 .

, , ~
tt}' ~ro~. ~

anks

218

and banking services

money an invested without visiting the ank in person. You

an simply the number given in the ank brochure to order an
application form, fill it out, and mai1 it back together with check.
Holiday Club or Christmas CZub Account - savings account that
allows you to gradually save necessary amount for the holiday season regularly (for example, weekly, every two weeks, or monthly)
transferring certain amount from checking account. he is
given as cash, transfd to the checking aecount, or sent to the
account holder check in the middle of October. Balances such
accounts arn small interest. here is penalty for early withdrawal.
Loans
Auto Loan - perhaps the most frequently used type of 10. anks an
finance up to 100% of the cost of purehasing both new and used ears,
including sale tax. Interest rates vary little from ank to ank and
signifieantly - depending the age ofthe car (the older the ear, the
higher the interest) and also depending the client's credit rating
(his or her credit history).
Consumer Loan an taken out for different needs, for example, for
fumiture purchases or to for dental work. he interest depends
the elient's credit history.
Student Loan - 10 to eover expenses related to higher education.
here are several types of loans for students as well as for their parents. We will consider them in the chapter education.

Mortgage - 10an for purchasing . Loan interest and

terms vary from ank to ank. he size of the 1an is limited the
client's ineome and the of the house. his will considered in
more detail in the chapter real estate.

Equity Loan - 1an that uses the wr's as eollateral. he size of the 10an an reach 80-90% of the 's market
value minus the unpaid mortgage balanee. Such 10ans have lower
interest than unsecured 1ans or credit eards; however, must
remember that if fail to the 10an back, will lose
.

Credit Cards
VlSa and MasterCard are the st popular credit cards issued
man anks and credit unions. Credit cards will deseribed in more
detai1 in the following chapter.

219

. ocaro
,

a.aar

a.ma, .

/ /u or Chrisras Club Account (

)

rd , llO

:,

( , )
. 1l ,

rp. , ,
l. .

Loans ( )
Auto Loan ( ) -

100010

, JIIO , ,

.
,

, .

( ).

Consumer Loan

( ) -

Student Loan

( ) - BI

, .

Mortgage

( ).

Equity Loan (,
80-90%

).

(Mortgage).

cl

, .

Credit Cards ( )

VlSQ ter CarJ ( ) IDIfC PaCIJPOCIPae

peIX JYCI<3eX m I<peI
. pel I<3pI OI ' rnae.

anks

220

and banking services

Other Services

Autoatic

Teller Machines () - machines that give out the cash

withdrawn from your account or wd from credit card.
complete transaction, you will need card and con:fidential fourdigit number (PIN).

Deblt Card - card that allows you to receive cash from an or

to for purchases without cash, charging the cost to your checking
account.
Safe Deposit Boxes -- secure places for storing valuables such as jewelry.
Notary Public Services. banks offer notary services to their clients, verifying their signatures various documents, for example,
invitations to the US for relatives or friends abroad. Many banks
provide these services for free.
Check Cashing Services. ank clients can cash checks written
other establishments or individuals free of charge.

Travelers Cheques - personal checks used to safeguard when

traveling that can exchanged for cash only with proper identi:fication.

Order - :financial document issued the company Traveler

Express that speci:fies the payment of certain amount to the
addressee. It is considered cash equivalent almost anywhere in the
world.

Wire Transfer - electronic fund transfer from the payer's account to

the account of the addressee, initiated the payer. Does not require
physical transfer of documents, which allows for quick transactions.
u.S. Savings n - US government securities with guaranteed
interest. bought for as little as $25. r safe to keep because
they are personalized d restored if 10st. he income they
generate is not taxed the federal government. U.S. savings bonds
cannot transferred to another holder without being cashed
Direct Deposit - cash1ess transfer of earnings to an account, which
saves time and sometimes is condition for opening checking
account better terms.
Overdraft Protection. For fee, the ank will extend you small
short-term credit line in case you exceed your avai1able l. For
example, mistake written check to for purchases in
store for larger amount th you in the account. Such situa-

221

Other Services ( )
Automatic Teller Machines

() ()

Debit Cards ( ) -

,
.

Safe Deposit Boxes ( ).

Notary Public Services

( ).

IIpl'

.
.

Check Cashing Services

( ).

,
.

Travelers Cheques

( )

Order - , Traveler
Express, lO ,
. .

Wire Transfers -

m .
JI ,

u.S. Savings Bonds -

. my

$25.

Direct Deposit -

-J

. .

Overdrqft Protection ( 1lare ).

,
re , . ,
,

_- . ocnrro -

222

Banks and banking services

tions happen frequently enough because of arithrnetic rs when
calculate your ut balance. Without this service, the bank can
the check and charge an overdraft fee or retum the check
unpaid and charge for unavailable funds. In this case, will
also have to the store for the bounced check.
his

list is not complete because bank offers several different versions of the services listed above, which can confusing to anyone. For
example, the nk 1 use had nine different checking accounts that have
recently reduced to five. If try to more than 2 or 3 banks, the task
can seem impossible, because has 25-40 various service and penalty
fees.

5.2. Choosing bank

First of , remember that despite the convenience of doing your
banking in one l, it not in your best fanil interests. Nobody
forces to choose just one bank. can have checking account in
bank, savings account in another, loan in third, and mortgage ( loan
for buying ) in different city or even state. depends your circumstances and preferences.
Besides banks, should also research credit unions. Unlike nks,
which are commercial entities whose purpose is to generate profit for their
sbareholders, credit unions essentially cooperative organizations formed
consumers with sort of common interest. his can professional or
geographical affiliation ( teachers' credit union or one that will accept anyone
living in particular city or as member). As was mentioned in the section financing purchase, credit unions often offer lower-interest loans.
1 learned this through personal experience, through refinancing loan given
bank several times. he difference can 1% or more. Credit unions also
higher interest Certificates ofDeposit (CDs).
In this section we wiH talk about choosing ank for opening checking
account, because this is service that is needed the most in everyday life. Not
having checking account creates inconveniences, forcing to cash
the weekly k receive at work and to money orders time
need to any bi11s such as rent, electricity, gas, phone, and so .

anks

222

and banking services

tions bappen ftequently enougb because of arithmetic rs when

calculate your ut balance. Witbout this service, the ank can
the check and charge an overdraft fee or retum the check
unpaid and charge for unavailable funds. In this case, wil1
also to tbe store for the bounced check.
his

Hst is not complete because ank offers several different versions of the services listed , whicb can confusing to anyone. For
l, the ank 1 use had nine different cbecking accounts that been
recently reduced to five. If try to compare more tban 2 or 3 banks, the task
can seem impossible, because one has 25-40 various service and penalty
fees.

5.2. Choosing bank

First of 11, remember tbat despite the convenience of doing your
banking in one place, it not in your best financial interests. Nobody
forces to cboose just one ank. can checking account in one
ank, savings account in anotber, car 10an in third, and mortgage ( loan
for buying m) in different city or even state. depends your circumstances and preferences.
Besides anks, should also research credit unions. Unlike anks,
wbich are commercial entities whose purpose is to generate profit for their
sharebolders, credit unions are essentiaHy cooperative organizations formed
consumers with some sort of common interest. his can professional or
geographical affiliation ( teachers' credit union or one that wi1l accept anyone
Hving in particular city or area as member). As was mentioned in the section financing car purchase, credit unions often offer 10wer-interest loans.
1 learned this through personal experience, through rfanig 10an given
bank several times. he difference can 1% or more. Credit unions also
bigher interest Certi:ficates ofDeposit (CDs).
In tbis section we wi1l talk about choosing ank for opening checking
account, because this is service that is needed the most in everyday life. Not
having checking account creates many inconveniences, forcing to cash
the weekly k receive at work and to money orders time
need to any bills such as rent, electricity, gas, phone, and so .

223

mo . cym,
mr rpa epyr
mn par ,
IDII' rpa ! .
r ,
,
crr . , , ,
, .

2-3

, ,

25-40

5.2.

,
l. .
,

, ( )

. ! .

oparr

Unions).

(Credit

, ruoc ,

- , JlJlC

, ! - ,

ro

(I omo ) ro

or:a

er car , .
: ,
.

, . m cocarr

1%

. lDIaf

Deposit (CD) -

Certificate

, m
,
.
Or ,

, -

lDI

KapIDIay, , , .

anks

224

and banking services

When choosing bank, consider the following factors.

Convenient 10cation and/or the number ofbranches ofthe given ank
in the area where live, work, and shop.
If work and do not have your paychecks deposited directly into your
account, ll have to go to the ank to deposit or cash every check. If this
tak.es 10t of tim.e, wi11 soon get fed .
Most banks have Automatic Teller Machines at their branch 10cations,
many of which work 24 hours day, and anks do not charge for each withdrawal if use their s. However, if use an that does not
belong to your bank, in many cases wi11 have to both the owner of the
and your bank. herefore, $20 1l urgently need can cost $23
or more. If often make cash withdrawals, bank with many branch locations or machines is preferable.
Direct Deposit
he

overwhelming majority of banks offer this service and in some

cases reduce or even completely elim.inate your account maintenance fee if
use direct deposit. money will in your account even faster if use the
same ank as your employer.

he

annual cost of maintaining an account

Cost of services varies widely. Consumer Reports magazine claims

that the difference between the most expensive and the cheapest ank can
more than 300 dollars year, which is significant savings.
Many anks estab1ish minimum balance, which is an amount
should have in the account any day of given month in order to avoid fee
for using the account. his minimum varies from zero to $1,500 at different
banks. As was already mentioned, if even once during the month the account
balance is less than this minim.um, the bank charges month1y fee, which
$5-12. Many banks do not charge older l (usually 65 years and older)
monthly fee for using the checking account.
Some banks, even ifyou monthly fee or comply with the minimum
balance requirements, set limit the number of transactions allowed
month (for l, 50 checks, deposits, payments, transactions, and so
) and charge an additional fee (for l, $0.50) for transaction
above this limit. Ifyou many bIOs and frequently use an card for purchases, this limit wi11 not seem so generous, and easily find yourself in
situation where have to more than month1y fee.

225

ar .

()
yro.

,
" ,
,

, .

, , ~
, .

, ,
" aroMaa, .

, "

$20

$23

" ,
.

(Direct Deposit)

amo ,
"

. ,
, .

Cro " .

Consumer Reports

, ~

cocarnrr 300 , .
, :

r ~ , '
~. " "

$1,500.

" , ,

$5-12.

65

).

I<D1Op

IDI3II

ro , cm.aar l<Dcmo
em (,

50 eI<o, , naree, OJIyeIOI

$0.50) ,

) epyr orey ary (,

or . o~ ro tm> acro ere

apIOI<D , or aerc ,
I ere . cmya, I<DIa " r IaI.

anks

226

and banking services

Availability of Debit Cards such as Visa or MasterCard.

There are several types of debit cards. Some allow only the witbdrawal of
cash ftom machines; they are called cards. Otbers allow to to
for purchases using confidential PIN number in places tbat have the appropriate
equipment, and still others an used anywhere Visa and MasterCard are
accepte~ the only difference being that the is deducted ftom your
account. Remember tbat -n1 cards are not accepted everywhere, while
Visa and MasterCard are the most popular methods of payment worldwide.
Fees.
We already discussed the cost of some services. Here we will review
only those service and penalty fees which wi1l most likely have to deal
with.
Overdraft Fee. Most ftequently happens in reallife when the account
holder mistakenly believes that or she has money in the account when there
is not enough, and writes check. his situation is called overdraft. If are
short small aount, as 1 a1ready mentioned, the ank the check
and charge the overdraft fee. he fee varies from $15 to $30. Ifthe aount
of shortage is significant, the ank will return the check unpaid and charge
fee for retumed check (usually little less than for overdraft; $10-20); however, wil1 also have to store or creditor for the bounced check, which
will cost an additional $15-20.
Remember that the bank pays checks not in tbe order write them, but
as they are presented for payment. herefore, the worst situation occurs when
, for l, forgot to subtract ftom your balance one check for $60 that
reduced the real lan in the account to almost zero and wrote three
for $15 after that. The ank will almost certainly them because the amount
is small and charge the fee for three.
Deposit Items Returned. In the same way not have tbe funds to
cover check bave written, someone else's check that want to deposit
into your account bounce. In this case, the ank returns it and charges
$2-5 fee.
Stop Payments. here are situations when need to prevent payment
of an already written check or an electronic debit transaction, for l,
wben an endorsed check is 10st or the service for which it was intended to
was not provided according to prior agreement. In sucb cases,
the bank and ask to block this payment. his service usually costs about $15.
he full Fee Schedule ofa certain bank can found in booklets that are
available in 10bbies of any of its branches.

Debit Visa Master Card.

227

PIN

card.

, ,
I

V"zsa Master Card III ,

. ,

Visa

Master Card -

,
.

Overdra[t Fee (

).

, , m ,
,

Overdraft.

60, , ,

urrp . $15

$30.

, epHr

( ,

draJt. $10-20),
, $15-20.
, ,
, . ,

, , ,

$60,

, m

$15.

, ,

Deposit Ites Returned (

).

, - ,
r. ll.

Stop

$2-5.

",n ( ). ,

, , ,

$15.

cym I<DpeI1foro am erax,

I<UOpe erc 6 JIeJO moo ero or.

anks

228

and banking services

Deposit insurance.
he

Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation or FDIC insures the majority

of anks. In case of bankruptcy or other unforeseen circumstances, clients will
compensated in ful1 for their deposits in the aount ofup to $100,000.
banks that such insurance usuaHy mention in their advertising materials
that they are members ofFDIC.
Before going to ank to open an account, do not negleet to stop the
neighborhood anks and eredit unions, eol1ect their information broehures, and
read over them at m. hen, taking into eonsideration the issues mentioned
, make choiee depending what is the most important to : eonvenienee, eost, or something else.
Certainly, can always elose your aecount in one ank and en it in
another or en several of them at the same time, but this ereates additional
trouble and expense because wi1l to for new checkbooks. Besides,
many banks eharge fee if new aceount is elosed sooner than several months
after it is opened. he most difficult is transferring an aeeount to another ank if
make automatie electronie payments from this aeeount for your house, insuranee, or other serviees. will to intain the necessary balanee in both
accounts unti1 notify those who initiate these payments and receive confirmation with the exact date of transfer to the new account.

5.3. Opening account

checking account, to go to branch ofyour bank and
bring with an identification card with photo ( driver's lieense will work)
and your Social Security Card. If are opening joint account with some else, need to bring that person. Also, you must with your correctly written address, phone number, and, although it seem strange, your
mother's maiden . banks use mother's maiden as password
during telephone calls conceming your account. It is assumed that stranger
who try to take advantage of your account would not know it.
certain aount of money, which should with , is usually
required for opening an account. This aount varies from $1 to $1,000 at different anks and for different types of checking accounts, but in most cases it is
between $15 and $150. It is important not to confuse minimum necessary for
opening an account with minimum balance at which an account maintenanee
fee is not charged; they are two different things.
It takes 20 to 40 minutes to open an account. During this time, bank representative will lain in detai1 the terms and conditions ofyour account. will also

229

Federal Deposit lnsurance Corporation

FDIC.

$100,000.

, ,

(member) FDIC.
,
, ,

, - .
,
JI

,
. ,
, .
,
ar , .

-
, , ar

ar .

5.3.

pro

(Social Security Number).

-, .

, ,
, ar

(mother s maiden

).

ar

. , ,
, .

$1

$1,000

$15 - $150. ,

, ,

20 - 40

230

anks

and banking services

sk

what type of checks (single or doubIe) you want to order and how rnan, and
what you want printed the checks besides your nam (your address and on
nnber, for example). The fust set of checks is usually ered the bank, and you
will get them in the within 2-3 weeks. You will given small checkbook (5 to
1 checks) to use until then. on average, will need 150-200 checks .
Many retired immigrants do not open bank accounts because they
afraid that having money in the account wi1l affect their eligibility to receive
Supplemental Security Income (SSI), medical insurance Medicaid, or Food
Stamps. So, whenever they need to ll, they to buy Money Order,
time paying for this service. hese fears not justitied. You can
bank account and stil1 receive benefits; the only requirement is that the balance
do not exceed $2,000 at the time you receive your SSI check. We wi1l talk
about this in more detai1 in the chapter social security.

5.4. Checkbooks
Finally, you holding in your hands the checkbooks that just in
the , possibly for the flfst time. hey packed into rectangular cardboard
boxes. A1though they fanil documents that provide full access to your
account, they put in mailboxes, which in most cases not locked,
together with letters, magazines, and annoying advertising fliers without any
special precautions. Why? here are several reasons for this.
First of 11, check is an almost perfect method of payment. Until the
account holder signs it, it is simple piece of paper, worth nothing. When it is
written to particular person or organization, nobody else can present it for
payment without proper identitication, and if it is deposited into an account,
the ank. knows exactly what account it is, which is why it is safe to
checks as payment for services without any precautions.
he second reason is the law according to which is considered
protected property, and gaining access to its contents without the owner's
knowledge is crime punishabIe imprisonment. And the third reason is legislation that requires pena1ties for check forgery. his is one of the most serious
crimes that undennines the basis ofthe country's tinancial system and is therefore severely punished. It does not mean, however, that one commits crimes
that involve forged checks - they certainly happen. herefore, it is not good
idea to accept personal checks as payment for something people you do
not know, especial1y for large amounts of money.
Usually, some ti after you open your account, you will notified mail
that checks were sent to you and that if you have not received them, you
should infn your bank. If you did receive them, do not need to do anything.

231

, ( )

(, ).
,

(5 - 10 )
150-200 .

2-3

, ,

SSL

Medicaid

Food-Stamps.

, - ,
n

Order,

. .

; ,

H~M

SSI.

$2,000

, ~

5.4.

, , ,

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, , He l
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yn, . ~

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cyn

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, , i

232

Banks and banking services

package your checks 1n usua11y contains the fol1owing:

Several checkbooks with 25-50 checks

you ordered single or double checks.

depending

whether

One or several so-called transaction registers - little books for keeping track of your balance where 11 deposits into and withdrawals
from your account are entered.

plastic cover that makes using your checkbook more convenient.

Advertising for the products of the company that printed the checks,
with forms you will need to order new set of checks.
book of ,

as we already mentioned, contains 25-50 checks, as well

as several Deposit Tickets placed at the end. he back of double is covered
with layer of specia1 paint, so that when you write check, 1S printed the
following sheet, thus creating record of all checks that remains in the book, making
balancing account easier. Fig. 5-1 shows sample blank check.
icbael IV8DOV

~:=~:d:-'nov one: (123) 456-7890

Date - - - - - 20 -

101
;:'''

TOWD. State. ZIP

~~~
O~r~ _____________________________________________ 1 $~________~

______---____________________________-'--____ DoII8fS

~BankName

-'...-

~ Downtown USA

For ______________________________
:12S679:

1235679012

______________________ wp

101

Fig. 5-1: Personal check (blank)

account holder information is printed in the upper left-hand comer.

If this is joint account, 11 account holders are listed check. Make
sure to check the spelling of everything because immigrants have names
that are difficult to pronounce in English, and mistakes are comm.on. If something is wrong, contact the nk before using the checks.
All checks have number that is printed in the upper right-hand comer. The first set
of ordered after opening an account usually begins with the check number 101
because the \.t 1lder has been using the manually nbered temPOraIY checks for
som time, and the check # 1 has a1ready been used then. when ordering subsequent
sets, you will need to specifY fto where the nbering should continued.

233

25-50

, .

Transaction registers -

.
, 1,

25-50 ,

(Deposit 1icket),

J .
, omrc
, I ,

, . rn, .

Michael I"anov
Natasba Ivv

5-1.
101

Street Address
Pbone: (113) 456-7891
ThWD, Stafe, ZIP

D8te __________ 20 __

.~"

Paytothe
___________________________________ $ .....

1 _ _....1

O~r~

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ Dol18rs

~F.......

...

~B.nkN.me

~ Downtown USA

_ _________________ wp

For _______________
:15&789:

15&78901

101

5-1: i ()

, . ,

, . -

- , .

. , ,
1 1, ~
, , 1 ~
. ,

anks

234

and banking services

At the bottom of the check, there is line consisting of long set of m

bers printed in fancy font, which serves as unique ID number for
check. flfSt nine digits, enclosed in colons with vertical lines, are the ank
number or the so-called routing m!: he following part, consisting of
or several groups of digits and ending with mark that 100ks like two vertical
lines and square, is your account number at that ank. he last group ofthree
or four digits repeats the check number. hus, the complete set of numbers
the check is unique, meaning that there are two checks with exactly the
same code, at least not within the same set of checks. he font in wmch this
code is printed was developed to read electronic scanning devices.
After the words IE ORDER OF, enter the ofa store,
organization, or person are writing the check to. If the word CASH is written
in this space, it is possible to use the check to get cash, and anyone do this
because the check in this case is anonymous - not written to an particular person
or organization. When are paying ill, the name of the institution to
write the check to is usually shown the coupon that must return with the
check after the words Make Check to. In some cases, this is different
from the name of the organization that provides the service.
he amount to paid is entered into the small rectangular area preceded
the dollar sign, for example $1,135.21 means 1135 dollars and 21 cents.
Once again, remember that in the US, decimal fractions are separated
period, and comma separates thousands.
In the space that ends with the word DOLLARS, write the amount out in
words and specify cents as dollars divided 100 with plus sign. he
ple above wil1100k like this:
On

thousand n hundred thirty five + 21 00

DOLLARS

Start writing with capitalletter and at the very beginnjng of the lin, so that it
is impossible to insert anything before your writing in order to change the amount.
when paying s, 1he space after the wonl FOR (1he wonl is sometimes
used) is filled in wi1h 1he account nnber 1hat is shown on 1he upon ou are retumg
(Customer No., Account #), just in case 1he check and 1he coupon become separated.
when ying for hases in store, you do oot need to write anything 1here. when
ing taxes and in some other cases, use 1he space to write your social SeCUriW nnber.
In the lower right-hand comer, there is space for the account holder's
signature that is marked 10ng line ending with the letters IVP. check that
is filled out but not signed is not valid, and an empty check signed the
account holder allows anyone to fill it out for an amount of money.
check written for credit card payment m look as shown in Fig. 5-2:

235

,
, .
, ,

Rouling number

).

,
,

. ,
,

, , . ,
, .

ORDER OF,

, ,
.

CASH,

, ,
.

JI - , ,

, ,
m

Make Check

10.

, .

yro

1135 21

1,135.21

. ,

: , .

DOLLARS

, ,

100

. rn :

lhousand n hundred lhirty five + 21/1 00

DOLLARS

,
- , .

FOR

) ,

(Customer No., Account #),

.
. ,

.
,

IVP.

, ,

.
,

5-2:

236

Banks and banking services

Michael
Natasha

lvan

. Street Address
", State, ZIP

ne:

(123) 456-7890

DIIte

06/29

p~ to t h e .
nl.,' &,ul :leJW,4,

2002

13511
I $ 11
...",,'__

~B.nkN.me

lIiIII8II Downtown USA

Fig. 5-2:

11l.ic.Aaet!hou.

12345678 12349876

:123567S9:

123567S9012

......

--..-

_ _- ,

:JA.o.uIul fJuJeJ. aJUI, JftiIaJ.q, ~i.w!r+2f1100 DoIlars

For k,;#

101

IVP

101

Check (filled out)

# means Account number. ''#'' or pound sign is used very ften as the
equivalent of ",N'!!" mark in Russian and other languages. he account number, as
we a1ready mentioned, should written the check in se the check and the
retumed upo m separated. Also, there are situations when person who
writes the check and an owner of the account which is paid this check are not
the sa person. For l, parents ftequently their chi1dren's bi11s.
The checkbook cover has two pockets. he bottom one with large transparent plastic tlap is for the checkbook itself. The top one is for the Transaction
register - little notebook to keep track of transactions in the account. The
plastic tlap mentioned above is used as divider to put under the check you are
writing, so that the text is not printed the next check if double checks are used.
here are two ways to keep transaction record. The first, when each transacti
occupies on line in the register is shown in 1e 5-3 page 236. You write down
deposit or payment amount in the approprite lnn, and then add it to or sub1ract it
ftom your previous balance and write down the result as the cent balance.

Sample ransaction Register (one-line method)

5-3:

NUMBER

101

DESCRIPTION OF
TRANSACTION

PAYMENT FEE

6/25

6/27

$31 34
15 25

6/28 Paycheck
102
103

7/1

Rent

7/3
7/5

hon

paycheck

DEPOSIT ALANCE
$4
60
$609 26
$
594 01

275 58
5

00
28 98
275 58

869
219
190
466

59
59
61
19

237

Mlcbael Ivanov
Natasba Ivnov
ne:

Street Address

Date

(123) 456.789.

06/29

101

......

2002

TowD, St&te, Zl

~::;~M &WJ,~~

1,lf,f3S.2.1

:Jfut lnJIl ul:JftiIt, ~2! 1100 DoIlars

~B8nkN8me

--..-

~ Downtown USA
For

.# 1245678 12349876

:12S679:

llLicIt.l !JIJ.QO.U.

12S679012

IVP

101

. S-2: ()
.# Account number - t! .... "#" sign (,
) erc "!!"
YfX . car, ,
, . ,

, , ra
- J. , OIDIaaIO e:ra .

. ,
1 , erc
.

Transaction register -

t!

, .
, , m ,

:Jl , .
erc . ,
, .

5-3

237.

', .
.5-3:

( )

NUMBER DATE

DESCRIPION

OF

PAYMENT FEE 4

DEPOSIT

$640

RANSACTION

101

102
103

6/25 / v
6/27 Gas
6/28 Paycheck

1/1

Rent

7/3
7/5

Phone
Paychck

ALANCE

$31

34

15 25
275 58

650 00
28 98
275 58

26
594 01
869 59
219 59
190 61
466 19

$609

Banks and banking services

238

The second way when transaction occupies two lines in the register is
shown in Table 5-4. You write down deposit or payment amlt in the appropriate column, then repeat it under the current balance, and then add it to or subtract it
ftom the previous balance and write down the result as the cuent balance.
When you use the second method, the register space is spent twice as
fast; however, the possibility of making mistake in calculations is much
less than when you add and subtract in head or even separate sheet. 1
am speaking from own experience.

NUMBER
101

Sample ransaction Register (two-Iine method)

5-4:
DAE

6/25

DESCRIPTION OF
TRANSACTION

PAYMENT

$31

6/27 Gas

34

103

7/1
7/3
7/5

Rent
Phon

Paycheck

DEPOSIT

15 25

6/28 Paycheck
102

FEE 4

275 58
650 00
28 98
275 58

ALANCE

$640

$31

$9

26
25
01
58
59

15
594
275
869
650
219
28
190
275
466

00

59
98

61
58
19

It is useful to develop habit of writing down transactions in the register

as soon as they are made to avoid unpleasant surprises because it is very easy
to forget to balance checkbook later.
As we a1ready mentioned, besides paying bills mailing checks to
companies that provide various services, you can checks anywhere they
are accepted, which eliminates the need to carry significant amlts of cash.
However, remember that you need cash when you travel because some
small stores accept only checks from the sae state or even the same county.
Filling out check while standing at the cash register in store m not
simple task at flfSt. If you need to check, it is better to fill in the
name of the store and sign the check in advance (even Americans very often
experience difficulties with store names, looking around in the of seeing
it written somewhere). Because you do not know the total aount, you often
to wait until the cashier scans purchases to fish filling out
check. While you do that, the cashier and people behind you in line wait

54.

239

I<DIa aaer lCIpe,

J coorecy I,

' rop , J raee

( ) ar , .
, 1
,

I<D

,
. r .
.5-4:

( )

NUMBER

DAE

101

DESCRIPTION OF
TRANSACTION

PAYMENT

6/25

$ 31

6/27

FEE 4

DEPOSIT

$640
34

$ 31 4
$609 26
15 25

15 25

594 01
6/28 Paycheck

102

711

Rent

103

7/3

Phon

715

Paychck

275 58
650 00
28 98
275 58

275
889
650
21g,

58

59

00
59
28 98
190 61
275 58
466 19

oar ,

, ,
.
, ,

ar

,
.

,
.
, ,
. ,
(
1 ,

- ). are ,
, ar ,

yr , .
JI ( ) yr. ,

anks

240

and banking services

patiently (or not so patiently). As always, at this precise moment you forget
how to spell the numerals you need correctly. After finding myself in this situation few times, 1 printed card with the spelling of 11 necessary numbers,
which 1 placed at the end of checkbook where 1 could glance at time
without attracting anyone's attention. It is shown in Fig. 5-5.
1
2
3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
Fig. 5-5:

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

two
three
four
five
six
seven
eight
nin

ten
Sng

eleven
twelve

10
20
30
40
50
60
70
80
90
100
1000

trt

fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty

ten
twenty
thirty
forty
fifty
sixty
seventy
eighty
ninety
hundred
thousand

Numerals

5.5. Check deposits and cash withdrawals

here

are special Deposit Tickets for depositing cash or checks into your
account. can usuaHy found in the nk lobby. You need to fi11 in these
forms with your , date, account number, and deposit aounts. For the
convenience of checking account holders, checkbook contains several
such forms at the end with preprinted data. you need to enter in this case is
the date and the deposit aount. saple form is shown in Fig. 5-6.
DEPOSI 1

CAS

,.",L Michael Ivanov

. . Natasha Ivanov
Street Address
Pbone:
own, State, ZIP

(1Z)

456-7890

----

___________________________
IlEI'08I8

IIA"

81 AVAILAIILE FOR

... _

CAS

wmtOIIAWAL

MC8JYID", R_ _ III

~B8nkN8me
~ Downtown
:l56789:

USA
l5678901

Fig. 5-6:Deposit Ticket

_ _ __

I
I

LESSCAS
SUBOA L
TOAL

..... ....

:-

....

241

, ,
, ,
. .

1
2
3
4
5
6

11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20

two
three
four
five
six
7 seven
8 eight
9 ni

10 ten
.

10 ten
20 twenty
30 thirty
40 forty
50 fifty
60 sixty
70 seventy
80 eighty
90 ninety
100 hundred
1000 thousand

tht

fourteen
fifteen
sixteen
seventeen
eighteen
nineteen
twenty

5-5:

5.5.

eleven
twelve

5-5.

()

(Deposit 1icket),

ar . Ilar
, , , .
,

ara aI.
my . blII, .

DEPOSI

~
~

Street Address
Town, State, ZIP

TICKET

Michael Ivanov
Natasha Ivanov
_________lII_nS

(123) 4567890

NOr 81! AYAlLMU FOII

. . FOII

_"

_ wnDIIAWAL

MCIIYID (IF

123SEi789012

5-6:

_ __

S
LESSCAS
SUBOA

. . . , Downtown USA

llaulDI

~B8nkN.me
:123SEi789:

---

........________- - = - - - - -

IlA

ne:

OAL

.... .....

-!
I

5-6.

anks

242

and banking services

In the space labeled CASH the amount of cash being deposited is

entered. fo11owing spaces are for check numbers and amounts (additional
spaces for checks are located the back side ofthe fonn). Ifyou are depositing checks into the account but want to get part f deposit as cash immediately, should add 11 the checks together, enter the resu1t under
SUBTOTAL, enter the amount want in cash under LESS CASH, subtract it
from the SUBTOTAL, and write down the result under TOTAL. receive cash,
must endorse (sign the back !) the check whose amount is equal to or
exceeds the amount of cash need.
After making deposit into the account, wil1 given receipt indicating the amount deposited and sometimes new account balance and
how m of it is available for withdrawal at the moment. Remember that if
deposit checks instead of cash into the account, cannot use the money
immediately because there is physical money in the account yet. It wil1
one or two business days, sometimes longer (see bank's rules) before this
part of balance becomes available.
Sometimes there are situations when need to write check for
larger amount than you in the account at present, but
check, which did not time to deposit into the account earlier. If
deposit it now and write someone check for the necessary amount, this check
presented for payment before the recently deposited paycheck m
available. If this happens, will the overdraft fee. In this situation,
do little trick - cash paycheck without depositing it into the account
(almost 11 banks allow their clients to do this free of charge) and ten minutes
later deposit the cash, which is usually available immediately.
If want to receive cash without making deposit, can write
check for the needed amount with the word CASH after the words
ORDER OF and present it to the ank. When check at supennarket or ann, can write the check for an amount greater than the cost of
hass and receive the difference as cash. his amount is usually limited and specified in the store's li. Another way of getting cash is using an
ard.

5.6.

& debit cards

As we already mentioned, stands for Automatic Teller Machine.

Automatic devices that give out cash are called this because the word teller
usua11y means "ank cashier" (when it means ''person tel1ing something," it
wil1 usua11y used in combination with another word, for example, "story

243

CASH .

arn ). ,

- ,

SUBTOTAL, LESS CASH,

SUBTOTAL TOTAL.

, .
,

. ,

(available)

, , m,

. , (

), .

,
, ,

, .

- ,
,
, .

, . ,

),

, m , CASH I

ORDER OF

, . I
.

5.6.

card, debit card

Automatic

ll)

n. , m, ,

teller

" " ( I

"" ,
,

story teller).

, m

244

anks

and banking services

teller"). s, regardless of which ank they belong to, r rt of the

same electromc network, which allows you to get cash from your checking
account or your credit card almost anywhere in the world. card that a110ws
you to use these machines is ca1led an card. get money, you will need
the card itself and so-called PIN -- confidential four-digit number.
Fairly recently, we have seen an explosion in the widespread use of debit
cards, which allow you to not on1y get cash but a1so to for purchases with
the from your checking account. here are two types of debit cards:
lin and off-line.
An on-line debit card work.s the same as an card. use it, you
need PIN and special terminal installed the cash register. he majority of
supermarkets and department stores r equipped with such terminals. At the
same time you for your purchase, you can also get some cash. his is
called cash back. he transaction is completed l after the ank acknowledges the transfer ofthe necessary amount into the store's account.
An off-line debit card, in addition to working the same way as an on-line
, can work similarly to Visa or MasterCard, depending whether it is
Visa Debit or MasterCard Debit, and is therefore accepted everywhere these
cards are accepted. In this case, you do not need to enter PIN, but you do need
to sign sales slip, as will explained in the section credit cards. he money
wil1 withdrawn from your account some time later instead of immediately.
Banks usually establish daily limit for amounts that can withdrawn
from an (usually $200-300) and spent purchases using debit cards
($500-600). Remember this when you travel to avoid unpleasant surprise. If
any given day you need more than the allowed limit, withdraw it in advance
over several days.
Like everything good, the card has its drawbacks. First, it is not
free. here can an annual fee or fee charged for transaction, as well
as an additional fee when you use an that does not belong to your bank.
Second, as cash is replaced with electromc transactions, machines
attract crooks. hey know that person leaves an with cash and
attack m or her, take the , and even force the victim to withdraw as
much as possible. Altematively, they guess the victim's PIN watching
his or her hand movements and then steal the card and use it. For this reason,
machines r frequently installed in crowded places or in locked booths
whose 10k.s can l opened with an authorized card. Nevertheless, it
is important to careful, especially for older people.
Besides, careful when using an off-line debit card to for purchases and especially over the Intemet from companies you know little about. As will explained later, if someone uses your credit card, you r
responsible only for the flfSt $50 and do not need to the rest of the balance

244

anks

and banking services

teller"). ATMs, regardless of which ank they belong to, are part of the
same electronic network, which allows you to get cash from your checking
account or your credit card almost anywhere in the world. card that allows
you to use these machines is calIed an card. get , you w need
the card itself and so-called PIN -- confidential four-digit number.
Fairly recently, we seen an explosion in the widespread use of debit
cards, which aHow you to not only get cash but also to for purchases with
the money from your checking account. here are two types of debit cards: online and off-line.
on-line debit card works the same as an card. use it, you
need PIN d special terminal installed the cash register. he majority of
supermarkets and department stores are equipped with such terminals. At the
same time for your purchase, also get some cash. his is
caHed cash back. he transaction is completed only after the ank acknowledges the transfer of the necessary amount into the store 's account.
An off-line debit card, in addition to working the same way as an on-line
, an work similarly to Visa or MasterCard, depending whether it is
Visa Debit or MasterCard Debit, and is therefore accepted everywhere these
cards are accepted. In this case, you do not need to enter PIN, but do need
to sign sales slip, as w explained in the section credit cards. he money
wi11 withdrawn from your account some time later instead of immediately.
Banks usually establish daily limit for amounts that withdrawn
from an (usually $200-300) d spent purchases using debit cards
($500-600). Remember this when travel to avoid unpleasant surprise. If
any given day need more than the allowed limit, withdraw it in advance
over several days.
Like everything good, the card has its drawbacks. First, it is not
free. here an an annl fee or fee charged for transaction, as well
as additional fee when you use an that does not belong to your ank.
Second, as cash is replaced with electronic transactions, machines
attract crooks. hey know that person leaves an with cash and
attack him or her, take the money, d even force the victim to withdraw as
much as possible. Altematively, they m guess the victim's PIN watching
his or her hand movements and then steal the card and use it. For this reason,
machines are frequently installed in crowded places or in locked booths
whose locks only opened with an authorized card. Nevertheless, it
is important to careful, especial1y for older l.
Besides, careful when using an off-line debit card to for purchases phone and especial1y over the Intemet from companies know little about. As will explained later, if someone uses your credit card, you are
responsibIe only for the first $50 and do not need to the rest of the balance

245

ro
. , JUO

aerc

card.
PIN - .

(Deblt cards),

Debit cards l: on-line off-line.

On-line deblt card , : .
PIN ()
r. ,
r.

- .

cash back.

r .

Off-line debit card

Visa Master Card, l: V"rsa Deblt Master Card
Debit. , .
PIN, , :

, .
, - .

$200-3(0)

($500-600)

. ,
. - ,
, .

, .
, . ,
,

, .
-,

ra,

. , -
, m,
, . pyroM ,

PIN,

, ,
. , .
, .

off-line deblt card

, ,
. ,

,

$50,

anks

246

and banking services

until the circumstances are investigated, but in the case of debit card you an
lose the money you have in account. For and Intemet purchases, it
is good idea to have credit card with smaH credit limit.

5.7. Bank statement and balancing your checkbook

month, the ank sends you report about your account balance
and ut activity called Account Statement. An checks that were presented
for payment and paid usuaIIy back with your Account Statement. You
should keep them because sometimes there are situations when you must prove
that you have paid something time. In this case, you send photocopy
of the check as proof.
Some anks, trying to reduce expenses, offer checking accounts where
checks do not back to the account holder and are instead put microfil and stored in an archive. UsuaHy, these are accounts that do not have minil balance requirements or monthly fee. In this case, you an request
of the check from the bank if necessary, but you wi11 have to for it.
m you wi11 save fees for using the account far exceeds possible
expenses for copies of checks; therefore, it makes sense to have such an
account, especiaHy if you cannot maintain the minimal balance required for
regular account. 1 also strongly recommend using double checks for more
accurate bookkeeping.
Although the statement is sent monthly, it does not necessarily cover the
calendar month from the 1st to the 30th or the 31 st. statement can for
30-d period starting at any point during the month, for example, from the 7th
to the 6th or from the 21 st to the 20th, but it always wi11 Start at the same time
give or k one d.
account statement always has section that summarizes your account
information (Account Summary), for l:
Once

Opening Balance
Ending Balance
Total Deposits/Credits
Total WithdrawalslDebits
Besides that, there is section that lists transactions in the account,
indicating dates, amounts, and balances after transaction. This section is
called Account Activity or Daily Account Activity. Idea11y, this section should
exactly match your records in the transaction register, but this does not happen
in reallife for the foHowing reasons:

247

debit card

5.7.

fu' fu'

(Account Statement).

, 'I .
, , ,
OIUIay - . ,

, .
, , I

, ,

. , ,
.
, fu' .
ro I ,

fu', l
, fu'a.

, fu' ,

1 30/31 . ,1
, 7- - 21- 20-, J
.

Statement ,
fu'e (Account Summary), , :
Accounl

Opening /n - .
Ending /n - .
Tota/ Deposits/Credits - , .
Tota/ Withdrawa/slDebits - , .
I

, , ~
fu'y, , ,
mx

Account Activity

Daily Account Activity.

ransaction

register,

248

Banks and banking services

Dates and the order of transactions differ because you enter them in
order write checks and make purchases, but the nk dates
them in order checks and electronic debits are presented for
ment. For this reason, part of transactions entered in your register
the time statement is printed an absent and appear it
l following month.

he

balance after transaction different because the order

of transactions differs.

final balance differ because do not always know when

bank charges extra, for example, for using an
that belongs to different nk and whether your balance has fal1en
below the required minimum, which entails monthly fee.

he

the time you receive account statement, have already

made some additional transactions that are not included in it. Besides
that, simple arithmetic errors (in most cases yours, but sometimes
bank's, for example, deposit made to wrong account) are frequent.

this requires balancing account regularly to nfirm that your

records are correct. his way, mistakes an found and corrected, preventing
undesirable consequences such as overdraft in the future. Results of your calculations should match the bank's records to penny. Bookkeepers know from
experience that even the smallest discrepancy result of two or more
substantial errors, which compensate for other and temporarily mask
problem that an surface at an moment.
Balancing your account is done in five steps:
1. One one, compare ll transactions listed in the account statement
with transactions in the transaction register, marking with
check mark (v) in the appropriate column ofthe register on1y after
are sure that the amounts in both places match. Simultaneously,
mark the appropriate transactions in the account statement with
penci1. Enter transactions that remain unmarked in account
statement into register if agree that are correct (
monthly fee, electronic transactions, fees, etc.).
2. Write down separate sheet of paper ll deposits and other credit
transactions (transfers to the account) that were made but are not
included in the account statement and add them .

249

I ,
Jl
. ,
mI ,
.

I .

aro

, .

ar, <D omrre

,

JDI.

( m am, Ia
6aI<D, , , , I ).
, , ,

. ,

, ,

.
:

1.

, un' Statement

Transaction register, (V)

, .

Account Statement. ,
Account Statement, ,
( , , ).

2.

e ( ), ,
.

3.

am ,
( ), ,
v cvv.

Banks and banking services

250
.

Write down separate sheet of paper l1 checks, withdrawals,

and others debits (withdrawals fto the account) which were mad
but were not included in the account statement and add them up.

4.

the fl balance from the account statement, add to it the sum

of credits, and subtract the sum of debits from the result.

5. Compare the result with the final balance in your register. hey
should match. If they do not, you will have to start over again and
more attention. help you find the r, calculate the difference between the two balances. It an help see what you missed.
Keeping your checkbook balanced is important not only because it helps
avoid overdraft fees. More serious consequences can result from bounced
checks. here are computer databases containing names of people whose
checks have been returned unpaid. If you get such "black" list, you
find yourself in situation when anks refuse to let you open checking
account, which, as we already mentioned, creates lot of inconvenience.

4.

251

un! Statement,
.

5.

pemcpe. . ,
.
, . ro
, .
,

, ,
. '"" ,
, ,
, .

252

Credit and credit cards

6. Credit and credit cards

1 think. that most immigrants who arrive in the US have heard about
credit cards. As soon as r here, notice that gas station or store
specifies the kinds of credit cards that r accepted as payment there. And of
course, in more expensive stores always see people writing checks or casull taking out plastic card which is almost always treated with more respect
than cash. his is understandable; credit in an expensive store somehow
reflects person's social status.
Most immigrants do not credit cards during their fst three years in
the country and regard those who do with certain amount of envy. Some
ple, even after they have lived here 4 or 5 years and more or less decent
income and even savings account in bank, cannot understand why the
credit card applications they fill out r rejected. ln this chapter we will talk
about what can do to get credit as soon as possible.

6.1.

ypes

of credit cards

First of , we must mention that not ll plastic cards an average American carries in his or her wallet r credit cards. Some of them r identification
cards such as driver's license, workplace passes or time cards, various club
membership cards, cards we talked about earlier, etc.
credit card () certifies that its owner has certain amount of credit
at the company that issued the when or she uses it to purchase goods or
services. CCs first appeared in the US in the 1930s and am popular in the
1950s. hey r issued many businesses that serve consumers: department
stores, chain stores, restaurants, hotels, airlines and, of course, banks. Some of
them r accepted in single store, others - in the stores that belong to the

2531

6.

, , -

, ,
, , I

, m

,
, . ,

- .

.
,

4-5 ,

, ,
, .
, .

6.1.

, , ,

, . l
JI , ,
(tie

card),

, . .

() , aare
, ~

npe . 30- , are l

50-. ,
:

, , .

254

Credit and credit cards

that issued the (Filene's, Macy's), still others accepted alrnost

anywhere.
most popular the so-called general purpose CCs, especialIy Visa
and MasterCard. These the most widely used cards that accepted alrnost
anywhere in the world. Therefore, if you have of these cards, you do not
need to exchange significant aount of cash when you go abroad. You can
use to for purchases, hotel accommodations, rental cars, and so ,
and computer will calculate your expenses at the current exchange rate. With
the card's help you can also receive cash in bank or at machine. 1
must say that it is very difficult to rent without credit card.
It is worth noting that the Visa (as well as others) is not the
of the creditor that lends through this . Visa is the of
financial network that facilitates electronic transactions between those who sell
goods and services to owners of CCs and those who for them. herefore, it
is impossible to say which is better. best kind is whatever is accepted
at given retailer. For this reason, it is convenient to have of each kind.
Naturally, question arises: how do you get these coveted credit cards?
It is very easy if you have good credit history. In the witty words of letter
writer to the newspaper "Novoe Russkoe Slovo": "1 don't know what credit
history is, but it is probably something very good if everyone wants to have it."

6.2. Credit bureaus and credit history

There have always people who had and people who did not
have it but really needed it. bose who needed m looked for and found
those who had it, wd promising to back the aount plus
interest, and as resuIt, the rich even richer and the poor needed even
more m. Usurers an argue with those who practice what is considered
"the oldest profession" about who was here fst. he risk that w
would not loan back was very high; therefore, to get m, had to
have good reputation or someone's recommendation. In case, the usurer
inquired about the w's state of affairs.
Over time, people streamlined the process and enacted legislation to regulate
it. whole world developed standard practices for wig m, for both
personaI and business needs. As resu1t, worldwide financial market was
fned, allowing capital to flow freely to where it was .
integral of this market organizations cal1ed credit bureaus
that for small fee fumish creditors with reports that contain potential clients'
credit history. credit bureaus' databases contain information almost
every adult resident of the country who has ever applied for credit whether it

 ICped

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255

ICDamrn, (Fi1ene's, acy's), 1 - .

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256

Credit and credit cards

to purchase v, refrigerator, motor vehicle, or .

he mechanism used to create such ifnti banks is very simple.
to store or ank requesting credit. are asked to fill out questionnaire (application), which asks to write down information about yourself, including your , address during the last two years, whether
wn or rent your residence, number, social security number, employer,
position, and in. 11 these data are transfd to credit bureau and will
stored in your file. In exchange, the credit bureau gives potential creditor
11 previous infnti about . Based this ifnti, the creditor
decides whether they extend credit to and what terms. In an case,
this decision wil1 also forwarded to the credit bureau and stored in your file.
If are given credit, the credit bureau wi11 have its aount and regularly
updated information when and how . Computers perform the
majority of operations in this process.
hus, at an given moment potential creditor obtain clear picture
of your financial affairs: how , how owe or owed and
to whom and how promptly your debts.
here are an credit bureaus in the US, and they are located in different regions. Usua11y, creditor requests information from only of them,
and think that after get yourself into debt in area of the country, an move somewhere else and start over, but this does not
because 11 credit bureaus in the country communicate with other. Moreover, 11 of them rely three in databases: Equifax, Trans Union, and
TRW. hese companies accumulate an incredible aount of ifnti,
which they se11 to creditors and marketing companies. an change
addresses, jobs, and even your , but cannot change your social security number.
his is how this system works. And 1 must note that it works rather well.
your attempts to get credit are bound to faH until establish good
credit history. And the earlier an do that, the better.

6.3. How to create credit history

here

are several ways to do this in relatively short period oftime. First

of , fill out applications at or two stores or anks as soon as possible to
file in credit bureau, but do that only when have source of
in.
he

simplest way is ifyou have some money (at least $300-500) that
do not need now and will not need for about one and half years. Some banks

257
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258

Credit and credit cards

offer the following service: put this m in the nk as so-called CD

(Certificate of Deposit) for the period of 18 months, where it will m small
interest (4-5% annually), and the ank opens credit lin for this amount and
gives you credit card. For using the credit card an annual fee of about
$15-20 plus monthly interest at the rate of 20-22% annually if do not
your lan in full.
question arises: why give your m to the ank at low interest and
borrow as m or less ftom it at higher interest? he answer is, only to create
credit history. If use the credit card responsibly for 18 months, the ank
will usually retum your deposit, increase your credit limit, and eliminate your
nnl fee. Qnly then will the information about your credit appear in your
at credit bureau.
Another way of establishing credit history is purchasing and
ing only part of the price front. It is m easier to get car loan than
credit card because the creditor's risk is minimal. vehicle bought with loan
must fully insured. If the car is damaged, the creditor will receive m
regardless of whose fault it was.
Ifyou fail to back your 10an, your will taken away. Besides,
the worse buyer's credit history, the higher the interest the 1an, which
compensates the creditor for the possible risk. herefore, an often
automobile dealer commercials that try to lure buyers with bad credit history
or even those who filed for bankruptcy.
Let's assume that m and you car (not necessarily
new ) from dealer. part of the cost and apply for loan to
cover the rest. In l of months an the rest, losing small
amount of m. If do not need full insurance, an convert it to liability only and get back the unused portion of the money, but your credit file
will reflect the amount of your loan and the fact that it was paid in full.
One more way is to use someone else's already existing credit history,
for example, ifyou have relative or friend who already has good credit history and trusts you enough to co-sign 10an with you.
Let's say that you need to buy something relatively expensive ( v,
VCR, etc.), and it is sold credit. ifyou enough cash, you to
the store with your relative and fill out credit application in your name, and
write him or her down as co-applicant. he salesperson will the credit
department and give them your data, and , naturally, wil1 denied. h
you tell them to check your co-applicant. If everything works out, you m
your purchase and start paying for it, therefore putting the first brick in the
foundation of your credit history. doing this several times, an consid speed up your flfst independent credit approva1. Having checking and

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260

Credit and credit cards

must remember that although usual1y specify your total fami1y

income in applications, credit bureaus maintain separate fi1es for each applicant, that is, credit history is associated with particular person and not with
family. [f one spouse does not work, it does not mean that he or she cannot or
should not included in the application. can create credit histories
at the same time as insurance against unforeseen circumstances such as death
or divorce, when the spouse who was not working suddenly needs to have his
or her own credit. If do not think about this beforehand, wi1l have to
start from scratch.
l1 the methods mentioned above are only ways of creating good credit
history, and they do not guarantee that will given credit. 1 must mention
here that each creditor has its own criteria for evaluating c1ient's creditworthiness. If do not meet these criteria, wil1 denied credit, but according to regulations will informed about this in writing, usually (but not
always) with explanations of the criteria did not meet, and will always
informed of the source that was used to obtain information about .
Below are some examples of criteria which 1 was denied credit when
1 app1ied for it, not because [ had any idea about credit bureaus or credit history, but because annoying salespeople offered 10% discount
chases if 1 filled out credit app1ication.
As is clear from these rejections, have to patient because applying
for credit too often can only hurt .

Residential status - living in rented housing is rated much lower than

owning home.

Number / bank credit re/erences - insufficient number ofbank credit

cards or not having them long enough.

Number / major department store re/erences - usually Sears gives

credit only after have had credit at other stores for long
time.

Excessive number / credit bureau inquiries - frequent attempts to

obtain credit mean that your needs exceed your resources.

Recently opened retail installment accounts - usually creditors are

wary of people who open many credit accounts simultaneously.

Recently opened bank installment accounts - see previous item.

261

(Savings Account)

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Number o/bank credit re/erences ( ) caro

Number 0/major department store references (

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.

Excessive num 0/ credit uu inquiries (

) - r
lX .

Recently opened retail installment accounts (

) - ,
.

Recently opened bank installment accounts (

) - . .

Credit and credit cards

262

Length o/Credit History /or Retail Credit Cards (store credit

accounts of insufficient duration) - there is not enough information
about how responsibly the person is to store credit.

Insufficient time in ji/e - see .

Recent derogatory in/ormation in your credit ji/e - complete surprise! We wi11 talk about tbls later.

Number / recent requests /or credit - see .

Length / credit experience - you have not had your existing credits
long enough, wblch makes it impossible to evaluate your creditworthiness.

Absence / checking and savings accounts - this was about not

having savings account because 1 did checking account at
that time.

Number o/Inquires in the /ast months.

Number /Department Store Accounts.
Tota/ number /Bank Revo/ving Accounts.

6.4. Credit Report

If you are denied credit without any explanation, you can and find
out the reasons, but in any case your letter of denial will the address and
phone number of the credit bureau where the creditor obtained infonnation
about you. According to existing rules, you have 60 days to request ftee
of the credit report that was sent to this creditor.
do this, you have to send written request to the specified credit
bureau. Ifyou the number given in your denial notice, you will usu get recording that tells what should included in the written
request. Usually it is your , social security number, date of birth, and
addresses during the last 2 years. Ifyou had applied for credit with someone else, you will need to provide that person's data as well. An example of
credit report request is shown below.

262

Credit and credit cards

Length o/Credit History for Retail Credit Cards (store credit
accounts of insufficient duration) - there is not enough information
about how responsibly the person is able to use store credit.
InsujJicient time in ji/e - see above.
Recent derogatory in/ormation in credit jile prise! We wi1l talk about this later.

complete sur-

Number / recent requests / credit - see above.

Length / credit experience - have not had your existing credits
long enough, which makes it impossible to evaluate your creditworthiness.
Absence / checking n savings accounts - this was about not
having savings account because 1 did have checking account at
that ti.
Number o/Inquires in the /ast 6 months.
Number /Department Store Accounts.
Total nm /Bank Revo/ving Accounts.

6.4. Credit Report

If are denied credit without any explanation, can 11 and fd
out the reasons, but in an case your letter of denial wi11 have the address and
phone number of the credit bureau where the creditor obtained information
about . According to existing rules, have 60 days to request
of the credit report that was sent to this creditor.
do this, have to send written request to the specified credit
bureau. Ifyou 11 the phone number given in your denial notice, will usu11 get recording that te11s what shou1d included in the written
request. Usually it is your , social security number, date of birth, and
addresses during the last 2 years. Ifyou had applied for credit with someone else, wi11 need to provide that person's data as well. An l of
credit report request is shown below.

263'

Length / Credit History / Retail Credit Cards (

) - : ,

ar .

lnsufficient time injile ( ) - . Bme

Recent derogatory information in u credit jile (
) - !
.

Number /recent requests / credit (MHoopare

) - . .
Length / credit n ( ) ,

Absence / checking and savings accounts (

) -
, .

Number o/Inquires in the I08t 6 months ( 6

).

Number /Departmer Store Accounts (

ym).

Total num /n! Revolving Accounts (

).

6.4. Credit report

pere , '

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264

Credit and credit cards

123 One 8treet, #45
Boston, 02127
August 8, 2002
. (123) 456-7890

RAN8~NRPRAN

8200 East 32nd 8treet North

.. 789763
Wichita, 8 67278
Please send of the credit report that bas been sent to X-BANK.
:

8.8.#
Birth date:
Employer:

Michael Ivanov
000-00-0000
00/00/00
Lana International, Inc.

8pouse :
8.8.#
Birtb date:
Employer:

Natasha Ivanov
000-00-0000
00/00/00
Not employed

Address:
1995- Present

1993- 1995
Before 1993
hankyou,

Michaellvanov

123 n Street, #45

Boston, 02127
123 in Street #456F
80. Boston, 02065
Russia

265

123 One Street, #45

Boston, 02127
August 8, 2002
l. (123) 456-7890

TRANS UNION CORPORAION

8200 East 32nd Street North
.. 789763
Wichita, KS 67278
Please send
BANK.

Mynae:

of the credit report that has been sent to

S.S.#
Birth date:
Employer:

Michael Ivanov
000-00-0000
00/00/00
Lana Iternational, (

Spouse :
S.S.#
Birth date:
Employer:

Natasha Ivanov
000-00-0000
00/00/00
Not employed

Address:
1995- Present
1993- 1995
Before 1993
hankyou,

Michaellvanov

123 Street, #45

Boston, 02127
123 Main Street #456F
So. Boston , 02065
Russia

266

Credit and credit cards

Such request wil1 most likely satisfy an credit bureau. should

receive your credit report in approximately two weeks. Note that will
receive it free of charge only if you request it from the credit bureau mentioned
your creditor. Ifyou request credit report from an other credit bureau or
after the end of the term specified in the notice, wi1l have to small fee
the amount of which is specified in the credit bureau 's recorded message. It
usually is about $4 or $5.
ask why need to see your credit report. First of , to k
sure that your file does not contain an wrong infonnation., which an
very easily. For l, after 1 was refused credit because of "recent derogatory infonnation in your credit file," 1 requested of credit report for
the first time and found, to complete surprise, that it said that 1 have not
paid medical l1.
1 finaHy recalled that , soon after our arrival, we received i1l from an
agency that served hospita1 where our family d gone for physical xms, but
we were covered Medicaid at that ti, 1 presented the i11 and
Medicaid rd at the hospital, and the question was settled. But the agency, having
not received yment after certin period of time, informed credit ure
about it. 1 had to mk two or three visits to this agency before the information that
was marring stiH scant credit history was removed from file.
Usually, along with credit report, the credit bureau sends so-called
Investigation Request Fonn. Ifyou disagree with an infonnation contained in
your file, fil1 out this fonn and enclose copies of documents that prove
that are right.
But if really owe to someone, and information about it gets
into your , it w remain there for 7 rs. If you file for Chapter 7 ank
ruptcy, it will reflected in your credit history for 1 ers; Chapter 13 ank
ruptcy 11 in your file for 7 rs. Any tax-related infractions remain
record for 7 rs after the debt is paid. This is why it is better to 11 bills
time, including your 1an for tickets to the US if used that service. If
have d credit history, it an barrier to purchasing , getting
student 1an (for or your children), borrowing to start business, etc.
Lately, creditors have using new system to estimate the
creditworthiness of potential clients, where the degree of risk involved in lending money to particular person is estimated one three-digit number called
FICO score (named after the an Fair, Isaac . which developed this
system). higher this number, the better. FICO score of 600 and below
is considered bad, and of 750 and higher--excel1ent. This system makes it
unnecessary for creditors to analyze your entire credit report. You request
your credit report, including your FICO score, from the credit bureau Equifax
(www.equifax.com) for smal1 fee.

267

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Fair, lsaac ., ). .
. FICO score 600 , 750 - .
Credit Report.
Credit Report, FICO score,
Equijax (www.equijax.com).

268

Credit and credit cards

6.5. Getting credit card; credit Iimit

If you want it bad enough, sooner or later you will receive that coveted
credit card. How does it ? Credit cards in the mail, and not even in
certified letter. But they are not usable when they arrive. to use
new card, you wil1 need to the number 1isted special
sticker and fm the receipt ofthe card (activate it). At this time, you will
asked to verify your data, including social security number and
mother's maiden . Sometimes activation done without actual
person the other end of the line, but you need to from your home tele number and know social security numbeI
After activating , you need to sign the paper strip 10cated the
back of the . From now , signature is the only thing that wil1 verified when you use the card. Only asi will you required to present
any additional identification. As far as 1 know, l Citibank wi1l, at the cardholder's request, l his or her photo the front ofthe .
U sual1y, few days after was mai1ed to you, you will receive note
that it was sent, and ifyou have received it, you don't have to do anything, but
if not, that m m that it is stolen and you need to the number provided
immediately. In few days, you m receive f-digit number (PIN) that is
needed to get cash from machines and should kept confidential.

6.6. Using credit cards for purchases

The rd for paying for hass with varies depending
the type of and the store where you use it. First of , you should know that
the merchant pays for the right to accept general purpose CCs for transactions.
he fee is usual1y 2-3% of the total cost of purchase, but not less than certain aount (for example, 30-50 cents). For this reason, in some places the
minimal hs amount for which you an with is limited. In
supermarket, you can for two-dollar newspaper with , but in smal1
store you wiI1 have to buy at least $5 or $1 worth.
he reason for this is that in supermarket, the percentage of total sales
made up such smaI1 hss is insignificant, and it does not make sense to
10se customers establishing minimum for purchases, but in small
store where most purchases are under 1 dollars, 50 cents for each purchase
add up to at least 5% of total sales. When revenues are low, merchants simply
cannot afford it. For the sae reason, fast food restaurants only accept cash.

269

6.5.

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270

Credit and credit cards

In many stores, you hand credit card to cashier at the register after
or she has scanned 11 your purchases, and or she performs 11 the necessary
operations.
hese operations include:
Reading your credit card number automatically or entering it manua11y.
Getting the transaction approved the issuer ofyour .
Printing out your receipt.
Printing out payment agreement, which you to sign.
Comparing signature the payment agreement with that
yourCC.
Giving back your credit card a10ng with the receipt and sometimes
of the payment agreement.
Very small stores or establishments such as dry cleaners not
the equipment to process credit card transactions automatically. In this case,
is inserted into special device, covered with blank form, and rolled over
with platen so that the embossed text the front of the card is printed the
form. After that, the amount that owe is entered the form, and you sign
it at the "" in the bottom left comer. of the completed form is given
to you.
This process is little different in supermarket. UsualIy, there is special terminal at the cash register with display that tells what should
do or what is happening. For example:
Choose payment type - you need to press the button sdig to
the type of card you are going to with.
Slide card - you need to slide the along the groove in the terminal.
he direction in which you m it does not matter, but the magnetic
strip should face the sae way as shown the picture that is usually
printed near the groove.
Enter purchase amount and press ENER.
Processing; Please wait.
Authorization completed.
After that, the cash register prints the rest of your receipt and the
ment agreement for you to sign.

271

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Enter purchase mun! and press ENER (

ENER)

Processing; Please wait (,

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Authorization completed ( ).

, .

272

Credit and credit cards

6.7. U sing CCs to get cash

Credit card cash advances are treated issuers differently than purchases of goods and services and subject to some restrictions. fIrSt
restriction m conceming the amount. Sometimes, creditors specify your
Total Credit Line separately form the s Advance Limit; if this is not the
case, you an receive any amount of cash within your total credit line.
Another difference is that you usually s advance fee that equals
2-3% of the amount withdrawn, and interest is charged from day one, without
the so-called Grace Period, wblch is about 15-25 days from the billing date for
regular purchases. And interest is much blgher for s advances than for purchases. Tbls is done, fIrSt of , to prevent people from paying off credit
card taking money from another, and also because people who get s
from credit card usual1y desperate for m, and anks tk advantage
ofthat.
You an get cash advance in several ways:
From an machine. amount is limited to 200-500 dollars day.
At ank that accepts this type ofCC. For example, CCs such as
Visa or MasterCard accepted at hundreds of thousands of different financial institutions worldwide.
With checks that you receive from your creditor. You simply specify
the amount and write Cash after :. It is easiest to do this at
ank where you have an account.

6.8. Credit card interest

that creditors lend money to get profit. And 1 must note that
for an anks, revenue from CCs is significant and helps cover the expenses
of other, less profitabIe operations.
Credit interest rates vary from ank to ank and depend the so-cal1ed
Prime Rate, i.e. the interest rate anks use when lending money to clients with
the best credit rating (usually, the most reliabIe enterprises and organizations).
Prime Rate varies depending the economy, and sometimes changes several
times . llis is an aspect you cannot control. But your interest rate also
depends your financial situation and how promptly you your bil1s. It
is simple: the higher your income and the more responsibIe you , the lower
your interest rate when you borrow money. ln other words, the less your creditor's _risk,_th~ smaller profit it is satisfied with.
It is

6.7.

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274

Credit and credit cards

For this reason, there are Gold, and Platinum versions of CCs, which differ in interest rates and the number of additional services they offer, and getting
them depends credit rating (read: credit history). Gold and platinum
cards usually cover rental car is and include some additional services.
As competition aong credit card issuers grows, banks more and more
often offer low interest hss made in the fst several months after
opening (Introductory Period) or balance transferred from another
(if it does not belong to the sae creditor). However, before are tempted
with this bait, ask: what interest rate will have when this period ends?
Remember that an excessive number of open credit accounts worsens
credit rating. Sometimes it makes sense to take advantage of such an offer, but
need to careful.
If transfer balance ftom one card to another, do not use the new card
for current purchases until the balance is completely paid off. will
charged the usual, not the lowered, interest rate for 11 new hass, and
payments will applied first to tbe transferred balance. Only when it
is completely paid off wilI able to off new purchases.

6.9. Paying current balance

Once month, the holder of credit card that has any outstanding balance receives statement. his any day of the month, depending
the number of account, but it will always around the sae time.
statement has two parts separated perforation. he top part (in most cases,
but not always) is coupon with address and tbe address where need
to send payment, and the bottom part contains information about transactions carried out with the in the past month. If use the card very ftequently, the second part can contain several pages.
he coupon usuaHy has your account number, current lan, the minin payment aount if cannot in full, and the date when your
ment should received ( Date). It also has the of the institution the
cbeck should written to. In some cases this name is not the sae as the
your card.
he minimn payment (inimum Payment Due) is usually 3-5% of the
uent balanee and, as rule, covers nulting interest rather than the principal. If only the minimum, it k ten ear to off the full balanee, and will end up paying 24 times more than wed.
write the check and enter the payment amount in the appropriate space
the coupon. Always write your account nber the check in the ''
area in case the check and the coupon are separated. Put the coupon and the check

275

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276

Credit and credit cards

in the envelope that was provided with the ill so that the creditor's address shows
in the window. attention because sometimes this address is printed the back
ofthe coupon. Never staple the check and the coupon.
ail payments at least one week before the specified due date because
for the slightest delay, you will not on1y charged late payment fee, but
interest rate increase. You need to especial1y careful ding holiday season
when themail is overloaded with greeting cards and delays are more likely.

6.10. ProbIems related to credit card use

Credit cards are very convenient, but this is also why they are dangerous. People get the impression that they always have money and easily spend
more than they can afford.
Statistics tell us that at the end of 1999, the average American family had
$7,000 in credit card debt. If we take into account that the average interest rate
is at least 12-14%, it comes to $1,000 from ofthe 70 million families, or 70 billion dollars, which is 10t of .
1 say from wn en that to off such amount in
short period of time is very difficult, and with low income, it is almost impossible. 1 personally know Americans with the family income of $50,000 or
$60,000 who filed for bankruptcy or close.
If has been stolen, you need to inform the creditor as soon as
possible to prevent its unlawful use. he maximum amount you are responsible
for is fifty dollars. Problems can arise if lose wa11et with many CCs or if
it is stolen. You need to know exactly what was in it and where to .
Read everything that is written in fin print the application and in the rd
member Agreement tbat comes with the card. here is saying: ''What large print
giveth, fin print taketh away." Recently, anks have shl raised ll fees, such as
late payment, retumed check, overlimit fees, etc. And as we already mentioned, late
payments, in addition to fees, very often result in higher interest rates.
Very often, banks change the conditions described in the Cardmember
Agreement and m you the changed version with the indication of date
when new conditions take effect. he majority of such new Cardmember
Agreements do not have the name of the bank or credit card printed them,
and if you do not immediately ll them or file them in the appropriate folder,
it is difficult to tell which card given agreement belongs to.

277

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Employment

278

7. Employment

For long time, industrious and enterprising people from over the
world eoming to Ameriea in seareh of better life, overeoming tremendous obstaeles along the way. Having erossed the an with hopes of sueeess, they left their old lives behind and worked tirelessly to make these hopes
reality. he hard work of generations of immigrants eombined with
legislation that supports free enterprise created the wealthiest eountry in
the world where would like to live and work.
Long gone are the times when the nl things you needed to com to Ameriea
were desire to do so and enough on to buy tieket. Innnigration into the country,
as well as work visas, is strietly regulated, but that does not stop the stream of fortune
seekers who aiv through many different ebannels. Citizens of ast opean
countries and the republies of the fonner USSR as tourists or with fictitious
invitations. Despite the danger to their lives, l aiv shabby little boats ftom
Cuba or in cg containers ftom China. For man ers, the govemment has strugg1ed unsuccessfully to stop illega1 immigration ftom . 11 these people who
aiv in the country igay find themselves in very difficu1t situation and agree to
an work that is available the black Iabor ark~ regardless of tenns or .
the other end ofthe employment spectrum are l who were m
and raised here. hey problems with language, they understand loeal
rules as well as written and unwritten laws, and they part of fairly extensive network of friends, elassmates, and relatives. But even they often experienee diffieulties when looking for job.
In the middle, between these two groups, legal immigrants who
the right to work but often know little about what is available, how to find and
keep job, and how to sueeeed.
Ajob provides independenee. Amerieans taught this sinee ehildhood,

279

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Employment

280

and many start working while they are still in high school. hey deliver newspapers, pack groceries in stores, wash dishes, wait tables in restaurants, etc.,
which al10ws them to have their own money that they can spend however they
want. In the summer, the overwhe1ming majority of col1ege and university students work in many differentjobs that are often underpaid, even iftheir parents
make good money. Education is expensive.
As in any country with market economy, there are people in America
who are unemployed. Nevertheless, the unemployment rate in the US is
lower than in many European countries because the state is less involved in the
economy. the graph below, we can see that the unemployment rate changes
cyclical1y. he number of unemployed people is directly related to the current
situation in the economy - the better the economy, the higher the employment
rate and the fewer people are out of work. he period of prosperity that began
in 1991 and lasted until 2001 was the longest in history, and the unemployment
rate was at its lowest in three decades.

12.0% 10.0%
8.0% + - - - - 1 1 - - - - -.......... . _ - - - - 6.0%
4.0%
2.0%

Fig. 7-1: Unemployment Rate 1970 and 1001 ( ofLabour Statistics)

But as we can see in Fig. 7-1, even during the worst years 90% of l
of working age are employed, although competition for vacancies is increased.
competitive, one must constantly improve one's ski1ls and an optimist. First of l1, remember that you are in much more favorable position
than an i11egal immigrant. his alone should add to your energy and confidence
that sooner or later you wil1 fd what you need.

281

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2001,

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7-1:

1970-2002 (Dureau ofLabour Statistics)

7-1, 9Q01o

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Employment

282

7.1. Employee status and types of employers

labor market in the US is extensive and diverse, but it has its idiosyncrasies that unfamiliar to people who have recently arrived in the
country. One of these distinct features is its unpredictability. People change
jobs and even move to another part of the country fairly often, looking for
something that better suits them. Many work and go to school at the same time
in order to move the socioeconomic ladder. Because of this, employee turnover in many common occupations is very high. N finds this surprising or
depressing; society has simply adapted to this. Every day, new technologies are
developed that allow people to do m jobs without special skills or with
minimal training. his means that even with poor command ofEnglish or
at , it is possible to find an unskilled job, but it will difficult to replace it
with something better.
Employment can permanent or temporary, full-time or part-time. he
difference between permanent and temporary status is significant, d it is
important to know what it is.
Because of high competition and cyclical m (economic booms
are followed recessions), there is always some uncertainty about even the
nearest future of industry. he company that is prospering today face
serious difficulties in the next quarter ifthe demand for its products falls un
pectedly.
For ml, bad weather in summer resort areas can signifitl affect
the number of tourists, and, therefore, service industries, from hotels d
restaurants to car rentals and retail. he recession in the economies of Japan
d other si countries has resulted in sharp decrease in demand for electronic components. In such cases, mis are forced to lay off workers to
reduce expenses. It is very unpleasant process that adversely affects the
's psychological climate. Besides, when laying off permanent employees,
mis have to provide them with svr , let l0 the fact that they
are obliged to various taxes, including unemployment tax. Many
nies do not wt to or cannot afford to do this. avoid such situations,
employers began to use temporary workers during periods ofhigh demand, letting them go during recessions.
Temporary employees receive agreed-upon hourly for actual time
worked d dismissed at time without obligations. hey do not
have paid holidays or vacations and also cannot expect to receive so-called
benefits, which we will discuss later. here are restrictions how long
person employed as temporary worker. Many employers abuse this

7.1.

283

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284

Employment

Pennanent employees are officially added to the company's staff. hey

are eligible for benefits provided the employer. UsuaHy, these include
paid holidays, paid vacation time, different kinds of insurance, and retirement
plans where available. Very often, the only way to pennanent
employee is long stint as temporary worker at the company.
Because temporary jobs are very but at the same ti unpredictable as far as how long they last, there are intermediary organizations
caHed Temporary Staffing Agencies that facilitate the search for both
nies and employees. hey register people looking for jobs, collect infonnation
about the staffing needs of local enterprises, and supply them with workers
when the need arises, receiving 10-15% oftheir clients' wages. he employees
often work at different jobs as required and are paid the agency. If
an hires such worker as permanent employee, it pays certain amount,
which 10-30% ofthe worker's annual salary, to the temporary agency.
Jobs are available in the government, municipal, or private sector. Government employees, in addition to police officers and the employees of the
Immigration and Naturalization Services and Intemal Revenue Services, also
include those working for the government agencies such as the US Postal Service, the Environmental Protection Agency or , the National Aero Space
Agency or NASA, and many others. Government employees are often paid
less than those working in the private sector, but they are less vulnerable to
market fluctuations and have good medical insurance and retirement plans, as
wel1 as long paid vacations. herefore, vacancies are not frequent, and there
are many l interested in filling them.
/n early 1994, when the n was just starting to recover from recession, / saw [/ newspaper ad /or two posta/ service e/ectronic technician
vacancies. ad listed the time and location o/the entrance test. Fo//owing
ru/ to try everything, 1 decided to go, secretly hoping /or mirac/e.
hopes were shattered as soon as / entered the room 'n which the test was going
to administered. the most conservative estimate, there were than
250 applicants. he test consisted /two parts. first was answering, 'n
writing, series / typed questions. he second part was doing the same /or
spoken questions that were p/ayed tape with pauses. / finished the first
part or /ess successfully but quickly gave the second n.

285

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emp/oyees)

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286

Employment

municipal sector includes employees of local administration and its

subordinate services, as well as public school teachers. he majority of administrative posts in this sector elected the citizens for certain term.
he private sector is the largest and covers ll areas of economy and pub life. In addition to various industries, there private schools and universities, hospitals and childcare centers, nks and insurance companies,
publishers d mass media outlets. In the private sector, an employer can
single entrepreneur (for example, farm.er), small enterprise with several
employees, medium-size m, or large firm. Many things, ftom the
relationship between management and subordinates and dress code to and
benefits, depend the size of the enterprise. he overwhelming majority of
companies in the US have less th 1000 employees.

7.2.

ypes

of jobs

Mostjobs fa11 into ofthe following types:

Unskilled jobs
Skilled jobs
Jobs that require professional training
There plenty of jobs that can performed a1most anyone after
brief explanation or hands-on demonstration. There large numbers of
such jobs in areas of the economy. hey include, for l, janitorial
work (cleaning), dish washing, assembling simple products, delivering newspapers, warehouse jobs, fruit and vegetable picking, jobs in the food-processing industry, snow removal or lawn mowing, and so forth. Most people
perform such jobs when they ftrSt start working, wblle attending college, or
while looking for something better. Some people work in such jobs temporarily
in the evenings or weekends in addition to their full-time employment, if
they need extra in. he vast majority of immigrants, even those with
good education, start with suchjobs.
Skilled jobs, as the impHes, require certain level of knowledge
and skills. In some cases, these can acquired through working in entry-level
unski1led positions, as in construction, for example. In other cases, employees
such as equipment operators, truck drivers, assemblers of complex products,
and so must complete appropriate training. Clearly doing suchjobs, as weH

287

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Employment

288

as training for them, is impossible without certain command ofthe English language. Employees must not only to communicate with others but also
know appropriate terminology and often professional slang.
Jobs that require professional training include management and accounting, teaching and engineering, medicine and dentistry, law and science. Some
spheres of activity are strictly regulated, and in order to work in them, one
must not only complete professional training but also pass special and
receive an officia1 document -- license or certificate that establishes one's
right to practice certain profession. Professionals that are subject to these
requirement include doctors and lawyers, nurses and electricians, certain engineering and financial professionals, commercial pilots and pharmacists, and
others. The fact that person performed similar job in another country
does not exempt him or her from having to pass the ss exams in the US.
Besides, requirements v from state to state, and often moving to another
state ans taking the exams again.

7.3. Wages and salary

As we have already mentioned, temporary employees receive only
agreed-upon hourly for actual time worked. Compensation for permanent
employees consists oftwo parts: salary or wages and set ofbenefits provided
directly the employer or another organization its behalf.
The most common forms of payment are:
Hourly
Sl
Base plus commission
Per item
Hourly is the most common form of payment, for both unskilled and
skilled jobs. here is special term for the amount of paid for specific
time interval -- wage. As rule, the hourly rate is agreed upon at the time of
employment. However, there is the legally established minimum hourly wage,
and the employer cannot less than that minimum. Currently, the federally
established minimum is $5.15 per hour. It is ss to mention that federll established minimum wage applies to employees of federal, state or 10l

289

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(teporary

employees)

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290

Employment

government agencies, enterprises that do at least $500,000 in business year

and employees of sma11er firms if the employees engaged in interstate m
merce. Some states m have higher minimum, but they cannot have lower
for these categories of workers. Employees in trades that involve tips, for
example, restaurant waiters, m have hourly wage below the minimum. In
these cases, tips make up most of their income.
regular workweek is 40 hours. If employees work m than 40
hours for an reason, in most cases overtime is compensated at one-and-a-half
rate, meaning that if person r11 eams $10.00 hour, she will
receive $15.00 for hour of overtime. If instead ofhourly wage, the labor
contract stipulates weekly monthly as well as the amount of work to
done, overtime payment m not l regardless of the u of hours
worked.
he salary system, as rule, is used for jobs that require professiona1
training. In most cases, salaries established for the period of year and
reconsidered after that time during an employee's annl review. salary
change after less than is possible only if person changes positions
his or duties change significantly. Annl salary is expressed in thousands
of dol1ars. Salaried employees not compensated for overtime work. hey
have to work as m as necessary to achieve results that expected of them.
Employees involved in sales very frequently paid low base salary
plus bonuses based performance ( percentage of 11 sales made given
person) to increase motivation. Salespeople in expensive stores, as well as
salespeople, frequently work such terms. This is why they so inclined to
ann ( attentive to) everyone in their field of vision. Base salary an paid
weekly~ whereas commission is paid monthly quarterly.
Per item payment is sometimes used in line production. worker is
guaranteed fIXed weekly for manufacturing certain n of products
and extra for product over this u.

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292

Employment

7.4. Benefits
Besides money, employers compensate their workers with many difIerent benefits. he benefit package largely depends the financial situation of
the company, traditions established its founders, and the situation the
labor market (the lower the unemployment rate, the harder it is to keep
empl0yees). he range of benefits that are ofIered difIerent employers is so
wide that it is impossibIe to 1ist 11 of them here. Companies that have Human
Resources managers stafIusually have official l Handbooks which
describe in detai1 the set of benefits the company ofIers its workers. We wil1
consider only the most common ones:
Unemployment tax
Paid holidays
Paid vacation
Sick days
Personal time
Bonuses
Profit sharing
Stock options
Medica1 insurance
Dental insurance
Life insurance
Disability insurance
Retirement plans
Education cost reimbursement
Let us consider the benefits listed above in some detail.

Unemployment tIlX. Every employer is required to pennanent

ml0 's share of socia1 security tax that we wil1 discuss in the appropriate chapter, as well as the tax that is intended to provide unemployment assistance for
ple who have 10st their jobs while they are looking for new ones. This benefit is
established law, and in this respect, there is difIerence between companies.
Paid holidays. here is number ofnational holidays (some ofthem are
estabIished at the state level) when 11 government employees receive paid

7.4.

293

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(Employee Handbook),

. ,
:

Iy

- unemployment tax;

- paid holydays;

- paid vacation;
sick days;

- personal time;

bonuses;
profit sharing,
stock n,

medical insurance;

- dental insurance;

-life insurance;

- disability insurance,

pension plans;
education cost reimbursement.

Unemployment tax.

,
, ,

, , . ro
.

Paid

holydays.

pa.wmo (

294

Employment

day off. Many holidays in the US are attached not to certain date, but to the
day of the week, and their number does not vary from to . If holiday that has set date (for example, July 4 -- Independence Day) falls
weekend, Monday automatical1y becomes holiday.
In the private sector, everything depends the size and the financial situation of the company. on end of the spectrum companies that give
paid time off l hanksgiving and Christmas, and the otber -
nies that cover 10-12 holidays plus Christmas week (the time between
Christmas and New Year's Day). Sometimes there are so-ca11ed floating holidays, when the company specifies what holidays during the year are shared
workers (meaning that the company will closed those days) and gives
one or several days that can taken off any of the national ho1idays that
were not included as - wide days off.
vtn. he amount of paid vacation time also varies. In most
cases, it is sm compared to annual vacations customary in European
countries. Two weeks is typical, but at many companies the amount of vacation
time depends how 10ng an l0 has worked there. he number ofvacation days employees are allowed to accumulate limited. For l,
as of January 1 cannot have more unused vacation days than the -
company limit. need to use them, or tbey wil1 forfeited. Most people
take off more than one or two weeks at time but do this immediately
before or after holidays, thus creating fairly long period of time off.
Sick days. Most short-term disability insurance plans kick in after certain period oftime (for example, 5 days ofillness). companies have socal1ed sick days. heir number per year is limited. If are sick, can
and ask to use sick day if have not reached the limit yet. not
required to present any proof of il1ness or even visit doctor. Abusing sick
days usu has negative effect your chances of being promoted. If
sick days are used and not feeling wel1, can use vacation days
or take time off without .
Personal t;e. Some companies allocate certain number of hours per
year (for example, 16 s) as so-called personal time that can used in
smal1 increments (rounded to the nearest 30-60 minutes) for various personal needs such as waiting for repair person, doctor appointments, or meeting with your children's teacher. his ti is recorded when fil1 out
weekly Time Card.

Bonuses. Many employers bonuses one or two times year ifbusiness ~ood. Christmas bonuses the most common. he amount can vary

2951
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296

Employment

from less than hundred dol1ars to week's or month's . an companies

also have Christmas parties for the employees and their fami1ies, renting an
quet l1 in club or restaurant for this purpose.
Profit sharing. increase employee investment in increasing the
pany's profits, some companies put portion of the profit into special fund
which is distributed among employees according to predetermined criteria
after the end ofyear fil lan is completed (in February or March).
part of the fund distributed before Christmas. Middle managers who
have significant impact profits m have personal bonus plans that are
directly related to the increase in output, revenue, or profit.
Stock options. Companies whose stocks are or soon will publicly
traded m offer their employees so-called stock options or the option to purchase company shares as incentive. This is right to purchase certain number
of shares at fixed price that is equal to or slightly lower than the market price
at the time the option is otfered. An l0 an buy the shares earlier
than, say, two years after the stock options are granted, but later than ten
years after. If the is doing wel1 and the price of its shares is growing,
an employee receive signifit amount of money, having bought the
shares at the 10w price stipulated earlier d having sold them at the ut
high rate. an gains from the employees' comitment to doing
everything in their power to improve the company's financial situation because
options tum into real money only if the share price grows. Employees agree to
work long hours for little m in hopes of becoming wealthy in the future.
his kind of incentive is especially popular in start-ups or rapidly growing
mis in high-tech industries. Many Microsoft employees millionaires this way.
Medical insurance. Medical care is very expensive, and few l are
to for major surgery that an cost $50,000--$60,000 or more. here
fore, in most cases, these charges are covered network of medical insur plans, when everyone pays certain amount regardless of whether or
she is sick. Medical insurance covers expenses associated with treating illnesses and injuries, as well as routine physical exams. Even divided among the
entire population covered insurance, premium payments are fairly high,
which is why employers pick up part of the expense. Moreover, larger group
of l insured more favorable terms. herefore, the larger the
an, the less expensive the insurance or the better its terms. Companies
with l few employees usually do not offer insurance or it covers limited
set of expenses. [ssues related to different kinds of insurance will considered in detail in separate chapter.

2971

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Medical insurance.

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Dental insurance. Dental and orthodontic procedures usua11y r not

covered medical insurance. For these purposes, there r special insurance
plans that also cover preventive dental checkups and cleanings.
Life insurance. companies offer their employees some kind of 1ife
insurance, which provides the family with certain amount of in s
ofthe breadwinner's death.
Disability insurance. As we already mentioned, medical insurance covers medical costs, but it does not compensate for the 10ss of wages during i1lness. For this purpose, there is disability insuran, which provides to
cover the necessary living expenses while person is un to work. here r
two types of disability insurance -- short-term and 10ng-term. he fst covers
periods of time ranging from 5 days to about 2-3 months, and the second -longer periods.
Retirement plans. Various retirement plans a110w employees to save
rt of their salaries in special account favorable terms, and employers
add ertin amount to the account. his money an used without an
restrictions nl when reaches retirement age. his ll considered in
more detail in the chapter social security.
Education cost reimbursement. Companies r interested in having
we11-trained staff; therefore, an companies for their employees to tk
various courses and send them to seminars, conferences, and trade shows.
Some companies also reimburse employees for the full or partial cost of
obtaining higher education if this education is directly related to the
employee's job. reimbursed, the employee must maintain satisfactory
grades.
As you an see, there is wide range of possible benefits. Any particular
an not offer 11 of them simultaneously, but there r companies
where this list is even longer. hese benefits r so important to some l
that they do not want to trade their job for higher-paid only because they
willlose these benefits. his is especially true of those with seriously i1l family
members. Often, in families with two working spouses, one person works at
an that offers good benefits despite smal1 salary, whereas the other
looks for position that offers maximum income regardless ofbenefits.

299

DentaJ insurance.

1 . 1 er ,

Life insu,ance.

, -
.

Disabllity insu,ance.

er , er

.
, , ,
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(shor-term disability insurance) (long-term

disabllity insurance). 5 2-3 ,

Pension

/ns.

ar ,

Education cost ,eimbursemenL

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300

Employment

7.5. Job search

When you aiv in the US and receive social security number, you
acquire legal right to compete for jobs the labor market, but you do not
know what to 100k for, where to 100k for it, and when to begin. Let's start with
this last question: When should you gin job search?
Legal irnmigrants, when they fIrSt aiv in the country, have sponsors -various organizations and individuals who help them to get started. Besides,
legal immigrants qualify for different federal and state programs that provide
assistance to people with low income or without one. this allows one not
to work for some time (except those who arrived as Parolees or won green
card in lottery), which provides an opportunity to get used to 10l customs
and start studying English.
At this point, many people with advanced degrees begin to understand
that it is difficult or even impossible to return to socia1 status or profession
that they had in their native country. Because the progress in learning the language is very slow at fIrSt, there is temptation to put off 100king for job for
as long as possible and to use the time for taking various language and other
courses. Some manage to live without job for several years, and when they
fll begin their search, they are disappointed when despite what they feel
are promising interviews, they do not receive any job offers even if they are
overqualified for position.
As someone who is involved in the hiring process in company, 1 have
interviewed many potential candidates for vacant positions. 1 can say with confidence that 10ng gap in employment history is one of the biggest reasons for
eliminating someone from consideration, whether it an irnmigrant or person who was m and raised in the US. This is also true according to those
involved in human rss consulting and recruiting.
personal experience, as weH as that of others, shows that those who
start earlier out ahead in the end and fd positions they deserve, regardless of what type of job they started with. In opinion, for l with professional education, the fastest way to reach their goal is getting any entrylevel position in their former industry or the one they would like to end up in.
As we already mentioned, the situation the labor market changes frequently,
and it is much easier to promoted inside company than it is to hired
from the outside.
If finding job with prospects right away is not possible, any job, even if
it is not in any way related to profession, willlook better resume
than nothing. If fut lawyer or doctor can work as waiter at rstaant,
why can't you, who to this country not knowing the language and

301 I

7.5.

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302

Employment

without an American work experience? If have not worked anywhere for

10ng time, there is reasonable doubt about your willingness to work.
Another factor will need to consider is the current condition of the
as whole. If it is utl in recession, the unemployment rate is
high, d competition for each position is more intense, it make sense to
concentrate education for some time in order to improve your chances of
getting job. If, however, the is the rise, the earlier you start your
search, the better, for two reasons. First, during such periods it is easier
to promoted because the demand for workers increases and m people
change jobs to look for something better. Second, sooner or later there will
recession, if not in the economy as whole, then in your man, and you
need to prove yourself and secure your position before it starts; otherwise,
whoever last wi11 leave flfSt, meaning that employees with the least
seniority at the man will let go before others.
When demand for labor is high, starting salaries rise, d some students
drop out of colleges and universities and go to work ifthey are offered good
position. They continue their studies part-time or postpone completing their
degrees.
Now let's talk about what to look for. not expect that your first job
will what you have dreamed about. Most importantly, your first job should
give at least partial independence, providing with inm and experience, and if you do your job well, positive references for the future.
Ideally, it is desirable to find work at man where there are several
positions that you would like to occupy in the future. determine what those
positions , should examine your professional experience, skills, and
preferences. an expert in something, in which case the choice will
easy for you. You m have hated your job and dreamed of doing something
else your entire Hfe. You have that turn into ajob and support
you better than profession that was important in your un but is
pletely useless here.

start, an use the Hst of occupations in the appendix of this book.

here you find the total number of people in the un who are working
in given occupation, their hourly wages, and their annual income. You will
notice that some occupations the list are unfamiliar to , and you will
need dictionary or someone's explanation to understand what they are.
will also notice that the relative irtan of some occupations, that is, the
number of people involved in them and their income, is very different from
what you are used to. For more details various occupations, requirements

303

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Employment

304

for practicing them, and salaries, you an consult the directory issued the
Bureau of Labor Statistics called the Occupational Outlook Handbook, which
you an find in pubIic library or the Internet at http: // stats.b/s.gov.
he next step is locating potential employers in area. You an also
do this in public library looking through the so-called "yellow pages" in
the telephone book or the directories issued state's Chamber of
merce (either Business Directory or Manufacturers Directory). In these directories you an fd brief data 10l companies, including number of
employees, annual sales, addresses, and numbers. You an ak list of
potential employers to refer to in the future.
Strategies mentioned wi11 give you some understanding of what
you want d what is possible. he next step is finding out what companies are
currently hiring. here are an ways to approach job search, d of
them yields resu1ts only in some cases. herefore, you need to use as job
search strategies as possible at the same time. he most common approaches to
looking for job are listed below:

hrough

hrough

friends, relatives, and acquaintances;

approaching an employer directly;

Help Wanted advertisements

In local and central newspapers;
' trade magazines;
the Intemet;

hrough

govemment employment agencies;

hrough

private employment agencies;

hrough

passing test for government position;

various professional organizations.

Statistics show that the first three approaches account for more than
three quarters of successful job searches. We will consider them in more detail.
Experts recommend involving as m l as possible in job
search. You should clearly state what kind of job you are looking for d what
you an do, and ask people to tel1 you about every opportunity that they think
might interest you. Immigrants who recently aived in the country usually
rely their compatriots who already en living here for some time, which
is natural, but you must not forget about the Americans you met, if
there are only few of them. people from the charitable organization or that sponsored you, English language teachers, d so .
Ifyou list ofpotential employers, the most effective way to find
job at one of these mis is recommendation of their employees.

305

' crepca (u

0/ Labor Statistic)

" " (cutional Outlook Handbook), I<DO ere

ere http://stats.bls.gov.

JIIerc

l8JI

are,

ere , ''
" , ar

Business Directory

ManuJacturers Directory.

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306

Employment

Show the Hst to people know and ask them whether they know anyone
with connection to any ofthese companies. Ifyou r known as serious and
reliable person J people will to recommend as potential
employee.

As 1 already mentioned, 1 was invited to n interview at the

where 1 currently work months after 1 sent resume there. However.
thal does not n Ihal someone kept this resume and eventually, when there
was n. ca11ed . What happened was something entirely different.
caseworker from the Refugee Resettlement Services met the president
/ this at n / the local trade shows and, remembering that 1
wanted to work there, mentioned education and work experience. as we11 as
the /act that 1 had sent resume in response 10 newspaper ad about
n. The president promised 10 look at resume. and that was 11. Some
time later. when 1 was already promoted to technician at previous job,
chance has brought them together second time, and again she mentioned
. As result, two days later 1 had n interview that resulted 'n job offer.
Althougb it seem strange J many vacancies r actually not advertised, especially at level where professional education is required. his
pens for different reasons: sometimes because previous newspaper
advertisements did not yield results, sometimes because the company lacks the
human resources or ti necessary for screening many applicants. In these
cases, companies turn to employment services or so-called "Head Hunters"
that specialize in certain occupations and their own lists of potential candidates.
As was already mentioned, services of such intennediaries are very
expensive (up to 30% of the new employee's annua! salary); therefore, if
contact the person who makes the f! decision directly, you
chance to heard. he majority of companies now list vacancies their
Intemet sites, even after they stop advertising in the newspaper or instead of it.
If leam about an available position, try to fd out who this important person is. can do this over the phone or visiting the company in
person and asking receptionist or administrative assistant. Write down the
t full of the person need to talk to and his or her phone number, prepare cover letter addressed to m or her, and it together with
your resume. can few days later, introduce yourself, mention that
sent your resume, inquire whether or not or she received it, and ask for
an interview.
I' often heard about people who hundreds of copies of their
resume (the sae one for occasions) to virtually every company whose

307

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308

Employment

address they can find. In most cases, this is waste of time and money. 1 think
that more focused search has much better chance ofbeing successful.
Despite the fact that newspaper ads not the most effective way to find
job (especially if you 100king for professional position), they nevertheless l important role in most job searches. Currently, about 14% of job
seekers find jobs through newspaper ads; however, this percentage is much
blgher for unskilled and especially first jobs.
Help Wanted usually published in special advertisement sections
that grouped (classified) topic, and almost newspapers and professional magazines refer to them simply as Classified. he classified section
devoted to job vacancies usually has title such as Help wanted. Careers, or
Employent. he greatest number of ads appears in Sunday issues, wblch is
one more reason to read them regu1arly.
Although inside the l Wanted section also grouped kinds
of jobs or industry, such as sales, marketing, healthcare, education, and so
, you need to look through every page. Sometimes companies purposely
place their ads in the most popular section for greater exposure, even if the type
of job does not fit in with the contents of this section.
vary greatly in content and size: from huge full-page ones, complete
with description of the an and requirements for applicants to tiny
blurbs few square centimeters each, where every word is abbreviated and you
need 10t of experience and solid language skills to decipher them correctly. If
you really intend to find ajob that fits your criteria, you will need to spend time
to to read an ads f1uently and do it regularly, even when you have
job.
Ifyou look through newspaper regularly, will gradually get clear
picture of what occupations are most in demand in your region, what companies
advertise in the paper, what skill are required of applicants, what salary and
efits packages common, and an other things. Remember that in many
cases, the ad is published once or twice and never repeated. Sometimes, this is
the only way to obtain an infonnation about private companies, especially those
that offer good salary and benefits and therefore have 10w employee tumover.
hey re new people through recommendations from their employees, resorting
to l during periods of rapid growth or low unemployment rate in the
region, when it is difficult to find suitae candidates. 1 worked next to one such
an for about three years without having any idea what it did until 1 saw its
ad in the paper. It was the first ad in many years.

309

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Help wanted, Careers

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310

Employment

As many people know, the cost of publishing newspaper ad depends

how much space it takes the page. herefore, ads use as few words as
possible and often rely abbreviations. fairly easy-to-understand ad
look like this:
OFFICE CLEANING PERSON15-25 eve. hours/wk.., . helpful,
refs required, S8-S9/hr, 123-4567.
Translated into everyday language, this means:
Need person to clean offices in the evening for 15-25 hours per week.
Experience is helpfu1, and references are required. is $8-$9 per
hour. 123-4567.
Here is another example. his ad is for more skiHed position:
NETWOR

OPERATIONS ANAGER
and maintain top-notch ISP network..
Req'd at least 5 yrs oftechnical mgmt .
incl. 3 yrs ! hands-on syst. admin in
mixed UNIX/NT env. Sal. S50-60K DOE.
This actua11y means:
NEWOR OPERATIONS MANAGER- Expand and maintain topnotch Intemet Service Provider network. Required at least 5 years of
technical management experience including 3 years of hands-on system administration experience in mixed UN1XINT environment. Salary $50,000-60,000 depending experience.

Ads use so many abbreviations that need lot of practice before you
an understand anything, let alone read them f1uently. he most m
abbreviations are listed in 7-2 onpage 312.
Not l wanted ads are published with the purpose of filling actual
vacancies. Some ofthem are published so that the company's management can
assess the situation the locallabor market and decide whether or not to raise
the employees' salaries, and ifyes, how much. Others are published in order
to confuse competitors or create an illusion of fair and objective hiring process. Sometimes, ads are printed for-profit employment agencies as bait to
attract potential clients.

311
I

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OFFICE CLEANING PERSON15-25 eve. hours/wk., . helpful,

refs required, S8-$9Ihr, 123-4567.
:

IIJI

15-25

, , .

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8- I

123-4567.
I

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:

NEWOR OPERATIONS ANAGER

8nd m8intain top-notch ISP network.
Req'd 8t le8st 5 oftechnical mgmt .
incL 3 yrs of h8nds-on syst. 8dmin in 8
mixed UNIXlNT env. S81. $50-60 .
:
I

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UNIXIN . I

50-60 .

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312

Employment
7-2:

Abbreviations in the "Help Wanted" Ads

$101hr

$10 perhour

$25

$25,000

&

and

AJP

accounts

AIR

accounts receivable

acctg

accounting

ad

advertisement

,.m.,

before noon

ASAP

as soon as possible

appt

appointment

Asst

assistant

,..

Bachelor of Arts

bnfts

benefits

BS, B.S.

Bachelor of Science

CDL

commercial driver license

Certified Medical Assistant

CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

an

coll

college

comrn

commission

Certified Public Accountant

CS

customer service

cust

customer

disabled

dept

department

div

division

depends experience

Equal Opportunity Employer

eves

evenings

excellent

experience plus
-

.7-2:

313
i

S101hr

$10 per

$10

S25K

$25,000

$25,000

&

and

AIP

accounts

yxrarep orume ocraIICD

AIR

accounts receivabIe

yxrarep ety mee

acctg

accounting

ad

advertisement

,..,

beforenoon

ASAP

as soon as possibIe

appt

appointment

Asst

assistant

,..

hlr

bnfts

benefits

S,.S.

Bachelor of Science

CDL

commercial driver license

of Arts

( I)

Certified Medical Assistant

CNA

Certified Nursing Assistant

an

college

rnrn

cornmission

Certified PubIic Accountant

CS

customer service

lO

cust

custorner

disabIed

dept

department

div

division

depends experience

Equal~rtunity

are, DpeOC3JJJI

Ernployer

eves

evenings

excellent

plus

314

Employment

7-2:

exp'd

Abbreviations in the "Help Wanted" Ads

experieneed

female

F,Fri

Friday

flex

flexible

PT,Pf

full time

gd

good

GED

Gra1

rly

hourly

HS,hs

High Sehool

heating,
tioning

ID

idtifiti

is

isura

kilo

19

1arge

lise

lit

literate

LPN

Lised

Lt

light

LD

Lg nn

Equivalency Diploma

vtilti,

air di-

Practieal Nurse
Disabi1ity Insur-

anee

male

da

mfg

manufturig

mfr

manufaeturer

mgmt

management

MGR,mgr

manager

min

minimum

ntl, nat'l

national

off,ofe

offiee

operator

oppty

opportunity

overtime

through Friday

.7-2:
,

315
II

experienced

female

F,Fri

Friday

flex

flexible

( )

F,F/

full time

gd

good

GED

General Equivalency
Diploma

arecara

Hrly

hourly

(I)

HS,hs

igh

VAC

beating, ventilation, air ditioning

I, ,

JD

identification

ins

insurance

l0

19
lic

large

license

lit

1iterate

LPN

Licensed Practical Nurse

I: .

Lt

1ight

LTD

Long r Disability Insur-

an

male

Monday

M-F

Monday through Friday

mfg

manufacturing

mfr

manufacturer

mgmt

management

MGR,mgr

manager

min

minimum

ntl, nat'l

national

1l,roc.

off,ofc

office

operator

oppty

opportunity

overtime

exp'd

School

Employment

316

7-2:

Abbreviations in the "Help Wanted" Ads

..

Professional Engineer

p/hr

perhour

pd

paid

Perf

perfect

en

pennanent

pm~p.m.,PM

post meridiem (aftemoon)

pref, prefd

preferred

prev

previous

prr

parttime

R&D

Researeh and Development

Refs

references

req, req'd

required

RN

Registered Nurse

sal

salary

Sat

Saturday

SD

Short nn Disability Insuran

Sun

Sunday

SW

software

temp

temporary

hurs

hursday

$$$

top dollars

Tues

Tuesday

veteran

vae

vacation

w/

with

Wed

Wednesday

wk

week

wkplee

workplace

WPM,wpm

words per minute

yr

year

yrs

good to true!

.7-2:

317
JI

Professional Engineer
perhour
paid

..

plhr
pd

( )

(, )

Perf
n

,..,

pref, prefd
prev
, "

perfect
pennanent
post meridiem (aftemoon)
preferred
previous
parttime

R&D

Sun
SW
temp

Research and Development

references
required
Registered Nurse
salary
Saturday
Short en Disability
Insurance
Sunday
software
temporary

hurs

hursday

top dollars

" " ( )

Tuesday
veteran
vacation
with

ro

Wednesday
week
workplace
words per minute
year
years

Refs
req, req'd
RN

sal
Sat
SD

$$$

Tues
V

vac
w!
Wed
wk
wkplce
WPM,wpm
yr

yrs

( )

rp

()

318

Employment

Avoid ads that look too good to true. If ad promises to you lot
for doing little, do not even waste your time reading it. In America, they say
that here is free lunch, and it is absolutely true.
Despite ofthe above, newspaper ads are powerfuljob searching tool
d should used as effectively as possible. The Sunday issue of the newspaper usual1y contains most of the ads that r during week, as weH as m
new ones. Start looking through this section of Sunday newspaper as soon
as possible, even if you are not looking for job yet, and keep doing it even
after you have already found work. Do not waste time if an ad catches your
attention. , send resume, go to an interview, d do not upset ifyou are
not offered the position. attempt will give you valuable experience d
confidence that you leam from failure, and sooner or later, you wil1 fd
what you are looking for.

7.6. Applying for

job

Over time, the US labor market has developed ertain process for screening job candidates. hece is not much point in discussing whether this process is
good or bad, but to succeed in your job search, you need to learn how to navigate it.
an companies, especially small ones, either don't have Ulan
resources department at all or staff it with bare minimum of people. Almost
a1ways, preliminary screening of candidates is done with the help oftheir application forms, resumes, and cover letters. herefore, it is very important to larn to
fill out application fns quickly and correctly and to have well-written resume
and samples of cover letters. Ifyou do not do that, you never reach the second
round, where you would meet your potentia1 employer face-to-face.
Materials used to apply for job usuaHy contain enough infonnation so
that an employer not only leam about your education, work experience,
and skiHs, but also get idea of your personality. F or an employer to decide to
spend time meeting you, your materials will have to get his or her attention.
or she ds to see what or she is looking for there, or at the very least, there
should not anything that m turn or her off immediately.

7.6.1. Application forms

When registering at an employment agency or applying for man blue-collar
jobs, you ll need to fill out an Application For Employment form. that asks for
your persona1 infrmati. Even though there are man possible versions of this
fonn, a1most of them include questions listed in l shown below.

319

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Employment

320

APPLICATION FOR EMPLOYMENT

(PRE-EMPLOYMENT aUESTIONNAlRE)

EaUAL OPPORTUNIY EMPLOYER)

PERSONAL INFORMAION

SOCIAL SECURIY

NAE

HMER
LA

MIDDLE

FIRST

PRESEN ADDRESS
SREE

CIY

STAE

ZIP

STAE

ZlP

PERMANENTADDRESS
SREE

CIY

OU

PONENO.

18 YEARS OR OLDER

No

SPECIAL QUESTIONS
DO NOT WER ANY OF QUESlONS IN IS FRAED AREA UNLESS EPLOYER AS
CHECKED PRECEDING QUESlON. RV INDICATING INFORAlON IS
REQUIRED FOR ONA FIDE OCCUPAlONAL QUALIACAlON. OR DICTAED NATIONAL SECURIY LAWS. OR IS NEEDED FOR OTHER LEGALLV PERISSIBLE REASONS.

eighl_feet_lnches

/ve you pnIIIId fnIm I8wfuIly becomIng emPIOYed '" the US_ _Y88_ _No

WeIgh\_1bs

Dete of BIrth

WhaI FOfeIgn Languages do you speak lIUentIY1

II you

:!!
;

fJ)

.....
Writ8?

Re8d1

_ _No_ _ _ Desc:rb:

been COnVtCId off8lony or III8der8I01 wIthIn the 18s15 )'8811?-

88

'he Age DISCrtminaIIan '" Emptoyment fJd of 1967 PfQhIbb dlsaimlnatlon on the be8IS o f . w!th respect to Indduals
who . . at le8t 40 bul le8a lh8n 70 ye&n of
-ou WII not denied

ernPIOYment SOIeIY because of 8 COnVICtIOn 18COfd. unle8a the OIIenCe Is related to the job for which

you haw appIied.

EMPLOYMENT DESIRED
DAEVOU
CANSTAR

DESIRED
IF so WE INQUlRE
OF VOUR PRESENT EMPLOYER?

POSIION

ARE VOU EMPLOYED NOWi'

EVER APPLIED IS BEFORE?

EDUCAlON

GRAAR

NAE

SLARY

WEN?

WHERE?

AND LOCAlON OF SCHOOL

r;;

*NO.OF
YEARS

*DIDVOU

NDD

GRADUAE

SUJECTS

STUIED

SHOOL

HIGHSCHOOL

COLLEGE

RADE.

BUSINESS OR
CORRESPONDENCE
SCHOOL

DIICIIminatIOn In EmptoymenI fJd of 1967 PnIhibitS di8aimIn8tIOn on the bUIa of

but Iess than 70 ... of age.

'he Age

CONINUED

ON

NEX

PAGE

wllII respect 110 ind1vidua18 who ... at le8t 40

321

(, )

llATA

...

!
:s

::

Al1PEC

18 ?

,
, ,
, COI11ACHO
, , .

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D
D
D

Poc:r_yro----AlOii08

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ewae - 38ICOO ? ----.a_er

~"

:s

CIIIic 1\111181?

ur

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... l1OC/W1 er?** !\_ __ _

oAct:

"~ 1967 3II/1P8III8f elCPIII1I818IQ IIOIPIICY)I nPIe ~. orcJPM l50e 40 118,

_70.

"" cayr il OnCD 143-38 wil , ecn OJ1CO pecynne _

por, lIDOPYtO npeetIAy88.

?
KOf

1i

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&

~~

. =r

rE?

..

. U

!
:s

:rE?

KOf?

322

Employment

GENERAL
SUJECT

OF SPECIAL STUDY OR RESEARCH WOR

U.S.MILITARY OR
NAVAL SERVICES

PRESEN MEMBERSHIP IN
NATIONAL GUARD OR RESERVES

RANK

FORER EPLOYERS (us LS FOUREPLOYERS. SARING WI1 LS ONE)

DAE

MONTH AND YEAR

NAME AND DDRESS OF EMPLOYER

SLRY

POSITION

REASON FOR LEAVING

FROM

FROM

FROM

FROM

REFERENCES: GIVE NAE OF REE RSONS RElAED OU. WI) OU AVE NOWN LEAS ONE YEAR.
NAE

DDRESS

BUSINESS

YEARS

CQUAINED

PHYSICAL RECORD:
DO OU 1WEN PYSICAI. LUIJ10NS PRea.1E OU FRO PERFORIING N WOR FOR WlCYOU ARE EJNG CONSIDERED?_YES_NO
IF YES. WT 8 DONE ACCOODAE YOUR UMIATION?,_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

PLESE

DESCRIBE:

INCSEOF

EMERGENCY NOTIFY
NAE

ADDRESS

PONENO.

"1 CERTIFY FACTS CONTAINED IN IS PPLlClON RE AND COPLEE BEST OF

KNOWLEDGE ND 1UNDERSTND . IF EMPLOYED. FALSIFIED STAEMENS ON IS APPLICATION SALL
GROUND FOR DISMISSAL.
1URIZE INVESTIGATION OF ALL STAEMENTS CONlNED HEREIN ND REFERENCES LISED OVE
GIVE YOU NY ND ALL INFORATION CONCERNING PREVIOUS EMPLOYENT ND PERlNENT
INFORATION AVE. PERSONAL OR RWlS. AND RELEASE ALL PARTIES FROM ALL LIBILIY
FOR ANY DAAGE RESULT FROM FURNISHING SE YOU.

CONINUED

ON

NEX

PAGE

323

( .

):

: YWCE'EIEI,~IIAIII1I'OC1'IIEIW..AIOIXIlAC~
...

1
2
3

:
111 -liO 3ECICIE , El1IAIOIE bIOfIEItO 'I. OlOPI'IO ?
Cn

"fJA". 10

------

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

. 61 Wl/NorPA?

...

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.

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. 1

Employment

324

1UNDERSTAND AND AGREE , IF HIRED, EPLOYENT IS FOR NO DEFINIE PERIOD AND ,

REGARDLESS OF DAE OF PAYENT OF WAGES AND SALARY, ERMINAED N( TIME WITHOU'
ANY PRIOR NOTICE."
DATE_______

_ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

---'SIGNAuRE

DO NOT WRITE BELOW THIS LINE

DATE

INERVIEWED

HIRED:

No

SAJ..ARYIWAGE
APPROVED: 1.
EPLOYENTANAGER

his form

DEP.

POsmON

DAE REPORlNG WOR

2.

.
DEP.HEAD

GENERAL ANAGER

has been deslgned to !IIriCIIY comply WiIh state ncl Federal fir ployment PraCIICe laws prohiblling

emPIOYment dlsdrlminalion. his APPIICatIOn for mpIoyment Fonn Is SOId for generaI uee Ihroughout the Unit8d tates.
TOPS assu18S no responsibIllty for Ihe incIusion In said form of any questlons whlch, when asked
Ihe Job AppIicant, may VIOIate Stale andIor Federal Law.

TOPS Application for Employment rerinted with permission.

Ihe Employer of

325

lACE(). (), MOfY bIb

()

bl".

__________,Q~___________________________

:D

2.

1.

oeoEI1

.
IWW1

88 OOOII8CI 1J)8I5o8H- D08 eep8nt , npe8l

CI!P 1. n CnO088 .
II TOPS 6 8888 eI , , ecn lI88
C88IUI, ory ~

() eepatoro .

araec mJI

TOPS.

326

Employment

Despite the apparent simplicity of such fonn, fig it out neatly and
correctly is rather difficult, especially when you take into account the fact that
you must write in English and print rather than using cursive letters. Practice
filling out similar questionnaires at , and always have tl filledout with you as sample. Ask somebody who knows English we11 to
check the content and grammar of your sample application.
If possible, take the application m, make one or several photocopies
for practice, and fi11 out the original l after you have complete fl draft
written down.
You must answer 11 questions the application. If for an reason the
question does not apply to you, put dash in the appropriate space or write
N.A., which means Not Applicable.

7. 6.2. Resume
When applying for positions that require special skills or education, you
almost always need to have resume. First of 11, let's talk about what it is
because the overwhelming majority of newcomers have never dealt with an
thing like it in their 1ife.
resume is document that is usually one or two typed pages 10ng and
includes information about education, professional skills, and work experience
of the person applying for certain job. It also contains the necessary addresses
and phone numbers, as wel1 as specifies either type of job you are 100king for
or an l position. he difference between resume and Application For
Employment is that, despite certain rules you must fo11ow when writing it,
resume allows you to stress those of attributes that, in your opinion, best
ref1ect your strengths. As matter of fact, resume is form of self-advertising for person trying to sell himself or herself the labor market.
here are two basic types of resumes: chronological and functional, as
well as various combinations of these two. he chronological resume ref1ects
the applicant's career in reverse chronological order, starting with the last
employer and the last position with that employer, and going 11 the way back
to the fst employer and the first position, if there are not too many employers
to fit one or two pages. Education is described in separate section in the
same order. his resume type is used when you are 100king for job in the
same industry where you worked earlier, and also if your career demonstrates
consistent progress and has significant gaps.
In the functiona1 resume, the emphasis is diverse knowledge and
skil1s acquired as result of education, work experience, and community service, as wel1 as achievements in several different areas. his type of resume

327 I

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aypmo 1J> , eCJf , ar

arn . Oare yfec
, ceIa

lO . re -

rpaamy.

JIeJI

, .

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- 1,

N.A.,

Not App/icabIe.

7. 6.2.

1J> ,

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caJUl,

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.

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( MCCf ).

are.

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.

I
,

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,

328

Employment

has an advantage when person 's track record is not very impressive due to
limited work experience, an unsuccessful career, or significant gaps in work
history. It is also useful when person changes careers, and his or her previous
professional experience has little to do with the new field, but at the sae time
or she has valuable skills that are not related to his or her previous work.
he combined resume can include section summarizing knowledge
and skills, as well as brief list of previous positions (it is not necessary to list
11 of them) and an education section. This resume type makes it easier to
emphasize qualities that particular employer most interested in.
For those who have recently arrived in the country, the main difficulty in
writing resume is accurately translating into English the names of companies,
positions held, and kinds of jobs rfnd in the country of origin. he problem is that literal translation not only will not reflect reality because it will
often incomprehensible, but in some cases it even misleading. For
l, if we translate literally the Russian equivalent of "design engineer,"
as it is done in the Russian translation of the book "How to Find Job in
America," (radl & Friedenberg, 1992) it will "engineer-constructor," which at best will understood as an engineer in the construction industry or civil engineer. he expression needs to translated as design engineer
with the indication of the field of specialization, for exaple, mechanical
design engineer, electrical design engineer, and so . If someone rfnd
the job of draftsperson, it needs to translated as designer/drajter. his is
only one straightforward and frequently seen case that clearly demonstrates the
difficulty of the task.
make your life easier, do not invent words are not sure of and try to
find the most suitable equivalent for your positions or your occupation in the list
given in the appendix of this book. his is fairly extensive list that covers almost
11 career fields. If need more specialized information, try looking through
employment ads in professional magazines which can found in library or
the Intemet. he best thing to do is to show resume to someone who works in
the field want to employed in or at least speaks good English.
Good translation is necessary because people who look through incoming resumes usually spend more than 1-2 minutes , selecting
those with terms, words, and phrases widely used in the field and rejecting
those that do not meet their requirements. Moreover, in large firms where the
numbers of received resumes are estimated at hundreds and thousands, they are
entered in computer with the help of scanner, and special software progra selects only those that contain the necessary key words, disregarding
everything else that does not meet these requirements. Exaples ofthe chrono10gical and functional resumes are shown below.

329

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.
mo ,

( I

) . ,

: ~BHOB ~ ~ I
mo

arn

.
, , I

,
. , CJI ''-''

engineer-constructor,

" I

" (radl

& Friedenberg, 1992),

''-'', nstrn

"". "-"

civil engineer, ''-'' ,

design engineer , , , echanical

design engineer, electrical design engineer , ,

I , al

designer/drafter.

r ,

, , oopxl
, r

JI , . ro

ocnrro , xara par . al

, poyre oper
,
JI .
aar , , I<O
.

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1-2

, ,

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mo , , :J

330

Employment

Natasha Ivv
111 Main Street
Town, State, ZIP
(123) 456-7890

JEV:

Drafter or Related Position

SUMARY:

4 years civi1 and mechanical engineering en. Designed and

drafted equipment for the petroleum and chemical Industries, designed
plans for construction sites.

EMPLOYENT:

12/93 - 07/95

Ulted States Postal Service, wn. State

Casual Letter Sorter - General mai1 sorting, working in 11
areas ofmai1 processing.

10/90 - 12/93

Stvs I.,

Town, State
Production Worker - food products processing.

1985 - 1989

Project Istitut, City, Russia

Civillechanical Engineer - Designed and drafted equipment for the petroleum and chemical industries, designed lans for construction sites.

1980 - 1985

Project Istitut, city, Russia

Accountant - Project budgetingland accounts payable.

EDUCAION:

1994 - 1996

ll College, wn, State

Basic Drafting, Intro to Arcbltecture, Mechanical Drafting, AutoCAD.

1982 - 1988

State Istitut of Idustrial d

B.S., Civil Engineering

1976 - 1980

ial l1,

1968 - 1976

lv ginrlg,

City, Russia
Construction Accounting. Certificate of Completion
Secdary

ScbooI, City, Russia

Diploma
SPECIAL SILLS:Russian is native language, fluent in English.
Can type 30 words per minute
References avai1able upon request.

City, Russia

331

111

ain

Street

Town, State, ZIP

(123) 456-7890
:

-. JIlUlJl
u,
.

12/93 - 07/95

, , ar
- .

10/90 - 12/93

1985 - 1989

Stevenson ln., ,
: - IJl
, , JI

al
ar JIlUlJl 8I I JI
u, .

1980 - 1985

, ,

1994 -1996

OJIJI, , ar
, xre,

1982 - 1988

AutoCAD.

, , JI

1976 - 1980

, , JI
. .

1968 - 1976

, , JI
Aecar.

, .

ara 30 .
am - v.

332

Employment
Micbael Ivanov
111 Main Street
Town, State, ZIP
(123) 456-7890

OJECIVE:

position

utilizing extensive en with MS DOS,

MS Windows and microcomputer systems programming and diverse
programming skills.

SUARY:

7 ar of systems programming experience, the last 5 ar of them

programming for the IM-compaae personal computers. Software
specification, design, development and documenting; hardware testing
and installation; users education and consulting.

Specialization: Specification, design and development of object-oriented and procedure-oriented programs for MS DOS and Windows environments (service programs, database management systems, CAD/CA, educational and accounting programs).
Software: MS DOS 6.0, MS Windows 3.1, Base, Paradox, Paradox Engine, urbo Vision,
Btrieve, . AutoCAD, MicroCap.
Languages: , ++, Pascal, Pasca1 with objects (Dorland Pascal 7.0),
AssembIer (8088/86-80386, 8080, Z80), l, Basic, Fortran.
ACCOMPLISENS:

- Developed software for an intea microcontroller (between mainframe and ).

- Developed software for multifunctional embedded server (based Z80 microprocessor).
- Developed program ml for personnel department, focusing increasing computer
and staff efficiency.
- Designed and developed programs for planning of distributed date bases.
- Specified and developed l of additional ++ functions and routines for providing
object-oriented interface with Paradox gin. his l expands language facilities and
decreases programming expenses 10-25%.
EDUCAION:

1986 - 1993

1976 - 1986

State Technical University, City, Russia

Major: M.S. in Computer Science (Electronic computers. computer systems
and networks). Passed the state licensing arn with highest honors.
High School, City, Russia. igh School Diploma
(honor student)

SPECIAL SILLS: Russian is native language, f1uent in English.

333

111 Main Street

Town, State, ZlP
(123) 456-7890

, u
8

Windows ,

MS DOS

npo

JIJI .

: 7- npo, J

npo JIJI .
, ;

aIIro :;
.

8Jl3JUl: -

npo- JIJI 8

008

Windows

, , CAD/CA,
JI).

: MS D08 6.0, 8 Windows 3.1, DBase, Paradox, Paradox Engine,

Btrieve, PCAD, AutoCAD, MicroCap.
: , ++, Pasca1, Pasca1 with objects (rland Pascal 7.0),
Assembler (8088/86-80386, 8080, Z80), PLl1, Basic, Fortran.

urbo

Vision, I

- JIJI
( ).

- JIJI (
Z80).
- JIJI , Ie
JI . .

- ar JIJI .
- ++ JUI
: - Paradox Engine,
10-25%.
:

1986 - 1993

, , JI

: (

, ). .

1976 - 1986

, , JI

Employment

7.6.3. Cover Letters

he

cover letter is sent together with the resume to the same person. If
do not know and have opportunity to fd out the of the person
who wi11 mak.ing the fl hiring decision, it is acceptable to send the letter
addressed to manager who occupies certain position, for example, uan
Resources Manager or Engineering Manager.
he main pwpose of this letter is to introduce yourself to potential
employer and to get his or her attention so that he or she will read your resume
and interview . achieve this, letter should individually tailored,
reflecting your interest in this particular company and position.
he cover letter should fol1ow the standards for business letter, occupy
or most of the page, and contain three or four paragraphs.
In the first paragraph, should state why are writing the letter,
specify the source from which learned about the vacancy, and also briefly
describe why think that are suitable candidate for the position
are applying for.
In the second paragraph, need to describe in more detail your professional qualities with appropriate examples from previous work experience and
show how they fit in with the position's requirements, with emphasis your
achievements.
he third paragraph usually includes description of personal qua1ities,
such as diligence, clear professiona1 goals, and desire and ability to succeed in
this particular m.
In the fl paragraph, list ways to contact , ask for interview, and
thank your addressee for his or her attention.
here are plenty of books devoted exclusively to the writing of cover
and many other types of letters with examples that can adapted to your
needs. can find them at public library.
1f have access to the Intemet, YOU easily find the necessary
information searching for key words 'cover letter.' For l, the Califomian site wwwjobsmart.orgoffers plenty ofinformation about aspects of
job searching, from resume writing to wage statistics. an fd even more
information the site of the U.S. Department of Labor, Employment and
Training Administration at www.doleta.gov.
sample cover letter is shown below.

7.6.3.

nCJa

,
.

(mn

Resources Manager)
(Engineering Manager).

roro II - C8IC orea paooare

: arepecol acrom, pmac

rep. ro roro .., l II OlJ m. ,
mpaa: mrrepec ICDptml RDna RDIqJeI paore.

,

3-4 .

, ,
,
, .

,
, .

,
, ,
.

.
.
, ,

cover letter,

. ,

wwwjobsmart.org

JI

,
,
.

Administration)

(U.S. Department / Labor, Employment and Training

www.doleta.gov.

336

Employment
14 Waterfall Drive
Town, State, ZIP
March 8, 2000

Human Resources Department

SART DEVICES, INC.
28 Northeast Road
Town, State, ZIP
Re: Project Engineer
Dear Sirladam:

1 was very interested to see your advertisement for Project Engineer in

the Sunday Telegram. [ have been seeking just such an opportunity, and 1 think
background and your requirements good match. resume is
enclosed for your review.

1 have more than 20 years of electrical engineering experience. his

includes system and board level design, analog and digital circuitry, embedded
microcontrollers, and variety of sensing technologies. Most of it is related to
the factory automation and precision measurement systems.
Severa1 times 1 successfu11y have taken projects from concept through
manufacturing as participant of group of designers and as project leader. 1
have four Inventor's Certificates (Patents) and extensive experience in patenting research.
1 that we have chance to talk further about background and
your company's needs. 1 can reached at (321) 765-1234.
hank you

for your time and consideration.

Yours truly,

Michael Ivanov
Enclosure

14 Waterfall Drive
Town, State, ZIP
March 8, 2000

SART

DEVICES, INC.
28 Northeast Road
,UU,~

Re:

ra

Dear Sirladam:
,

gram"

"Sunday Tele-

" ra".

,
. ! .
20- -,

,
, .

JIJI
mro ,

. r
.

,
.
.
,

(321) 765-1234.

338

Employment

7.6.4. References
Asking potential employee for recommendations or references is
in the US, especialIy when position is more or less skilled. Employers
want to make sure that the applicant is 1l what or she appears to and
also to flfl the infonnation the applicant gave about i- or herself with
the help of third parties who known him or her longer. For this purpose,
the employer usually asks the top applicants fOT list of 2 to 4 people who
could give them positive recommendation.
hese l can friends, former teachers or classmates, colleagues
or clients -- the choice is yours, but they should not your relatives. It is good
to someone who knows you both as professional and as person. It is
understandable that person who has recently arrived in the country not
know people, and his or her choices limited. herefore, you must
work with what you . You list your sponsor or instructor of any
courses taken, member of the church you attend, or friend who
has arrived much earlier and has already settled here, even if she lives in
another state. You must remember, however, that the reference given fellow immigrant will less valuable than that of American. It goes without
saying that before giving employer someone's name, you should talk to that
person and ask his or her pennission.
Applicants frequently asked for permission to contact their present
employer. It is understandable if you do not allow this for any reason, but it is
quite possible that your previous employers wi11 contacted without your
knowledge. his is of the reasons why people prefer to l jobs good
tenns, without slamming doors. If you worked hard and got along with colleagues, can always expect good reference, and good reference from
the immediate supervisor at previous job 1l certainly taken into account.
he list of references is usually given only after it has been requested,
except cases when it is necessary part of the application fonn that you were
asked to fill out. In an case, should think about this beforehand and
such list ready.

7.7. Necessary paperwork

When applying for job, you 1l to present documents certifying
your identity, immigration status, education, qualifications, and so .

7.6.4.

339

(references)

Kora

, Nnd
, ,

2-4

JI .

, ra

II

- ,

. , ,
, . ,
, , Nnd

, .
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.

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are.

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accarc -m, .
ecrn , cera
.,

.
, , ,
mpeo, , I<DIa oare
, I<DOp . ,
omc .

7.7.

caryc,

,
,

340

Employment

Identification. As we already mentioned, driver's license

is the most common form of identification in the US, but it is not the
only one. Those who do not drive can get an card that looks similar to driver's license, so-called Non- driving ID, at the Bureau of
Motor Vehicles. For this you wi1l need to present your Social Security card and some form of picture ID. his can passport, green
card, naturalization certificate, etc. driver's license or its equivalent is especially important for those who have already
American citizens, because naturalization certificate is large document that is difficult to carry; besides, photocopying it is illegal.

Social Security card is required for any employment because the

number is used for tax. ss. Alllegal immigrants, as weB as foreigners who have the right to work or study in the US have to have
Social Security number. It obtained at the nearest Social Security Administration office. It takes several weeks to process the necessary documents; therefore, you wi1l need to do it before you start
looking for job, or even better - in the first few days after your
arrival in the country.
Documents that provide proof ofyour education will necessary for
job that requires degree or special training. It is good idea to
have the originals (or at the very least, copies) ofthese documents, as
weB as the appropriate translations into English.
he

certificate of completion of secondary school in the republics of the

former USSR is equivalent to the American High School Diploma. he technical school diploma can equal to two-year Associate Degree and sometimes
more. he five -year higher education degree received in the Soviet Union
viewed as something between Bachelor's degree and Master's degree
received in the US. Candidates of sciences are equal to Doctors of Philosophy
(. D.).
Because in most cases neither names of educational institutions nor the
degrees received wi1l mean anything to l not familiar with the country,
the most important thing to have is not the diploma itself, but the 1ist of courses
taken, their duration in hours, and the grade received. his can give your
potential employers real idea about your education.
Special certificates and Iicenses. As was already mentioned, some
professions are strictly regulated, and in order to practice them it is
necessary to have 1icense issued state authorities after passing
special examination. Information about 1icensing requirements can
obtained from the State Licensing Board. Unfortunately, some
states do not recognize education received in other countries and do

341

. ,

, . ,
,

driving ID Bureau / Motor Vehicles.

Non

. ro ,
, .
, ,

, , .

ro

(Social Security

num)

moy ,

. :pI,

lO, paoty

Social Security number.

Jrna

(Social Security Administration).

I<D

oyeroB aaer ICD ,

- rm .

. aI'e
, ,

(High School Diploma).

, I

- Associate Degree,

. , ,
-

'

(Bache-

s degree) (Master s degree) .

(Ph.D.).

IcD ,
,

,
, I<D. ar
.

, , .
,

ara

(State Licensing Board).

342

Employment
not such people who it to take examinations. herefore, you
will to either receive an American education or to state
with less rigid requirements. Being licensed in state does not
guarantee that the license will recognized in another.

After completing tuall s or training program in America,

students are given certificates. Ifthe courses you have k were related to the
job you are applying for, having such certificates an useful.

7.8.

Interview

So far, every section of this chapter has dealt with finding potential
employer and appearing interesting enough for him or her to want to meet you
personally. he interview is your nI an to transfonn potential position
into real . As ru1e, interviews are scheduled for smal1 group of applicants whose materials give reason to believe that their knowledge, experi, and personal qualities closely match the employer's requirements.
Most of the work needed to detennine whether to hire someone is done
during the interview. his decision is very often based not l the applicanCs purely professional qualities, but also the overall impression or she
has made during the interview, and this impression is sometimes the deciding
factor. Everything counts, including handshake, general demeanor, listening
and asking questions, and appearance. It takes some time to start fee1ing more
or less confident, which is why it makes sense to go to an interview you are
offered, if you know that you do not have an an of getting the job or
if you do not want it. It is very important to carefully prepare for interview and try to think of it as leaming experience if it does not go the way you
wanted it to.

7.8.1. Preparing for the interview

Sooner or later, you ll offered an interview that is very important to
you, where mistake an cost you the position. herefore, you need to start
preparing for such an event as early as possible.
he most typical situation for immigrants is when person with an education or certain qualifications wants to get job in the same field in which

343
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or she worked in his or her native country, although possibly at 10wer level.
On of the most important factors is detai1ed explanation of what
did in the past and how it fits in with the position are applying for. Most
professions (with rare exceptions such as computer programmers or worldclass dancers and musicians) wil1 require to go through additional training
or acquire new knowledge before an work effectively, d we are not
even talking about leaming the language here. An employer dealing with an
immigrant understand that, but to estimate how much additional training
is required, or she needs to have clear idea of what know d what
do. Ifyou were competent professional and have strong basic knowledge and skills in your field, easily master the detai1s. If this is the
case, an employer m initial1y less than an Amri would receive
for the same job, but you will have to acquire American work experi - that missing link that will al10w to compete for jobs l footing with others in the future.

Long be/ore our arriva/ in America, 1 was interested in what /

1 knew who emigrated in ( late 1980s. n / them, to luck,
described ( his friends in detail everything that happened to and his /
i/y.from ( moment they /eft ( USSR, which ! that time was still intact,
inc/uding traveling through Austria and Ita/y, arriva/ in the Us, looking /or
job, preparing /or n interview, and ( interview itself. was highly
petent pro/essional with .. in engineering, u! did not speak
English at because had studied German in school and university.
At ( first opportunity, wrote, in Russian, description / his who/e
career with detailed explanations / projects worked , their outcomes,
and his ideas about the future / his field, which amounted to 10-12 pages /
text. n asked friends to translate this into English and carried it everywhere, reading and re-reading it a/oud, until almost knew it heart. After
about 8 or 1 months after his arriva/ in the US, was o.lfered senior engineer position at specia/izing in the area / engineering in which
worked in Russia. was so interested in that it paid/or private English tutor. ln short time, leading expert in the field.
Remembering this, 1 did the same be/ore interview /or n engineering
position, although in brie/er /orm. ln addition to resume, 1 described
n page ( most important projects in which 1 participated and role in
them. 1 made severa/ copies / this text, which 1 handed out ( prospective
employers during ( interview, after 1 had apologized/or bad English and
kept n /or myself. lt made (! u easier.
( /

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Once again, 1 would like to stress how important it is to rehearse what

you are going to say aloud. and it is even better if you practice with
English-speaking person who give you feedback your pronunciation
and t mistakes. 1 think that everyone who has ever tried to speak foreign language in situation where there was 10t at stake will agree that it is
very. very difficult. and amount of practice is too much.
If you have had professional magazine publications or patents in the
past. it is definitely helpful to have copies. even if they are not translated into
English. If you have samples or other materials that an demonstrate your
accomplishments, bring them with you.
to present yourself in the best possible light. you need to learn
as much as you an about man where you have invited to interview. his includes areas of specialization. products. the number of employees,
main competitors, the man history. and so . his is now easy to fd out
with the l of the Intemet because even tiny companies have their wn sites
with plenty of information.
Ifit is an whose shares are sold the stock exchange ( public
man as opposed to private an). you find exhaustive information about it the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission web site
www.sec.com. where companies submit quarterly reports their fanil
situation, including market reviews and prospects for the future. hese data for
s that are avai1able are stored in database called EDGAR (the Electronic Data Gathering, Ana/ysis, and Retrieval system). If you do not know
whether the m is public, you an search this database for its .
nowledge about the mpan will not n1 l you formulate questions
wblch you would l to ask during the interview but will also mak you see very
interested in the position you are applying for. Write these questions down to l
you remeber the and practice the with an Eng1ish-speaking person. he questions should deal with the position and the man as whole, for l:

an 1 get

ofthe job description?

What are you 100king for in an applicant for this position?

Why is this position vacant?
Wbat is the ml0 tumover in tbe

man?

What are the company's plans for the near future?

Does the m provide an training for its employees. and if yes,
whatkind?

there an other applicants for this position?

How is the

decision made?

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348

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Decide in advance what you wil1 wear to the interview. he clothes

should fit the position for wblch you are applying. No wears suit and tie
to an interview for cleaning or dishwasblng job, but at the same ti, an
applicant for an engineering position m look inappropriate in anything else.
Do not wear overly casual or workout clothes such as t-shirts, jeans, and sneakers. he clothes should businesslike -- avoid bright colors and busy pattems.
Women should wear skirt with blouse or jacket, and rn -- slacks with
button-down shirt or suit, depending the season and position. In their book
"Finding job in the United States," the authors recommend dressing slightly
better than you would dress every day for the job. also say that you
should not dressed better than your employer (Bradley & Fridenberg, 1992),
but the truth is that in most cases you will have idea whom you wi1l dealing with and how this person wi1l dressed. here are companies where
casual clothes are the rule, and the person interviewing you m dressed
that way, but you wil1 not look professional if you are dressed too casually.
Buy decent business folder and gather the necessary documents in
it, including
copies of your resume and cover letter;

sample cornpleted employment application;

list of people who can give you references;

detailed description of your career;

information about the man;

list of questions that you would like to ask;

documents pertaining to your education;

driver's license, passport, or another form of identification;

your social security card;

copies of published articles or samples of your work.

7.8.2. The Interview

on the day of the interview, try not to have an other commitments if

possible because you do not know how long it wil11ast. Depending the position and the size ofthe company, several scenarios are possible:

--

interview with your future immediate supervisor;

an interview with group of two to five l;

consecutive -- interviews with several l;

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350

Employment
an interview followed test;

telephone interview;

computer interview.

the day / .first interview in the US, 1 a"ived early and sat in the
car /or 1 or 15 minutes, listening to the radio and waiting /or the appointed
time. Five minutes be/ore the interview. 1 got out, slammed the car door shut,
and immediately realized that 1 had left the keys inside. hankful1y, the interview was /or sales position that did not real1y interest ,' 1 went in order (
practice interviewing ski//s. If it were rea//y important interview. such
start would hardly help make it success.ful.
Real-life interviews ften gin in the company's reception area, where you
greeted your interviewer. he first impression that you will make largely
depends your appearance - clothes, hairstyle, and the way you yourself, as
well as the emotions you express during the introductions - your handshake, smile,
contact, and so . When people meet for the first ti, they exchange fin
handshake even if it is man and woman. :ftiendly smile and brief1y looking
your interlocutor in the throughout the conversation ean that you are listening
and interested in the topic that is being discussed.
Americans dislike long pauses in conversation, especially with people
they do not know well. For this reason, after the introductions have been made
or the way to where the interview wi1l take place, they exchange phrases
about the weather, whether the company was easy to :find, how long the trip
was, etc. Despite the super:ficial nature of such exchanges, they not only help
re1ieve stress but also allow to get sense of the other person 's mood and
personality. Because you are undoubtedly being closely observed, it would
good idea for you to also take advantage of the situation. Before the interview,
think of couple of questions you ask about the company, for example:
How many people work in this bui1ding? Is this the only bui1ding? What does
the company make besides ... ? Who are the competitors besides ... ? he questions should not require long explanations, but at the same time should show
your interest in the company or your knowledge about it.
he small talk is followed the most important t of the interview,
during which the employer asks you questions to :find out about your quali:fications and personality and determine whether you are suitable candidate for
the position and if yes, whether you will good :fit for the other employees
and the company in general. he ability to get along with people and effectively work with different groups (teamwork) is highly valued in the US. You
asked many different questions, for example:

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352

What do you like or do not like doing?

How do you approach obstacles?

ll

about your previous job and your accomplishments there.

Why are you interested in this position?

What are your long-term career plans?
Answer questions truthfully, but do not embark long monologues
(although this an unnecessary warning given many immigrants' problems with the language). At the same time, it is not good idea to give
syHabic answers like ''yes'' or "." If the question concems your current or
previous job, never say anything negative about your former supervisors or
colleagues. You say that the job was not chal1enging enough, but do not
say that your boss was an idiot. Your goal is to get job offer, not to stroke
yourego.
Because the brief descriptions that you see even in the most detailed ads
do not always give you good idea about the exact nature of the job, from the
very beginning of the interview, try to steer your interviewer toward more
detailed description of what the position entails and what wi1l required of
you. During his or her explanation, think about what examples from your past
experience illustrate that are good fit for the position and try to mention
these examples in your answers to subsequent questions.
he US law forbids discrimination based on gender, age, race or nationality,
religion, sexua1 orientation, disability, marital status, and so . he questions conceming these areas of life are i11ega1, and you do not have to answer them if you
do not want to, but sometimes this is not the best approac. An experienced interviewer wil1 never ask such questions because if they were asked and answered, but
the app1icant was not offered the position, or she assn that or she was
discriminated against and sue the company. Some older people omit the ers they
entered and graduated from school in their resumes, indicating only the institutions'
names and the degrees received, and list previous jobs only for the last 15-18 ers.
If you are applying for position that does not have much potential for
growth but is necessary step for retuming to your former :field, one problem is
convincing your interviewer that you are quali:fied for the job but at the same time
not over-quali:fied. here is reason for an employer to hire and train ifhe or
she knows that you have more education and experience than is required for the
given position and wil1 start looking for something better as soon as are settled
in little. For cases like this, it is good idea to have an a1ternative, more modest
version of your resume that does not showcase your accomp1ishments.
During an interview, you also need to get answers to the questions that

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354

Employment

had prepared or that arose during the interview. Try to fit them into the
conversation if appropriate~ which wil1 aHow to make the exchange more balanced. save an unanswered questions for the end of the interview. As
rule~ salary is not discussed during the interview, except when the employer
brings it . Try to avoid situation when to specific figure
flfst. For exaple, an answer the question "How are looking to
make?" with question of your wn: "What is the salary range for this position?" he real discussion of salary and benefits usuaHy takes place after
o:tIered the job.
he decision is a1most never ad during the interview, if are
the last person being interviewed. herefore, at the end of the interview, ask
how the final selection will made and when wiH fd out the results.
Express your sincere interest in the position. Ask your interviewer for bls or
her business card or write down bls or her , position, and number
( find out the company's address from the receptionist). Ask your interviewer whether i or her in few days.
In cases, the main candidate or small number of interviewees are
invited to second interview. his time is used to allow both parties to get to
know other better, which include short tour ofthe an~ meeting with employees of the appropriate department~ and conversation with
severa] people, including the who actuaJ]y makes the fl decision. ll
this an take several hours or whole day.

7.8.3. Analyzing the results ofyour interview

interview~

if it has not resulted in job offer, lesson

for the future. Try to think back that has taken place and decide wblch
areas, in your opinion, need improvement. felt uneasy or did not
present yourself in the best possible light. had trouble describing
your accomplishments or past experience. forgot to mention
important detail. Try to understand why it happened and what do to
prevent it from happening again. Try to remember the questions were
asked that contained unfai1iar words and add these words to your vocablary.
Also note what was successful during the interview. hink which of your
answers were weJ] received d what phrases were easier for . What
seemed to pique the interviewer's interest d how an develop and
improve this aspect in the future?
After interview, it is customary to send thank-you letter to the person who talked to . An exaple of such letter is given below.

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Employment
14 Waterfall Drive
Town, State, ZIP
March 8, 1997

r.

JohnDoe
DEVICES, INC.
28 Northeast Road
Town, State, ZIP
SART

Dearr.

Doe

1 want to thank you for giving the opportunity to visit your an and
discuss the projects you have working as well as background.
1 was impressed the company's dedication to qua1ity and customer satisfaction. This fit well with the impressions 1 got before the interview while reviewing
materials presented the company's web site.
1 wi11 glad to answer any questions you might have, and 1 to hear
you soon.
hank you for your time and consideration.

Yours truly,

Michael Ivanov

7.9. Job offers

Sooner or later, you wil1 overcome 11 the obstacles mentioned above and
wi11 offered the position you applied for. UsuaHy, this happens during
phone ftom the person you talked to or the human resources manager. he
salary offer wi11 also made at this time. You must thank the caHer for the
offer and ask about the expected starting date and when they expect your
answer, that is, how much time you to make decision. In most cases,
>d expects you to accept the job the spot.

357

14 Waterfa11 Drive
Town, State, ZIP
March 8, 1997

r.JohnDow
SART

DEVICES, INC.
28 Northeast Road
Town, State, ZIP

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This moment is very important. Employment experts say that this is your
opportunity to get what you want. You know that the company is interested in
you, that you, for some reason, have outstripped your competitors and have an
advantage. As soon as you accept the offer, 10se this advantage, and you
wi11 never have it again, except in some rare cases.
In many respects, your subsequent actions depend your particular situation, as we11 as the current situation in the and the labor market
in your area. If the unemployment rate is high at the ti, you have out of
work for 10ng time or do not have any other prospects, your advantage is
small, and you wi11 have to accept whatever is offered to you. However, if you
uentl have job which are more or less satisfied with and the demand
for labor is high, you have chance to negotiate more favorable conditions for
yourself. But before you do that, you need to carefully consider your situation,
weigh and compare 11 pros and cons, and also rn realistic assessment of
what want and prepare an argument in favor of what you are asking for.
Below are some examples of various factors that will influence your
decision:
the cornpany's size and reputation;
the nature of the job and prospects for the future;
work schedule and hours;
salary and benefits;
location.
The size, age, and reputation of the cornpany are very important. If it is
large organization that has been in business for 10ng time, you can easily find
the information that wi11 allow you to assess the job's potential for stability. If
it is srnall or start-up, your risk of 10sing job because of circumstances you cannot control is much higher. If you can, talk to people who are
already working at the . Very often, an outsider's impression of an
organization is very different from how it is seen its own employees.
Not 11 jobs are created equal. It is very difficult to work in job that you
do not l or where you know there will opportunities for advancement.
here are positions where many people do not stay for rnore than few days,
for l, telernarketing (selling goods and services over the ).
Despite the fact that rnost l work the first day Monday through Friday, there are jobs that require working weekends and holidays,
evening and night shifts, and so . In some cornpanies, overtime work is rnore
of rule tban an exception, exceeding 11 reasonable lirnits. Refusing to work
overtime grounds for disrnissal. hink in advance whether the required

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are acceptable to you.

When comparing salaries, make sure to take benefits into account. For
exaple, the cost of medical insurance can vary significantly. There are
panies that cover the cost of insurance in full, which with the salaries being
equal can mean real in difference ofabout $2,000-$3,000 year or $1$1.50 an hour. determine your limits for salary negotiations, you need to
know the salaries of people who do the sae job. You can find rough figures in
the table given in the appendix, and more precise information can found
the website of the Bureau of Labor Statistics at http://stats.bls.gov/proghome.htm. There you can find not only the national averages, but also regional
and industry- specific data.
The company's location is extremely important. Ifyou have to commute
an or hour and half one way, in addition to car and gas expenses, this
wil1 equal to corresponding reduction in your hourly , as if you had to
work overtime every day without getting anything for it. If you wil1 need to
move, estimate the cost of living (especially housing) in the new area
pared to your ut one. The difference very substantial and outweigh
11 the other advantages. In Silicon 11, the average salary of engineers and
computer programmers is approximately 14-20% blgher than the national
average, while housing costs are 3-4 times higher. the Intemet, you can find
sites where special software allows you to compare the salary and cost of living in different cities throughout the country. For example, you can go to
http://vertica/s.yahoo.com/salary, http://verticals.yahoo.com/cities.
nowing what you want and what you can manage to get during negotiations does not mean that you wil1 get it. You should ready to present arguments to support the legitimacy of your requests.
For example, if you have job with lots of overtime, you have the right
to compare the salary you are offered not only with your current base salary,
but also with your total current in, including overtime, even if the new job
does not offer overtime work. After ll, you do not want your actual in to
decrease.
1 received first engineering job ojJer n month after 1 was promoted
to equipment maintenance technician, position which was paid hourly.
Almost every week, 1 had n opportunity to work severa/ overtime hours;
besides, 1 knew that eoZleague who had n working there for /ong time
was being paid 30-35% n hour than 1. he ojJer that 1 received entailed
flXed nn! sa/ary. 1 had ( decide between skiZZed work at familiar n
fairly /arge n professional, potentiaZZy interesting job at n unfa n rather sma// . At that time, 1 had , about salary
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current job, 1 to the conclusion that it was approximately the same

amount 1 was offered at the new place. Because 1 felt that the was
interested in , 1 politely mentioned this reason. As result, 1 was offered n
nn! salary that was two thousand dollars higher.

There are other kinds of compensation that can subject to negotiation~

for example, moving expenses. If the company that wants to hire you is outside
the acceptable commuting distance and you would have to move to another
city and rent an apartment or sell your house~ your employer offer to cover
ll or part of your moving expenses. he amount of such compensation can
more than five thousand dollars.
In an case~ aft:er you have accepted the final offer~ ask for it in written
fonn before you notify your current supervisor that you are leaving.

7.10. Clothing, behavior, and schedule

Every country has traditions~ developed over decades or even centuries,
that govern how l dress and behave in various situations, and what is
required of employees in the workplace. In our native country, we a1most
always could correctly identify someone as foreigner the way that person
dressed and acted~ even if we did not hear him or her speak and or she did
not have different skin color or wear ethnic clothes. In the same way, 1 can in
most cases identify other Russian immigrants, especially middle-aged or older
people, in crowd of Americans their intent gaze and unsmiling expression,
as well as the detai1s of their clothes. Americans, over their more than twohundred-year history~ have also developed their distinct pattems of behavior
and traditions in work relationships and clothes.

7.10.1. Clothing
It is impossible to brief1y describe clothing requirements for
sions. he possibilities are virtually endless. ll depends where you work:
at fish-processing plant or fancy restaurant~ at convenience store or an
expensive department store, at hospital or software an, at an insurance flrl or an auto-repair shop. Another important factor is location: large
city or tiny town, the North or the South, the West or the East Coast, and so
. In this section we wil1 talk l about some general guidelines and things
to avoid.

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First of 11, 1 must mention that in the US, it is customary to take bath
or shower (including washing one's hair) and to change clothes daily, regardless ofwhere work. probably will not see mechanic in greasy unifn that has not been washed for weeks, and if you do, you will never go to
him again. You also wil1 not see ank employee wearing the same suit or tie
not only two days in row, but even twice during the same week. Underwear,
shirts, jeans, and so forth are washed after use not because they are dirty,
but because they are not fresh. Americans usua11y do laundry once week,
which means that you need to have at least 7-1 outfits. Americans have lot
of clothes; they are relatively inexpensive and easily accessible. hey
inexpensive t-shirts, sweaters, or jeans, but there must enough ofthem.
Americans use deodorant and mouthwash, d most do not abuse
perfume. Because most buildings are equipped with air conditioners, odors
are very apparent.
Americans are very democratic when clothes are concemed; they dress
up only when necessary. You wi1l rarely see an wearing tie weekend.
American companies are becoming more and more accepting of comfortable
casual clothes. Customer service positions are the exception. Such employees
often wear formal clothes. l who are not required to wear suits and ties
for work not own them at 11. 1 have often met men over thirty who did not
wn single suit not because they could not afford it, but because they did not
need it. In America, it is very easy to wrong if try to determine the person's fiil status his or her clothes. multimillionaire m dressed
in -shirt d ripped jeans, whereas l wearing in expensive clothes m
buried in debt.
best approach to choosing clothes for work is the foHowing:
attention to what l at the same level as you wear and dress similarly. Try
not to look very different from others, especially wearing ethnic clothing. If
want to advance, dress better than those at your level, but not better than
your immediate supervisor.
UsuaHy, during an interview candidates are shown around their potential
workplace or the whole company. If your interviewer does not offer you tour,
can ask for it. attention to how people are dressed so that do not
have to agonize about what to wear the fust day. However, careful if
your interview fa11s Friday. In companies, Friday is the day when
casual clothes are permitted (dress-down day), even if dress code is in effect
during the rest of the week. In this case, it is good idea to ask how should
dress.
Clothes with various slogans and 10gos deserve special mention. Most
10gos serve as advertising. Advertising is very expensive in America, and it is
considered poor taste to free walking biHboard without good reason.

365

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366

Employment

Often, the larger the advertising logo, the cheaper the item of clothing. For
l, clothes that advertise sports teams from other regions of the country
an bought very cheaply, whereas -shirt with the logo of 10cal team will
cost several times as much. However, you almost always wil1 asked whether
you are fan of the team whose shirt you are wearing. It tum out that
team you are advertising is the biggest rival of favorite local team.

Also try to words your clothes if do not know exactly what they
man. 1 remember how shortly be/ore first visit to the Us, 1 bought pair /
jeans with something embroidered their back pocket. Without taking the trouble
to look ;t ;n the dictionary, 1 wore them in m. Soe tie later 1 was asked
whether 1 knew what the embroidery eant. lt tumed out to the word "spy ".
Nothing terrible. but 1 probably would not have chosen these jeans if1 knew the
translation. However, find yourselJin much ore awkward situation.

7.10.2. Work etiquette

of the most essential values for an American is what is described
the word privacy in English. This word an translated into other languages
as "solitude" or "private affairs," but it actually ans anything that is related
to someone's private life. Americans do not like an, including the govemment, intruding into their private life and personal space. his is expressed in
different ways, for exaple, in the US it is not considered acceptabIe for
people to stand very close to other during conversation or even while
waiting in . he acceptabIe distance is 50-75 centimeters. If people pass
other at distance less than this, they apologize for possibIe inconveni that they have caused. Most Americans keep personal
mementos in their work space if they have , and they don 't like unannounced intrusions strangers. Before entering someone's office, it is customary to annun one's presence knocking or saying the person's .
For the most part, Americans are very friendly and ften smile when they
see someone. It does not ean that they do not have probIems and are always in
good mood, but it is considered bad taste to show one's problems in public.
Americans prefer to praise rather than criticize others. herefore, if you
complain about your bad English, you will told that it is just great or, at
least, that it is better than their Russian or whatever, depending your native
language. 1 started to realize that English got little better n1 when
coworkers began smiling at mistakes occasionally instead of trying hard to
understand what 1 was saying.
When you see someone for the OOt time that day, it is customary to greet

3671

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370

Employment

always availabIe. Many also bring food from . If you reheat food or eat in
the common room, it is preferabIe not to bring dishes with strong odors that
unpleasant to others.
Occasionally, work-related meetings are held during Iunch break. In
these cases, the company usually pays for food to delivered from 10l restaurant or pizzeria. Everyone chooses in advance what or she wants from
the menu. Some companies do this fairly often, which goes to show that Americans work hard and getting the job done is very important to them.
There are different ways to keep track of hours worked. It an
electronic timing system, when you scan special personal magnetic card at
the beginning and end of shift, or your supervisor simply watch you.
In most cases, hourly employees fi11 out special time cards at the end of
week, noting the hours worked and deviations from regular workday.
You should always keep hand phone number that you can 11 if for
some unforeseen reason you cannot to work or are running late. Notify
your immediate supervisor if you know in advance that you will late. In
many cases, it is possibIe to make up the missed time staying later for one or
moredays.

7.11. Labor laws

he

us labor laws cover 11 work-related activities. he main purpose of

this legislation is ensuring equal treatment for everyone the labor market, as
we11 as providing certain level of protection for workers from possibIe abuse
employers. Some laws regu1ating work safety, for l, cover everyone
who works for hire, whereas others an concemed with protecting the rights
of specific groups, such as minors or l with disabilities. here are federal
laws that are li throughout the country, and also state laws that cover
specific issues that are not included in federallegislation. State laws differ
from other significantly.
Labor laws are enforced various govemment structures that carry out
regular inspections and respond to complaints made individual employees
or groups. law, if violated, carries serious administrative and judicial
sanctions.

372

Employment

It is not purpose of this book to give even brief explanation of the US

labor legislation; that would too difficult task. The purpose of this section
is to mk it clear that such laws do exist in this citadel of capitalism, and if the
need arises, an always contact an appropriate organization that wi11 l
protect your rights.
he most important laws that govern relationships between employers
and employees are listed and briefly explained below.

Employee Reti1'ement Income Secu1'ity Act (ERISA) regulates the

establishment of employee retirement funds employers voluntary basis,
as well as the provision of other benefits, for example, medical and disability
insurance, paid vacation time, child care, and so .
of the major components of this law is provision called Continuation / Health Coverage that defines conditions under which person who for
reason is longer employed an an continue to use its medil insurance for certain period of time. This provision is widely knwn
under the because it is part of something called the Conso/idated Omnibus Budget Reconciliation Act 0/1985.
nl Sa/ety and Health Act 0/1970 (OSH Act) establishes
safety standards for various industries in order to prevent traumas and workrelated iIlnesses. he law requires employers to train workers in the necessary
safety procedures, to provide them with the necessary protective gear and
equipment, and to carry out accident-prevention training. occupationaI
safety legislation is enforced organization called he Occupational
Sa/ety and Health Administration (OSHA).

Fai1' Labo1' Standa1'ds (FLSA) estabIishes minimum wage and

regulates overtime , the hiring and compensation of minors, and requirements for keeping track of hours worked.
Since September 1997, the minimum wage is set at $5.15 per hour,
except some trades where employees receive tips.
Workers under 20 years of age receive the minimum wage of$4.25 per
hour for the first 90 days after re. lt is forbidden to dismiss adult workers
in order to repIace them with those who fall under this exception.
Time worked in excess of 40 hours per week is considered overtime
and should compensated at one-and-a-half rate.
here is limit for the number of hours minors (under 16 years of
age) work in industries not related to agriculture.

373

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(ERlSA) -

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374

Employment

Immigration and Nlltionality () regulates conditions wblch

foreign citizens (not immigrants) m work in the US, as well as the appropriate types of entry visas:
D-l (ship crew members);

-I

-I

-2

(registered nurses);

(workers employed in "specialty occupation" or as fshion models);

(workers employed in temporary agriculturaljobs).

Fami1y and Medical Leave Act (FLA) 'l Family and Medical Leave
Act requires employers of 50 or more employees (and 11 public agencies) to provide up to 12 weeks of unpaid, job-protected leave to eligible employees for the
birth or adoption and care of child, or for serious illness of the employee or
family member.
here are an laws that were developed especially for particular industries, for example construction, transportation, agriculture, mining, and so .
Companies with government contracts must comply with almost 11 existing
laws, while those not involved in such jobs an exempt m many of them.

7.12. Promotion
Every person is interested in receiving the maximum possible compensation for his or her work. Therefore, many people ak efforts to expand their
knowledge and skil1s, hoping to up the corporate ladder, which, in turn,
mean not only blgher income but also more satisfying job. his is especia11y important for immigrants, an of whom lost the social status they
are used to and need accomplishments in order to restore their self-esteem.
get promoted in the US, you need to understand how market
works. Because of the cutthroat competition for survival the market,
an is constantly adjusting its management and manufacturing
structures to iiz efficiency, productivity, and profit. his creates situations when people who contribute the most to the an and are of
adapting to the ever-changing environment chance to improve their
position in the an being given job with more responsibility or
higher salary.
1 must mention that in the US, the lack of formal education or diploma
is often not an obstacle to getting certain position. he appropriate work
experience can compensate for the lack of degree if you are to effectively perform necessary duties. Of course, with other things being equal,

375

lmmigration and Nationality Act (1NA) -

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376

Employment

person with completed degree can negotiate better salary, and someone who
has graduated from prestigious col1ege or university has an even greater
advantage, but only until it comes to actual performance.
One of the major prerequisites for successful career, besides doing
good job, is the ability to get along with people and work efIectively in difIerent groups. he ability to work well with others or, as they say here, teamwork
is key quality for achieving professional success. People who can get along
with others, take leadership role in group, quickly solve problems that arise,
and :finish the job despite any obstacles are in the greatest demand.
Another important feature of the promotion process is that person himor herself should ask for it. No matter how good of an l0 are and
how potential have, nobody wi1l and ask to accept
higher position until say that are to handle it.
Most employers, before 100king for outside applicants, post information
about newly opened vacancies bulletin boards throughout the company. If
are sure that can successfully perform the duties associated with the
new position, notify the person responsible for making the hiring decision.
This can done with the l of standard form used your company for
this purpose or as cover letter addressed to or her with your resume
attached.
More than likely, w meeting with that person, during which
will need to convince him or her that are strong applicant of
not l performing the job at the current ll, but also of fding ways to
increase efficiency and eliminate existing problems. It is very important to
demonstrate that are always concemed with quality while maintaining
blgh productivity, and also that do not need constant supervision and can
make the necessary decisions independently.

7.13. Termination
An l decide to leave the company for whatever reason, or
or she terminated the employer. he worst possible case is when
an employee is dismissed for something or she did, it missing work,
habitual tardiness, theft, ll or drug abuse, or inability to get along with
l. In many states, people whose job 10ss was their fault are not eligible
for unemployment benefits. Besides, this will have negative effect your
ability to get another job because prospective employers often ask if they
contact your previous employer for reference.

377

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Employment

378

avoid this, remember that any job becomes pennanent page in

biography. to not only follow 11 company policies but also maintain
ftiendly relationships with your coworkers, although this is not easy when your
language skil1s weak. few words during breaks and friendly smile when
see someone go long way. Ask for help ifyou need it. Ifyou m
mistake, admit it. will always given to correct it.
u

must also remember that as representative /u, nationality ,

ethnic background. u injluence u, s attitude toward u,
compatriots who seek employment there. 1 know /, sure that n / the
reasons that 1 was hired/, n engineering position despite weak English
was the /! that u, vice-president had experience with that
employed Russian immigrant. was n lln! pro/essiona/ n person
who got a/ong with everyone. After 1 had n working at the /,
whi/e, / started asking if 1 knew other Russians trained in certain
technical jields who would also like to work there. 1 also know /, sure that J
was rejected as candidate /, position ! another , which had also
employed Russian immigrant shortly be/ore J applied there, u! unlike the
jirst n, he did not have very good relationships with his co//eagues.
Another type of termination initiated the employer is layoff. Layoffs
m have many different reasons, such as decreased demand for the company's
products and fanil difficu1ties, internal structural changes in the company,
relocation of the company to another region, or merger with another
pany.
In cases when the company as whole or any of its divisions is closed,
layoffs have nothing to do with persona1 or professional qualities of l
being laid off. However, when the company is having fanil difficulties,
layoffs usua11y affect employees with less experience or education, those who
were hired later, or those who do not get along with coworkers. Salary is also
an important factor: the higher it is, the more chances have to fall victim to
layoff if do not have special knowledge and skills that are necessary to
the company and difficu1t to replace.
With mass layoffs, companies are required to notify employees two
weeks in advance, but small1ayoffs can very unexpected: w given
check and told good-bye. In the past, layoff notices were printed ink
paper, so there is an expression "to get pink slip," which means 'to get laid
off." In most cases, laid-off workers receive severance that equals two
weeks' salary, and permanent employees also eligible for unemployment
benefits while they 100k for new job.

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380

Employment

Of course, you r always free to leave your job. In this case, it is good
idea to notify your employer about your intentions beforehand because the
will need time to find replacement. For employees who r paid
hourly, it is customary to give notice two weeks before leaving ( week or several days is enough for temporary workers), and for salaried employees,
month 's notice is recommended.
tbls in mind when looking for new job, and when you receive an
offer, discuss this issue. Your new employer wil1 most likely understanding
because or she will expect you to do the same if you decide to leave his or
her . If for reason you need to start your new job as soon as possi, the best way to approach this is to talk to your supervisor d try to negotiate shorter period before you leave. It is in everyone's best interest to part
amicably: yours because in the future you will need good reference and perhaps even job, d your present employer's because or she wts to preserve the 's good reputation. Some companies policy not to
hire people who had willingly quit their jobs at that in the past. his
is known as ' reblre . '

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382

Income

8. Income

In this chapter, we wi11 talk about something have wanted to

discuss for 10ng time but are either mssd or do not have anyone to ask:
money. Americans consider it inappropriate to ask others about their income. It
is more personal matter than even age or health. can work side side
with someone for many years and not know how or she makes.
to guess how that could with about 20% accuracy or even
less precisely, but the exact figures are usually not disclosed.
Moreover, if at the bottom of the scale, where the most common
tions are, everything is more or less straightforward, at the professionallevel, the
range is very wide. In some families, members do not always know exactly how
the head of the household makes. husband and wife have separate
ank accounts and file separate tax retums while sharingjoint expenses.
some extent, income dfs person's position in society. Someone
who was raised here has rather clear idea ofhis or her place this socialladder, just as we did in our country of origin. After aivig in the US, many 10se
this reference point, and 10t of time is needed to understand how this new
social structure works, but must do this in order to know what are
worth and what need to do to increase your own income.
One difficulty is that in the US many professions are valued differently than
theyare in other countries. For example, being retail salesperson in many countries without market economy provides access to goods and therefore, relatively
high standard of living, whereas in the US, it is one of the most common and
poorly paid occupations, where l0 tumover can reach 30-50% year. In the
same way, being driver or owning car in country where only 10010 of the
ulation have driver's licenses is valued differently than here, where almost everyone over the age of 16 or 18 can drive and has car.
Despite the fact that it is very difficult to find out how your
coworker eams, it is quite possible to learn the average income for any
tion, how many positions in the given field exist in region, state, or the coun-

383

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Income

384

try as whole, and many other figures, as well as how these data vary from
year to year. Statistics in the US is at level unthinkabIe in many others countries. this information not only exists, but it is basically accessibIe to anyone who knows about its existence or who tries to look for it. You can find
statistical data in locallibrary or k advantage ofthe fact that most information that is collected and processed the government is il the Internet.

8.1.

scale and social structure

In many cases, societies are thought of as composed of three social

classes: the poor, the middle class, and the . Stability of society largely
depends how big the middle class is relative to the whole population. he
concept "middle class" has exact definition in the US. he middle class
covers most of the population and in turn is often divided into three levels:
lower middle class, middle class, and upper middle class.
In the 1970s, there was very simple rule for determining whether person belonged to the upper middle class: his or her annual income in thousands
of doHars had to equal or exceed the person's age. hus, thirty-year-old
would been considered upper middle class with the income of $30,000
year, and sixty-year-old-with that of$60,OOO. Because ofinflation, now this
amount has to multiplied 3 or 4.
Statistical reports usually divide the population into five groups, each
containing 20% of Americans. In this case, the lowest 20% are considered
poor, the top 20% are considered , and the middle 60% are middle class.
Sometimes the wealthiest 5% are analyzed separately from the top group.
8-1 page 386 shows incomes of the various segments of the
population over the last 31 years in ut dol1ars, i.e. the exact amount
earned, and 8-2 page 388 - in 2001 dollars adjusted for inflation.
As you see, real income growth is not as significant as it seems at
flfSt sight and is much more pronounced for high-income fami1ies.
Remember that in the US, whenever income is discussed, what is meant
is income before taxes (gross income), not after taxes (net income).

385

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Income

386
able8-1:

ean In for Dferent Groups ofFamiIies in Cwent DOIIarS

First

Second

hird

Fourth

Fifth

20%

20%

20%

20%

20%

5%

2001

$10,136

$25,468

$42,629

$66,839

$145,970

$260,464

2000

10,157

25,361

42,233

65,653

142,269

252,400

1999

9,940

24,436

40,879

63,555

135,401

235,392

1998

9,223

23,288

38,967

60,266

127,529

222,283

1997

8,872

22,098

37,177

57,582

122,764

215,436

1996

8,596

21,097

35,486

54,922

115,514

201,220

1995

8,350

20,397

34,106

52,429

109,411

188,828

1994

7,762

19,224

32,385

50,395

105,945

183,044

1993

7,412

18,656

31,272

48,599

101,253

173,784

1992

7,288

18,181

30,631

47,021

91,110

144,608

1991

7,263

18,149

30,147

45,957

88,130

137,532

1990

7,195

18,030

29,781

44,901

87,137

138,756

1989

7,021

17,401

28,925

43,753

85,529

138,185

1988

6,504

16,317

27,291

41,254

78,759

124,215

1987

6,167

15,584

26,055

39,383

74,897

118,000

1986

5,944

14,961

24,979

37,622

70,340

107,444

1985

5,797

14,330

23,735

35,694

65,841

98,946

1984

5,606

13,634

22,547

33,944

61,648

90,629

1983

5,239

12,796

21,105

31,667

57,303

83,943

1982

5,003

12,238

20,195

30,026

54,164

78,945

1981

4,836

11,589

19,141

28,512

49,942

71,095

1980

4,483

10,819

17,807

26,219

46,053

66,617

1979

4,114

10,021

16,495

24,193

42,990

64,197

1978

3,807

9,112

15,010

21,980

38,791

57,625

1977

3,513

8,291

13,671

20,018

35,091

51,792

1976

3,278

7,780

12,762

18,521

32,320

47,805

1975

3,034

7,204

11,787

17,117

29,809

43,940

1974

2,911

6,973

11,206

16,181

28,259

41,669

1973

2,568

6,366

10,402

14,954

26,521

40,417

1972

2,316

5,898

9,625

13,817

24,806

38,447

1971

2,126

5,529

8,965

12,745

22,583

34,637

Source: U.S. Census

.8-1:

387
Jl

II

20%

20%

20%

20%

20%

5%

2001

$10,136

$25,468

$42,629

$66,839

$145,970

$260,464

2000

10,157

25,361

42,233

65,653

142,269

252,400

1999

9,940

24,436

40,879

63,555

135,401

235,392

1998

9,223

23,288

38,967

60,266

127,529

222,283

1997

8,872

22,098

37,177

57,582

122,764

215,436

1996

8,596

21,097

35,486

54,922

115,514

201,220

1995

8,350

20,397

34,106

52,429

109,411

188,828

1994

7,762

19,224

32,385

50,395

105,945

183,044

1993

7,412

18,656

31,272

48,599

101,253

173,784

1992

7,288

18,181

30,631

47,021

91,110

144,608

1991

7,263

18,149

30,147

45,957

88,130

137,532

1990

7,195

18,030

29,781

44,901

87,137

138,756

1989

7,021

17,401

28,925

43,753

85,529

138,185

1988

6,504

16,317

27,291

41,254

78,759

124,215

1987

6,167

15,584

26,055

39,383

74,897

118,000

1986

5,944

14,961

24,979

37,622

70,340

107,444

1985

5,797

14,330

23,735

35,694

65,841

98,946

1984

5,606

13,634

22,547

33,944

61,648

90,629

1983

5,239

12,796

21,105

31,667

57,303

83,943

1982

5,003

12,238

20,195

30,026

54,164

78,945

1981

4,836

11,589

19,141

28,512

49,942

71,095

1980

4,483

10,819

17,807

26,219

46,053

66,617

1979

4,114

10,021

16,495

24,193

42,990

64,197

1978

3,807

9,112

15,010

21,980

38,791

57,625

1977

3,513

8,291

13,671

20,018

35,091

51,792

1976

3,278

7,780

12,762

18,521

32,320

47,805

1975

3,034

7,204

11,787

17,117

29,809

43,940

1974

2,911

6,973

11,206

16,181

28,259

41,669

1973

2,568

6,366

10,402

14,954

26,521

40,417

1972

2,316

5,898

9,625

13,817

24,806

38,447

1971

2,126

5,529

8,965

12,745

22,583

34,637

II:

U.S. Census Bureau

388

Income
8-2:

Income for Different Groups of Families in 2001

CPI-U-RS adjusted dollars
First
20%

Second
20%

hird

Fourth
20%

Fiftb
20%

20%

2001

$10,136

$25,468

$42,629

$66,839

$145,970

$260,464

2000

10,440

26,069

43,412

67,485

146,240

259,445

1999

10,558

25,956

43,422

67,509

143,825

250,037

1998

10,003

25,257

42,262

65,362

138,313

241,079

1997

9,758

24,304

40,888

63,330

135,019

236,943

1996

9,656

23,699

39,862

61,695

129,758

226,033

1995

9,631

23,527

39,340

60,475

126,202

217,807

1994

9,171

22,713

38,262

59,541

125,172

216,264

1993

8,942

22,506

37,725

58,628

122,148

209,647

1992

9,011

22,480

37,874

58,139

112,653

178,801

1991

9,206

23,003

38,210

58,248

111,701

174,315

1990

9,449

23,679

39,111

58,968

114,437

182,228

1989

9,679

23,989

39,876

60,318

117,911

190,503

1988

9,352

23,461

39,239

59,316

113,241

178,598

1987

9,190

23,223

38,826

58,687

111,610

175,840

1986

9,159

23,054

38,491

57,973

108,390

165,565

1985

9,096

22,485

37,242

56,007

103,310

155,254

1984

9,089

22,106

36,557

55,036

99,955

146,944

1983

8,833

21,575

35,584

53,393

96,617

141,534

1982

8,786

21,492

35,465

52,730

95,119

138,638

1981

8,995

21,556

35,603

53,033

92,894

132,239

1980

9,122

22,014

36,232

53,349

93,705

135,547

1979

9,295

22,642

37,269

54,662

97,133

145,048

1978

9,410

22,522

37,100

54,328

95,880

142,433

1977

9,057

21,374

35,244

51,606

90,465

133,520

1976

8,990

21,337

35,000

50,795

88,639

131,108

1975

8,798

20,891

34,181

49,637

86,443

127,421

1974

9,141

21,896

35,188

50,810

88,735

130,844

1973

8,863

21,970

35,899

51,608

91,528

139,485

1972

8,493

21,629

35,296

50,669

90,967

140,991

1971

8,036

20,900

33,888

48,177

85,365

130,930

Source: U.S. Census rea

5%

389

.8-2:

OJJJl

1998

Ihe

20%

20%

20%

20010

20%

5%

2001

$10,136

$25,468

$42,629

$66,839

$145,970

$260,464

2000

10,440

26,069

43,412

67,485

146,240

259,445

1999

10,558

25,956

43,422

67,509

143,825

250,037

1998

10,003

25,257

42,262

65,362

138,313

241,079

1997

9,758

24,304

40,888

63,330

135,019

236,943

1996

9,656

23,699

39,862

61,695

129,758

226,033

1995

9,631

23,527

39,340

60,475

126,202

217,807

1994

9,171

22,713

38,262

59,541

125,172

216,264

1993

8,942

22,506

37,725

58,628

122,148

209,647

1992

9,011

22,480

37,874

58,139

112,653

178,801

1991

9,206

23,003

38,210

58,248

111,701

174,315

1990

9,449

23,679

39,111

58,968

114,437

182,228

1989

9,679

23,989

39,876

60,318

117,911

190,503

1988

9,352

23,461

39,239

59,316

113,241

178,598

1987

9,190

23,223

38,826

58,687

111,610

175,840

1986

9,159

23,054

38,491

57,973

108,390

165,565

1985

9,096

22,485

37,242

56,007

103,310

155,254

1984

9,089

22,106

36,557

55,036

99,955

146,944

1983

8,833

21,575

35,584

53,393

96,617

141,534

1982

8,786

21,492

35,465

52,730

95,119

138,638

1981

8,995

21,556

35,603

53,033

92,894

132,239

1980

9,122

22,014

36,232

53,349

93,705

135,547

1979

9,295

22,642

37,269

54,662

97,133

145,048

1978

9,410

22,522

37,100

54,328

95,880

142,433

1977

9,057

21,374

35,244

51,606

90,465

133,520

1976

8,990

21,337

35,000

50,795

88,639

131,108

1975

8,798

20,891

34,181

49,637

86,443

127,421

1974

9,141

21.8%

35.188

50,810

88,735

130,844

1973

8,863

21.970 ! 35.899

51,608

91,528

139,485

1972

8.493

21.629

35.196

50.669

90.967

140,991

1971

8.036

I 20.900

33,888

48.177

85.365

130.930

ctOIUIL

t: S

eosus area

Income

390

8.2. Income geography

Average incomes vary substantial1y depending the economic situation
in the region. Heavily industrial states have much higher incomes than agriculturl states. However, we must tk into account the cost of 1iving, which is
much higher in metropolitan areas. Table 8-3 shows average incomes for
family of 4 in di:fferent states.

8-3:

Median Income for

Famlly of 4 State in 2001

tana

44,737

Alabama

$51,156

27

Alaska

59,726

28 Nebraska

56,692

Arizona

49,397

29 Nevada

53,054

Arkansas

44,471

30 New Hampshire

61,014

California

55,209

31 New Jersey

70,983

Colorado

63,428

32 NewMexico

43,829

Connecticut

75,534

33 NewYork

57,142

Delaware

65,157

34 North Carolina

54,331

District of Columbia

60,674

35 North Dakota

51,002

10

Florida

52,581

36 Ohio

60,169

11

Georgia

55,989

37 Oklahoma

47,436

12

Hawaii

61,838

38 Oregon

55,892

13

ldaho

49,174

39 Pennsylvania

58,507

14

IIlinois

61,672

40 Rhode Island

62,339

15

Indiana

55,284

41 South Carolina

52,111

16

Iowa

53,230

42 South Dakota

49,702

17

ansas

55,341

43 Tennessee

50,310

18

Kentucky

49,108

44 Texas

51,148

19

Louisiana

49,037

45 Utah

54,946

20

Maine

51,059

46 Vennont

53,691

21

Maryland

71,404

47 Vll'ginia

60,860

22

Massachusetts

68,958

48 Washington

61,059

23

Michigan

59,019

49 West Virginia

43,239

24

Minnesota

67,140

50 Wisconsin

57,890

25

Mississippi

43,907

51 Wyoming

50,989

26

Missouri

54,190

Source: U.S. Department ofHealth and uan Services

391

8.2.

Cpeu ecre ,
I<D ra . I
m

raJ. paI3 ear l, re

lI . .

8-3 :

4- umax.

.8-3:

4-

2001

Alabama

$51,156

27

Montana

44,737

Alaska

59,726

28

Nebraska

56,692

Arizona

49,397

29

Nevada

53,054

Arkansas

44,471

30

New Hampshire

61,014

California

55,209

31

New Jersey

70,983

Colorado

63,428

32

NewMexico

43,829

Connecticut

75,534

33

NewYork

57,142

Delaware

65,157

34

North Carolina

54,331

District of Columbia

60,674

35

North Dakota

51,002

10

Florida

52,581

36

60,169

11

Georgia

55,989

37

Oklahoma

47,436

12

Hawaii

61,838

38

Oregon

55,892

13

Idaho

49,174

39

Pennsylvania

58,507

14

lllinois

61,672

40

Rhode Island

62,339

15

Indiana

55,284

41

South Carolina

52,111

16

Iowa

53,230

42

South Dakota

49,702

17

Kansas

55,341

43

Tennessee

50,310

18

Kentucky

49,108

44

51,148

19

Louisiana

49,037

45

Utah

54,946

20

Maine

51.059

46

Vennont

53,691

21

Maryland

71.404

47

Virginia

60,860

22

Massachusetts

68.958

48

Washington

61,059

23

ichigan

59.019

49

\\"est Virginia

43,239

2~

~innesota

6-.140

50

\\"isconsin

57.890

25

"

4390-

51

\\""
.OmJDg

50.989

_J

392

Income

8.3. Poverty level

Despite the fact that the US are the richest country in the world and
spend lot of money aid to other countries, there is significant segment of
the population (about 12%) whose standard ofliving is below the estabIished
minimum due to low income.
This minimum, referred to as poverty level, is established based the cost
ofhousing, goods, and services ( consumer basket) that are necessary to support
family and varies depending the number of family members and their age.

Table 8-4:

Poverty Thresholds in 2001

Sizc fail unit

Related children under 18 years

>1=8

Oneperson
Under 65 years
Over 65

9,214
8,494

Twopeople
Householder under 65 years

11,859 12,207

Householder 65 years and over

10,705

12,161

13,853

14,255 14,269

hree

people

Fourpeople

18,267 18,566 17,960 18,022

Fivepeople

22,029 22,349 21,665 21,135 20,812

Sixpeople

25,337 25,438 24,914 24,411

23,664 23,221
27,456 26,505 25,462

Seven l

29,154 29,336 28,708 28,271

Eight l

32,606 32,894 32,302 31,783 31,047 30,112 29,140 28,893

Nine l or more

39,223 39,413 38,889 38,449 37,726 36,732 35,833 35,610 34,238

Source: U.S. Census Bureau (Proctor, Dalaker)

he official poverty level does not vary from region to region but is
adjusted for inflation every year. he ratio of the family's income to this standard determines eligibility for various state and federal aid programs, such as
food stamps, Medicaid, subsidized housing, etc.
he distribution of those living below POVerty level throughout the US is
not uniform. here are more or less prosperous cities, counties, and states.

Below are the state averages for 1999-2001.

393

8.3.

.
.

12%).

ro

Poverty Level

).

. ( )
. .

.8-4:

2001

18
5

>/=8

65.

9,214

65.

8,494

65 .

11,859

12,207

65 .

10,705

12,161

13,853

14,255

18,267

18,566 17,960

14,269
18,022

22,029 22,349 21,665 21,135 20,812

25,337 25,438 24,914 24,411

23,664 23,221

29,154 29,336 28,708 28,271

27,456 26,505 25,462

32,606 32,894 32,302 31,783

31,047 30,112 29,140 28,893

39,223

39,413 38,889 38,449 37,726 36,732 35,833

35,610 34,238

U.S. Census Bureau (Proctor. Dalaker)

ocm

. .
cro
, . . ..

. &. .
.

,
.

1999-2001

394

Income

'I8ble8-5:

Percent ofPeopIe eIOW Poverty Line state: Average 1997-1998

State

State

USA

11.6

27

Missouri

10.2

Alabama

14.8

28

Montana

14.4

7.9

29

Nebra.ska

9.7

Arizona

12.9

30

Nevada

9.0

Arkansas

16.3

31

New Hampshire

6.2

Califomia

13.1

32

New Jersey

7.7

l0rd

9.0

33

New Mexico

18.8

Connecticut

7.4

34

NewYork

14.1

Delaware

8.5

35

North Carolina

12.9

10

District of 1n

16.1

36

North Dakota

12.4

11

Florida

12.0

37

Ohio

10.8

12

Georgia

12.6

38

Oklahoma

14.3

13

Hawaii

10.4

39

Oregon

11.8

14

Idaho

12.7

40

Pennsylvania

9.2

15

Illinois

10.2

41

Rhode Island

10.0

16

Indiana

7.9

42

South Carolina

12.7

17

Iowa

7.7

43

South Dakota

9.0

18

Kansas

10.1

44

Tennessee

13.2

19

Kentucky

12.4

45

Texas

15.2

20

Louisiana

17.5

46

Utah

8.0

21

Maine

10.3

47

Vermont

9.8

22

Mary1and

7.3

48

Virginia

8.0

23

Massachusetts

10.2

49

Washington

10.4

24

Michigan

9.7

50

West Virginia

15.6

25

innesota

6.8

51

Wisconsin

8.6

26

Mississippi

16.8

52

Wyoming

10.3

SOURCE: U.S. Census Bureau (Proctor, Dalaker, 2002)

Age and ethni composition of this segment of the popu1ation is a1so not
homogeneous. First-generation Unmigrants t for part of it In 1998, of the 34.5
mi11ion of the American. poor, 4.7 million were l who had been bom outside the
US. We must note that what is considered poverty ll in the US may above the
average standard of living in man coun1ries where immigrants fto. Therefore, many of them are quite satisfied with their income, at least for short time after
their arrival, and some forever, because plenty of govemment aid is available.

395

.8-5:

, I

USA

11.6

27

issouri

10.2

Alabama

14.8

28

tan

14.4

Alaska

7.9

29

Nebraska

9.7

Arizona

12.9

30

Nevada

9.0

Arkansas

16.3

31

New Hampshire

6.2

Califomia

13.1

32

New Jersey

7.7

Colorado

9.0

33

NewMexico

18.8

Connecticut

7.4

34

NewYork

14.1

Delaware

8.5

35

North Carolina

12.9

10

District of l

16.1

36

North Dakota

12.4

11

Florida

12.0

37

Ohio

10.8

12

Georgia

12.6

38

Ok1ahoma

14.3

13

Hawaii

10.4

39

Oregon

11.8

14

ldaho

12.7

40

Pennsylvania

9.2

15

Illinois

10.2

41

Rhode Island

10.0

16

Indiana

7.9

42

Soutb Carolina

12.7

17

Iowa

7.7

43

Soutb Dakota

9.0

18

ansas

10.1

44

Tennessee

13.2

19

Kentucky

12.4

45

Texas

15.2

20

Louisiana

17.5

46

Utah

8.0

21

Maine

10.3

47

Vermont

9.8

22

Maryland

7.3

48

Virginia

8.0

23

Massachusetts

10.2

49

Washington

10.4

24

Michigan

9.7

50

West Virginia

15.6

125

Minnesota

6.8

51

Wisconsin

8.6

26

Mississippi

16.8

52

Wyoming

10.3

U.S. Census Bure3U (Proctor, Dalaker, 2002)

TaIOI(e

ll

eJl. . &.1D lin:re.

34.5

lIlIII e;.n

4."7

1998

.uoa .;..:.

. 0'DIC11I0.. 'IIO ~~ . a.iia

CllL-\..

Je. 'IC:II

~'J"O IIJI 80 ...- ,

q<

DI!6wa rpaIW.. 1ItUi,*, _ _ 8' I

-

1lJ8' ~-:JoILle'Iope 3OI

Ineome

396

8.4. Socio economic status

his

seetion wi11 of the greatest interest to those who want to aehieve

sueeess in the US or at the very least regain the soeial status they had in their
native eountry. What faetors influenee one's ineome, and what is the most
important? Whieh oeeupations are better paid, and what industries are the most
promising? You need to know this if you are serious about your desire to
sueeeed.
First of , you need to understand that the US are global leader
beeause of eonstant eompetition in both the eeonomie and the politieal spheres.
his, as foundation of well-developed market economy, allows the most
ereative and enterprising l to introduee their ideas large seale. Every
year, eountless new businesses are created and almost as many go bankrupt.
Only the most effeetive ones survive.
For this reason, the most important quality for aehieving sueeess is not
knowledge itself, but the ability to aequire new knowledge and adapt to new
eonditions. Many immigrants do this very well.
Another major factor is education, and although there is not always
direet relationship between edueation and ineome, the highest-paid professions
require 10t of training before entering the field and eonstant honing of one's
professional skills. In many fields, one must eonstantly leaming even to
simply keep up with new developments in the industry.
he choiee of an oeeupation is very important. With technologieal
progress, and also beeause of globalization of the eeonomy and increase in
labor produetivity, the number of jobs in traditional industries and agrieulture
is deereasing, and the number of those in the serviee industry is inereasing
throughout the US. An additional faetor in this process is the increase of life
expeetaney as well as the aging popu1ation, which is causing sharp increase
in the number of jobs in health eare and residential eare.
Americans' ineomes vary widely. end of the spectrum, there are
teenagers who work after school and weekends and are paid the minimum
wage of $5.15 per hour, and the other - movie stars making 15-20 mi11ion
dollars film, exeeutive direetors of large firms who arn hundreds of millions
year in bonuses and stock options, or star athletes, who in addition to their
multi-million-dol1ar contracts, arn even more through advertising certain
products. But these are the extremes that do not apply to many people, and the
overwhelming majority, as we seen in the previous seetions of this
ter, arn in the range of 12-140 thousand dollars year.
In the appendix ofthis book, there is table that lists different oceupations
and the number of people employed, their average and median hourly , and

8.4.

397

caJUl ,

f ,
. ,
? ,
f ? Bc~ ,
.

, ,
,

mc

. .
, cro rc:

, , operar ocaarc
. cparc.

,
JDfe
. III'
mx .

. xmc
,

.
.
,

15-20

$5.15

.
, , ,
,

12-140

ma

2001

, ,

398

Income

their annual in based 2080 working s per year as of2001. No translation is given for the t because the names of an occupations do not translate directly, and also to give some additional language practice for readers. The
occupations 1 the t are grouped field, which aI10ws to siI find the
necessary information even without much knowledge ofthe language.

8.5. Sources of income

Americans work 10t. While in France the legislation lirniting the workweek to 35 hours takes effect, the average American works about 45 hours per
week, often at two or more jobs. And although the in source of income for
the majority of Americans is wages or salary, there are other sources that are
supplemental for most l but provide most of the in for smaH segment of the population.
First of , we must mention the in generated various small
businesses. In America, the formalities necessary to register and run business
are minimal. In cases, when there are hired employees, registration is
not required at . It 1s enough to include the additional income in one's tax
retum and to taxes it quarterly.
an l, besides having day job, do something else in their
time, which cannot fully support them but provides much needed extra income.
his m m appliance repair or construction work, selling cosmetics or
weight 10ss products, doing other l 's tax retums or designing personal
web pages, cleaning homes or delivering newspapers, and many other things.
Income properties is fairly common. Owners of so-called "duplexes" or
two-family homes rent out the second half, helping to the mortgage
that was taken out to buy the house. With three- or four-apartment buiIding, it
is possible to cover one's housing expenses completely or even have 1ittle
extra income. If the number of apartments is more than four, the building is
cons1dered commercial, and 10an terms change.
l who have savings am interest putting their money in ank
or investing it in stocks, bonds, and other securities.

8.6. Saving and investing

According to the authors of the book he illionaire Next Door, mentioned earlier, the expected net worth of working-age person should equal his
or her age multiplied his or her annual income before taxes and divided
~n (Stll, l2ankoL 1998LPP. 13-14). hus, forty-year-old eaming $30,000

399

2080 .
, ,
, ar

. ,

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Millionaire Next Door

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400

Income

per year should have $120,000 in various assets. his is possible to achieve
only saving 10-15% of one's income throughout one's entire life.
Certainly, immigrants are at disadvantage because they often have to
start at zero when they are longer young. Nevertheless, those who have 2030 years before retirement (in the US, retirement age is 65-67 years for both
men and women) must plan for their future, and the earlier, the better. 1 realize
that to many l who have just aivd in the country, this not seem
important. In the beginning, there are many other, more pressing needs, but
after you have settled in little, you must devote some attention to this issue.
At least, such critical decisions as purchasing , for example, should not
made without clear understanding of your financial situation for some
years to and even up to retirement age if it is not far off.
It has noted that the country's economy goes through cycles of
booms and recessions that last about ten years . During recessions, many
companies have to reduce the number of employees even if they remain in
business. hus, the unemployment rate rises, and as consequence, it takes
more time to find new job. It is recommended that household have four
months' worth of living expenses in the nk in case of unforeseen circumstances.
here are many fanil vehicles besides ank savings account that
allow people to increase their savings at much faster rates with an acceptable
degree of risk, for example, insurance policies, mutual funds, stocks and
bonds, retirement plans and retirement accounts, and so . As we already
know from the chapter credit cards, the higher the risk, the higher the possi retum . There is wealth of literature that examines in detail
aspects of financial planning at ll stages of life. Besides, there is whole
industry of financial consulting fmns with an ar of employees called financial advisors.
Nobody can transform you into successful investors but you; the purpose
of this book is just to draw your attention to these aspects of life. In the chapter
"Social security, welfare, and retirement programs," we wi1l consider some
issues related to retirement accounts in order to present you with clearer picture of what they are, which will, in tum, allow you to take maximum advantage of the years of your employment, without 10sing precious time, which in
this case is rea11y "money."

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Employment

368

them saying Good orning or Good a.fternoon, depending the time of

day. Sometimes people simply say Moming or A.fternoon. At subsequent
meetings that day, people usually smile and say Hi! or Hi, how are u? or
How are doing? complete strangers greet other this way if
they happen to make contact.
When meeting other for the first time, both and women shake
hands. Also, l sees infrequently in business setting are greeted with
handshake as wel1. Handshakes among people who work with other
daily basis are not customary.

7.10.3.

policies

In most cases, regular workday lasts eight hours with lunch break for
either thirty minutes or hour. Manufacturing personnel who are paid hourly
usual1y 30-minute lunch break. Salaried employees, in most cases,
hour-long lunch. Besides, there usuaHy are two 15-minute breaks, in
half of the shift, during which employees relax, make phone ,
snack, smoke, or just talk. More and more American companies forbid
smoking inside the buildings and also at any time except breaks.
If during lunch break, employee is to leave the company's premises, during short break or she should remain there. If the nature of your
work does not aHow to l your workstation, another employee covers
for while are break. If are paid hourly, it is better not to work
during such breaks, even ifyou are not tired. will not look good in the eyes
of your colleagues. Salaried employees are less limited such considerations
and often decide for themselves when they take break.
decide what to do and what and where to eat during lunch break.
people who are paid hourly bring meals because their break
is rather short. he employer usually provides room with tables and chairs,
microwaves for reheating food, refrigerator, disposable plates, cups, and
utensils, and fresh newspapers. Often such rooms vending machines that
sell soft drinks, coffee, small bags of potato chips, different kinds of candy
bars, and even sandwiches. Of course, food from vending machines costs
more than the same food in the supermarket. Larger companies have cafeterias. Some l, after they reheat their food, go to their cars to eat. It is
bad idea to always avoid your coworkers during lunch because it is real1y the
almost time when an real1y get to know your colleagues.
Salaried employees, who have longer lunch breaks and higher incomes,
eat lunch at nearby restaurants or order it to delivered to work. Some
go to the nearest supermarket and choose from many kinds of salads that are

402

Expenses

9. Expenses

The topic of this chapter is even more important than that of the previous
one. The allocation of living expenses in the US is most likely very difIerent
from what most immigrants were used to in their countries of origin. percentage of in spent housing, food, transportation, health care, and so
forth several times more or less than what you are used to. Besides,
many expenses will completely new to you.
The abundance of goods in America amazes even those who from
European countries, let alone immigrants who from the most troubled
areas of the world. You will find everything you have ever dreamed of, and
also many things you did not even know existed or, things you managed to live
without these years. The American way of life assumes higher level of
consumption compared to most other countries. Americans have larger homes
and more furniture, more clothes and footwear, appliances and automobiles,
computers and telephones, channels and sporting goods, food and personal
care items than people in other countries and replace that more frequently.
American economy works that way: the more people consume, the more it is
necessary to produce and, accordingly, the more jobs are available. his is
what allows newcomers to quickly achieve an acceptable standard of living,
having started practically at zero.
In the US, earning money is relatively difficult; however, most people
wi1l have problems spending it. Moreover, it is possible to spend ll the
money you have matter how much you arn, or even money that has not
been earned yet. We mentioned this in the chapter credit cards. Inability to
budget often has sad consequences. Every year, more than one mil1ion people
in the US file for bankruptcy, and many of them have more than decent
income. 1 know at least two families with an in of about $60,000 year
who found themselves in this situation. At the same time, it is not unusual to

403

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404

Expenses

see families of recently aivd immigrants with an income of $25,000 $30,000 year who own their homes, drive decent cars, and even manage to
send their children to private schools. Frequently, what makes difference is
not how much money the person earns, but how or she spends it.

9.1. AIlocation of expenses

typical allocation of expenses in an American family is shown in the

table below. 1 must note that this table is based national averages. Lowin families, as rule, spend more of their money housing and food and
less taxes and health care than families with higher incomes.

9-1:

Itemized Family Expenses

Taxes

22.0%

Hea1thcare

14.3%

Food

12.4%

Shelter

17.4%

Transport

9.5%

Entertainment

6.9%

Clothing

5.3%

Miscellaneous

3.7%

Utilities

2.7%

Religion and charity

2.4%

Education

1.9%

Telephone

1.6%
100.0%

9.2. Fixed expenses

Some expenses stay approximately the same from month to month and
must paid matter what. hey are called fixed expenses. hey include the
minimum set of needs that must met.
heyare:

Rent if you rent an apartment or mortgage payment if you own

house. he payment is due the fst day of month. Late
ments can incur additional charges, and non-payment will resu1t in
eviction.

30.000.

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14.3%
12.4%
17.4%
9.5%
6.9%
5.3 %
3.7%
2.7%
2.4%
1.9%
1.6%
100.0%

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Expenses

406

Utilities such as electricity, gas, heat (if it is not included in the rent),
and phone. Non-payment for utilities will result in disconnection.
restore service, you wi11 need to not only everything you owe,
but also an additional connection fee.
Food expenses an vary, but the absolute miniu should
included in fixed expenses.
Transportation expenses an include public transportation fare if you
live in large city, expenses for gasoline and automobile maintenance if you 1ive where there is public transportation, or both if
you work: in lrg city and live in suburb.
Automobile, health, property, and life insurance. You cannot drive
r without insurance, and not having vehicle result in job
10ss.
No matter what your income is, it should first used to cover the
expenses listed above, and only whatever is left an used for other purposes.
For this reason, you need to special attention to item in this group
because wi11 need to it monthly, matter what.

9.3. VariabIe expenses

As we already mentioned, 11 other expenses are variable; that is, you
choose when and how much to spend for these ss. hese expenses r:
clothing;
furniture and household items;
education;
dental procedures;
leisure and entertainment;

svgs.

In the US, there r countless goods and services to choose from, and
their prices vary so widely that with some knowledge, skill, and patience, you
an save 10t of money without compromising the quantity or quality. We will
discuss this in more detail in the chapter purchases.

407
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408

Expenses
he

key rule for variabIe expenses is to buy only wbat is necessary and
on1y wben the price is rigbt. Ifyou buy something because you need it immediately, you almost always more compared witb purcbase tbat is planned in
advance, wben you can choose better ti and less. Never make any rush
purcbases, especia11y sbortly after arriva1. needs, as well as attitude toward many tbings can cbange substantially during tbe process of adapting to new culture. Never think tbat you bave missed something. In tbe US, it
is easy to buy anything, but it is very difficu1t to seH at profit. Every year,
countless stores, from tiny sbops with one salespersonlowner to department
store chains witb stores 11 over tbe country, go out of business because they
are un1e to compete, but new ones to replace them. Wb.at is bad for
retail is good for you. Stores and go, but goods and services are always
easily accessible and plentiful.

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Taxes

410

10. Taxes

Everyone must taxes. evasion is serious crime that lead to

imprisonment, and paying less than owes is punished substantial fines.
For those who apply for American citizenship, tax law violations prove to
permanent obstacle the way to their goal.
he US tax system is very l and has an branches. It covers 11
aspects of life for both people and companies, from regular citizens d smal1
businesses with 1 or 2 employees to intemational corporations. It has grown
from fourteen pages of1egislation in 1914 to 2,000 pages of legislation plus
6,000 pages of regulations d hundreds of thusds pages that interpret these
laws.
he Internal Revenue Service or IRS - powerful organization with
m rights that has numerous branches throughout the country -- is responsi for tax collection. We will review l the basic types of taxes that 11
working US residents deal with.

10.1. Federal income tax

Everyone who lives d receives inm in the US pays federal in
tx. his tax covers operational expenses of the federa1 govemment and
nation-wide programs such as defense, foreign aid, space flights, etc.
For everyone with regular in, federal tax is usually withheld
percentage basis for period. Federal income tax has progressive
sca1e; in other words, the higher your income, the more tax . At the
same time, the more dependents have, the less tax you .
_ T~ deductions are calculated based the form W-4, which is usual1y

411

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412

Taxes

completed every time one starts new job or at beginning of year, and in
which the number of an employee's dependents is indicated. can change
the size of tax deduction before the end of the year if there have been
changes in the size ofyour family.
deductions are calculated so that if your income is the only income
in family, at the end of the year tax balance wil1 close to zero,
meaning that do not owe anything to the state, and it doesn't owe anything, or the debt is minimal.
The finl federal tax balance is calculated in the U.S. Individua1 Retum.

10.1.1. u.S. Individual Return

Everyone who has had taxable inm during the past year needs to submit the tax return annua11y. This is done regardless of the fact that the tax has
been withheld from every paycheck. As was already mentioned above, the
amount withheld is calculated based application and is approximate,
based the assumption that this source of in is the only one have.
he tax return calculates the fl balance, taking into account all sources of
inm as we11 as possible taxable inm exemptions.
The tax retum for the past year is filed during the period ftom the end of January 1til l 15. It cannot filed earlier simply because the documents necessary for filling it out are sent out companies and financial institutions starting
approximately during the second week of January. And of se, it should not
filed any later because this automatically results in penalty. The IRS determines
each retum's filing date the postmark on the envelope, which is why April15
those who have waited 1til the last minute fonn long lines at the post office.
We already mentioned that the US tax legislation is extremely complicated; however, changing it is favorite pastime of Am.erican legislators,
which makes it even more complex. huge volume with interpretations of the
laws and instructions for filing the tax return is published annually. The IRS
instruction manual for filing the 1999 tax return contained 275 pages.
It is not surprising, then, that about half of 11 taxpayers use professional
assistance in filing their tax returns. he of services varies widely from
$50 to $500 and blgher, depending the complexity of the job and qualifications of the preparer. One of the largest fmns specializing in filing of tax
returns and tax consulting is H&R Block.
There are volunteers who help low-income people, i.e. those who cannot
afford such services, free of charge. The author of ts book filed bls flfSt-vr
tax return this way, after seeing an announcement at 10cal public library.
can find out about Volunteer Income Assistance calling local IRS

413

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414

Taxes

If your situation does not change significantly the following r, you

can do it your own with some efJort, using this return as an example.
There is computer software that guides you through the process asking you questions and does ll the calculations automatically. For $40-60, you
software that does your federal and state taxes, including electronic filing (not to confused with -). he catch is that you have to buy new
software package every r. As your income increases and your financia1 situation becomes more complex, this is worth it because it costs less than professional help.

10.1.2. Who needs tojile tax return?

If you r US citizen or live in the US, whether you r required to file
tax return depends three factors: your income, family status, and age.
In 2002, there were the following criteria: You r required to file ifyour
in was equa1 to or greater than the limit specified in 10-1.
For maied couples with cblldren, filing jointly is often the most favorable.
For couples without children, filing separately can mean paying less taxes. Everything depends the family's particular circum:stances. Computer software usually
ca1culates a1l the possibilities and suggests wblch one is the best. You can do this
manua1ly too, but it takes more time and it is easier to ak mistakes.

10-1:

1999 Flling Requirements for Most Taxpayers

Filing Status

under65

Onespouse
650rolder

650rolder

Single

$7,700

aied, joint retum

$13,850

$14,750

$15,650

$3,000

$3,000

$3,000

aied,

separate retum

$8,850

Head ofhousehold

$9,900

$11,050

Widow(er) with dependent child

$10,850

$11,750

Source: Intemal Revenue Service.

The in limit wblch makes filing the return necessary varies from
to r. Although it is possible that you r not required to file if you do
not faH under the sDecified criteria. it is better if vou do if:
r

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416

Taxes

had tax withheld from paychecks.

satisfy the criteria for eamed income credit.

satisfy the criteria for additional child tax credit.

In the flfSt case, will receive refund of the withheld federal tx, and
in the second and third - even additional amount of money.

10.1.3. Where do 1 getforms and instructions, and which ones?

Depending family status and the complexity of your financial
situation, wi1l need to ll out of the three possible forms: 1040EZ,
1040, or 1040. Forms and instructions can found in speciall bins at any
post office.
he form 1040EZ contains only one page and is the simplest to ll out
(EZ is pronounced like the word ). single taxpayer or married couple
filing jointly can file this form if:

hey

are under 65 years of age.

hey have dependents.

Total income is less than $50,000.

income is only from wages or salary, tips, or unemployment

efits.

hey

have not received advance payments for eamed tax credit

hey

are not applying for other kinds of tax credit.

If even of these conditions is not met, must fil anotber form.

form 1040 is tbe next easiest and also has restrictions:
Total income is less tban $50,000.
Only standard deductions are used (see below).

here

are sources of income that cannot reflected in this form.

In l1 other cases the form 1040 is used.

10.1.4. What docuents will 1 need?

Before filling out the forms yourself or going to
must have ready:

tax consultant,

417

(earned income credit)

(additional child tax credit)

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418

Taxes

W-2 fonns or their equivalents received from the places where

have worked over the past year.

1099 {nns that are mailed banks and other fanil institutions and reflect income from interest investments.

1098 fonns that are mailed banks and other fanil institutions and reflect your expenses for interest payment loans such as
mortgages or education loans.

Documents or records confinning other sources of income.

Your social security number or numbers.
Documents fl11ig expenses that can included in Itemized
deductions ifthese expenses are significant and more than
Standard deductions (see below).
Most ofthese documents in themail sometime in January. Documents
that reflect your expenses must collected in separate folder throughout the

year.

10.1.5. What;s income, and what is not?

taxable income includes everything that receive for work in
any fonn - money, food, housing, car, etc. In addition, it includes the following:

Alimony, but not child support.

Tips.
Conunission and bonuses.
Insurance paid for the employer.
Prizes and awards.
Canceled debts.
Lottery and casino winnings.

or property that found.

Unemployment benefits
State tax refunds.
Taxable income does not include:
Chi1d support
Welfare benefits.

419

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420

Taxes
Federal tax refunds.
Income from the sale ofyour ifyou or build another within
certain period of time.

his is only short sample of what is included and what is not included
in taxable income. It is possible to add "etc.~~ to both these lists~ but explaining
this "etc." would take several pages.

10.1.6. What are exemptions and deductions?

n mption

is portion of income per fami1y member that is not taxed.

Family, in this sense, is not simply group of people who live together. It is defined
as the taxpayer, his or her spouse, and their dependents who meet certain criteria.
Exemptions were first established in 1913 in the amount of $3,000, which was
10t of money in those times. original intention was to give family fixed
minimum in that was not taxable. Graduay, because ofthe counny's economic
situation, this amount was reduced in its relative and absolute value, especially during
the two world wars. 1986, this amount was $1,080, d 2002 it has gradua
increased to $3,000. provide families with even more non-taxable in, the
Congress established the so-called standard and itemized dedns.
standard deduction is fixed amount that is subtracted from total
income, thus 10wering its taxable amount. Standard deductions, like everything
else, depend ones family status and type of tax return form. In the 2002 tax
return, standard deductions were established as follows:
Single
$4,700
Married, filingjoint return
$7,850
Married, filing separate returns
$3,925
Head of household
$6,900
Widow(er) with dependent child
$7,850
Itemized deductions m certain expense categories that subtracted from one~s income if they exceed the minimum established law.
These categories include the following:
Medical and dental expenses.
Taxes.
Loan interest (usually only for mortgages).
Charitable contributions
Losses that are result of unforeseen circumstances.
Business and investment expenses.

421

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10.1.6.

"Deductions"?

Exemption -

"Exemptions"

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Exemptions

1913

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1986 . $1,080, 2002

$3,000. - , ~ I
standard and itemized deductions.
StIlndll,d deductions - , I
, .

Standard deductions. BC~ ,

. 2002 . Standard deductions i
:

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ltemized dedllctions

$4,700
$7,850
$3,925
$6,900
$7,850

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Taxes

422

Itemized deductions are used ifthey are larger than standard deductions.
Deductions cannot include expenses that were deducted from your
income before taxes or paid using so-called She/ter.
l of such expenses is medical insurance payments through
your employer. Let's assume that arn $500 week, and your annual salary is $26,000. $40 week for medical insurance, which comes to
$40 52 weeks = $2,080. These payments are subtracted from your paycheck
before tax: $500-$40 = $460, and your week1y taxabIe income is $460.
At the end of the year, will receive the W-2 form, which will show
your income as $23,920, which is equal to $460 52. his means that
already gotten tax relief your health insurance expenses, and cannot
include them in Iteized deductions. can include nl those medical
expenses that paid in addition to the insurance if their amount
exceeds 7.5% of your annua1 income.

10.1. 7.

l audits

In 2002, about 129.5 million individual tax returns were filed, and about
743 thousand ofthem had undergone an audit, more than 80% ofthose audited
end paying additional taxes (Internal Revenue Service).
Most tax retum processing operations are automated. computer evaluates
tax retum according to certain system and marks those that potential
probIems. controller looks through the marked tax retums and decides whether
or not to conduct an audit. he criteria the computer uses to choose its victims are
shrouded in more mystery than the recipe for -l. Nobody knows these
exact criteria, but there are things can do to reduce your chances of being
audited. Some ofthem are given in the article How to Avoid Audit:
Fill out your tax return forms neatly and clearly. Ifthe computer cannot read what is written, person interferes and decides whether or
not this carelessness is deliberate.
Include all sources of income. employers who send you W-2
forms or nks that send 1099 forms indicating any interest your
investments gain that is more than $10 send to the IRS. It is
very easy to compare these figures automatically. his applies to
almost possibIe situations, whether it the sale of your house or
income from stocks.
Include appropriate documentation if your -taxbI income
(deductions) exceeds 35% ofyour total income or ifyou had
large medical expenses.

423

Itemized deductions ,
, standard deductions.
Deductions ,

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$26,000. $40 emo ,

52 = $2,080. ar rac
: $500-$40 = $460, 460 .
W-2,
23,920, $460 52. ro ,
ocrar $40

, lte

ized deductions.

I ,

10.1.7.

7.5% .

2002

743

129.5

80%
(Intemal Revenue Service).

, ar . ,

, ,
-. , ,
.

" ":

ayparo.
, ,
Heayparoc.

. ,

W-2

1099 $10,
IRS. ar
. ,
.

(deductions)

35%

424

Taxes
If you own business, keep aeeurate reeords.
ll ecessy docnents (bank statements, eleared , copies of
! retns, etc.) minimum of 6 ers ftom the time you retum.
U se eomputer for filing (Callahan, 1998)

Most ftequently, the IRS audits people with the ineome of $100,000 and
higher, those who are self-employed, investors who show losses in their tax
returns, and a1so those who reeeive significant part of their ineome as tips or
own business with large number of cash transaetions (restaurants, hair salons,
ete.). he IRS is perfectly of estimating the amount of tips ean
receive +/-10%, and their absenee or very small amount tax return
cause an audit.
10-2 shows examined in 2002 returns break:down.

10-2:

Returns examined IRS

Income

Nonbusiness retums

Business retums

Under $25,000

0.66%

2.67%

$25,000-$50,000

0.23%

1.18%

$50,000-$100,000

0.28%

1.18%

$100,000 or more

0.75%

1.45%

Source: Internal Revenue Service

here

are three kinds of audits, depending how serious the situation is:

request to send documented proof of single faet.

request to report to loeal IRS for an interview.

visit an auditor to taxpayer's

or (Bernstein,

,1997).

One way of investigating possible tax evasion is checking whether

person's lifestyle sds to his or her ineome. Ifyou, for example, bought
house for $200,000 and paid or most of the price in eash, and your income
does not exceed $20,000-$30,000, it is reasonable to expect questions.
And one way' such investigations are initiated is following up tips
ftom ''well-wishers.'' It was said that the notorious Aldrich Ames, who spied
for Russia, was caught because lived much more lavishly than could
afford his CIA agent's salary. he overwhelming majority of Amerieans
regularly their taxes despite the fact that they consider them high. hey
also believe, not ureasonably, that everyone else should taxes too.

425
, .

oyem la> 1 ,
I<Dn ..) 6 .

(llan,

JD

$100,000

1998).

$25,000,

(self-employed),

, ,
(,
..).

IRS

+/-10%,

2002

.l0-2:

B8JIOroBblX i, Jl

$25,000

0.66%

2.67%

$25,000-$50,000

0.23%

1.18%

$50,000-$100,000

0.28%

1.18%

$100,000

0.75%

1.45%

: .

. era omep aI<O~O IUIro .

IRS .

roarea

(emstein, ,

1997).

. , ,

200,000

20-30

, .

IpO

"eare". , Aldrich Ames,

, , ,
.

, 1 , l . l
, .

426

Taxes

10.2. State income tax

his tax does not exist in 11 states. Where it does (see 10-3), it is
deducted simi1ar1y to the federa1 tax but is 10wer. he final state income tax
1an is ca1culated in the State Individual Return of the state live in.
his tax covers operational expenses of the state. Some states do not
impose taxes for payment period but collect them separately and for definite purposes.

10-3:

Characteristics ofState Individual Income Taxes

.

~~

Jisdicti

Alabama

]4

I~

~
~

<:)

AL

Ala

6s
'+=1

tI)

01)

.5
J3(.1.,
~

'+=1

tI)

~C5~ ~C5~

~
.E~
<:)

<:)

u
~

..E~

AL

AL

AZ

AZ

AR

AR

DE

DE

eorgi

Hawaii

ldaho

ID

ID

Illinois

n..

n..

Indiana

IN

IN

IA

JA

ansas

KS

KS

Kentucky

LA

LA

Maine

19

....
<:)

8 u 8~~

Louisiana

<:)

Arizona
Arkansas
Califomia
Colorado
Connecticut
De1aware
Dis1rict of l.
Florida

Jowa

c::tI)

FL

IA

LA

~ 5
~(.I.,

J'- ~
~C!)

~~

:j ~

(.I.,...:I~

10.2.

427

ror mrrax. ! (. .
accmaerc I

ry,

10-3),

I<Dare mrra ero

ma, ROOpOM : (State lndividual Return).

.

,
i5 .

.l0-3:

r: r

:S:
1-0
Q

1
:r :1
U

:: ~

ci~~
C.I

:S:

Alabama

i!

AL

IlOl

Q
~

Q
~
Q

1-0

t ~ lii

:::

==

i~

ct
I:S:

:s !; ~

::-&

:s

~
AL

:1 &1 I:S:
Q

tII

IlOl

tII

IQ

~!~
!~

fi'
=

;~

~ ~ ~~
:1
~

~ Q

~! g
AL

Alaska
rizona

AZ

AZ

Arkansas

AR

AR

California

Colorado

Connecticut
Delaware
District of Col.
Florida

eorgia

Hawaii

III

ldaho

m
m

ID

Illinois

IL

IL

Indiana

IN

IN

IA

IA

ansas

Kentucky

LA

LA

Iowa

Louisiana
Maine

FL

IA

LA

tII

~6'18i !

R !

428

Taxes
10-3:

Characteristics State Iodividual Iocome !

Maryland

ssacuetts

Michigan

innesota

ississippi

MS

MS

issouri

Montana
Nebraska
Nevada
New ampshire 11
NewJersey
NewMexico
NewYork
North Carolina
North Dakota

NE

NE

NV
N

NJ
N

NY

NY

NC
ND

NC

OR

OR

OR

Ok1ahoma 21
Oregon 3/
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
Texas
Utah3/
Vennont

NJ

RI
SC

RI
SC

SD
N

Vgini

Washington
WA
West Vgini
Wisconsin
WY
Wyoming
1/ n1 on interest and dividends.
21 Method 2 n1.
3/ Federal deductibi1ity is limited.

wv

wv

WI

WI

Source: Government of District of Columbia. 2002.

.l0-3:

429

MaryIand

assacuetts

Michigan

nesota

Mississippi

MS

MS

issoi

Montana

NE

NE

Nebraska
Nevada

NV
N

New Hampshire 1/
NewJersey

NJ

NJ

NewMexico

NewYork

NY

NY

North CaroIina

NC

NC

North Dkt

ND

Ohio

OR

OR

Oklahoma 21
Oregon 3/

OR

Pennsylvania

Rhode Island

RI

South CaroIina

SC

South Dkt
Tennessee

SD

xs

Utah3/

RI
SC
N

Vennont

Vuginia

wv

wv

Was1rington

WA

West Vuginia

Wisconsin
WI
WI
Wyoming
WY
11 ro ararc l l .
21 2.
3/ JO ro .
: ,

2002.

430

Taxes

10.3. Social Security taxes

he Federal Income Contribution Act (F.I.C.A.) that went into effect in
1935 has established two kinds of taxes for the purposes of social security:

he

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disability Ins (OASDI) or socal1ed Social Security .

Hospital Insurance (HI) or Medicare .

hese

taxes are paid in equal amounts

the employee and the

employer.
is percentage of total income for period.
contributions detennine an employee's future retirement benefits (Social
Security benefits) after or she reaches retirement age or becomes unable to
work.
If recipient of these benefits dies flfst, his or her spouse continues to
receive portion of the benefits. Social security tax has annual limit. Any
income that exceeds this limit is not taxed. eligible for Social Security
benefits, person has to work for at least 1 years. his w considered in
more detail in the chapter "Social Security."
Medicare is also percentage of total income for period,
but it does not an established limit. his tax is used to maintain Medicare,
fonn of medical insurance for people of retirement age.
he tax rate and the maximum taxed income vary from year to year.
10-4 page 432 shows these changes from the time this tax was established to the present.
We must mention that the F.I.C.A. tax must paid when an individual employs maid or baby-sitter and pays them more than the established limit ($1,400 in 2003) in calendar year. One of the candidates for
blgh-ranking government post in the Clinton administration had violated tbls
law, and as result, her nomination was rejected.
If someone, also to other taxes required law
(the unemployment tax, for l). 1 think that the point of view of the
employer is probably not something can relate to yet, but 1 mention tbls
here so that if are blred an individual, know bls or her obligations
to .

Social Security

hese

431

10.3.

(F.I.C.A.),

1935

, ,
(he

Old-Age, Survivors, and Disabi/ity /nsurance) (OASD/)

, (Social Security )

M~CN)O 18 (llospiJollnsurance) () II edicare .

m .

(Social Secur;ty

Wl .

(Social Security benefits)

.
are ,

oyar OJO . .

r:, .

Social Security benefits

popaor

10

rnae '' ".

fllrn crpax

(edicte

m <1Immm OJl 11 ID I<a

me , crao . ror

I
1

ecI<D edicare JO opacra.

Wlar .
.

10-4 . 433

JI ,

, F.I.C.A.

, Wlar

($1,400

2003

).

, Wl ,

( , ). ,
JI ar,

, ,

432

Taxes

10-4:

FICA Rates

Years

OASDI
Covered
WageBase

1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
1985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003

10,800
13,200
14,100
15,300
16,500
17,700
22,900
25,900
29,700
32,400
35,700
37,800
39,600
42,000
43,800
45,000
48,000
51,300
53,400
55,500
57,600
60,600
61,200
62,700
65,400
68,400
72,600
76,200
80,400
84,900
87,000

FICA Rates
FICA Rates
FICA Rates
for Employer and Employee
for Self-employed
OASDI
I
Total
OASDI
m
Tota1
7.000
4.850
1.000
5.850
1.000 8.000
4.950
0.900
5.850
7.000
0.900 7.900
4.950
0.900
5.850
7.000
0.900 7.900
4.950
0.900
5.850
7.000
0.900 7.900
4.950
0.900
5.850
7.000
0.900 7.900
5.050
1.000
6.050
7.100
1.000 8.100
1.050
6.130
7.050
5.080
1.050 8.100
5.080
1.050
1.050 8.100
6.130
7.050
8.000
1.300
6.650
1.300 9.300
5.350
5.400
1.300
6.700
8.050
1.300 9.350
5.400
1.300
8.050
1.300 9.350
6.700
5.700
11.400 2.600 14.000
1.300
7.000
1.350
7.050
5.700
11.400 2.700 14.100
1.450
11.400 2.900 14.300
5.700
7.150
1.450
7.150
11.400 2.900 14.300
5.700
6.060
1.450
7.510
12.120 2.900 15.020
12.120 2.900 15.020
1.450
7.510
6.060
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
12.400 2.900 15.300
1.450
7.650
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
1.450
6.200
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
1.450
6.200
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300
6.200
1.450
12.400 2.900 15.300
7.650
6.200
1.450
7.650
12.400 2.900 15.300

Source: Social Security AdministratioD.

r;.

433

10-4:

~
::

~ ~

1973
1974
1975
1976
1977
1978
1979
1980
1981
1982
1983
1984
]985
1986
1987
1988
1989
1990
1991
1992
1993
1994
1995
1996
1997
1998
1999
2000
2001
2002
2003
:

25

FICA

)=:

~ ~
~

<~;;Q.
O~~~
t"'I

10,800
13,200
14,100
15,300
16,500
17,700
22,900
25,900
29,700
32,400
35,700
37,800
39,600
42,000
43,800
45,000
48,000
51,300
53,400
55,500
57,600
60,600
61,200
62,700
65,400
68,400
72,600
76,200
80,400
84,900
87,000

FICA

OASDI
4.850
4.950
4.950
4.950
4.950
5.050
5.080
5.080
5.350
5.400
5.400
5.700
5.700
5.700
5.700
6.060
6.060
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200
6.200

OASDl

Hl

1.000
0.900
0.900
0.900
0.900
1.000
1.050
1.050
1.300
1.300
1.300
1.300
1.350
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450

5.850
5.850
5.850
5.850
5.850
6.050
6.130
6.130
6.650

7.000
7.000
7.000
7.000
7.000
7.100
7.050
7.050
8.000

1.000
0.900
0.900
0.900
0.900
1.000
1.050
1.050
1.300

6.700
6.700
7.000
7.050
7.150
7.150
7.510
7.510
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650
7.650

8.050
8.050
11.400
11.400
11.400
11.400
12.120
12.120
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400

1.300
1.300
2.600
2.700
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900
2.900

8.000
7.900
7.900
7.900
7.900
8.100
8.100
8.100
9.300
9.350
9.350
14.000
14.100
14.300
14.300
15.020
15.020
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300
15.300

Social Security Administration.

1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450
1.450

12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400
12.400

434

Taxes

10.4. Sales tax

Residents of most states sales tax, which is assessed on almost all hases
in the given stte. The rate of this tax, which ftequent1y consists of several components, varies for different states and hanged through locallegis1ate.
You must remember that prices in stores do not include sa1es . The tax
amount is calculated and added to the price of the se at the time of payment.
Some goods are not taxed. his the se with, for l, basic food
items or certain services, in which case the tax-exempt amount will specified in
the receipt. Few l remember what exact1y is not therefore, just in se,
you must enough money to the cost ofthe goods plus .
Example: you buy v that costs $700, and the tax rate in your state is
7%. You wi1l to $749.
Some states, for example New Hampshire, do not assess sales tax, and
people from neighboring states often go shopping there. Before doing this,
compare the prices. Sometimes the price plus tax in one place can less than
the price without the tax in another. Also, the no-tax trick cannot done with
cars. Ifyou buy car in state without sales tax, you will the tax when registering it in your state of residence.
Sales tax in particular state is made up of several components and
m not the same throughout the state. One part of the tax can established at the state level, and another - at the city and (or) county level.
10-5 shows sales tax in the states where it is assessed. he highest tax
rate is usually found in the state's largest cities.
rad

10-5:

Comparison of State and Local Sales ! July 1, 2001

a.ximn

1
2

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11

State
Alabama
AJsk

Arizona
Arkansas
Ca1ifomia
Colorado
Connecticut
District of Columbia
Florida
Georgia
Hawaii

State Rate
4.00

5.60
5.13
5.75
2.90
6.00
5.75
6.00
4.00
4.00

LocalRate
5.00
6.00
3.00
3.00
2.50
4.50

2.50
3.00

Statel Local Rate

9.00
8.60
8.13
8.25
7.40
6.00
5.75
8.50
7.00
4.00

435

10.4.

(Sale

. ,

, .
.
. ro, ,

;
, . ,

, ,

.
: , -

700 ,
7%. rr 749 .
I
eIOp urrarax orcyrcye, -,
oro mrro 1)' . , ,

cpare . Ia oer

. ro 1 r . rare,

, amre, DIa (! peI13I MeCIY .

DpeI1IO

me

cocro

aIiD rrara. . I
mra, - () .
.l0-5 rc

mrax, .

mrro.
.10-5:

4.00

5.00
6.00
3.00
3.00
2.50
4.50

9.00

Alabama

2
3
4
5
6
7

Alaska

---

Arizona

5.60
5.13
5.75

Arkansas
Califomia

1 2001

lord

2_90
6J

Connecticut
District of CoIumbia

F10rida

6-00

"

~~

25()

- --

8.60
8.13
8.25
7.40
6.00
5_75

85()
-

~-

436

Taxes

10-5:

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35
36
37
38
39
40
41
42
43
44
45
46
47

Idaho
Illinois
Indiana
Iowa

S:

Comparison of State and Local Sales ! July 1, 2001

ansas

Kentucky
Louisiana
Maine
aryland
assachusetts
igan
innesota

Mississippi
issouri

Nebraska
Nevada
NewJersey
NewMexico
NewYork
North Carolina
North Dakota

Oklahoma
Pennsylvania
Rhode Island
South Carolina
South Dakota
Tennessee
exs

Utah
Vennont
Vginia

Washington
West ugini
WlSCODSin
Wyoming

5.00
6.25
5.00
5.00
4.90
6.00
4.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
6.00
6.50
7.00
4.23
5.00
6.50
6.00
5.00
4.00
4.00
5.00
5.00
4.50
6.00
7.00
5.00
4.00
6.00
6.25
4.75
5.00
3.50
6.50
6.00
5.00
4.00

Federation of Administrators.

2.00
2.50

--2.00
3.00

5.50

1.00

4.00
1.50
0.75

2.19
4.50
2.00
2.00
2.00
5.25
1.00

1.00
2.00
2.75
2.00
2.00

1.00
2.30

0.60
2.00

7.00
8.75
5.00
7.00
7.90
6.00
9.50
5.00
5.00
5.00
6.00
7.50
7.00
8.23
6.50
7.25
6.00
7.19
8.50
6.00
7.00
7.00
9.78
7.00
7.00
6.00
6.00
8.75
8.25
6.75
5.00
4.50
8.80
6.00
5.60
6.00

12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29
30
31
32
33
34
35

10-5:

437
CraKa

Idaho
Il1inois
Indiana
Iowa
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana

aryland

Massachusetts
Michigan .
Minnesota
Mississippi
Missouri
Nebraska
Nevada
New Jersey
NewMexico
NewYork
North Carolina
North Dakota
Ohio
Oklahoma
Pennsylvania

36 Rhode Island
37 South Carolina
38 South Dakota
39 Tennessee
40 Texas
41 Utah
42 Vennont
43 Virginia
44 Washington
45 West Vgini
46 Wisconsin
47 Wyoming

B8JlOra 1 2001 .

5.00
6.25
5.00
5.00
4.90
6.00
4.00
5.00
5.00
5.00
6.00
6.50
7.00
4.23
5.00
6.50
6.00
5.00
4.00
4.00
5.00
5.00
4.50
6.00
7.00
5.00
4.00
6.00
6.25
4.75
5.00
3.50
6.50
6.00
5.00
4.00

2.00

7.00

2.50

8.75
5.00
7.00
7.90
6.00
9.50
5.00
5.00
5.00
6.00
7.50
7.00
8.23
6.50
7.25
6.00
7.19
8.50
6.00
7.00
7.00
9.78
7.00
7.00
6.00
6.00
8.75
8.25

--2.00
3.00

--5.50

---

------1.00

--4.00
1.50
0.75

--2.19
4.50
2.00
2.00
2.00
5.25
1.00

--1.00
2.00
2.75
2.00
2.00

--1.00
2.30

--0.60
2.00

6.75
5.00
4.50
8.80
6.00
5.60
6.00

438

Taxes

Although some states have sales tax in its true meaning, it an exist in
different form. For example, in New Hampshire, restaurant food and hotel
rooms are taxed.

10.5. Automobile taxes

states tax gasoline and assess some form of automobile registration

tax. Because cars are reregistered annuaHy, registration fees are actually taxes.
he gasoline tax is always included in the price specified at the dispenser
when you fiH up car, and you do not need to anything more than that.
he rate of this tax affects the price of gasoline in your area.
he vehicle registration fee fIXed regardless of the model and
age of car or variable, based car's value.

10-6:

Summary ofypes of Automobile Registration t! in 2001

OF REGISRATION

NUER OF STAES

F1at Rate Onl

WeightOnly
Weight and Age
Horsepower Only
AgeOnly

28

ValueOnly
Va1ue and Age
Value and Weight

Total:
OER AUO TAXES (lNCLUDING LOCAL)

51

ersona1

property

13
3
1
2
1

14

Excise:

ValueBased
AgeBased

8
2

Local:

FlatRate

Source: Govemment of District of Colum.bia, 2002.

439

, . ,
-mpe .

10.5.

(Automobile Taxes)

.
, , , .

mo

, ,

.
.

.I0-6:

2001

28

13

ar

1
:

51

(mo )

14

8
2

8l

: ,

2002.

440

Taxes

Motor Vehicle Sales and Excise s

10-7:

(.125-2.5%)

2.75%

Massachusetts

5.()/

Delaware

2.75%

Mississippi

5.0%

l0rd

2.90/0
3.0%

Nebraska
North Dakota

5.0%
5.0%

North Carolina
NewMexico
South Dakota

3.0%

Ohio (0%-3%)

5.0%

3.0%

5.0%

Virginia

3.0%

South Carolina 2/
West Virginia

Wyoming (1 %)

3.0%

Wisconsin (.6%)

5.0%

Oklahoma

California (1.25%-2.5%)

6.0%

Georgia (3%)

3.25%
4.0%

Hawaii

4.0%

Connecticut
Florida

6.0%
6.0%

Louisiana (1 %-5%)
New York (2%-4.5%)

4.0%

Kentucky
Michigan

6.0%
6.0%
6.0%

4.0%

5.0%

6.0%

Missouri (.375-3%)

4.225%

Arkansas (1%)

4.625%

New Jersey
Pennsylvania

Utah (1.85%)

4.75%

Tennessee (2.75%) 3/

6.0%

4.9%

Vermont

6.0%

5.0%
5.0%

Il1inois (.25%-1 %)

6.25%

Texas

6.25%

Minnesota

6.5%

Nevada

6.5%

Washington (.5%-2.3%)

6.5%

Rhode Island

7.0%

ansas

(0%-2%)

Arizona (1.0%-3%)
Idaho
Indiana

5.0%
5.0%

Iowa
Maine
ARYLAND

DISRICT

5.0%
5.0%

OF COLUIA: 1/

6% of fair market value - 3,499 pounds or less

7% offair market value - 3,500 pounds or more

NO 4 STATES
Alaska

Montana
New Hampshire
Oregon
1/ does not apply 10 vehicles previously titled in another jurisdiction, when owners move
to the District.
2/ Maximum of $300.00
3/ Maximum of$44.00 (2.75% 1 st $1,600)

441

.l0-7:

2.75%
2.75%

Alabama (.125-2.5%)
Delaware
Colorado
North Carolina
NewMexico
South Dakota
Virginia
Wyoming (1 %)

2.9%
3.0%
3.0%
3.0%
3.0%
3.0%
3.25%
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%
4.0%
4.225%
4.625%
4.75%
4.9"/0
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%

Oklahoma
(3%)
Hawaii
Louisiana (1 %-5%)
New York (2%-4.5%)
Missouri (.375-3%)
Arkansas (1 %)
Utah (1.85%)
ansas (0%-2%)
Arizona (1.0%-3%)
Idaho
Indiana
Iowa
Maine
ARYLAND
DISRICT

OF LUIA:

6% ,

5.0%
5.0%
1/

Massachusetts
Mississippi
Nebraska

5.0%
5.0%
5.0%

Connecticut
Florida
Kentucky
Michigan
New Jersey
Pennsylvania
Tennessee (2.75%) 3/
Vermont
Illinois (.25%-1%)

5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
5.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.0%
6.25%

Texas
Minnesota

6.25%
6.5%

Nevada
Washington (.5%-2.3%)

6.5%
6.5%
7.0%

North Dakota
(0%-3%)
South Carolina 2/
West Virginia
Wisconsin (.6%)
California (1.25%-2.5%)

Rhode Island

3,499

7% . 3,500
NO 4 STAES
Alaska
tana

New Hampshire
Oregon
1/ m ocr,
.
2/ $300.00
3/ $44.00 (2.75% $1,600)
: ,

2002.

442

Taxes

10.6. Property tax

This tax is paid owners of real estate, which includes land and residential as well as commercia1 bui1dings. he tax amount depends the property's value and the tax rate. he value ofthe property is detennined tax
assessor of municipality where it is located. he estimated value is not
sarily equal to the current market price.
he tax rate is set as n paid per hundred dollars of the appraised
property value and varies from $0.37 to $4.00 and higher, depending the
, as you an in 10-8. he main portion of this tax is used to fund
local schools, force, etc.

18bIe 10.8: ReSidendaI property Ra1fs in tbe Largest city in Each sate in 2001
Rank

City

State

1.

Bridgeport

2.

DesMoines

3.

Nominal Assessment Effective

Rate
Level
Rate
per $100/1
/2
/3
70.0%

4.55

IA

6.50
4.44

90.0%

4.00

Providence

RI

3.59

100.0%

3.59

4.

Newark

NJ

26.40

11.8%

3.12

5.

Manchester

3.07

100.0%

3.07

6.

WI

2.84
8.26

93.4%

2.65

7.

Mi1waukee
Pblladelpbla

32.0%

2.64

8.
9.

Houston
Port1and

100.0%

2.62

2.62
2.40

100.0%

2.40

10.
11.

Baltimore

2.33

100.0%

6.46

34.5%

12.

Detroit
Fargo

2.33
2.23

ND

49.14

4.2%

2.06

13.

Burlington

2.41

2.00

14.

lacksonville

FL

1.97

82.9%
100.0%

15.

Om

NE

2.01

95.0%

1.91

16.
17.

Cblcago
Phoenix

IL

22.2%

AZ

8.35
18.20

10.0%

1.86
1.82

18.

Memphis

25.0%

1.76

19.

Atlanta

7.02
4.30

40.0%

1.72

20.

NewOrleans

LA

17.00

10.0%

1.70

21.

lackson, City

MS

16.91

10.0%

1.69

1.97

10.6.

443

(Propeny

,
, .

Cro

( Assessor)

. oare .
, m

, , .

$0.37 $4.00

10-8.

I1 . ..
. 10-8: craa ropou umrro 2001
.

1.

Bridgeport

2.

Des Moines

IA

3.

Providence
Newark

RI

NJ

Manchester

6.

Milwaukee

WI

7.

Pblladelpbla

8.
9.

Houston

$100
/1

6.50
4.44

/2

/3

70.0%

4.55
4.00

90.00/0

3.59
26.40

100.0%

3.07
2.84

100.0%
32.0%

8.26
2.62

100.0%

2.64
2.62

Portland

2.40

100.0%

2.40

10.

Ba1timore

MD

2.33

100.0%

2.33

11.
12.

Detroit

6.46

34.5%

2.23

Fargo

ND

49.14

4.2%

2.06

13.

Burlington

2.41

82.9%

2.00

14.

Jacksonville

FL

1.97

100.0%

1.97

15.

Om

NE

2.01

95.0%

1.91

16.

Cblcago

IL

8.35

22.2%

1.86

17.
18.

enix

AZ

18.20

10.0%

1.82

Mempbls

7.02

25.0%

1.76

19.

Atlanta

GA

4.30

40.0%

1.72

20.

NewOrleans

LA

17.00

10.00/0

1.70

21.

Jackson City

MS

16.91

10.0%

1.69

4.
5.

11.8%
93.4%

3.59
3.12
3.07
2.65

Taxes

444
abIe 10-8:

ResIdenaI property fu Ra1a in the Largest city in EadI

saate in 2001

ID

1.73

95.6%

1.65

23.

Boise
Anchorage

1.80

90.8%

1.63

24.

Columbus

5.19

30.6%

1.59

25.

Columbia

SC

37.93

4.0%

1.52

26.

Indianapolis

IN

10.00

15.0%

1.50

27.

Portland

OR

2.07

72.1%

1.50

28.

SD

1.73

85.0%

1.47

29.

Sioux Falls
Billings

1.83

79.0%

1.45

30.

Salt Lake City

UT

1.46

99.0%

1.44

31.

Little Rock

AR

6.90

20.0%

1.38

32.

WilnUngton

DE

2.38

54.8%

1.31

33.

Albuquerque

3.76

33.3%

1.25

34.

Minneapolis

1.37

86.4%

1.18

35.

Louisvi1le

1.17

100.0%

1.17

36.

Charlotte

NC

1.31

88.1%

1.15

37.

anas

6.00

19.0%

1.14

38.

Virginia

VA

1.22

92.1%

1.12

39.

Oklahoma City

10.10

11.0%

1.11

40.

Boston

1.11

100.0%

1.11

41.

1.07

100.0%

1.07

42.

Los Angeles
Wichita

1.17

91.7%

1.07

43.

Seattle

KS
WA

1.19

89.4%

1.06

44.

Las Vegas

NV

3.03

35.0%

1.06

45.

Charleston

wv

1.52

60.0%

0.91

46.

WASHINGTON

DC

0.96

89.8%

0.86

47.

NY

11.18

6.9%

0.77

48.

New York City

Cheyenne

WY

7.33

9.5%

0.70

49.

Binningham

AL

6.95

10.0%

0.70

50.

Denver

5.68

9.2%

0.52

51.

Honolulu

0.37

100.0%

0.37

$6.58

59.0%

$1.69

22.

City

UNWEIGHTED AVERAGE
MEDIAN

11 SOURCE: City Assessor.

2/ SOURCE: City Assessor or State Board ofEqualization.
3/ Census ureau estimated assessment ll used.
Source: Government of District of Columbia. 2002.

$1.50

445

.l0-8: lI8JIOI'8 llllOC yeii omrro 2001

22.
23.
24.
25.
26.
27.
28.
29.

Boise

Anchorage
Columbus
Columbia

SC

Indianapolis
Portland
SiouxFalls
Bil1ings
Salt Lake City
Little Rock
Wilmington
Albuquerque

inneapolis

35.
36.
37.
38.
39.
40.
41.
42.
43.
44.
45.
46.
47.
48.

Louisville
Charlotte
ansas City
VIrginia
City
Boston
LosAngeles
Wichita
Seattle
Las Vegas
Charleston
WASHINGTON
New York City

49.
50.
51.

Birmingham
Denver

30.
31.
32.
33.
34.

nn

Honolulu
i

IN

OR
SD

AR
DE

NC

VA

KS
WA
NV

wv
DC
NY

WY
AL

1.73
1.80
5.19
37.93
10.00
2.07
1.73
1.83
1.46
6.90
2.38
3.76
1.37
1.17
1.31
6.00
1.22
10.10
1.11
1.07
1.17
1.19

95.6%
90.8%
30.6%
4.00/0
15.0%
72.1%
85.0%
79.0%
99.0%
20.0%
54.8%
33.3%
86.4%

1.50
1.50
1.47
1.45
1.44

100.0%
88.1%

1.17
1.15

19.0%
92.1%
11.0%
100.0%
100.0%
91.7%

1.14
1.12

5.68
0.37

89.4%
35.0%
60.0%
89.8%
6.9%
9.5%
10.00/0
9.2%
100.0%

$6.58

59.0%

3.03
1.52
0.96
11.18
7.33
6.95

1/ : l(.
2/ : J( ma .
3/ .

1.65
1.63
1.59
1.52

1.38
1.31
1.25
1.18

1.11
1.11
1.07
1.07
1.06
1.06
0.91
0.86
0.77
0.70
0.70
0.52
0.37
$1.69
$1.50

446

Taxes

If real estate prices in region go up, municipality can reassess

property. If you make substantial improvements (build garage, for
l) that increase the property value, this will also reflected in the t.
he real estate tax is paid twice year in equal amounts. In some cases
this tax is included in monthly mortgage payments, but after the mortgage is
paid off, it is the owner's responsibility to this tax.
l: Ifyour house is appraised at $100,000 and the tax rate in
city is $2.25 per $100, your tax will $2,250, which you will twice year
in equal amounts of $1,125. he i11 from municipality, indicating the
amount and the date which the payment must received, comes in the
mail.

447

(,

pac~,

),

m lO, .
I .

e I

(Mortgage),

I,

are .

$100,000
$2.25 $100, $2,250, I
$1,125. ~
, .

448

Education

11. Education

Most l agree that education plays an important role in today's life.

Without appropriate education, it is a1most impossible to find more or less wellpaying job and especia11y feel secure about the future. One of the reasons for emigration is parents' desire to give better future to their children. Many of them,
when they aiv in the new county, WOJk tirelessly and sacrifice everything tying
to create opportunities for the next generation to get good education.
succeed at this, you will need some knowledge of the American education system, its strengths and weaknesses, and features that make it different
from the education system of the county you from. Children, as well as
adults, struggle to adapt to new culture, and usually, the older child, the
greater these difficulties. However, age aside, much depends the personality
characteristics of individual children, as well as the atmosphere in the fam and the parents' abi1ity to notice any problems that arise early and help
resolve them. Immigrant children who attend American schools gradually
adapt to their new environment and soon, because their English improves rapidly, one of the most important sources of information for their
ents. However, you must remember that because they have limited amount of
Hfe experience, they need their parents' guidance and support not less, but
much more than if they were living in their country.
his chapter describes the most important aspects of the American education
system. And if sections devoted to primary and secondary school are meant mainly
for parents, the part that describes postsecondary and professional education is
addressed directly to high school students who are considering furthering their education. It was written in the first person daughter, who, having aived in the
US two years before her high school graduation without any knowledge of
English, six year later, after graduating & college, taught both Eng1ish as Second Language and composition courses for native English speakers at the university level while working her master's degree.

11.

lO
par l
, ml
1

. OI" j
, , , CaJ!

yi

,
, , , 'U

, . ,
, ,

oi

, . , ~
,

~
.

, ,

; D

I
I

, , .

i
. , , OCH~

am

, ,
. , 1
-

, I<O , '1
, , u 1
It~D.

450

Education

US school uiulum tak.es 13 years to complete and consists of

two parts: nine years of elementary education and four years of secondary education. However, m hear different terms describing school levels,
most of which wi11 explained below.

11.1.

ypes

of schools

11.1.1. Public Schools

Public schools are schools controlled and supported 10l, state, or
Federal governmental agencies. hey accept students who live in given
School Administrative District (SAD). Public school education is free. Eightyfive percent of l1 school-age children attend public schools.
Because public schools are supported mainly local taxes, their fan
cial situation and the quality of education they provide depend largely the
economic situation in district, city, or state where they are located.

11.1.2. Magnet schools

Magnet schools are those designed to attract students of different raciall
ethnic backgrounds for the purpose of reducing racial isolation, or to provide
academic or social focus in specific area (e.g., performing arts).

11.1.3. Charter Schools

Charter schools are type of public schools. main difference is that
charter schools into existence through contract with either state
agency or local school board. "charter" establishing such school is
\,erfonnance contract detailing the schoo\'s mission, 1.
f

450

Education
he

US school uiulum tak.es 13 rs to complete and consists of

two parts: in rs of elementary education and f rs of secondary education. However, you an different tenns describing school levels,
most of which will explained below.

11.1.

ypes

of schools

11.1.1. Public Schools

Public schools schools controlled and supported local, state, or
Federal governmental agencies. hey accept students who li in given
School Administrative District (SAD). Public school education is free. Eightyfive percent of school-age children attend public schools.
Because public schools supported mainly local taxes, their fan
cial situation and the quality of education they provide depend largely the
economic situation in district, city, or state where they located.

11.1.2. Magnet schools

Magnet schools those designed to attract students of different raciall
ethnic backgrounds for the purpose of reducing racial isolation, or to provide
an academic or social focus in specific (e.g., performing arts).

11.1.3.

n Schools

Charter schools type of public schools. he main difference is that

charter schools into existence through contract with either state
agency or 10l school board. he "charter" establishing such school is
perfonnance contract detai1ing the school's mission, program, goals, students
served, methods of assessment, and ways to measure success. Charter schools
exercise much greater control over their uiu1um and teaching methods in
return for greater accountability because most charters granted for n1 3-5
rs. At the end of the term, the entity granting the charter reviews the
school's performance and determines whether to renew its contract.
charter schools are created as an a1temative to the existing public school system and are subject to state laws. In 2000, such schools existed in only 34 states.
charter schools accept students regardless of their religious afflliation. In 1998-99,
hrter schools enrolled less than 1% of 11 school-age cblldren. The average number
of students in such school was 250. Education in hrter schools is free.

451

13 2- :
(Eleentary Education)
(Secondary Education).
, ,
.

11.1.

11.1.1.

06, ,

(PubIic Schools)

(pb/ic

schoo/s)

, nrr .
, (School
Administrative District- SAD). pub/ic schools - .
85% .

,
, , .

11.1.2.

..., OJ

gn!

schools -

(Magnet schools)

(, ).

11.1.3.

(, Schools)

ID

,
( ).

(Charter)

, , ome ,

,

aprep

IoJI

coarc

ara

3-5 .

llOC 3aI<DRa mo, repp

. 2()()() IoJI cmo 34 mrrax.
I(()JIbl .

1998-99

aprep IIII<DaX

1% ro .
v 250. Ov am.

Education

452

11.1.4. Private Schools

Private schools control1ed and supported mainly religious organizations or private persons or organizations. hey fand through
tuition fees and support frorn sponsors.

11.1.5.

Schooling

ln the last decade, teaching children at rn ( schooling) has been

gaining popularity. Sorne estimates indicate that 4% of school-age children
are m schooled. Most farnilies that choose schooling are middleclass, with parents who cannot afford to send their cblldren to private schools
but at the sae time are not satisfied with the quality of education or the atmosphere in public schools. In these cases, parent usuaHy does not work outside the m and is responsible for most of the teaching.
he public school system in the US is funded 10ca1 taxes; however,
failies that rn school their cblldren not exempt from paying their share
of taxes and at the sae time must cover l1 expenses for necessary k and
materials. schooling is legal in l1 50 states, but the exact rules and
requirements rn differ significantly.
Studies show that cblldren who schooled perform better
college-entrance tests; however, for immigrant fami1ies whose flfSt language is
not English, schooling is not viable option primarily because it can
place their cblldren at severe disadvantage compared to their peers and make
it rnore difficult for them to adapt to the new culture.

11.2. Elementary education

Elementary education is in turn divided into several levels, of
which has separate , and these levels m different in different cities
depending the systern that is accepted in given . differences
mostly the of the last level of elernentary education.
Kindergarten -- preparatory level
Elementary School (Grade School) - an elementary school that
includes the first 6 or 8 grades
Middle School -

school

Junior High School ofage

for students between 11 and 14 years of age

school for students between 12 and 14 years

11.1.4.

453

(Private Schools)

. ,
.

11.1.5.

Schooling)

~OKO

Schooling).

4%

ll . ,
, , ,
cmx ,

, .

50 ,

, ,
, ,

HeBrooe

11.2.

emrrc I<OD ,
, ro
JI, OC'I

or

. ,

, .

Kindergarten -

E/ementary School (Grade Schoo/)

6 8 ;

iddle School- : IIII<DJIa JI

Junior High School -

11-14 ;

454

Education

After finishing kindergarten, which is often denoted the letter , students advance to the fst grade, and subsequent grades are numbered
secutively until the end of secondary school. Grade 12 is the last year of
secondary school. Often, the whole 13 years of school are referred to as
"K-12" (pronounced " through twelve").

11.2.1. Kindergarten
Until relatively recently, an American women did not work outside
the , which meant that there was need for well-developed preschool
system. As women's involvement in the workforce increased and they were
10nger to spend the whole day with their cblldren, this need apparent. There are many different preschool programs where cblldren younger than
5 years can develop some of the skills that are necessary to succeed in school.
of these groups charge tuition; however, mandatory schooling for American children begins at age 5, when they enter kindergarten.
kindergarten program full-day, when child attends school
weekday for approximately six hours. Two other types of programs are ha1f-day
kindergarten progra.ms, when the cblld attends school weekday for about 3
s in either the morning or the aftemoon, and alternate-day kindergarten programs, in wblch the child attends school every other weekday for 6 hours.
Because 5-year-old children are sti too young for "real" school, kindergarten programs focus primarily developing appropriate classroom behavior
ski11s and the ability to concentrate for long periods of time. l are
taught l.argely through game-like activities rather than formal1essons. Students
who are behind their peers receive additional tutoring. Cblldren of immigrants who are growing in families that do not speak English have the
opportunity to improve their language sks spending more time with
English-speaking peers or an ESL teacher.

11.2.2. Elementary School

At about six years of age, children enter fst grade at elementary
school. During the fst several years, one teacher is responsible for most subjects, including reading, writing, and math. Students also spend most of their
day in the same classroom. However, subjects like physical education and art
are taught different teachers. Although some children are driven to school
their parents, others take special yellow-and-black school buses.
here are multiple school bus stops throughout most communities, and your
child will wait at the one that is closest to your . he bus arrives at and

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456

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leaves stop at designated time, so it is important that child there

time. Many elementary schools expect parents, guardians, or other adults to
accompany children to the bus stop and wait with them until the bus arrives.
When children are dropped off in the aftemoon, someone should there to
meet them. If live very close to the bus stop, it is possible for your child to
walk - or herself, but the school will often require to write
note giving permission for son or daughter to do so. Many schools'
policies do not allow the bus driver to leave the child alone at the stop after
dropping im or her off, so it is important that the person picking the child
there time. If child usu takes the bus, but particular day
need to drive im or her to school or pick or her , it is responsibility to notify the bus driver. he same goes for child who is usuaHy driven to
school his or her parents but needs to k the bus certain day. he bus
driver is responsible for the safety of everyone in his or her vehicle and has the
authority to assign seats, to ask child to m if or she is being rude or disruptive, and to let the parents know if their child is having problems or misbehaving. Ifyour child is being teased or bullied the bus, let the driver know;
it is his or her responsibility to try to remedy the situation.
If child is unable to attend school any given day because of illness or special family circumstances, it is your responsibility to the school
and let the administration know the reason for child's absence. Ifyou fail
to do so, will most likely get from the school's principal's office,
asking why child is not in class. If child is sick for more than
one day, you to the school every day of his or her absence. his
seem unusual or unreasonable to parents from countries where schools
do not similar policies; after 11, if called yesterday to let the school
know that child has sore throat and high fever, why should today any
different? However, the school is responsible for the safety of 11 its students,
and if one ofthem does not arrive in the moming, it is the administration's duty
to fmd out why, however annoying, overbearing, or repetitive that m.a seem to
parents. the way, the same policy applies to older children to the last
year of high school.
As probably already know, in the United States, it is customary to
change one's clothing every day. his app1ies to children as we11 as adults.
child should not wear the same outfit two days in row, and preferably,
or she should not wear an outfit twice during the same week. Because in
countries people do not as clothes as Americans, parents and
children see nothing wrong with wearing favorite dress or shirt for several days in row. if child has enough clothes to able to change
every day, parents see not wearing clothes that are still clean as wasteful.

457

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458

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worse, teachers and other adults at the school assume that your fami1y
cannot afIord enough clothing for the children. We know of cases where recent
imrnigrants sent their children to school wearing the same clothes for several
days simply because this was how things were done in their country and
received clothing donations, wblch they did not need, from the church that was
sponsoring them! he sponsors were told the school that the family obviously could not afford to buy enough clothing for their cblldren because they
wore the same outfits more than once.
Usually, the school wi11 provide lunch for the students. he parents are
expected to either the school periodically or give their cblldren lunch money
every day. Cblldren from low-income fami1ies eligie to receive lunch at
school at cost. he school expect parents to give cblldren snacks to bring
with them, to eaten several hours before or after lunch. he usua1 items
include fruit, juice or milk, and cookies. If your cblld has special nutritional
needs or simply cannot eat unfamiliar American food, we strongly encourage
you to discuss the situation with your chi1d's teacher or school administrator so
that accomrnodations made. Your child allowed to bring lunch
from or substitute soy or rice milk for cow's milk, for aml.
Constant and close communication between the school and parents is the
norm in American education. Parents attend periodic Parent-Teacher Association () meetings, and are very active at their children's school, l
unteering to assist teachers in the classroom, coacblng sports teams, or helping
with special events such as bake sales to raise money for the school, holiday
celebrations, or activities like plays, contests, or field trips. TWs is true for
fathers as well as mothers. If cblld is having promss with academics or
other cblldren, his or her teacher wil1 usua11y want to meet with the parents to
discuss the situation. purpose of such meetings is not to e parents for
their children's proms,' but to try to fd solution that will in the child's
best interest. If you any concems about your cblld's academic performance, assignments, or behavior, or if your cblld is being teased or mistreated
other students, do not hesitate to let his or her teacher know. Getting to
know your child's teacher early in the year, before any promss up, will
ensure that you an important resource for helping your cblld with
any school-related difficulties that arise.
Some immigrant parents are surprised how little American elementary schools emphasize discipline. pucc schools in the US do not uniforms, and cblldren are not required to get up when teacher enters the room.
During lessons, especially in the early grades, children around the
room instead of sitting motionlessly at their desks, work in groups, or receive
one-on-one attention from the teacher or teacher's assistant. Cblldren
appear to an informal and friendly relationship with their teacher instead

459

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460

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of approaching him or her with mixture of awe and fear, which is common in
some countries. Teachers general1y do not ll at students, them insulting
names, or imply that they are stupid, lazy, or unable to leam, and they never,
under any circumstances, hit their students. Doing any of these things could
result in reprimand, suspension, termination, or even lawsuit. Teachers
address students their first names, not their last names like in some un
tries. In class, chi1dren l games or do group projects to lm reading or
math concepts instead of being required to memorize long lists of vocabulary
words or mu1tiplication tables. Although this approach very different
from what are used to, remember that it does not mean that your child is
not leaming anything or is not encouraged to respect adults or behave properly.
he amount of homework children receive varies from school to school
and even from teacher to teacher, but there are general guidelines schools are
encouraged to follow. Experts recommend that children assigned ten minutes
of homework per grade level, meaning that first-grader can expect to have ten
minutes of homework night (this includes subjects) and six-grader wi
spend an hour night. his more or less homework than your child
got in his or her native country and k while to get used to. Ifyour child
seems overwhelmed and cannot complete his or her assignments, talk to his or
her teacher, who wil1 work with you to find solution.

11.2.3. Middle School and Junior High School

transition to middle or junior high school is an important event for children. Typically, students move to different building that or m not
close to their old elementary school, which means that many will find themselves
attending classes with children they do not know. At this stage, subject is
taught in different room different teacher. Academic work becomes more
rigorous, and the amount of homework increases. Extracurricular activities such
as sports, music, art, or drama more important to students. Participation
in these activities wi l your child meet new people and develop self-confidence and useful social ski11s, so encouraging your son or daughter to explore
several things that interest him or her is good idea, but it is important to find
balance between extracurricular activities, academics, and family life. Although
children are becoming more independent, parents are stil1 encouraged to
involved in schoollife and to communicate with their children's teachers.
At this stage, physical appearance and popularity important to
children. Many form exclusive groups of friends, or c1iques. Children who are
very different from others have more difficult time finding friends or
even social acceptance. hese and related issues are discussed in more detai1 in
the section l school.

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11.3. Secondary education

11.3.1. High School

last four years of school in America (grades 9 through 12)

known as high school. High school students usually classes in their own
school building, separately from elementary and middle school students.
Although numerical grade designations still used, high schools nnll
adopt the same hierarchy as four-year colleges. hus, nine-grade students
known as freshmen, tenth-graders called sophomores, eleventh-graders
juniors, and twelfth-graders--seniors.
states certain academic requirements students must fulfill
before they an receive their high school diploma. However, the classes
individual student takes in high school depend mostly the student's
demic abilities, aspirations (whether or she plans to go to college or start
working immediately after graduation), interests, and the school's resources
and course offerings. student has his or her own class schedule and
fmd him- or herselfwith different students every class period. Parents and students who from countries where everyone takes the same classes
fmd this unusual or confusing. You unsure about which classes to
choose or concemed about finding the right room for class.
his is where guidance counselor comes in. school employs several of them, depending the number of students. Every student is assigned to
particular counselor and ideally stays with that person throughout his or her
high school years. guidance counselor is person who will help the student
choose appropriate courses semester or , monitor his or her academic
progress, and tull guide the student through the college application process. Guidance counselors also an excellent resource when it comes to
deciding whether to participate in extracurricular activities and dea1ing with
adjustment issues. Although they usually cannot take the l of psychologist or psychotherapist, an high school guidance counselors highly sensitive to emotional and social difficulties high school students lik.ely to
encounter and can very helpful in navigating what is often very trying
time for both students and parents. his is especially important for recent
immigrants who to deal with culture shock in addition to the usual teenage concerns such as physical appearance, popularity, and self-esteem. Getting
to know his or her guidance counselor as early as possible can instrumental
for making student's high school experience more rewarding than traumatic.

463

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464

Education

11.3.1.1. Immigrant Teenagers

Although some high school students wi11 undoubtedly read this section
and find it useful, it is written primarily for parents. Despite the fact that
you not speak English well or at 1l, you are of the most essential
resources your child has in helping him or her adjust to this new culture and
succeed as American. Relationships with parents and family are important
for 11 teenagers, and they more so, not less, when fami1y immigrates
to new country. if your child is leaming English quickly and seems to
adjusting to life in America without an problems, or she is facing challenges that are as real and serious as the ones your are dealing with, and perhaps even more so.
an people believe that those who to another country between
the ages of 14 and 18 make this transition at the best possible age. Because
they mastered their native language and remember lot about life in
their country, they do not risk "losing" their language and culture
pletely, but at the same time, they are young enough to larn English fully and
"real" Americans, something that not possible for their parents, grandparents, and older siblings. Although there some truth
to this belief, it is also true that in an ways, teenagers harder time
adjusting to new culture than l who are older or younger.
First of 11, this is an age where relationships with peers are extremely
important. if from culture where children do not traditionally
"break away" from their parents they way they do in America, chances that
back in your native country, your child had still spent 10t of time with his or
her friends, some of whom or she knwn since early childhood,
and these friendships were important to him or her. Moving away, if it is
just to different neighborhood (and school) in the same town, is very stressful
for teenagers because it severs this network of peer friendships. Just imagine
how much harder moving to different country, in some cases literally halfway
across the world, is for young l. You think that because "children
adjust quickly," your son or daughter wi11 problems fitting in at
American school. However, or she is longer child, and while for some
young people the transition is relatively smooth, an others struggle with it.
Unfortunately, teenagers an cruel to those who are different from
them. Of course, so an adults, but remember that for young people, the
tan of their peers is much more important, and an adolescent an devastated
something an adult an shrug off as ignorance or rudeness. Because an
teenagers' self-esteem depends their peers' ini of them, student who is
made fun of or simply ignored at school feel that or she is unworthy, bor-

11.3.1.1.

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466

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ing, or ugly, matter how interesting, intelligent, accomplished, or attractive he

or she really is.
Most importantly, your child speak little or English, which not
l makes communicating with peers difficult or impossible for him or her,
but also cause other students to label him or her as "stupid" or ''weird.''
Many high school students (and some adults) think that person 's command of
English reflects his or her inte1ligence, even if they themselves cannot speak
any foreign language. Even if your child does speak some English, other Students make fun ofbls or her accent or occasional errors.
Although language is major factor that contributes to teenage immigrants'
difficulties, it is not the only one. pearan is also very important, and that
includes facial features and skin color as well as clothes, hairstyle, and accessories.
Although in , there are people of all races and thni backgrounds, teenagers who do not look Caucasian and are different in other ways as well have
more difficult ti being accepted their peer.
Clothes, hair, and grooming are also very important to young l. In
judging whether something is acceptable, teenagers are more concemed with
whether it is fashionable at the moment than with whether it meets some objective standard of attractiveness. Of course, young person who has recently
moved from another country has way ofknowing what is considered "l"
among bls or her American peers. Because of this, your cblld fd that his
or her favorite clothes and accessories are considered ''weird'' or even ugly
other students. or she beg you for new wardrobe or refuse to wear
something that you spent your last money before coming to America. Your
cblld also want to wear something you culture regards as inappropriate or
indecent. What should you do?
Although it is easy to say that clothes and makeup are superficial things
intelligent person should concemed about, and although 1 do not mean to suggest that parents should let their children wear whatever they want regardless of
their own values, please remember that what seems trivial to you is very important to your cblld. ''wrong'' outfit or hairstyle can cause young person to
ignored or even ridiculed his or her er.
An important aspect of physical appearance is personal hygiene. Different cultures have different standards of what is acceptable, and in America, it is
generally expected that people bathe or shower and wash their hair daily, brush
their teeth, use mouthwash, and apply antiperspirant after each shower or bath.
Undergarments and clothes are changed daily and washed frequently. Many
women also shave their underarm area and legs. Although you see your
child's attempts to groom ''the American way" as an excessive preoccupation
with physical appearance, it is merely necessary part of becoming socially
acceptable. If, the other hand, your culture's grooming rituals are very dif-

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468

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ferent from those in America but your son or daughter makes attempt to
change his or her habits, you want to gently point out to or her that
washing often is important to people here, and following these conventions
make getting along with other students at school easier for or her.
Teenagers in the United States, as well as in many other countries, tend
to form closely knit groups, sometimes called "cliques," whose members
spend most oftheir free time together, often socialize outside of school, and are
not very to accepting new l into their circle. hese groups are
formed according to appearance, social status, and interests, and include
"jocks" or athletes, "preppy" kids or students who from affiuent fami1ies,
tend to do well academically, and place 10t of importance financial and
career success, "geeks" or "nerds"--students who are usually smart and studious, with an specialized interests such as computers, history, or music but
seen others as somewhat socially awkward or less than attractive,
"artsy" students who paint, sculpt, or write poetry, teenagers who use
drugs, drink, and skip school, and many others. Belonging to particular group
largely determines how student is seen his or her peers, and although this
division is less pronounced in some schools and some teenagers friends in
an different cliques, student becomes part of group, that affiliation is often difficult to change.
among American-bom students, these groups are often formed
along racial lines. In schools with large numbers of immigrant students, newcomers usually create their own cliques, and immigrants from the same un
try or region often stick together. Although this initially make the
transition easier for your child, it has its drawbacks. For one, spending day
with people who either speak his or her native language or are just learning to
speak English wi1J slow down your child's language progress. A1so, choosing to socialize exclusively with other immigrants, your teenager
across to American peers as unfriendly or even hostile. smaller, more rural
school with few, if an, immigrant students presents different challenge.
the ti your child arrives, the American students known other for
10ng time, the different peer groups been established, and one is particularly eager to get to know shy newcomer with "fun" accent and "weird"
clothes. How do you help your son or daughter through this difficult and potentially traumatic time?
First of , sympathetic when your child tel1s you about his or her problems and anxieties around fitting in at school. Sometimes, i.mmigrant parents
so overwhelmed with problems and stress in their wn lives that they desperately want to believe that their children are , which in tums makes them feel

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470

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that moving to America was the right decision for their family. So when child
comes :from school upset or complains that other students are ignoring him
or her, they brush it off as n-f-th-mil1 ''teenage troubles" or simply tell the
child that everything will fin. However, the pain your child is feeling is very
real. An major transition, even if it is u1timately for the best, is painful, stressful,
and uncomfortable at first. Even ifyou cannot do anything to help your child :fit in
at school, simply listening and assuring him or her that or she is still wonderful, lovable, and worthy person will go long way toward helping your teenager
with the stresses of the adjustment process. Spending as ti as possi as family will give your child the sense ofbelonging that or she is missing
at school.
Although do not want to discount your son or daughter's feelings of
isolation, gently remind him or her that they will pass. As your child leams
English and adapts to the new culture, fonning relationships with peers will get
easier. Also, teenagers more open-minded and accepting of differences
as they get older, so the same kids who teased your child at 15
friends with him or her when they r 17 or 18. Finally, when your son or
daughter graduates from high school and goes to college, or she will fmd
that almost every :first-year student campus is feeling equally homesick, out
ofplace, and unsure ofhim- or herself. Once your child is in the same situation
as everyone else instead ofbeing "the new kid," or she will find his or her
niche campus and friends. Try not to lecture, but do tell your teenager
that high school popularity is transitory and has bearing person's future
success and relationships.
Another aspect of social life in American high schools that
the adjustment process more difficult for your child is the fact that the qualities
American teenagers value in their peers completely difIerent from what
was considered important in the country from. While in some cultures, very intelligent children praised and admired their teachers and
peers alike, in the US, academic achievement often takes backseat to athletic
prowess. Students who good at sports are often very popular with their
classmates and seen as having better social skis their teachers.
11-1 page 472 shows the percentage of high school students who
value certain characteristics in their peers.
As can see, relatively few students see "knowing lot about intellectual matters" as valuable, but most boys and half the girls value "being good
athlete." Although these attitudes encourage teenager who has always
done well academically to shift his or her attention from grades to sports in an
effort to more popular, remind your child that education is still the
most valuable asset can have when it comes to getting good job and
being successful in the future. If, however, your son or daughter is good at

471

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472

particular sport, ll means encourage him or her to pursue that interest. Joining team will allow your child to meet other students with similar interests
and ease his or her transition into the new culture.
11-1:

Characteristics Valued 12tb Grade Students

Characteristics Valued Students
Male

Female

1 Being good athlete

56%

50%

Planning to attend college

43%

53%

Getting good grades

42%

49%

Leading student activities

40%

43%

Com.ing from the right family

33%

35%

Having nice

32%

28%

nowing

29%

26%

Characteristics

Source:

lot about intellectual matters

u.s. Department ofEducation, 2001.

Teachers and guidance counselors an another important resource for

students who are recent immigrants. of them are very sensitive to the
challenges of adolescence and depending the school, some have
rience working with immigrant or intemational students. Even for teenager
whose parents are very supportive, having someone at school who speaks
English, is in position of authority, and advocate for i or her when
necessary is very helpful and reassuring. English as Second Language and
foreign language teachers especially sensitive to the issues faced
students from other cultures. Encourage your child to get to know his or her
counselor and teachers. If your son or daughter is being teased, bullied, or
harassed other students regular basis, or she should report it to an
adult, who teacher, counselor, school nurse or social worker, assistant
principal, or principal. School authorities have responsibility to provide
safe leaming environment for 11 students, and an situation that affects your
child's physical or psychological well-being is something they should made
aware of. Emphasize to your child that reporting bullying and harassment is
not tattling; it is taking care of - or herself. Very often, immigrant students
feel that the treatment they get from their American peers is their fault, that
they did something to deserve the harassment, and that an who hears
about it wil1 side with the bul1ies. As resu1t, these young people feel
completely alone, which lead to 10w self-esteem and depression. Talking to

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474

Education

sympathetic American adult great relief to teenager who until now

has felt isolated and misunderstood.
Although most teachers and school administrators sympathetic to the
struggles of immigrant students to fit in and will do anything to l your
child, word of caution is in order here. Some adults who work at schools, just
like some l from 11 walks of Iife, fear and distrust "foreigners" or
simply unwig to deal with someone who does not speak good English or
whose behavior they cannot understand. hey often do not realize just how difficult and overwhelming adjusting to new culture and learning new language .
If your child encounters adults who shrug off his or her concems or say
that the harassment is his or her fault, remind or her that not everyone is
sensitive and open-minded, but that does not an that will sympathetic to his or her problems.

11.3.1.2. Choosing gh School.

Strong ESL Program or Total Immersion?

he

number of immigrant students or students with limited English proficiency at an given high school largely depends the school 's location.
Schools in large urban areas often have an students who from different cultures and need help learning English. on the other hand, schools located
in rural or suburban areas, where there not an immigrants, have
l few ESL (English as Second Language) students.1n some cases, your
child the first ESL student the school has had in years (or ever).
Schools that serve large numbers of immigrants typically have we11structured ESL programs that offer several different levels of English classes,
ESL instruction in some academic subjects such as math and sciences (textbooks and other materials used in such classes are usua11y written in simple
English and the subject matter is presented at slower ), and even, if the
school has enough students who speak the same language, native-language
instruction. Such schools have several specia11y trained ESL teachers staff
and also employ facilitators--people who speak both English and language spoken an students (for example, Spanish or Vietnamese) and an
help students in the classroom or with their homework assignments. Every
incoming student who speaks limited English is tested and placed into m
bination of ESL and "regular" classes. Ideally, as student's English proficiency increases, or she is moved to higher-level ESL classes and eventually
"mainstreamed"--placed in the same classes as his or her American peers.

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476

Schools with few immigrant students, the other hand, do not have the
resources for such elaborate programs. Often, they employ visiting ESL
teacher as needed. he teacher spend two or three hours day at the
school, giving lessons to small group of students. he rest of the time, ESL
students attend mainstream classes.
Which system is better? his question at first seem si11y to an
immigrant parents (and students!). he answer is obvious: the more l student gets with English, the better. he educators and social workers at your
10l refugee resettlement office also strongly advise you to enroll your
child in school where there are an immigrant students and extensive "ESL
support" is available. hey argue that "sheltered" classes, where your
chi1d wi111earn other academic subjects in simple English under the guidance
of trained ESL teacher, wi1l allow him or her to keep academical1y while
or she masters the language. hen, when your son or daughter has acquired
solid language skills, or she an move into mainstream classes.
Sounds good? It , but do not jump to conclusions just yet.
Although structured ESL programs do work for an students, they their
drawbacks. Often, instead of being "mainstreamed" as soon as possible, students are kept in ESL classes for months, years, and sometimes until they graduate. he class your child is placed into prove to too slow or easy for
him or her, but changing classes midsemester or midyear is often difficult or
impossible. As far as keeping up academically, many immigrant students fmd
that rudimentary math and science taught in "sheltered" academic ESL classes
is several years behind the curriculum they were following in their native
country. Also, spending most of the school day exclusively with other immigrants wi1l further isolate your child from his or her peers and make
the inevitable transition into the English-speaking social environment even
more difficult.
n person 1 talked (

who attended high school with immigrant

students and n extensive ESL program told that teachers and guidn counselors at the school seemed ( think that immigrants were incapable
/ getting accepted ( prestigious college. Instead / discussing college
options with these students the same way they would with their American
peers, the counselors would either avoid the subject altogether tell the students about vocational training, technical colleges, at best, the local university, which was means highly selective institution. hus, instead /
helping these students success/ul and productive members / the
American society, ll this "ESL support" seemed ( actually keep some /them
out o/prestigious universities and possibly high-payingjobs.

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478

the other hand, the somewhat "sink-or-swim" approach tak:en

schools with few ESL students and resources ultimately work better
giving student choice but to learn the language as quickly as possible if
or she is to succeed. 1 know it did for .

11.3.2. General Equivalency Diploma (GED)

It is possible to receive one 's blgh school diploma without attending
school for the full twelve years passing special that detennines
whether person's competence in reading, writing, math, and social studies is
equiva1ent to that of someone who has finished his or her senior of high
school. his option m work well for l who did not have chance to
complete their education because of personal or family circumstances or for
students who do not do well in traditional school settings. here is age limit
for tak:ing GED . an high schools and adult education centers offer
GED preparation classes that teach the skills necessary to pass the m, and
good starting resource if considering taking the test. he GED is
considered equivalent to traditional blgh school diploma employers and
some colleges. At other colleges, however, app1icants with GED at
disadvantage compared to those with traditional high school degrees.

11.4. Higher education

Today is the first day of your senior of high school. In nine months,
diploma in hand, wil1 ready to go out into the "rea1 word." If
tired of school and can't wait to m independent and self-sufficient, you
can get job and move out of your parents' house. In this case, your probably
won't find this chapter of the book very interesting or useful. However, if
even considering going to college, read .
m have knwn that college was in your future since were
small child. parents, who both have advanced degrees, might have
expected to further education, and as grew , their expectations
own. Or have always been an outstanding student
who was determined to go , regardless ofyour family's expectations. It
even that never had much interest in school until to America,
but now want to m the most of the opportunities available to here.
Whatever the case, before embark college adventure, have to
know few things about the way blgher education works in the United States,
what have to do to m your dreams reality, and what to expect along the
wav.

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11.4.1. Overview 0/Higher Education in the u.S.

Since it is n1 September, you have plenty of time to get ready for l
lege, right? Wrong. In countries, possibly including your wn, students
l to college or university of their choice in or June, after they have
finished high school. In America, however, the application process starts early
in student's senior year of high school, if not before. What's more, this is
probably not the only aspect ofhigher education in the U.S. that you wil1 find
surprising or strange. Here are few more things you need to know.

11.4.1.1. Colleges and Universities

In the U.S., there are two basic types of colIeges - two-year col1eges,
often calIed ''junior'' or "community" colIeges, and four-year colleges and universities. Two-year colleges typically ofIer associate degree or certification
(non-degree) programs in fields like accounting, business management,
admjnjstration, and computer science. However, general education courses that
will prepare you for study in four-year institution are available as well.
Four-year colIeges are what most l think of when they hear the
words "higher education," and in the rest ofthis chapter, 1 wil1 assume that
have decided to attend four-year institution. Now is also the time to clarify
the difference between col1ege and university. Both colleges and universities ofIer bachelor of arts and bachelor of science degree programs in natural
and social sciences, mathematics, humanities, and the arts. However, colleges
usually fewer students and faculty and fewer academic departments than
universities and are less focused research and more focused undergraduate education. Also, most universities ofIer graduate programs, whereas
col1eges don't.

11.4.1.2. Liberal Arts

In an countries, students graduating from high school have to kn\\'
what they want to do with the rest of their life. When they apply to col1ege.
they are entering training program for specific profession, and admission
requirements depend the nature ofthat profession. Usually, students to
pass several oral or written exams in subjects relevant to their future occupation. For example, seventeen-year-old who wants to doctor in Russia
will probably have to pass exams in biology and chemistry in order to get into

11.4.1.

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482
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Education

school. In the U.S., however, most f-ar colleges and universities

offer programs in what is known as liberal arts, and the purpose of going to
college is not acquiring profession, but finding out what you are most interested in taking variety of courses.
Usually, dig the first two years, students take introd.uctory courses in
many different subjects. hen they choose "major" - an area of study they
would like to focus , such as psychology or physics - and for the remaining
two years, take most of their courses in that subject. herefore, college graduate is not trained in any occupation, but does possess deep understanding of
area of human knowledge and the skills necessary to learn just about anything. or she m then choose to enter graduate or professional school to
prepare for practicing medicine or law, conducting scientific research and teaching at the college level, or working in field such as social work or public .
"80, am 1 going to really leam anything useful in college?" you ask.
It is an important question that often troubles students and parents unfami1iar
with the American system of education. people used to viewing coHege as
training for future career, spending f years (f expensive years!) studying art history and French literature, trying to figure out where one's interests
, seem like waste of time. hey are scared the very "1iberal
arts," which suggests pursuit free of any structure, discipline, or relevance to
"reallife". So, ARE you going to learn anything useful in coHege? he answer
is yes, for two reasons.
First of , the word "career" has slightly different meaning in America than it does in some other countries. In the .8., ifyou start out working in
advertising, you don 't have to stay in advertising. At different points in
life, you find yourself working in marketing, f, education, or
graphic design. It has estimated that an average American changes
careers seven times in his or her lifetime. Therefore, to stay l0 in
current job market, you must flexible, creative, and most importantly,
to learn new skills fast. And that's where 1iberal arts education comes in.
, it does not real1y teach you how to do an particular job, but it teaches
you how to learn.
8econd, the vast majority of jobs in America today do not require years
of specialized training. Many positions in publishing, sales, marketing, advertising, and other fields are to col1ege graduates with an major; you simply have to intelligent, creative, hardworking, and willing to learn.
But what ifyou want to doctor, lawyer, or college professor, and
wil1 need to go to graduate school after col1ege? Would not it so much better
ifyou could start training four years earlier? There's "right" answer to
this question, but at least col1ege w give you an to think long and hard
about_ your career choice. How would you feel if you found out you hated

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484

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chem.istry in your second semester of medical school or realized that

always wanted to teach second grade after getting your law degree?

you~ve

11.4.2. Choosing College

Tbls first part of the application process is also one of the hardest. here
are literally thousands of colleges in the u.s.~ and they differ widely in size~
number and type of programs they offer~ availability of fanil aid~ admission criteri~ cost, etc. list goes and . So how do you decide wblch
schools to l to?

11.4.2.1. Resources to Help You Choose

First of 11, get to know your blgh school guidance counselor. or she
can l you decide what qualities you should 100k for in college~ recommend specific schools~ and provide you with brochures published admission
offices of different colleges~ so that you can decide for yourself whether you
like what you see. Also~ your high school~s guidance office or any library wi11
have several college guides (such as Barron's Co//ege Guide) - thick books
that list 11 U.S. col1eges and universities and provide basic information about
one. hese guides are updated every year (sort of like phone books), so
100k for the latest edition to ensure that the information you get is current.
Occasionally~ representatives from co11eges across the country wi11
to your high school to talk to interested students. hese information sessions
are good opportunity to find out about schools you might not have considered
otherwise. At the end of the session~ col1ege representative wi11 usually
answer questions, open up an informal discussion~ or hand out the school 's
brochures and applications to interested students. Contact your guidance office
to find out when and where the presentations are scheduled.
Ifyou have older siblings or friends in co11ege, talk to them the phone
and when they for breaks. hat way~ you can learn about college
life from student's perspective. Also~ if possible~ try to visit them at their
schools, sit in some of the classes, stay in the dorm, and eat at the dining
ll. his is one of the best ways to determine what kind of co11ege environment feels "right" to you ( small school in rl setting, large city university~ single-sex school, etc.).

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11.4.2.2. Factors to Consider

When choosing col1ege, you need to particular attention to the following four factors:
the kind of academic programs school offers;
its size;
location;
the cost of education there.
Which of these factors are more or less important is different for every
student and depends his or her personality and priorities.
Academic Programs. If you already have an idea of what you want to
study, this should the most important consideration. Try to apply only to
schools that have good programs in your chosen subject. 00 to college's web
site and see ifthe department that interests you has its own web page. Ifit does,
you might to check out ut course offerings, faculty's research
interests, and recent senior thesis topics. During your campus visit, try to meet
with the faculty in your prospective department and even sit in
class. hat way, you will to get an idea of how well particular school
fits YOur academic needs.
If you don't know what interests , instead of looking at specific progras, you need to assess college's overall academic level. he easiest way
to do it is to check out college ratings that are published annually an
sources, including he U.S. News and Wor/d Report. he higher school's rating, the more selective and academically challenging it probably is.
Look at averages and SAT scores of incoming fteshmen. How do they
compare with yours? Another useful figure is percentage of applicants who are
accepted year. school that accepts only 30% of applicants is bound to
more academically rigorous than the one that accepts 85%. Also, don't neglect
more subtle indicators of how challenging school curriculum is: do many students conduct independent or supervised research, and are they encouraged to do
8? Is senior thesis required for graduation? Is there an honors program?
Cost. Unfortunately, this is deciding factor for an students and their
families. Higher education in America is very expensive, and an people
choose schools based their cost rather than their academic reputation,
live at to save money, or attend college while working part- or full-time.
Still more spend the first ten years after graduation paying back loans they took
out to finance their education.

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488
an

immigrants, especially from countries where higher education is

free or relatively , hard time understanding why American l
leges charge so for tuition, room, and board, and deciding whether the
expenses are worth it. Although at first glance, it might seem to that getting job right out ofhigh school makes more financial sense, going to college
is ultimately more solid investment in your future. on average, college graduates have substantially higher incomes than l with only high school
diploma. Now, let's consider the first part of the question: Why are colleges in
America so expensive?
In the U.S., education is not financed completely the government colleges and universities must generate their own revenue. Public schools do
receive government subsidies, which is why they are usually cheaper
than private institutions, but they are still not fully funded. Col1eges have to
erect new academic buildings, purchase new and often state-of-the-art equipment for their science classrooms and laboratories, computers, and
competitive salaries to their faculty. Some of this money comes from grants
and lumni gifts, but substantial portion has to contributed the students
and their families.
As we already said, despite the fact that education in America is
generally expensive, schools differ widely in cost. large state university will
usually charge m less than small, private libera1 arts college. on the other
hand, more expensive schools often offer better financial aid packages, and it is
not unusual for students to receive full scholarship from small, selective
college, while their state university can only offer 10ans. See section financial aid for more about this topic.
Although money will probably l part in your college selection process, it is important to weigh cost against other factors such as academic reputation, location, and good fit between particular school and your personality
and interests. Often, fanil sacrifices are more than worth it if they
attending just the right school.
Lti. While for some l, it does not matter where they go
to school, others fd 10cation to very important part of their college
rience. College brochures tend to capitalize the beauty or uniqueness of the
school's 10cale to attract potential students. Sometimes, choosing college
feels more like planning 10ng vacation. Would like to spend four years
only short drive away from the beautifu1 coast of Maine? What about the
White Mountains ofNew Hampshire? Would enjoy metropolitan setting.
with shops, restaurants, and art galleries within walking distance? or do
prefer the ro11ing green hills of Vermont countryside? Do like to spend
your weekends skiing or lying ? possibilities are endless.

489

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490

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Although being in l you like is certainly nice bonus, choosing

your school's location involves much more than picking brochure with the
prettiest pictures. For one thing, how far from do you want to ?
First of , DON'T rule out school only because it is far from where
you live. In an countries, children, especial1y daughters, live either at
or nearby until they considerably older than 18, the age of typical college
freshman. Not so in America. Americans place high value independence
and self-sufficiency, and parents actuaHy expect children to leave when
they finish high school or shortly after. Parents want their children to have the
best possible opportunities for studying whatever they interested in, and
these opportunities not available close to . Of course, this has its
negative aspects - some American failies not as close as families in some
other cultures, and students often start their col1ege careers homesick and
unprepared for life their own. However, the benefits of fol1owing your
dreams not to ignored either. See the section moving away from
for more information about coping with campus life and helping your
parents deal with the fears and reservations they might have about letting
your own.
Size. Do want to spend four years in place where everybody knows
everybody else and it is not unusual for students to to their professors' houses for dinner and spend hours talking in their offices? or would
you prefer relative anonymity ofbeing one of an students and an opportunity to meet new and interesting people every day? Whatever your preferences,
there's the right school for somewhere in the U.S. Some private colleges
have only few hundred students, while large public universities often number
tens of thousands. r small or large schools necessarily better than the other
kind? It l1 depends what better suits your personality, as we have already
mentioned, and what you looking for in college. Both types of schools
have their advantages and shortcomings, which usual1y balance out.
Small colleges often have higher ratio of faculty to students, which
means fewer people in class and more personal attention from instructors.
Your professors usually know and to answer your questions after class or during office hours without you having to wait in line or
make appointments far in advance. Besides, knowing most of the other students capus give you feeling of comfort and safety. However,
small school often means fewer academic programs, and small departments
only few courses in subject to choose from during an particular
semester. he research facilities not state-of-the-art, either.
he faculty members of large public schools, the other hand, often
conduct research commissioned the state or federal govemment, and stu-

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492

Education

dents sometimes have an opportunity to participate in this work or use first-rate

research laboratories and equipment to work their own projects. Also, large
universities usually offer different programs and courses are taught
simultaneously in each department. However, classes are large, and popular
introductory courses in mathematics and natural and social sciences often have
enrol1ments of two or en three hundred. Professors are difficult to get hold
of, and to make an appointment week or so in advance. Also,
fd sharing campus with several thousand other students intimidating or impersonal.
Other factors. Although the sections covered the most
important things should consider when choosing col1ege, several other
factors might influence your decision as wel1. Does school an international and/or minority students? Do they feel comfortable and accepted
there? r there resources available to them campus, such as clubs, organizations, and support groups? 1 should note here that 1 am NOT assuming that
l1 immigrants wil1 want to part ofthese organizatioos, socialize with people
from other countries, or publicize their ethnic origio aod l of birth. While
some of wi1l glad to meet other studeots with similar experieoces, others wi1l want to as "Americao" as possible as sooo as possible, in
which case might resent being classified as minority or mistaken for
intemational student, as receot immigrants so often are. (An ioternational student is somebody who is nant resident of another country and has only
to the U.S. to study). Neither ofthese two approaches is right or wrong;
depends what feel comfortable with.
Another less obvious factor to think about is whether want to attend
single-sex (for l or only women) or coed (for AND women)
school. Although most col1eges and universities in the United States today are
coed, there are sti1l quite few single-sex schools (most ofthem are all-female,
however). he origin of single-sex education dates back years, when it
was thought improper for young and women to spend 10t of unsupervised time together. Also, because and women had very different roles in
society, it was practical for them to attend institutions that would prepare them
for their respective life paths. While young were trained to serve in the
mi1itary or practice medicine, business, or law, their female peers were prepared to nurses, teachers, or secretaries. Often liberal arts education
was seen as simply way to broaden the horizons of future wife and mother
who would never to work for living.
Although and women in modern America are free to interact with
other as as they wish and often work together in the same profession, single-sex education remains fairly popular, especially for young women.

492

Education

dents sometimes have opportunity to participate in this work or use fst-rat

research laboratories and equipment to work their own projects. Also, large
universities usua11y offer an different programs and an courses are taught
simultaneously in department. However, classes are large, and popular
introductory courses in mathematics and natural and social sciences often have
llmts of two or even three hundred. Professors are difficult to get hold
of, and you have to make an appointment week or so in advance. Also,
you find sharing campus with several thousand other students intimidating or impersonal.
Other factors. Although the above sections have covered the most
important things you should consider when choosing co11ege, several other
factors might influence decision as well. Does school have international and/or minority students? Do they feel comfortable and accepted
there? Are there resources avai1able to them campus, such as clubs, organizations, and support groups? 1 should note here that 1 am NOT assuming that
11 immigrants will want to part of these organizations, socialize with people
from other countries, or publicize their ethnic origin and l of birth. While
some of you wi11 glad to meet other students with similar experiences, others wi11 want to as "American" as possible as soon as possible, in
which case you might resent being classified as minority or mistaken for an
intemational student, as recent immigrants so often are. (An intemational student is somebody who is permanent resident of another country and has only
to the U.S. to study). Neither ofthese two approaches is right or wrong;
11 depends what you feel comfortable with.
Another less obvious factor to think about is whether you want to attend
single-sex (for only men or only women) or coed (for men AND women)
school. Although most colleges and universities in the United States today are
coed, there are stil1 quite few single-sex schools (most ofthem are all-female,
however). he origin of single-sex education dates back an years, when it
was thought improper for young men and women to spend 10t of unsupervised time together. Also, because men and women very different roles in
society, it was practical for them to attend institutions that would prepare them
for their respective life paths. While young men were trained to serve in the
military or practice medicine, business, or law, their female peers were prepared to ss, teachers, or secretaries. Often liberal arts education
was seen as simply way to broaden the horizons of future wife and mother
who would never have to work for living.
Although men and women in modem America are free to interact with
other as much as they wish and often work together in the same profession, single-sex education remains fairly popular, especia11y for young women.

493

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494

get enougb attention d encouragement to pursue traditionally "male" areas

of knowledge, sucb mathematics, science, d engineering. Also, most of
the teacbers d professors in these subjects are , so women wbo are interested in these fields don't have enough role models they identify with. In
all-female college, students are encouraged to do their best in subject,
d develop their confidence d academic skills without the fear ofbeing
unfavorably compared to men. However, this point of view also has m
opponents who argue that young women educated in single-sex schools are
poorly prepared to deal with the "real" world, wbere they will most likely bave
to work witb men and compete with them for jobs, promotions, and raises.
proponents of all-male scbools claim that single-sex setting gives young men
an opportunity to focus more their studies and more disciplined.
opponents' arguments are similar to those against all-female schools.
Whether you cboose coed or single-sex college also depend the
way men d women interact in your culture. In coed institutions, men and
women often live in the bui1dings, eat together in the dining balls, study
together, and go to movies, parties, coffeebouses, and bars. You or your parents
find this objectionable and feel that single-sex scbool is better way to get
an education wblle at the same time behaving according to the standards of your
culture. Again, you should ak decision based wbat works for you and
what you are comfortable with, not wbat other people tnk you sbould do.

11.4.2.3. How Schools to Apply to?

now you bave probably realized that you will have to apply to more
than scbool. here are several reasons for keeping your options as as
possible. Your first-choice college not accept you. It accept you but
not offer you enough (or ) financial aid. Unexpected family circumstances
sucb as an i11ness or substantial decrease in income make it impossible
for you to attend school that's expensive or far from . Your visit
your cbosen campus after receiving your acceptance letter and realize that you
don't like the l or the l, or that it just doesn 't feel "right".
What is reasonable number of colleges to l to? It depends your
individual circumstances, but in general, four or five sbould enough. l
ing to fewer scbools limit your options, and applying to more will take too
mucb time and effort, and you will less likely to do good job an
application. Out of these four or five, one school should your "drea" college
- possibly blghly selective institution with an excellent reputation that you
would love to go to. Besides that, you should apply to two or three good schools

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that would most likely accept you d to "safety" school - the you are
absolutely confident will get into, ifyou won't particularly thrilled
to there. his state university close to . It is important to choose
schools that are appropriate to abilities d academic record. For student, the "dream" school l, d for ther, it the University
of Southern Mississippi. Also, k sure that selection of co11eges offers
nice range ofpossibilities - don'tjust l to Harvard d state school
that accepts 99.9% of lits. Apply to Boston University, University of
ihig, or Oberlin College as wel1. hat way, if Harvard rejects , you
won't spend f years of life being bored to tears.

11.4.3.

Application Process

After hours of research and m conversations with guid

counselor, finally chosen four schools that would to attend
d shot at getting into. are now ready for the most important part
of the application process and the that recent immigrants find the most
confusing - filling out application fonns and writing essays. What do
to know before start?
If not taking tran exams to get into co11ege, ask,
then how are they going to know if they want ? Well, co11ege admission
officers base their decisions four things: application, essay,
high school academic record, d standardized test scores. Let's now 100k
at of these components in more detail.
11.4.3.1. AppUcation Forms
he

official college application fonn is the first d probabIy the most

important document admission officer is going to see when or she
starts considering for tan. hese fonns avai1able from your
guidance counselor, or write or the school 's admissions office d
ask them to send . Now colleges also let you fill out
tion line. Simply go to the school's web site and fo11ow instructions. Whatever you do, there are few things to keep in mind.
First of 11, keep application fonn neat. Use black or -
colored pens or penci1s. k sure that everything is legible - it is good idea
to print instead of using regular hdwritig. If make mistake, use
ti fluid or get new form; don't clutter application with
cross-outs or try to write over the mistake.
he first part of the application usu asks to provide basic infor-

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498

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mation about yourself: , address, social security number, date of

birth, the naes of parents, etc. Always double-check everything to make
sure it is t: don 't want the admissions office to 10se part of
fil, send acceptance or rejection letter to the wrong address, or misspeH
. Don't skip any questions: fai1ure to answer any one interpreted as carelessness or an attempt to conceal something. However, there is
one exception to this rule: sometimes, one or more questions the application
fonn are marked "optional," which means that don 't have to answer them.
These questions are usuaHy about race or ethnic origin, and the answers
(if choose to provide them) are used on1y for statistical purposes and do
not affect chances ofbeing accepted.
next part of the application is concemed with your academic record.
wi1l asked to give the names of the schools have attended and
dates when attended them. also asked to give your approximate grade point average in high school and standardized test scores
(more that later). It is important that answer this question truthfu11y:
will have to have official high school transcript, as we11 as official
reports ofyour test scores, sent to the colleges l to. Ifyour application says that have - average, but transcript indicates that it is
only or so, the admission officer will consider liar and automatica11y
reject your application. Having grades that are less than perfect not hurt
chances, but lying about it dfitl wi1l.
FinaHy, most applications will ask about tra-uiular activities, volunteer work, employment, and any awards or scholarships
have won. his part often presents difficulties for students who are recent
immigrants. If in country college acceptance is based strictly academic
criteria, find it strange or si1ly that playing the school's soccer
tea or working at McDonald's improve chances. Also, in
countries, after-school activities such as sports, drama, student-published
newspapers and magazines, and various clubs either don't exist or are limited.
he same goes for volunteer work. As for employment, in many cultures,
young people don't have jobs until they fish most or ll oftheir schooling,
it high school or even college. Let's say 11 these things l to country,
and moved to the U.S. or two years ago and did not have much time to
"Americanize" yourself in that respect. What do do?
First of 11, don't w. application will probably make it clear that
have not been here very long, and the admission officer is more likely to
impressed command of English and scholastic acblevements than
put off lack of "extras." However, it is good idea to join or two
school activities feel comfortable with the language. Besides 100king
good college application, it might help meet American students who

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500

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interested in the sae things . And as far as honors and awards go,
fee1 free to 1ist that have won in native country, as long as it was
during the years that sd to Am high school. If you an fd
part-time job the summer before your senior or even during that year,
that's great, but ifnot, that's , too.
On fina1 tip that 1 you save time: ask your guidance counselor
about something called "common application." Because students who apply to
small, highly se1ective liberal arts col1ege usual1y apply to several other sirnilar schoo1s at the sa ti, the admission offices of these schools got together
and created form that is accepted at all colleges participating in this "common
application" program. Some of the schools that accept the common application
are Bates, Bowdoin, and Colby, three very selective liberal arts colleges in
Maine. Other participating colleges are listed at the top of the common application form. Ifyou are applying to two or more ofthese schools, it's worth shot.
So how does common application work? You simply fill out the form,
photocopy it two or more tirnes, and send photocopy to school
applying to. It will make difference to the admission officer whether you
use col1ege's wn application fonn or common application, and l1
only have to answer question once instead of two, three, or more times.

11.4.3.2. Essays

next of the application process is the essay. he list of possible

topics or questions you might want to consider is usual1y given at the end of
the application fonn. he form also provides you with some space for the
essay, but it is generally better to write it separate sheet (or sheets) and
enclose it with your application. Most l type their college essays
computer and print them out, but if your handwriting is very neat and legible, it
is probably okay to send in hand-written essay. Just make sure to write
only side of the sheet and number your pages. As with the application
form, use black or blue .
Ironica11y, when it comes to the essay, immigrant students usual1y have distinct advantage over their Aman peers. At least one of the suggested topics
your application 1l sound something like this: ''Describe significant event or
en in your life and explain how and why it was significant." Of course,
some can students will have had life-changing or traumatic en
the tirne tbey are seventeen - death of loved one, serious accident or illness,
natural disaster, etc. However, most of them l1 not, wch is why admissions
offices across the country receive so many essays about summer , joining the
soccer tea, breaking up with boyfiiend or girlftiend, or first "real" job at
fast-food restaurant. And an l have to think long and hard before coming

501

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502

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up with these topics. You, the other hand, have had significant experience that
is sure to set you apart ftom most students who will apply to the same school d
ing the same - you moved to another count:ry, possibly without even speaking
its language, and successfully started new life! You can focus any aspect of
en - the 10ng process of getting permission to enter the U.S. as permanent resident, the journey itself, the first few days in new count:ry, leaming
English, or dealing with culture shock. Just honest, t:ry to keep essay under
five pages, and have an English teacher or guidance counselor read it and
make suggestions how you can improve grammar, punctuation, or style.
Remember, the essay is opportunity to show the admission officer
what makes you unique. CoHeges use the essay to get glimpse of your personality, to lam things about you that cannot leamed 100king at your
academic record and the list of your extra-curricular activities. So, while you
will probably try to present yourself in the best possible light, do not attempt to
guess what the admission officer wants to - write from the heart. sincerity will through and make much better impression than big words
and contrived phrases that supposed to make you sound sophisticated.
11.4.3.3. Academic ranscripts
college you apply

to wil1 require one or two copies ofyour high school

transcript. If you have attended more than one high school, you will need to have
transcript sent ftom one. Many times, the application packet includes or
two envelopes that you will give to guidance counselor. or she wil1 then
print out the necessary number of copies of your transcript, put one into
envelope, seal and sign the envelopes, and either ail them to the coHege's admission office or give them to you to mai1ed with the rest of the application ateri
als. You are usually not allowed to see the transcripts before the envelopes are
sealed, to ensure that you do not tamper with the transcript.
11.4.3.4. Test Scores
Although col1eges in the U.S. don't ask students to pass entrance as
in specific subjects to accepted, an do require certain standardized test
scores. l1 students usual1y have to take the SAT (Scholastic Aptitude Test),
and students whose native language is not English have to take the TOEFL
(Test of English as Foreign Language). Let's look at of these tests in
more detail.
SAT. Most schools require this test in order to assess how well prepared you
are for college-level academic work. Most, but not all- some very selective l
l~es and universities do not ask app1icants to submit SA scores. Why is that?

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504

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In recent years, there has been 10t of controversy about whether standardized test scores real1y measure anything ( standardized test is test that
requires you to answer large number of multiple-choice questions in short
period oftime. Your answers are scanned and scored machine, and your
scores are compared with those of other students across the country.). Because
these tests focus the answers instead of how you arrived at those
answers, some experts believe that they do not provide an infonnation about
student's capacity for critical and analytical thinking. After 11, you reason
through l math problem correctly and make mistake in simple l
culation at the end. or you an guess the correct answer without having clue
about how to approach the question. Also, many people do not work wel1
under time constraints, matter how intelligent they and how much
they know. Students with certain learning disabilities do not test well regardless oftheir intelligence and performance in school. Fortunately, the education
system now is more sensitive to such disabilities, and students who them
are usually accommodated - they m given more time to take the test,
tested in separate room, the questions read to them, etc. However, the
jury is sti1l out whether standardized tests should used at 11.
if you don't think SAT tests are an good, chances are, you will
to take one. At least one of the schools you are applying to is bound to
require the scores for admission. Here is what you to know to do your
best.
First, some general infonnation about the test itself. he SAT is actual1y
two tests in - it has math part and verbal part. on both sections, if you
answer 11 the questions correctly, you get the score of800. Ifyou don't answer
an questions correctly, your score will 200 (it is impossible to get score
below 200 the SAT). Most people will scores somewhere in between
these two extremes (hopefully, yours will closer to the 800 end). he average score is about 500, and many schools look for scores that are close to or
higher than this. Very selective col1eges that require applicants to take the SAT
wil1 often look for scores in the 600-700 range or higher.
Often, when people talk about SAT scores, they on1y mention number - the sum of the math score and the verbal score. hus, the average
bined SAT score is around 1000, and some schools will 100king for scores
of 1200-1400 or higher. he 10west possible score is 400, while the perfect
score is 1600. Although how much weight the SAT scores in the decision
to admit or reject an applicant depends the school, they are very rarely
deciding factor. Most admission officers these days realize that test scores are
not perfect predictor of academic performance in co11ege and will carefully
consider other aspects of your application before making decision.

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As mentioned above, the SAT has verbal part and math part. These
larger parts, in turn, are divided into smal1er sections. Often, 11 the problems in
given section are of the same type. test is usua11y three and half hours
10ng and has eight sections that vary in length between 15 and 35 minutes. he
order in which the sections are administered is random - that is, you start
working through math section, then move to two verbal sections, then
another math section, etc. test is ordered differently, so you should
able to quickly "switch" between doing verbal and math problems. Out of eight
sections, only seven count toward your score; the eighth section is "experimental," which means that people who develop these tests want to try out some
new material or new type of questions. Because they are not sure whether
these new questions "work," they want to see how students do them before
including them in the "real" test, and your performance these questions will
provide the test makers with this information without affecting your score.
However, you do not know which section of your particular test is experimental; it verbal or math, and placed at the beginning or the end of
the test, or anywhere in between. herefore, you should try to do your best
and every section.
SAT questions are multiple-choice. his format, although it is very
fami1iar to most American students the ti they are in junior high,
difficult for students who were educated in other countries. It looks like this:
question or problem is fo11owed list of four or five possible answers,
only one of which is t. answer is marked with letter - , , , etc.
Your task is to find this t answer. As we already said, tests of this
type are not concemed with how you aiv at your answer, and for most students, at least some guessing is involved.
Regardless of whether you think these tests are valid, it is good idea to
practice answering multiple-choice questions, because they are often used in
American co11ege courses as we11. And if you ever decide to go to graduate
school, the you have to tk - the Graduate Record Examination (GRE)
- is in format very similar to that of the SAT.
You are probably wondering what exactly you have to know in order to
do we11 the SAT. he math part is fairly easy, or at least straightforward, for
immigrant students. he questions use basic algebra and geometry nothing more. You wil1 not need to know calculus or do anything you have not
done in your college-preparatory math courses. In an countries, students
learn math earlier and at more advanced levels than in the U.S., which is why
you actually have an edge over many American SAT-takers. Even if you
are not "math person" and don't like numbers, remember that there will
nothing the test that is completely "over your head." Most people who do
pogrly_ Jhis part of the SAT do so because they are overly anxious and con-

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vinced that they are just bad at math. You wi11 allowed to bring rulers or l
culators, but you will not need them. he calculations needed to answer the
questions easi1y perfonned in your head or piece of paper - ugly
decimals or multiplying huge numbers are involved!
he verbal part is usually more difficult for students whose first language is not English. tell the truth, it is more difficult for American students
as wel1. Most people's verbal scores are lower than their math scores. Th possible reason for this is that schools often emphasize math and science over subjects English, social studies, and history, which an students (and some
parents) consider easy, "fluffy," and somehow less serious. As result, students not study as hard for these classes, which leaves than less prepared
for the part of the SAT that tests vocabulary and reading skills. Immigrant students, especially those who only been in the U.S. for few years, an
added difficulty in having to take the test in what still essentially foreign language. However, getting blgh verbal score the SAT as recent
immigrant is possible. he fst step is becoming familiar with the types of
questions the verbal part of the SAT consists of.
he fst type of questions tests your vocabulary. In question,
are given sentence part of which is missing, and four or tive words or
phrases that can used to till in the ank. to choose the only appropriate "tiller." Although this does not sound difficult, most words in these
questions are not everyday words. are used mostly in scientitic or fonnal
writing, and many unfamiliar to you. Also, two or more answers will
often appear t, but only one is, and to tind it, to recognize very
subtle distinctions in the meaning of words.
Another kind of questions tests how well you are to understand
demic texts ofthe type will to read for your college courses. You are
given passage of about 500 words, which can about science, literature, blstory, art, or any other area of knowledge (you don't need to specitic
knowledge about the subject to understand the passage). Th passage is followed several questions about its main idea, the authorls opinion certain topic, the way the argument is presented, etc. Again, there is usually
one answer that is obviously t, so read carefully.
he hardest questions for students whose tirst language is not English
are usually so-called "analogies," wblch are supposed to test analytical skills as
well as vocabulary. You are given pair ofwords that are related to other
in certain way. For example, DOCTOR::STETHOSCOPE ( stethoscope is
tool doctor uses in his work). his pair is followed several other word
pairs, and to fd one that expresses the same relationsblp as the tirst
pair. CONDUCTOR::BATON the t answer for the pair in our
l, because baton is tool conductor uses in bls work. Of course, the

509

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510

Education

real SAT questions use words that are less familiar, and the relationships
between them usually much more obscure as well. he difficulty for many
immigrant students here is that although they perfectly capable of determining which relationsmps are similar, sometimes they can 't answer the question simply because they don't know what some or ofthe words mean!
So, how do you study for the SAT? Well, once again, your guidance
counselor's office is good l to start. Because you will have to register for
the test m several weeks in advance, you will need special form wmch
your counselor can give you. or she will also explain the registration process, teH you when and where you can take the test (you can usua11y do it at
your high school, and it is offered several times ), and wave the payment
if necessary (the tests have processing fee, but low-income students can
exempted from it). he registration form usually comes in an SAT preparation
booklet. After you filled out the form and mailed it in, the booklet is
yours to keep. It usually includes information about the test, sample questions,
and, most importantly, brief review of math concepts you need to know, list
of most common "SAT words" with definitions, and full-1ength sample test
with an answer sheet, answer key, and scoring directions. You can take this test
at and score it yourself, which will give you an idea of how you do
an actual test. his will also help you pinpoint your specific strengths and
weaknesses, so that you can spend most of study time the material that
is difficult for you.
During the SAT test, 11 questions and possible answers will printed in
test booklet. [n addition to this booklet, you will given separate answer
sheet which you will mark your answers. Although you can write in your
booklet, for aml if you want to make some notes as you work through
math problem, your answer wiU not counted unless you clearly mark it
the answer sheet. Remember, the tests scored machine, so nothing
you write in your booklet will l you. When you think you know the t
answer, find the appropriate section and question number your answer
sheet. Next to the question number, there will severa1 circles or ovals, or
"bubbles", marked with the sae letters ofthe alphabet as the possible answers
in your booklet. You shou1d completely fiH in, or darken, the oval corresponding to your answer. You can only use No. 2 pencils, and it is good idea to
bring several well-sharpened pencils to the test with you, as they will quickly
get dull and break. If you change your mind about the answer and erase
the previously darkened oval, make sure to erase completely.

511
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512

Education

TOEFL. he TOEFL (Test Eng1ish as Foreign Language) measures

whether student's English proficiency is enough to al10w or her to do
college-level coursework in this language. app1icants whose flfSt language
is not English are required to take the test. It is standardized, multiple-choice
test like the SAT, and the inim score is again 200. However, the
highest score one an get the TOEFL is about 670, not 800. Most colleges
and universities look Cor scores of 500 or 550.
he TOEFL is offered both in traditional paper-and-pencil format and
the computer. he computer version is scored differently, so the previously
mentioned figures 500 and 550 do not apply here. school 's application
materials specify the computer score they are looking Cor. Taking the test
the computer less stressful, because instead oCbeing crammed into
room with many other test-takers, have own cubicle with desk and
personal computer. he questions are displayed to monitor and
answer them clicking an appropriate icon with mouse. Another advantage of this option is that you get your score immediately after completing
the test - weeks anxious waiting! You don't need any specialized
puter knowledge to take the TOEFL this way, but ifyou feel really uncomfort with computers, it good idea to opt Cor paper-and-pencil
version the test. Both versions are equal1y valid, and colleges do not have
preCerence Cor either one. Should you decide to go the computer route, your
ESL teacher or guidance counselor can tell where get more information about this option. You can also software programs that teach you
the skills will need to take the test the computer and provide tutorials
and full-length sample tests to help study. ICyou have access to personal
computer, such program good investment.
paper version the test works like the SAT. prepare, you
can buy set that contains book with vocabulary and grammar reviews, several sample tests with answer sheets, and t answers with explanations,
and audio-cassettes Cor the listening comprehension section. such sets
can Cound at any major bookstore - ask ESL teacher wblch one or
she recommends. an also take commercial preparation courses, but they
are expensive and teach nothing can't learn your own. Allowat
least month, preCerably more, to prepare Cor the test. course, how
time you will need depends your proficiency level, how well you do
standardized tests, and how anxious you are. However, it is better to study too
much than not enough - as Americans say, better safe than sorry!
TOEFL tests your 1istening comprehension, vocabulary, knowledge
Standard English grammar, and reading skiHs. he texts used in the reading
section are very similar to the ones the SAT - they are written in academic
English and deal with academic subjects, although you don 't need any special-

513

TOEFL. , (est 0/Eng/ish as

Foreign Language) TOEFL ,
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514

Education

ized knowledge to understand them. Because the TOEFL is concerned with

how ready you are for college-level reading, writing, and lectures, your speaking or communication skil1s are not tested and generally do not predict what
your score wil1 . It is possible to speak what is considered to "good
English" Americans and get low score the TOEFL; the other hand,
some students who speak haltingly and with heavy accents get nearly perfect
scores.
paper version of the TOEFL genera11y needs to taken at the
beginning of your senior year - in September or October - to ensure that the
score mai1ed to 11 the schools you are applying to before their application dead1ines. As soon as you back to school in August or September,
talk to your ESL teacher or guidance counselor about when and where the test
is offered and when you need to register. Taking the test at your high school is
not always possible, but you usually won't have to travel far from . Your
ESL teacher to arrange transportation for you and other students
who are taking the test at the same time. With the computer version, the registration process tk less time, but again, sure to check first.

11.4.4. Making Final Decision

Sooner or later, you 11 receive either an acceptance or rejection letler
m school you have applied to. You find that you have been
accepted into 11, or at least into several schools. This is the moment when you
wi1l have to make your finl choice. In the overwhelming majority of cases,
aside from the purely academic and geographical factors that influence student's decision, the financial aspect has the most weight: how much wil1 this
cost us?
Despite the relative accessibility of higher education-almost n can
find college or university that will accept him or her, for most people its cost is
one of the biggest expenses of their life that compared only to the cost of
purchasing om. process of making the final decision is made easier the
fact that together with your tan letter, you wi11 receive printout that shows
you not only how much your education will cost in general, but also how much it
will cost you d your family. Fortunately, these two numbers totally different.

515

TOEFL

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Education

516

11.4.4.1. Cost of Education

he

cost of higher education in the US has increased substantially over

the last two decades. he rate of its growth has been two or three times the rate
of inflation and has far exceeded the rate of salary growth. However, despite its
high cost, higher education is good investment because it is necessary
dition for achieving more or less comfortable lifestyle in today's society.
When estimating the annual cost of education, the fol1owing components
are taken into account:

he

cost of courses and an necessary equipment (Tuition, Fees);

Food and housing expenses (Room and Board);

cost of textbooks, other materials, notebooks, etc.

Supplies);

and

Travel and Personal Expenses.

If student lives campus and eats in the dining l1, the first two
expense categories are added together and divided into two equal parts
to the college or university before the beginning of of the two semesters.
When discussing paying for education, we will focus this situation because
living at while attending 10l university is not always the best option
from the fanil point of view, as we wil1 see shortly.
he cost of education varies significantly depending variety of factors such as the size of school, its academic rank and reputation, the facultystudent ratio, resources and facilities available to students, etc.
he l cost of and supplies reach $300-$800, with most
of the m being spent at the beginning of semester. Travel and persona1 expenses vary between $1000 and $2500 depending the school 's distance from the student's m. It is assumed that the student visits
several times year, but these expenses are not mandatory.
he annual cost f\ldergraduate education in the 2000-2001 academic year
excluding 10010 least expensive and 10010 most expensive institutions was as follows:
$3,321 - 6,895 at community colleges;
$6,503 - 11,611 at public colleges and universities;
$13,966 - 37,715 at private colleges and universities.
Source: U.S. Department ofEducation, National Center for Education Statistics.

If we multiply these nurnbers the four years necessary for eaming

bachelor 's degree, even without taking into account annua1 tuition increases, it

517

11.4.4.1.

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(Room and Board);

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$1,000-2,500

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$6,503 - 11,611

;
;

$13,966 - 37,715 .
l(: , carCI .

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.

518

Education

is very significant amount of money. If we add the cost of graduate or professional education -- master's, doctor of philosophy, medical, or law degree,
this amount will increase another 50% to 100%. Legitimate questions arise:
"Who afford these expenses?" and "How an person without significant
income get an education?" Clearly, it is impossible without some fonn of
financial aid, which is the subject of next section.

11.4.4.2. Financial Aid

Financial aid for undergraduate and graduate blgher education is widely avail in the US, wblch makes education accessible to most l. his aid al10ws
even the poorest person to obtain the very best educti ifhe or she is motivated and
. Moreover, non-citizen U.S. residents are a1so eligle for it, and 10w-income
immigrants can attend an American college or university a1most free. In this book,
we ll consider on1y the basic principles underlying the financia1 aid system.
Financial aid usually consists ofthree components:
Scholarships and Grants
Loans
Work-Study

Schola,ships and G,anls (here rfd to simply as scholarships)

fanil aid that the recipient is not expected to back. Some

of this type of aid are the federal or local budget, commercial or nonprofit organizations, and individua1s. Many schools have specia1 funds
(endowment funds) that invest charitable contributions alumni and other
l. interest is then used for fanil aid.
Scholarships usually given to recipients who meet certain criteria
established their founders. For example, federal grants not given to
students attending private colleges and universities, and Teacher Association
scholarships avai1able only to those who study education.
Scholarship need-based or merit-based. Most scholarships (9095%) need-based, and the majority of these given out the schools
themselves or through them.

of

ss

There two kinds of student l! that used to for higher

education: subsidized and non-subsidized. Loans usually given for 1 years
from the beginning of the repayment period and typically low-interest.
Subsidized 10ans do not need to repaid until degree is completed. he flfSt
payment is due several months after graduation. If student enters graduate

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520

Education

degree program after college, repayment of the 10an is deferred unti1 or she
completes the program, and the 10an does not accumulate any interest during
that entire period. Non-subsidized 10ans require payments as soon as they are
received, or at least, they start accumulating interest.
here are also 10ans for parents that an used to for their child.ren's education. hese loans differ from an other ones only in their interest
rate, which is 1-1.5% 10wer.
Work-study or jobs available college and university campuses usually
l cover student's personal expenses. hese working in the library
or washing dishes in the dining ll, assisting faculty member with teaching
or research, or staffing the front desk at gym or dormitory. Work-study students are paid hourly, and the is usually 10w, but they choose hours that
fit into their class schedule.
he size and composition of financia1 aid packages otIered to individual
students vary widely not nl depending the school and the fami1y's financia1
situation, but a1so how interested the school is in given student. Colleges
and universities, especia1ly prestigious ones, are very interested in attracting the
best students who are likely to succeed in the future d bring not nl m,
but also fame to their / mater. Wea1thy schools atIord to invest their
m into promising students giving them generous scholarships. For this
very reason, an expensive private col1ege or university the opposite coast
less expensive for particular student than state school block away.
Financia1 aid decisions are made based the infonnation fumished the
student in fn ca11ed the FAFSA (Free Application for Federa1 Student Aid) that
11 students must ml as rt of their college application process. Some colleges
a1so require applicants to complete another fn ca11ed the CSS/Financia1 Aid Pro. These fons are completed every and include detailed information about
the family's inom over the past , as well as an savings and real estate. In ad
tion, you must include copies of dte parents' and dte student's tax retns.
There are specia1 formulas that are used to calculate the so-called EFC
(Expected Family Contribution). his is the oftotal education expenses
that the fami1y is to cover out of its current inm. calculate the EFC,
the following is taken into account:
Parents' income;

he

income of the student (or students, if there is more than in

the fami1y)

Parents' assets (m, stocks, real estate, etc.)

Assets invested into business;
_ _. $tu!lenJ's ~ssejs (11l0I!ey,_sto~ks~ re~l e~tat~, e~c.).

521

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522

Education

incomes of the parents and the student taken from the Adjusted
Gross Income line of the tax retum and adjusted up if any part of the total
income was not taxed (for example, the m invested into retirement
account) or was written off as business operating expenses. ll taxes that were
paid and certain amount necessary for the family to live above the established
poverty level are then subtracted from the result. he remainder is called
Available In.
he parents' assets and 40% of the m invested into business minus
the minimally necessary savings called the Discretionary Net Worth. This
amount multiplied 0.12 plus the student's assets multiplied 0.35
called the Income Supplement. As you m have noticed, the portion of the
student's assets that is considered in fanil aid decisions is almost three
times larger than the portion ofthe parents' assets. For this reason, the popular
among grandparents practice of giving their grandchildren m for school in
their own name is not the wisest option. In the same way, if student works, it
is much more practica1 for him or her to keep any savings in the parents'
account.
adding the Available Income and the Income Supplement, we get an
amount that family can expect to spend education. Divided the number
of students in the family, this amount yields the . his amount is usually
printed in the upper right comer of document ca11ed the Student Aid Report,
which is sent out after the FAFSA and the Financial Aid Profile have processed, long before the actual ill comes from the school. "EFC: 07020" means
that the expected contribution is $7,020.
his amount is guideline for the school and can increased or
decreased depending the school's financial situation and how much it is
interested in given student. Colleges that used to single-sex have trouble
recruiting equal numbers of m and women even after they coed, so
they give better financial aid packages to members of the opposite sex.
Universities with strong sports teams give more to promising athletes.
Institutions cultivating diversity and those that try to avoid being suspected of
discrimination attempt to attract minority students. he list goes and .
nl after receiving forms called the Financial Aid Award from the
financial aid offices of the schools you have accepted to and subtracting the portion of your financial aid that does not need to repaid you
really the cost of education at different institutions. As was already
mentioned, this comparison m not favor the schools with the lowest tuition
cost that nl seem inexpensive at first glance. What is important is not the
cost itselfbut what you will have to spend. Remember that ifyour fanil situation improves, the amount of financial aid given to you ll decreased
accordingly.

523

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AvailabIe [n ( ).
400/0
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EFC (Expected F ami/y Contribution)

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Student Aid Report (Ort! ),

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, $7,020.

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Financia/ Aid Award

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524

Education

Below is an actual example of financial aid package offered

vate college to fst-ar student from low-income family.

pri-

FINANCIAL NEED ANALYSIS AND FINANCIAL AlD AWARD

March 29,1999
1999-2000 Expenses
Tuition, Fees, Room and Board
(estimate)
Travel and Personal Expenses

$26,300
650
1,150
Total Expenses

FAILY

$28,100

RESOURCES

Parental Contribution
Student Contribution

800
1,300
Total Family Contribution

FINANCIAL NEED

$2,100
$26,000

FINANCIAL AWARD
$20,000
1,700
2,600
1,400

College Scholarship
Federal Perkins Loan
Recommended Federal Stafford Loan
Federal Work Study
Total:

$26.000

Please sign one of this award letter and return it to the Financial Aid
Office with the enclosed Required Student Statements 1, 1999.
1 aclrnowledge and accept the provisions and contents of award. 1 wiI1 submit Student Aid Report and complete. signed copies of 1998 family tax returns as
required. If 1 qua1ify for Federal Grant and/or state grant assistance, the
amount(s) received wi11 substitute for college scholarship. 1 understand that adjustments made to this award ifI receive local or private scholarsblps, and 1 agree
to promptly notify the col1ege's Financial Aid f of an such awards.
Name (print) _ _ _ _ _ _ _.Signature _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __
Date _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

525'

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1999-2000 :
, , na

$26,300
650
1,150

()

$28,100

ro :

800
1,300

IX :

$2,100
$26,000

$20,000

Federal Perkins
Federal Stafford

1,700

2,600
1,400

ro:

$26,000

lII II u I

1 1999 .

lUI .

Student Aid Report

1998

ro

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_ _ _ _ _ _ _---' _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ _ __

~~----------------------------~

Education

526

As we can see from this example, the parents' contribution is only $800,
but at the same time, it is expected that the student will $1,300 during the
surnmer plus $1,400 during the academic year. will receive $20,300 in
scholarships and $4,200 in loans. Assuming that the family's fanil situation does not change in the next four years, we can estimate that the student
wi11 graduate from co11ege with debt of about $17,000. This is close to average student debt after graduation from four-year college. Taking into account
the fact that the total cost of his education exceeds $100,000, it is not very
.

Another important point is reflected in the last paragraph of the financial

aid award letter. It states that ifthe student receives any other scholarships, the
initially offered $20,300 wil1 reduced that amount. need to know
this to avoid unnecessary expenses because parents of high school graduates
often receive offers of scholarship searches for their children that are similar to
the foHowing (of course, the services advertised are not free and offered only
after the applications have been mailed and the family is impatiently awaiting
results):
Dear Parent,
reason of recent additions to our tiles, your student li
gibIe for college scholarships, grants and tinancial aid programs avallabIe in the private sector.

We are to process only limited number of student

tions tirst , tirst served basis. our NOW for
information and IEDIATE CONFIRATION!
he

company that sends the letter will undoubtedly an importantsounding acronym as its , and to make it 100k legitimate, the letter wil1
list the number that supposedly belongs to of the company's departments, for l, "Student Financial Advisory Department." If , the
person the other , citing urgency, wi11 begin asking for your
credit card number. he cost of these services as high as $300-600. At
best, wil1 get something that could find anyway without spending
cent.
Of course, there are competent counselors who really know what they
are doing and for the same amount of money an help choose school and
complete the necessary paperwork, but should either seek their assistance at the very beginning, before an applications, or not seek it at
11. In an case, these should rea1 people who do business in your area, not
some mysterious company at the other side of the country.

527

l ,

$800,

$4,200.

$1,400

$1,300
$20,300 I

, ,

$17,000.

xro . ,

$100,000, .

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528

Education

11.4.5. Choosing Major

Contrary to what many immigrant students (and parents) believe, person's col1ege major usually does not determine the course ofhis or her career.
In the U.8., there are English majors who go to medical school, history
majors who work in fmance, and psychology majors who teach high school.
Exceptions include high-tech occupations - engineering majors usually
engineers, and computer science majors end up working with computers, and fields like social work, nursing, and exercise science or physical education - these majors usually get jobs in their fields after graduation or go to
graduate school in the same specialty. hese "career-oriented" majors are usually available at universities, but not small, purely liberal-arts colleges. here
fore, how soon you have to choose major and what it will depends not
only your interests and abilities, but also the kind of school you choose
to attend.
Almost college applications ask you to indicate your possible major.
do it mostly to get better idea of your interests - what you write carries
obligation to follow through you are accepted. However, many big
universities ask incoming freshmen to declare major. here are two main reasons for this. First, because these schools are so big, freshman advising is easier to manage when students are broken up into groups according to their
intended field of study - biology majors will get biology professors as their
academic advisors, and so . Second, these schools usually have programs
like nursing or engineering, where the course load is extensive and students do
have to know early that this is what they want to study. If you chose such
university and are not sure what you want to major in, don 't worry -
schools have ''undeclared liberal arts" or "general studies" option, which
al10ws you to tk time figuring out where your interests lie. You usually have
to declare major the end ofyour sophomore year.
In smallliberal arts col1eges, however, declaring major at the end of
sophomore year is standard practice. he main purpose of liberal arts education is to give students broad and solid base of knowledge with concentration in area, and so man such coHeges actually encourage students to tk
wide variety of courses in the first two years. Many students who in
thinking they know what they want end up changing their minds before their
junior year begins.
80 how do you choose major? Many immigrant parents urge their children to pick something "practical", like engineering, economics, or computer
science, thinking that this will guarantee good job after graduation. his
approach has some merit - these fields are certainly hot and growing rapidly

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right now, and an seniors witb these majors do get job ofIers even before
they bave tbeir diplomas. However, being with wbat you do is just as
important as making good , if not more so. Say, your parents are telling
you to study computer programrning. Ifyou love computers and there's nothing you' d rather do, ll means go for it. However, if your passions have
always writing and reading, and tbe only things your that you
know how to use are - and word processor, then heeding your parents'
advice would probably mistake. True, if you study ten bours day for four
years, you learn to program computer, and do it reasonably wel1. After
college, you get decently paying job relatively quickly. However, think
what your life w like: would you rather so-so computer programmer
wbo barely get out of bed every morning and spends the day counting the
bours left until 5 .., or newspaper editor, writer, or teacher wbo not
make lot of but who loves coming to work most of the time? Besides,
bumanities major wi11 an advantage in an wel1-paying fields sucb as
public relations, advertising, and marketing. bere is also reason wby you
can't cbange careers at an point in your life. Your parents bave hard
time believing this, because in an countries wbat you study in col1ege does
determine your career path for tbe rest of your life. It take time and effort
for tbem to adjust to the rea1ities of American life. Meanwle, do wbat you
feel is right for you, not what someone else tells you to do.
If your school does not require you to declare major right away, it is
good idea to take courses in as an different disciplines as possible during
your first two years. llis is the time to try things you bave curious
about but never seriously considered. Take introductory courses in philosopby,
psycbology, anthropology, sociology, foreign languages. you will discover new passion, but even ifyou don't, you'll more well-rounded and
probably more sure tbat tbe major you do cboose is the right for you.

11.4.6. Life Campus

Going to college is big transition, and not nl for the student, but for
the whole family. Immigrant families face additional cballenges because of
their cultural difIerences, including attitudes toward children leaving ,
finances, drugs and ll, and sexuality. Besides, Hfe American coIlege
campuses often seems to exemplify values and behaviors man parents, immigrant or not, find wrong, dangerous, unhealthy, or distasteful. bis section cov-

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ers the issues most 1ikely to cause difficulties, confusion, or conflicts for
immigrant students and their fami1ies. It also gives practical tips adjusting
to college Hfe with minimum of discomfort.

11.4.6.1. Leaving
Ifyou do decide to go to school where you'll have to live campus
because it is too far to commute, both and your parents might need time to
adjust to the idea. Your parents m worried that being exposed to drinking,
drugs, and sexual promiscuity that are, unfortunately, widespread American
college campuses willlower your moral standards. hey worry about your
health and safety or think that you are not ready to handle adult responsibilities
such as managing , paying bills, doing your wn laundry and grocery
shopping, and so . If your chosen college is in big city, they afraid
of urban crime. These are alllegitimate concems that American parents
have as well. So, how do you convince your family to let you go to Boston
University ifyou live in Iowa?
he most important thing is to communicate openly with parents.
Listen to their concems and share your wn. ll them that they have raised
you well, and that are mature and responsible enough to make good
choices and will not pressured into abusing drugs, alcohol, or sex. Just
remember that actions speak 10uder than words. If you dismiss everything
parents say as "old-fashioned" or "not American," at 3 , and get
arrested for illegal transportation of liquor, nothing will convince them that you
are able to handle campus life.
Your campus resources to l you with the challenges of
your new Hfe. colleges and universities substance-free dormitories,
the residents of which are prohibited from possessing or using tobacco products and 1iquor in the building. If living in alcohol- and drug-free environment is important to , such dormitory the answer. Most dorms
American campuses are coed, meaning that and women in the same
building, but single-sex residences are available at most colleges. hese and
other housing options will discussed in more detail in the section housing. Your school's health or counseling center support groups for
freshmen or international students, where you can meet other students dealing
with the same problems and challenges as you. And if the college you have
chosen to attend is within driving distance from where your parents live, you
can always go weekends.

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11.4.6.2. What to Bring

Packing for college m seem overwheIrning. You wil1 need bed 1inens,
toiletries, clothes, schooI supplies, and decorations for your room. What about
computer? Should you bring microwave oven or not? And wilI your favorite halogen l fit in your room?
You probably won't to take everything you want with you, but
you do need to bring the necessities that are not easily avaiIable campus.
Often, the department of housing wi11 send you welcome letter that includes
list of suggested items to bring with you. his list is good place to start planning for what you need. When reviewing it, particular attention to items
not permitted your school's housing regulations (there goes your favorite
l - campuses do not allow halogen lamps in their dorm rooms
because they are considered fire hazard). hese rules often limit the size of
microwave ovens and mini-refrigerators students bring to campus (some
schools prohibit these items altogether) and regulate the type and amount of
wall decorations and electric appliances. Candles are usually not allowed
because of fire safety concems. Even if 11 or some of the rules and regulations
seem unreasonable to you, do not attempt to break them! Housing officials create these guidelines keeping in mind the health and safety of 11 students who
live campus, and violations are always punished, sometimes not allowing the offender to remain in campus housing.
he vast majority of student rooms American coHege campuses have
connection. Sometimes the college will also provide the phone itself;
other times, you wil1 need to bring your own - check with your housing office
iftheir letter does not mention it. Your room is assigned its own phone number,
which you will share with roommates you m have. However, you usull don't need to worry about keeping track of person's cal1s and splitting
the phone 1l. student is assigned personal phone access code - series
of numbers that has to dialed before an go through. the caHs
made from campus phones with the access code issued to particular student
are assumed to made that student. At the end of month, or she
will receive an itemized ll listing the numbers ca11ed, the duration of
ca11, and the amount due. You are responsibIe for the calls made with your
access code, so make sure to keep it in safe place - treat it as would you
1 card pin number or your Socia1 Security number. Do not give your access
code out to other people. You m think that you are just helping someone in
an "emergency" but then end up being charged hundreds of dollars for 10ngdistance caHs you didn 't mk.
Many dorm rooms also have connections to the campus computer net-

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models, or features your school recomrnends. Sometimes purchase

new or used computer inexpensively from your school. However, if don 't
have computer and 't afford , don't worry. 1l col1eges and universities personal computers the students use free of charge in academic
buildings and other public spaces. Some of these facilities are 24 hours
day, so if want to start writing that paper at two in the morning the day
it's due, (although 1 don't recommend it).
When deciding what clothes to bring, think about what the weather is
like in the area where your school is located. If the winters are long and harsh,
make sure to pack warm sweaters, coats, shoes, hats, and gloves. Remember
that while in the "real world" most people drive everywhere, campus
will most likely to walk between your dorm, the dining 1l, d the
buildings where your classes are, as well as to the convenience store, phar, or the 10cal cafe. herefore, even if are going to college in your
state, the clothes that kept warm when your longest walk was to the
school bus stop not enough campus.
in1l, when packing, don't worry too about whether have
everything need. No matter how careful are, are bound to forget
something. If do, an always the item or near your campus,
have your parents mail it to , or wait until the fIrSt time go to
pick it .

11.4.6.3. Housing
As far as places to live go, have three options - live at , rent an
apartment close to campus, or live in campus-owned housing (which
include large residence halls, smaller houses, and sometimes even on-campus
apartment complexes). he last option is far the most popular among
American students, and 1 am going to assume here that l to live
campus. In fact, m colleges and universities require fIrSt-ar students,
unless they are living with parents or relatives, to live in campus housing. At
Bates Col1ege, the school 1 went to, rll only seniors were a1l0wed to rent
apartments or houses off-campus, and campus housing was guaranteed to
students for four years.
Living campus has an advantages. First of , are usual1y nl
short walk away from the dining 1l, academic d administrative buildings,
athletic faci1ities, student health services, etc. an very large campuses,
where walking might sometimes impractical, shuttle bus service that
runs between most campus locations. Second, it is m easier to meet people
and k friends when are living with your classmates. Finally, it teaches
to get along with different people, independent and self-suffi-

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cient, and contributes to the "total college experience" that wi1l

fondly for the rest of life (or at least 1 so).
on the other hand, campus living has its drawbacks. During flfSt
year, will usually sharing very smal1 with or more people
did not choose and have never even met before. and roommates
have different ideas about cleanliness, noise, or when is the appropriate
time to go to bed, or simply have nothing in common. At times,
feellonely or think that one likes , and friends and family wil1
far away. annoyed, disgusted, or shocked the drinking, drug
use, and casua1 sex see in and other dorms. not feel comfort sharing bathroom and kitchen with twenty other l, and
miss the home-cooked meals and your parents doing your laundry. However,
while it is good to prepared for dealing with these difficulties when
move into dormitory, remember that have everything need to
make living campus rewarding and enjoyable experience. It take little getting used to, but most students soon begin to enjoy living their own
and being suudd friends.
Shortly after get your admission letter in the , the housing office
of your school will send an on-campus housing application. It will usua11y
contain at least the following forms (or their equivalents): housing preference
form and roommate selection form. housing preference form usually lists
several on-campus housing options and asks to rate them in order of
preference, starting with the one would like the most. he options offered
to include residence ll, house ( smaller dormitory), all-freshman residence l1 or house ( dormitory for flfSt-ar students only), singlesex housing, intemational studentlmulticultural housing, and substance-free
housing. Housing options for flrst-year students will depend the size and
type of the school and its housing policies. Below, we will discuss in some
more detail two of the options listed above: single-sex housing and substancefree housing.
Single-sex housing is just that: dormitory where ll the residents are of
the same sex. Most buildings American col1ege and university campuses
house both men and women. Sometimes, men and women live different
f1.oors, sometimes different wings of the same f1.oor, and sometimes male
and female rooms are next to other the same f100r ( and women
are not al10wed to share the same room). However, most schools recognize that
some students not comfortable living in the same building with m
bers of the opposite sex and offer single-sex housing options. If the thought of
bumping into member of the opposite sex your way to the bathroom when
are wearing your pajamas makes uncomfortable, if men and women
are traditionally separated in native culture, if parents adamantly

538

Education

cient, and contributes to the "total college experience" that will remember
fondly for the rest of your life (or at least 1 so).
on the other hand, campus living has its drawbacks. During your flfSt
year, ll usually sharing very smal1 room with or more people
did not choose and have never even met before. and roommates
have different ideas about cleanliness, noise, or when is the appropriate
time to go to bed, or simply have nothing in common. At times,
feellonely or think that one likes , and friends and family will
far away. annoyed, disgusted, or shocked the drinking, drug
use, and casual sex see in your and other dorms. not feel comfortable sharing bathroom and kitchen with twenty other people, and
miss the home-cooked meals and your parents doing your laundry. However,
while it is good to prepared for dealing with these difficulties when
move into your dormitory, remember that have everything need to
make living campus rewarding and enjoyable experience. It take little getting used to, but most students soon begin to enjoy living their wn
and being suundd friends.
Shortly after get admission letter in the mail, the housing office
of school l1 send an on-campus housing application. It wil1 usua1ly
contain at least the following forms (or their equivalents): housing preference
form and roommate selection form. he housing preference form usual1y lists
several on-campus housing options and asks to rate them in order of your
preference, starting with the would like the most. he options offered
to m include residence , house ( smal1er dormitory), al1-freshman residence ll or house ( dormitory for flfSt-ar students only), singlesex housing, intemational studentlmulticultural housing, and substance-free
housing. Housing options for flfSt-ar students wil1 depend the size and
type of the school and its housing policies. Below, we will discuss in some
more detail two of the options listed above: single-sex housing and substancefree housing.
Single-sex housing is just that: dormitory where the residents are of
the same sex. Most buildings American col1ege and university campuses
house both men and women. Sometimes, men and women live different
floors, sometimes different wings of the same floor, and sometimes l
and female rooms are next to other the same floor (en and women
are not allowed to share the same room). However, most schools recognize that
some students not comfortable living in the same building with
bers of the opposite sex and offer single-sex housing options. If the thought of
bumping into member of the opposite sex your way to the bathroom when
are wearing your pajamas makes uncomfortable, if men and women

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540

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oppose your living in coed donn, requesting the single-sex option

good idea. hen again, living in the same donn with people of both sexes can
:fun and lead to close friendships. Some people who are not used to
young and women living in close quarters without adult supervision
need to realize that students who do so are not making any statements about
their attitude towards sex, relationships, or aig. simply have had
friends and classmates of both sexes since they were little children, and they
see coed campus housing as natural. Many people in America close
friends of the opposite sex for years without ever becoming romantically or
sexually involved with them. Ultimately, however, to do what feels
right to . Do not let anyone tell that your choice of where to live makes
bad person or means that are old-fashioned and "repressed" (or promiscuous and shameless).
Another option that of interet to students who are recent immigrants is
substance-ftee housing. Students living in substance-ftee donnitories are prohibited
& possessing or using an alcohol and tobacco products in the building. of
se, as man of know, people under the age of21 are not allowed to purchase
or drink alcohol in the United States. However, those living in substance-ftee donns
agree to keep alcohol out of the building regardless of their age. Also, undemge students living in such donns are much less lik:ely to violate alcohol-related laws and
policies. Students choose the substance-ftee housing option mostly because a1cohol
use in college setting and what goes along with it rak them uncomfortable. Contrary to popuIar belief, the majority of these students are not extremely religious,
socia11y awkward, or recovering alcoholics, although some of them are (as are some
students living in '1'egular" housing). Some residents of substance-ftee donns
even drink socially. However, they see alcohol as something to enjoyed occasionally and in moderation, not as way of life or as necessary for the '1'eal" college
experience. herefore, these dorms wild parties with bottles ofbeer and plastic cups s1rewn everywhere, dn.mk people getting sick in the throom at three in
the moming, and they are usually much cleaner and quieter than the rest of campus
housing. However, this option not right for everyone, and man non-drink:ers
are perfectly living in ''regular'' donnitories. (and perbaps your parents)
will have to think and decide what is best for .
Depending your school, m offered an option of living in an
intemational studentlmulticultural dorm. Although these dorms are usually
to anyone interested in living with people from different cultures, they tend to
attract mostly internationa1 students, who are in the United States for the four
years it wil1 take them to get their college degree, and exchange students, who
here for only semester or year. his option seem tempting to ,
especial1y if are recent immigrant and have not had many American
friends. Being surrounded students who must adjust to new culture, just like

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do, sound appealing and comforting. However, this option, the others, has its pluses and minuses. the one hand, living with people can
relate to can ease your transition into college life and keep you m feeling
homesick and misunderstood. on the other hand, living with "foreign" students
isolate m Americans and make forming close friendships with them
more di:fficult. So, if your goal is to integrate into the American culture as
quickly as possible, probably won't choose the ''multicultural'' housing
option. If, however, feel more strongly about preserving original l
tural identity than forging new one, this way to go.
Now that have considered housing options and sen the ones
think would best fit , let's move to the roommate selection form. In case
know somebody who is going to the same school are and would like to room
with him or her, most colleges and universities give you the option of requesting
roommate. simply write the person's narn in the appropriate space the form
(keep in mind that some schools allow fteshmen to room only with other freshmen).
Most likely, however, will have to rely the housing office's good judgement to
match up with suitable roommate. For this urpose, the fon will ask
man questions about your habits, lifestyle, and what consider important in
roommate. Do you smoke? Do mind living with smoker? When do normally go to bed and get ? Do tk naps during the day? How time do
spend listening to music and watching every day? What kind of music do
listen to? Do like your windows open or closed? The list seems endless.
Remember to answer all the questions completely and truthfully. Do not write what
think housing officers want to er. Their goal is not j1Jdging finding
compati roommate with whom can comfortably share very small living
space for almost er. Most rst-er students live in two-person rooms, but some
have two or even tbree roommates (these three- or four-person rooms are proportion11 larger). Usually, freshmen are not liglle for single rooms; however, in some
cases, such as certain health problems, the housing ak an exception and
assign single room to rst-er student. Ifyou think eligible for single, check with housing office.
11.4.6.4. Dining

Ifyou live campus, will most likely want to purchase ml plan

your school's dining services (and again, m schools require first-year
students to eat campus). l ls vary in prices and the number ofmeals
per day, week, or semester that they provide (as shman, you m
restricted in your choice of plan). What plan choose will depend partly
your eating habits and how cooking are willing and to do in
your dormitory's kitchen. Some plans cbarge certain amount per semesm

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544

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ter for unlimited access to the dining ll, as many times day as ' d .
Others offer three meals day during the week and two meals the
weekends (brunch and dinner). can also ls that offer two meals
day 11 week, two meals day weekdays n1, certain number of meals per
semester, and other combinations. Some schools have systems that have
purchase "points" instead of meals, and food item is worth certain
number of these points. time eat, points are deducted from your total.
When you run out, you can purchase more. Your college will send you the necessary information about dining.
As you already know, most college students eat in dining halls,
buildings that normally have kitchen where the food is prepared, an area
where the food is served, several dining rooms, and dish washing room.
Depending the size of the school, the number of dining ha11s campus
m range from to three or more. Dining halls serve hot entrees as well as
salads, soups, beverages, cereal, pizza, etc. food is usually served buffetstyle, which means that you decide what you want and how much, and you
go back for seconds (or more). Most dining halls are en from 7:00 until
2:00 for breakfast d lun (breakfast ends and lun starts at around
11 :00 ). d from 4:30 to 7:30 for dinner. These times vary slightly
depending the school. Some schools, especially the larger universities, offer
between- or after-hours dining options such as food courts and snack bars,
where you can use your meal plan to purchase food when the dining halls are
closed most campuses, there are also places where you buy food with
"regular" money. hese are usua11y subsidized the school and are therefore
less expensive than even the cheapest restaurants.
You wondering how the dining halls keep track ofthe number of
meals of students has or uses. Enter the Student ID Card, something
that will essential to many aspects ofyour life for the next four years. In many
schools today (and all the others are rapidly moving in this direction), the student
ID card looks like cross between you driver's license or state ID and credit
card. the front, it has your nam, photo, and often student ID number
assigned to you the school. the back, there is magnetic strip that
read card reader -- hi through which swipe your card, like you
would credit card in store. In this strip. your school an encode information
about your student status. the dorm live in, your l plan, etc. When you
purchase l plan, the number of meals buy is encoded into your card.
time you to the dining ll, the person at the door takes your card and
swipes it through card reader. This subtracts l (or certain number of
points) from your total, and sometimes the hi will show your remaining
lan. Your ID card also used to check books out ofthe library, to faci1itate financial transactions at the business office. to access athletic facilities. to

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pen the

door f donnitory much as key would, and to do laundry. If

card is lost or stolen, you will usual1y reqtrired to report it to school's
security f in order to issued replacement.
Back in the dining ll, after your card is swiped through reader, you
will go inside the serving and get plastic tray which you will put
tbe food and silverware you need. he way food is served is different at every
school, but first, there is usually hot entree line witb several choices. Still in
the serving or in the dining itself, there salad bar, deli ,
beverage dispensers, and fruit and dessert stations. You wil1 eat in dining
room, and after you are done, you will bring tray to specially designated
. No dish washing required!
11.4.6.5. Finances

If you like most college students, you wil1 find that is tigbt for
the ! f years. You working part-time, and parents will ro
give you some , but you will bave to budget it carefully to cover
expenses, and you most likely won't have much left after everything is paid.
"What is there to ?" you ask. " tuition ill covers everytbing." True,
tuition ll covers room and oar, whicb ans that you won't have
to buy groceries or rent. However, there will many expenses you would
have never even thougbt about before you to col1ege.
Most of your will probably spent and bil1s. In
American colleges, students have to buy their wn . You WiIl most likely take
f ses semester, and some ses, especia11y the advanced-level ones in
the humanities, require as as nin ! If courses during the
first are introductory-level science and math, you 're still not out of the woods
because some science textbooks cost as much as seventy or eigbty dollars. Some
foreign-language courses require you to buy tapes ad wOIkbooks in addition to
basic textbook. You easi1y spend three to five hundred dollars semester
, and you don't bave much choice in the matter. However, you an usua1ly
buy used for less, and sometimes, you re-sell books to the store at
the end of the semester ( aware that the you get back wil1 less than
what you spent). If you prefer, you buy one as you need them
during the semester insted ofbuying thema11 in one day. You find that spending fifty dollars every other week is easier for you th spending three or four hundred the first day of the semester and th not being to for laundry for
two or three weeks. any students use credit cards to buy , ad whi1e this is
certainly an attractive option, credit card debt is big ro college
puses, and we will discuss it in more detaillater in this section.
Phone bills another big expense for many college students. If

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family lives in another state, or even in the same state but outside of your
immediate calling , will have to spend money every time talk to
them. If have friends and boyfriend or girlfriend back or in other
schools, will spend even more. Although colleges usually offer very reasonably priced long-distance calling plans (many charge 1 cents minute for
calls, any time of day or night), will amazed at how quickly those
cents add . It is good idea to allocate specific amount can spend
phone calls month (say, $50) or place limit the duration and frequency of calls, depending how close are to the person you're calling.
However, make sure that these self-imposed limits realistic. In your zeal to
save money, decide to limit yourself to five minutes once week
when your parents, which will impossible if you close to your
family or ifthey want to often. wi11 end exceeding your selfimposed limit and feeling frustrated, which in turn lead to forget
about trying to monitor your calls and spend even more money. Try to allocate
1ittle more money and time for the phone than think need. It sounds
counterintuitive, but we usually underestimate how we really talk the
phone, and setting any limits, even if they seem too generous, will help you
control how money spend.
Besides books and the phone, there are many other expenses that will
need to aware of and control. Laundry is one of them, and it always ends up
costing more than . on most campuses, there are washers and dryers in
every donnitory, and can use them for fee. Some of the machines are coinoperated, and others can take money from your student ID card when swipe it
through the reader. Although washing 10ad of laundry usually costs only dol1ar
or less, and drying it is even less expensive, the money adds up quick1y, 50
want to annark tbree or four dollars week for this purpose. Other expenses
include buying school supplies such as pens and notebooks, necessities like 5Oap,
shampoo, and toothpaste, makeup if are woman and wear it regular
basis, and entertainment. his last category includes tickets for movies and campus
events such as concerts, ordering pizza, and occasional snacks and trips to restaurants. "Occasional" is the key word here. If have full eal plan,
think that won't spend any money food. However, when you start college,
pizza, sandwiches from convenience store across the street, and even McDonald's
more tempting than before. will tired ofthe somewhat tasteless dining l1 food that's ften the sa from one day to the next. wi11 get
hungry at midnight, when everything campus is closed. wil1 want to get off
campus for an hour or two. l1 your friends will decide to go out to eat and invite
along. All of these things are :fun and even necessary, as 10ng as indu1ge in
them in moderation. Do not fall into habit of eating at the nearest restaurant just
because "don't feellike" going to the dining hall and eating Plain Chicken with

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Harvest Rice for the fourth ti this week. on weekends, make an effort to get up
before 1:00 so you can get to the dining hall before it closes. Generally,
more than three ofyour meals week should from place other than the
dining hall. And if your friends go to "real" restaurant more than once every coul of weeks, sometimes you wil1 to say . Late at night, remember that
those little bags of chips, cookies, or pretzels from the vending machine in
dOlm cost much less than ordering pizza. You also want to ramen noodles, cookies, and tea bags in you room, so that you can make quick snack in
dorm's k:itchen (or your own microwave oven, ifyou it). Also. remember that
renting movies costs less than going to tbe theater, and many movies can found
in your college library for free. Look at fancy coffee drinks such as latte and
puccinos as occasional treats, not as something you need every day to awake for
morning class. And use your credit card witb caution.
Speaking of credit cards, although they can convenient and allow you
to buy things you would otherwise not to afford, they are very dangerous for college students who little experience with managing their
finances. Credit card companies know this and often prey students right
campus, at the time when they are the most vulnerable - the beginning of the
academic year. When you get to your school in the fall, you see colorful
"information" tables set up credit card companies around campus - in
the dining 1l, in the student center, the mailboxes. Many offer students
free -shirts, CDs, posters, and other goods just for fil1ing out their applications. Some advertise special "college student" credit cards with lower interest
rates and try to convince you that using their card will give you freedom, the
ability to do things you otherwise would not to do, and good credit
blstory. of this is true if you use your card responsibly, but many college
students don't know what that means. Don 't one of them.
It starts innocently enough. You fill out an application, get "free
gift" in retum, and forget about it. Several weeks later, credit card arrives in
the , and you rea1ize that you're longer 1imited the a110wance
parents give you or what you shelving books in your school's library.
First, you put semester's worth ofbooks card. hen you fond
of eating at the local restaurant every few days, ordering dessert after
meal, and sometimes even treating friend who does not tbls magic piece
of plastic to nice dinner. hen you go to the with friends and see
the perfect leather jacket that costs $200 and would been out of
reach couple of weeks ago, but now ...
hen first ill arrives and you see that you now owe the credit card
company $800. However, you think that all is not lost because 11 you to
Qay 1his !Ilonth is minimum payment of fifteen dollars. You send in the

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and continue using your card. After several months, you card is maxed
out, you several thousand dol1ars in debt, and your interest rate has gone
from the introductory 2.9% to 20% or more. Ifyou can't keep up with monthly
payments, the an representatives are calling you and demanding .
You're too embarrassed to tell your parents about the mess you have gotten
yourself into, but you unable to off your debt your own.
How do you avoid ending up in this situation? First, decide that you wil1
limit yourself to l one card. an students l for credit card every
time they offered something for free or every ti they shop at store and
are told that they wil1 get discount their purchase for opening credit
account. Some end up with as an as seven or ten credit cards, 1l of which
they use and must then off. If you think you need credit card, get Visa
or Mastercard (not both!). hese major cards accepted everywhere and
have lower interest rates than the cards issued individual stores.
Second, use your card only for necessities and emergencies, such as buying books or in situations where you need to for something but have
cash. Try to always use cash or for everything else, including eating out
and shopping for clothes. When real money is taken directly from your hands
or your checking account, you will more conscious ofhow much you spend
than when you charge your purchases to piece of plastic to paid off "sometime."
hird, when you your il1, never send just the minimum payment.
Doing so covers only the interest (at best), and you're not even making dent
in your balance. If you continue using the card, you wil1 eventually reach
limit and won't able to charge anything else to it. Ideally, you should able
to off balance in full month. However, for college student that
not realistic, especially if you use your card to buy books. In an case,
try to at least double the amount of your minimum payment month,
and when you an afford to more, do it!
Contrary to what you think, it is not bad idea to have your i11
mai1ed to your parents' address. hey offer to some or all ofyour balan if you use the card responsibly. Even if you the whole amount, the
thought of your parents seeing how much you spend and what you buy wi11
keep you from making impulsive purchases. Yes, you see this arrangement as unfair and childish and resent giving up some ofyour freedom and privacy. However, the truth is that as college student with little or disposable
income, you cannot real1y afford credit card. But because you cannot afford
living without it either, you have to compromise in order to fd solution that
both allows you to have the card and keeps you from getting into major debt.
Having your parents' help will al10w you to bui1d good credit history and
teach you good management at the same time. If they do offer to

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your ill, remember that you sti11 to keep track of your balance and
ment due dates. Do not use your parents' generosity as an excuse to avoid
leaming about your finances.

11.4.6.6. Student Clubs and Organizations

Shortly after you arrive campus, you will see posters advertising
something called the Activities Fair. he event different at
your school, but there wil1 most likely something of the sort. During this
event, 11 student organizations your campus will information booths
set up where you can learn about them, take some information to read, or
sign up for activities that interest you. Although you do not to attend
the Activities Fair, 1 high1y recommend it. It wi11 give you an idea ofwhat you
can do campus besides academics, and even if you decide not to get
involved right now, you wil1 know where to go later if you change your mind.
So, what kinds of activities r availabIe most col1ege campuses? he
diversity surprise you. You can get involved in athletics, music, dance,
theater, f arts, special-interest organizations such as an intemational club,
various re1igious and women's groups, organizations that serve students of certain racial or ethnic backgrounds (you find Black and Asian student groups
most campuses), environmental and po1itical groups, the school newspaper
or literary magazine, and many others. You develop talent or interest you
already or leam something new. In any case, you wil1 definitely not
bored unless you choose to .
What if you r shy person who does not feel very comfortable with
big groups of people, and besides, you are not sure what activities you
interested in? In high school, you have pushed yourself to get involved to
enhance your co11ege application, but now that you been accepted, do you
sti11 to force yourself into extracurricular activities? answer is, probably not. Although col1ege extracurricular activities wil1 look good your
resume, graduate schools d employers don 't care that much whether you
played soccer or performed poetry. If you prove that you do the job or
schoolwork you r applying to do, you wil1 accepted or hired, period.
However, precisely because the pressure to get involved is 10nger there, you
fd that you want to. advice to you is, go to the fair, check out what's
out there, and ifthere is something that interests you, sign up. You can quit
time ifyou don't like it. 1 would recommend that you get involved in at least
activity during college; there wi11 never another time in your 1ife when
you so many opportunities to explore new things and do something
besides work and spending time with your family and friends.

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However, it is possible to get too involved in extracurricular activities,

sometimes to the point where they don 't leave you enough ti for studying,
relaxing, or friendships. How m is too ? 1 would say that you should
take more th three different activities per semester. This way, they will
nri your life instead of taking over it and adding to your list of obligations.

11.4.6.7. Alcohol and Drugs

In the United States, young people r not allowed to buy cigarettes until
they are 18, and they cannot purchase, possess, transport, or consume alcohol
until they are 21. Regardless of age, it is illegal to buy, sell, possess, or use
other drugs, including marijuana. These laws are strictly enforced, and penalties for breaking them range from monetary fines and community service to
long prison sentences. Regardless of their severity, these infractions will go
your criminal record, which affect your reputation and your chances of
getting job or becoming American citizen if you are not one yet. However,
co11ege students break alcohol and drug-related laws, some regular
basis, d you r likely to find yourself in situation where you feel pressure
to do the same.
Depending the culture you grew up in, this situation shock you in
two different ways. Some of you horrified at the thought of young
ple drinking d using drugs and unable to imagine yourself ever thinking
about doing it. Others not understand how something lik.e beer and wine,
freely enjoyed people of 11 ages in your culture, forbidden to people
who are old enough to leave , vote, and get married. However, in America, alcohol consumption is strictly regulated, but at the same time, drinking,
and to some extent, illegal drugs are part of college culture. his situation is
not necessarily better or worse than the one in your native country; it is just different. You do not have to agree with the way alcohol and drug use is handled
here; however, you do have to behave in accordance with both your personal
values and the laws of this country. intemational and recent immigrant
students get in trouble for alcohol-related offenses simply because they are not
aware of American liquor laws or of how serious breaking these laws is.
Remember, if you get arrested for underage drinking or even having alcohol in
your car (yes, this is il1egal, too, until you r 21), "1 didn 't know" wi1l not
valid excuse. If you live here, you have obligation to know and follow the
laws.
Your college or university has its own ll d drug , and students who are caught violating it, even if they are never discovered ,
are penalized the school's officials. hey can given verbal or written

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warning, suspended, asked to leave campus housing, or expelled, depending the severity of the offense and whether student is repeat offender.
he school and consequences for infraction are printed in the student handbook, of which you will receive when you arrive campus.
Make sure to read the policy and follow it.
if you decide to fol1ow l1 ll and drug laws and policies, you
will meet an students who do not do so. 8 of them try to convince
you to drink or u drugs with them, promising you that you will not get caught
and making you feel that not joining them, you are missing out good
time. 8 imply that people who do not drink or do drugs are boring,
nerdy, or unpopular. 00 not let yourselfbe influenced these l. You do
not need to do anything dangerous, il1egal, or hannful to your health in order to
accepted peers and friends. Real friends respect values
and choices, if these values and choices are different from their wn, and
do not pressure you to do anything you are not comfortable doing. If situation
makes you feel scared, guilty, or uncomfortable, get out. students get in
trouble with the law, cause pain and maassmt to their fami1ies, and get
sick or even die of alcohol or drug overdoses trying to fit in and "cool."
Before you make an ll- or drug-related decision, ask yourself: Is what 1
wil1 gain from this experience worth potential problems if something goes
wrong?
Asking older friends to buy alcohol is popular way to avoid being
caught breaking the law. However, this is also dangerous. If you are found in
possession of the liquor someone bought for you, you will still get in trouble.
In addition, friend punished for supplying liquor to minor,
which is serious offense. 80 do not ask an to buy you ll, and when
you are finl1 21, do not buy it for anybody who is younger. 00 not feel guilty
about refusing - you are not being bad friend; in fact, you are being good
protecting both yourself and the younger student.

Another popular ''trick'' students u to get ll is the fake ID. 8

change the year of birth their driver's licenses, some artistically talented
students actual1y make 10 cards that look ''just like the real thing" for themselves and their friends, filling in an date of birth they want, but most borrow
the ID of an older friend who looks similar. This seem 1ike good idea,
but it is not. he people who check IOs in bars, restaurants, d stores easily recognize fake. At best, they will turn you away or refuse to serve you,
maassing you in front of other patrons. However, they notify law-

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enforcement official, who wi11 impose the appropriate penalty. Remember, the
on1y sure way to avoid being caught is not to break the law, which means
drinking unti1 you are 21, and drugs - ever.

11.4.6.8. Sex and Relationships

Different cultures have different customs and different ideas of what is
appropriate when it comes to sexual and romantic relationships between men
and women. Some cultures do not permit any sexual involvement or even dating before marriage, failies choose spouses for their children, and the bride
and groom see other for the first time their wedding day. In others,
men and women tend to marry relatively late in life, if at 11, and being sexu11 involved or even living with someone outside of marriage is perfectly
acceptabIe. In some cultures, homosexuality is seen as sinful or even punished
law, while in others, sae-sex relationships are recognized both legal
authorities and the general pubIic. Regardless of where they are from, many
people have strong feelings about the "right" way to handle romantic relationships, and consider those who do not agree with them immoral, sexually
repressed, or stupid. Because your own ideas of what is appropriate
very different from those of American students, it is important that you keep an
open mind while behaving according to your personal values.
If you went to high school in the United States, you probabIy know that
here, young men and women, including teenagers, are relatively free to date,
spend time alone together, sexual1y involved, and break up when they
feel that the relationship is longer working. 1 say "relatively free" because
some American parents have rules for their children that restrict their dating
activities, and some teenagers' religious beliefs or personal values prevent
them from dating at an early age or becoming sexual1y active before certain
age or even marriage. These early romantic relationships are usua11y not seen
as serious or leading to marriage, even though some young l are seriously
involved with other and some do marry their high school boyfriend or
girlfriend. It is general1y expected that person wil1 have number of romantic
partners before settling down with one person and getting married.
In college, young l have much more freedom than in high school.
heir parents can 10nger control what they do, when they , or
whom they spend their free time with. Meeting new people, many of whom
have different backgrounds and ideas about life, also influences their views
and behavior. Young men and women are together in classes, dorms, dining
halIs, and extracurricular activities. his inevitably leads to many close friend-

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sblps, as well as many romantic and sexual relationships. Some last few days
or less, others lead to marriage, usually after both people graduated from
college. While you do not to agree with what you see as promiscuous
sex and indiscriminate dating, you have to accept it as choice some people
make, and you can act according to your own values without changing your
views or being pressured into doing things you do not want to do.
Because you are at point in your life when romantic relationships
very important, and because you will suundd many peers
with whom you will interact closely in different situations, you will inevitably develop romantic attractions and have many chances to
involved with someone. Sometimes, you find yourself in situation where
you feel pressure to more sexuaHy involved than you want to. This
pressure from your partner, your friends, or even yourself. Your
partner feel that refusing further sexual intimacy, you are rejecting
or her. Your friends teH you that you're being prudish or silly, and some
people make fun ofyour "morals." You feel uncomfortable being the
only virgin in your group of friends, doubt your values, or feel ashamed of your
inexperience. Do not let yourselfbe swayed what other people think. or
think about you. You should on1y do what you feel comfortable with, regardless of what others tell you. As 1 have said before, true friends will not think.
any less of you if your thoughts or behavior differ from theirs. And your
romantic partner should respect your values and your comfort level; if he or
she does not, that person was not right for you in the fst place.
here is more issue you have to aware of when you get romanti involved with someone, and that is consent. Remember that has
right to force another person to engage in sexual behavior (including kissing).
Un1ess the other person agrees to do something, you cannot do it. And if some says yes wblle under the influence of alcohol or drugs, ts does not count
as consent, so you should avoid romantic or sexual situations if you or the
other person have drinking. Also, in some cultures, women who dress
provocatively, flirt, or accept offer to walk them from an are
sidered to looking for sex. In the United States, however, if woman did not
verbally agree to have sex, forcing her to do so is considered rape, even if she
was wearing short skirt and sat the man's lap. Some l think that
rapes on1y in dark alleys and involve armed strangers, but in fact,
time person is forced to engage in sex against their will, it is rape. You
right to say at an moment, and so does your partner. Remember and
respect that.

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11.4.6.9. Resources
If need help with anything when are in college, there are many
resources available to right campus. For an health problems, your student health center is the l to go. can get physical exams, treatment for
some il1nesses, and certain lab tests right there, and for anything that cannot
done campus, wi11 referred to nearby hospital or doctor's office. In
many cases, can also fill your medication prescriptions right at the health
center, as well as get over-the-counter medicines such as pain relievers and
cough syrup. ll college health clinics educational pamphlets topics
that are relevant to young people, such as safe sex, birth control, eating disorders, alcohol, tobacco, and drug use, and mental health issues.
In addition to health clinics, colleges and universities counseling
centers where students can get help for an psychological or mental health
problems, including anxiety, stress, depression, eating disorders, relationship
and roommate problems, 10w self-esteem, and an other issues that m or
upset them. hese counse1ing centers are staffed trained professionals such
as psychiatrists, psychologists, and clinical social workers who experi working with young l. Usual1y, student is entitled to certain
number of free sessions (for l, nine or ten) academic year. Ifyou
need more sessions, they covered your health insurance or
able to s1iding scale, meaning that only what an
afford. Normally, will see your psychologist or counselor week for
an hour, but more frequent sessions arranged if necessary.

In man cultures, there is stigma attached to having mental health

problems or seeing mental health professionals. People who psychologil problems and seek treatment for them are sometimes seen as crazy, unstable, lacking wil1power, or strange. in America, an people, especially
young l, are concemed that if they admit to seeing psychologist, others
wi1l see and treat them differently. However, to remember that mental
health problems such as anxiety and depression are illnesses that often
biological origin and can treated with psychotherapy and/or medication.
would see doctor for persistent headaches or stomach problems;
should do the same if feel depressed or anxious of the time. if
are just having hard time coping with academic stress, break-up, or
family problem, talking to counselor can l sort through your feelings,
see the situation in new light, and develop some healthy strategies for dealing
with the daily stresses of life. College is probably the best time of your life to
see mental-health professional -- your first several sessions are free and the

565

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additional ones are likely to inexpensive, whereas later , your insurance

not adequately cover mental health care and you end up paying 10t
of money. If you want to see counselor but are concemed about what other
l will think of you, remember that you don't to tell anyone where
you are between 1:00 and 2:00 every Wednesday.
Other campus resources include crisis hotlines such as sexual assault,
substance abuse, and suicide hotlines, campus police and safety departments
that often provide escort services to help you get to your dorm safely after
dark, specialized groups and organizations for disabled, minority, or gay and
bisexual students

11.4.7. Academics
Amidst filling out college applications and financial aid forms, writing
essays, and anxiously awaiting decision letters, it is to forget the real reason you are going to col1ege, wblch is to l. In this section, we will talk
about how the American higher education system works and what to expect in
the classroom, in the laboratory, and during exams. Many immigrant and international students enter American col1eges and universities with clearly defined
ideas of what blgher education "should" , and when their experiences do not
conform to these expectations, they fee1 angry, confused, unprepared, or
think that American education is "bad" or "unfair." It is important to remember
that cultural differences extend beyond food, clothing, and holidays, and every
education system its own strengths and weaknesses. Leaming about what
to expect and keeping an open mind will go 10ng way in helping you avoid
unnecessary frustration and make the most of your American college experience.
11.4.7.1.

Are Not Alone: Advison and Advising

When you register for your first-semester college courses, you will
assigned an advisor -- professor who will guide you through the academic
aspects of col1ege, helping you choose appropriate courses, decide major
(see below), and make sure you fulfill the school's requirements for graduation. It is very important that you get to know your advisor as early as possible.
faculty member who knows you personally and is familiar with your
demic record, strengths, and weaknesses can an indispensable resource in
helping you m successful student, especially at large school where not
many professors chance to develop personal relationsblps with students.
or she is there to l you, but only ifyou actively seek l. So many stu-

567

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568

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dents see their advisors only semester, when they need their course registration forms signed, and then complain that was there for them when
they were struggling with s or wondering whether to change their
major. So as soon as you know who your advisor is, make an appointment to
meet m or her and talk about your interests and goals. Whenever you are having trouble with anything related to academics, talk to your advisor. You don't
need to struggle alone; help is there ifyou know where to 100k for it.

11.4.7.2. What Do You Want to Study?

Majors, minors, and concentrations.
When two American college or university students flfst meet other,
of the f1fSt questions they ask their new acquaintance is "What's your
major?" If you have friends or siblings already in college, you have heard
them say that so-and-so is "majoring" in biology, Spanish, public , etc.
So, what exactly is major, and how do you choose ?
Simply put, major is field of study you decide to concentrate during your college career. It can directly related to your future profession, or it
just something you have always wanted to larn more about (neither of
these choices is necessarily better than the other, and we will soon see why).
Usually, students choose their majors from what is avai1able at their school, but
sometimes it is possible to design your wn major combining s offerings from two or more departments (more this later). Some students have
two and in rare cases even three majors at the same time.
When you commit to certain field of study for the remainder of your
college career, it is said that you "declare" your major. Different schools have
different policies about when and how students do this. Many smaller liberal
arts colleges, including Bates, the school 1 went to, do not require students to
declare major unti1 the end of their sophomore year. If you choose school
like this, your fs! two years will devoted to taking introductory level
courses in an subjects and exploring your interests and preferences.
advice to you is, take advantage of this opportunity! You wi11 have clearer
picture of your interests, strengths, and weaknesses, and when you do choose
major, it will truly informed and well thought-out decision. 1, for example,
was certain that 1 wanted to major in biology when 1 first arrived at Bates, but 1
ended up graduating as double major in psychology and French!

569

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570

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When you fll declare major, you will also have to choose new
advisor. When you fl1'St enter school, your advisor is assigned to you randomly,
which means that your academic interests and your advisor's expertise
in two totally different fields. Someone who wants to study art end up
with chemistry professor as his or her advisor, future chemist
assigned psychologist, and someone who has idea what or she wants to
do end up with professor of physics. his is not problem because it is
assumed that you wi1l taking general courses in many fields, and your advisor's job is simply to l you stay track. When you declare major, however, you will need to choose someone in the appropriate department, someone
who not nl l you choose your courses but also direct your research
and discuss possible career opportunities. It is better if your advisor is someone
you know and like. Sometimes you are asked to specify t potential advisors and rank them in the order ofpreference. Usually, departments work hard
to match 11 students with the professors they prefer, but if certain faculty
member has too many advisees, you given your second or even third
choice.
So far, we've talking about sma11 1iberal-arts colleges, but what
about large universities? Well, here the situation is little different. Because
there are so many fl1'St-ar students entering year, in an effort to break
them up into manageable groups and streamline the advising process, large
universities often require applicants to specify major their application
forms. You are then admitted into particular program, so that you are considered biology, nursing, or some other major from the very beginning. Your
advisor will professor in the appropriate department. Of course, you can
sti1l change your major during the fl1'St two years if you discover that you want
to do something else. If you have idea what you would like to study when
you apply, you an enter as an "Undeclared Liberal rts" major and decide
later.
declare major, you will have to ll out special form, get it
approved your academic advisor and often the chair of your department,
and fil it with your school's Registrar's office. here is usually deadline for
doing this, so make sure you ask your advisor about what the appropriate procedure is at your school well in advance of the m when you have to declare.
You can usually change your major even after it has officially declared,
but this is not the ideal situation you not have enough m to ful1l the necessary requirements for your new major, which means that you
m have to stay in schoollonger than you originally planned.

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Speaking of requirements, you declare major, you will

required to take certain number of courses in field before you are
allowed to graduate. The typical number of courses required is ten, and some
of the courses offered your department m not count toward fulfilling
major requirements; check with your advisor wmch courses acceptable. If
your major is something you have interested in since you started your
freshman , you already well way to completing
required courses the time you declare, but if you have decided to pursue
new interest, you will probably have to spend most of time during the
next two years working to fulfill requirements. an majors also require
you to complete senior project or internsmp in addition to the course requirements. Ifyou biology major, this an independent research project,
and an education major m required to help an elementary-school teacher
in the classroom for several weeks, semester, or more.
If you truly cannot decide between two unrelated fields of study, you an
always double major. decision will need to approved your
advisor and the chairs of both departments. Before you jump in, remember that
with double major has to complete twice the course requirements,
which means fewer opportunities to take "for fun" elective courses, and you
even end up with two final projects at the end of senior . However, if you committed to learning about both disciplines and handle
the extra work, tms an wonderful and enriching experience. Very
sionally, 1 hear about students graduating with triple major, but some schools
not allow it, and in case, 1 would not recommend this to an.
Unless you extraordinarily passionate about studies and extremely
hardworking (or genius), triple major will probably more than you
would want to take .
What ifyou have well-defined research or career interest that does not
fit into an majors offered at school? In this case, you to
design major using courses offered muItiple departments. For example, if
you interested in exploring the way educational institutions ret1ect the fundamental beliefs of society and its dominant sociological trends, you
design major cal1ed "Education and Society" that includes courses in education, philosophy, and sociology. self-designed major needs to approved
your advisor, the chairs of involved departments, and often the dean.
You will need to submit proposal that outlines the reasons why you should
allowed to create wn major and suggests courses that you will need to
take. Not ll such proposals approved, so you will have to make sure
decision is well thought out. As compromise between "ready-made" majors
and those that self-designed, man schools offer students 1imited number
of so-called interdisciplinary majors that in course offerings from sev-

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574

eral departments but do not need to approved an individual basis. These

include environmental studies, gender studies, African-American studies,
biochemistry, and neuroscience, among others.
If you interested in than one field of study, but one interest is
much stronger than the other or you do not want to double major,
you have the option of having "minor" or "concentration" (what it is
called depends the school) in addition to your major. Minors and concentrations typically require about five courses in the chosen field and good
way to formalize an academic interest that is different from the field you have
chosen to study in depth.

11.4.7.3. General Education or Core Requirements

't

choose everything.
Although you decide what you major will and you choose what
courses to take semester, there certain things that college expects
of its graduates to learn. he idea is that every college-educated person
must have some basic knowledge of natural and social sciences, humanities,
and even foreign language. ensure that you do not leave their doors
without that knowledge, most colleges and universities have what is known as
"general education" or "core" requirements. For example, you required
to take oflab science, one "quantitative" course (this fulfilled
taking math, statistics, or an other course that deals with numbers and
calculations), one semester of social science, and two semesters of foreign
language before you allowed to receive your diploma. Most large universities also require 11 first-year students to take basic writing or composition
course. Although the requirements differ widely from school to school, they
almost always there, and you cannot do anything to get out ofthem. What's
, in some cases you not allowed to use courses in your major to fulfill
general requirements. For example, Bates requires its students to take
semester of social science, and they can choose from psychology, sociology,
and anthropology. 1 was psychology major, so 1 thought that 1 was automati "covered" for this requirement. Not so. school wanted to take
"different" social science, one 1 would not exposed to otherwise. 1 ended up
taking an introductory course in anthropology and loved it. Even if you do not
have such good experience, you will stil1 learn something new, and besides,
there is nothing you can do about the requirements, so you as well make
the best of them. Try to choose courses that interest you and keep in mind that
just because you think that you will have " use" for the subject later, it is not

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576

Education

necessarily waste of time. Remember, the s of liberal arts education

is leaming how to leam, and what you are learning is much less important than
how you are leaming it.

Freshman English:

window into the

mn

college classroom.

Althougb most students grudgingly accept the majority of their scbool's core
requirements, there is particular course they tend to resent, and that is
basic writing course that called College Writing, Freshman Composition, or something simi1ar. his course presents particular challenges for students whose first language is not English, so we willlook at it in some detail.
F;rst ! , let ( u how 1 know this, considering that Bates
Co/lege does not require its first-year students to take such course, and therefore, 1 never did. 1 have taught Co//ege Writing, Developmental Writing, and
Co/lege Writing for ESL Students for several years at three different un;vers;t;es, and therefore, 1 too familiar with students' misgivings about
and difJiculties with the course. 1 have also seen the dramatic difference the
course make in how prepared students are for their.future academic work.
he ftrst thing about this introductory English course that m intimidating or unpleasant is the fact that in an scbools, have to take placement that detennines wbether you wil1 allowed to enrol1 in "regu1ar"
col1ege writing class or required to take preparatory course such as Basic
Writing or Developmental Writing first. The m include grammar questions and short written essay. If it is obvious from writing that Englisb is
not first language, placed in the section of College Writing
that is reserved for ESL students. In some scbools, taking tbe "ESL" section of
the course fulfills the college writing requirement; others require students
to take "regular" section afterward.
If are confident and proficient writer, not see the placement as big deal, but if you are still struggling with English or
writing bas never strong subject, you m feel anxious or afraid
that you won't perfonn wel1 enougb. Ifyou are indeed placed into preparatory or ESL-specific s, m feel that otber students or professors see
you as stupid or think that you cannot speak Englisb or are bad writer. Relax.
Many native Englisb speakers are placed into developmental writing courses,
and the results of the placement in way retlect your intelligence or
predict future success in col1ege. Look at it as an opportunity to develop
writing ski11s in an environment with less pressure. You wi11 feel much
more confident in writing abi1ities after that ftrst semester.

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578

Education

But what ifyou know that you are better-than-average writer, and you
suspect that the only reason you were placed into developmental or "ESL"
section is the fact that English is not your first language? Unfortunately, this
does occasionally. Some college instructors and officials believe that
unless you leamed English at very young age, you will need lot of extra
help before you an write at the level native-speak:ing students. his,
of course, is not true, if you honestly believe that the results of your placement do not ref1ect actual writing skills, talk to your advisor. Most
schools will allow you to tak:e additional tests, speak: to the director of CoHege
Writing about your m, or even enroH in "regular" writing course "at
own risk." Never afraid to speak: for yourselfbecause ifyou do not
protect own interests, else wil1.
have final1y taken placement , made with the
results, and it's now time for fIrSt writing l. What should you expect?
Wel1, thing that most students complain about is the amount ofwork. You
asked to write four or more 5-page papers over the course ofthe
ter, and you wil1 assigned 10ng, dense, and often difficult to understand
readings regular basis. Because during fIrSt semester, other
classes are lik.ely to large lectures where you have to do is take notes,
read the book, and take two or three multiple-choice , your English
homework m l more than you an handle. Just remember that
professor is assigning 11 this not to torture you, but to prepare for
future courses, where wil1 have to write and read 10t regular basis.
And if you are having trouble with an aspect of the course, l1 , ask
for help before it's too late! Some immigrant students feel that asking their professor to explain something more clearly will mak:e them disrespectful or
stupid, but that's not the case at . Professors actuaHy it when students
ask them questions because it shows that they are interested in the material and
trying to leam as much as possible. not feel comfortable asking questions in front of the entire class, but you always do it right before or after
class or during your professor's office (more that later). an Students also ask their questions over e-mail, which easier for you if
are shy or do not have time to mak:e an appointment with your instructor.
Another aspect of many fIrSt-ar writing classes that find
unusual is the importance placed something instructors refer to as "participation." You m thinking, his is writing class, so long 1 turn in
papers time, 1 an just sit in class and never word. However, wil1
wrong. an times over the course of the semester, you will required to
discuss assigned readings with your classmates in small groups or as whole
class, get together with partner to read and comment other's papers,

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do rl presentations, and engage in other activities that seem to have very little to do with writing. Moreover, if you refuse to participate in such activities
or stay silent most of the time, you s grd lowered.
an students who have not grown up in the US (and some who have)
find activities that require their active participation uncomfortable. You
concemed about speaking in front of others ifyou have foreign accent. You
m terrified ofpublic speaking in general. You m afraid to say something that your fellow students or professor will think is wrong or unintelligent.
As far as reading other students' papers and having them read yours, you m
think that others in the class do not know an more about writing than you do,
so how an their feedback useful to you? EspeciaHy ifyou from culture where writing instructors simply lecture the class the appropriate ways
to write paper and then assign composition, you m wonder whether you
r actually learning anything in the class or whether the instructor really
knows what or she is doing.
these misgivings and fears are understandable. However, remember
that simply because the way classes r conducted in America unfamiliar to you, it is not necessarily wrong or inferior. With some understanding of
how the American education system works and wi1lingness to keep an
mind, you wi1l have much easier time adjusting to your ft.rst-year writing
class (and other participation-heavy classes), and you m even fd that you
actually prefer ''the American way" of leaming.
First of 11, you need to know that in the US colleges and universities (s
well as in some high schools), the role ofthe instructor is much different than it
is in an other countries. he instructor's task is to he/p /earn rather than
to simply teach . herefore, or she will give you feedback your performance, explain important concepts and material, and available for help
when you need it. However, or she wi// not simply teH you whether you are
right or wrong or feed you bunch of facts and expect you to memorize them.
You r expected to tk an active role in your wn leaming, and it is assumed
that different people leam in different ways, and therefore, classroom exercise or activity that works for one person not necessarily work for another.
his is why your teacher ask you to tell or her what you like and don't
like about the class, what you find useful d what seems useless, d how
or she mk the class better. In experience, when an instructor asks students for feedback, some immigrant or intemational students interpret it to
an that or she "does not know how to teach," is inexperienced, or is having trouble with the class. In reality, however, your instructor's interest in your
opinion simply means that or she respects you and wants you to get as much
as possible out ofthe class.

581

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582

Education

Another aspect of your writing class and many other smal1er classes that
you find unusual is working in small groups. Very often, your instructor
wil1 divide the class into groups of three to five students and ask group to
complete specific task during the next ten to twenty minutes. This could
answering questions about the assigned reading, analyzing passage from
student paper, solving problem, or making list. At the end of the session,
groups get together and share their results. Although group have
up with something entirely different, the teacher will not necessarily
label the answers as right or wrong. Instead, sharing the answers lead to
more discussion about the issue.
Now, you uncomfortable with this several different levels.
First of , you feel that because the teacher is not "doing anything" while
the groups are working, or she is being lazy and trying to teach the class the
"easy way." However, coming up with group activities that ll help students develop new skills and discover new ways of thinking about the issue at
hand is far from easy. good teacher assigns group activities that challenge
and stimulate students, and or she is always available to help, answer questions, or subtly push the group in the right direction.
Okay, you might say, but 1 real1y learning anything talking to
other students? Wbat is the point of group activities if of us know the
right answer? However, you must remember that the answer is not always the
point. American society values teamwork--the ability to work with many different l to find solutions to problems. In almost any workplace, you wil1
expected to col1aborate with your coworkers projects. Group activities
are great way to leam the skil1s necessary for being successful team
ber. Remember also that the Iiberal arts education emphasizes the process of
learning over the information that is being leamed. Keeping in mind the values
that American education emphasizes will help you make sense of many things
that seem strange or unnecessary at first.
Final1y, even ifyou understand why you're required to work in groups,
you still uncomfortable about speaking up in front of other students.
However, the only way to overcome this problem is to practice. Challenge
yourself to say at least one thing every class. And remember that it does not
need to "right" or perfect or incredibly intelligent--as long as you are
stretching yourself and contributing something to the discussion, you are leaming. Besides, many other students are just as nervous about speaking in front of
their classmates as you are, and tbey wi11 too busy thinking about their wn
discomfort to focus you.

583

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584

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Other th;ngs need ' know about school's requ;rements.

In addition to academic courses, some schools include physical education as
part oftheir core requirements. However, ifyou're not the athletic type, don't
worry. You usu meet your requirements doing activities such as
ballroom dancing, yoga, aerobics, or even attending lectures about nutrition,
fitness, and substance abuse, and there are grades or performance standards
involved; you simply need to do the activity for certain amount of time.
You tempted to put offyour core requirements untillater, but
advice to is, get them out ofthe wayas soon as possible. You don't want to
worrying about introductory-level sociology when you're trying to fish
your major requirements senior year. he fst two years, before you have to
declare your major, are the perfect time to fulfil1 your cores.

11.4.7.4. Credit and Credits

Almost American colleges and universities use the credit system to
keep track of individual student's progress toward graduation, but different
schools interpret the term "credit" differently. Many schools, especially large
universities, assign credit values to course. typica1 course is worth three
"credits" or "credit hours." Courses with laboratory component or other additional requirements m worth four credits, whereas once-a-week courses or
short internships carry only one or two credits. Some preparatory courses
for students who need extra work to bring their skills up to college level, such as
basic or developmenta1 writing, m considered non-credit courses.
he main purpose of the credit system, like we already mentioned, is to
track students' progress toward graduation. student has to accumulate certain number of credits, for example 96 or 120, before or she can receive
diploma. Ofthese, certain number have to in the major. herefore,
knowing how many credits class is worth, student can estimate how
many courses or she needs to take semester to graduate with the rest of
his or her class, and what these courses should .
Large universities also use the credit system to determine whether
student is enrolled full-time or part-time, which affects tuition and eligibility
for housing, financial aid, meal plans, and health insurance. For l, you
need to take at least 12 credits semester to considered fu-ti.
Although the credit system we have been discussing is far the most
prevalent, some schools use different ways to keep track of credits. At
Bates, for example, course was worth one credit. graduate, you needed
32 credits, which amounted to taking four courses every semester for four

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586

Education

years. You could, however, take three or five ss during any given sernester, as 10ng as had your 32 the time you were scheduled to graduate.
Because most students at Bates were enrolled full-time and housing was guaranteed for four years, the credit system was not as important for determining
student status as it is at sorne large universities. If have any questions
about your school's credit systern, ask the registrar or your advisor.

11.4.7.5. Grades and GPA

Most colleges and universities in the US, as well as elernentary and secondary schools, use the letter grade systern to evaluate students. In this systern,
means excellent, is good, is average, D is poor, and F means failure.
grade except F an have plus or minus sign to indicate "in-between"
performance. For example, + rneans very good, but not quite excellent. Most
schools also assign numerical values to letter grade. Typically, these values are as follows:
+ =4.0
+ = 3.33
D+ = 1.33
F=O
+ =2.33
=3.0
=2.0
D = 1.0
=4.0
- = 2.67
- = 3.67
- = 1.67
D- =0.67
Notice that grade of + carries the same number of points as an .
Some schools do not consider + to valid grade at ll. Other schools
not assign an D- grades.
hese numerical values, or points, are used to calculate student's
Grade Point Average, or GPA. Every sernester, the points eamed in of
your courses are added together and divided the number of ss you
took. he resu1ting number is your GPA for the semester. GPA a1so calculated at the end of year and is a1ways calculated at the end of your l
lege career. Some schools also calculate students' in the major
separately their total GPA.
What purpose does GPA serve? First of ll, it is used to determine
student's academic standing. school require students to maintain
of at least 2.0 or 1.67 to remain in good standing. Ifyour GPA falls below that
number, placed academic probation, wblch means that university officials m closely monitor your school ran over the next
semester, and required to attend special tutoring sessions or take
certain courses. Ifyour does not show sufficient improvement the following semester, required to remain probation or even dismissed
the school.

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588

Education

At the end of the four ar, total GPA used to detennine

whether you are eligible for graduating with honors. At Bates, for l,
students who graduated with total GPA between 3.4 and 3.6 graduated
l (Latin for ''with honors"). Students with total GPA between 3.6 and 3.8
graduated magna l (high honors), and those with total GPA of 3.8
and higher were awarded summa l (highest honors). Most schools use
this system, although GPA requirements for ll of honors m differ.
GPA is also used to detennine eligibility for membersblp in academic honor
societies and some scholarships. Graduate schools look at applicants' undergraduate GPA when deciding whether to admit them.

11.4.7.6. Homework and Exams

In blgh school, teachers written the assignment for the
next day the board at the end of class. In college, you are ultimately
responsible for keeping track of assignments and test dates. During the first
week of classes, of your instructors wi1l distribute what is called syllabus. typical syllabus is two to four pages long and includes the instructor's
, contact infonnation, and office hours, any books and materials you wi1l
need to purchase, an outline ofthe course's objectives, the instructor's policies
lateness, attendance, make-up work, and the like, and often detailed
schedule that outlines assignments for day of class as well as due dates for
major projects and test dates. he syllabus contains almost everything you
need to know about the course, so read it. an students never bother reading
the syllabus and then ask the instructor questions like "Wben is the flfSt paper
due?" or li that they did not realize that being absent more than twice over
the course ofthe semester would 10wer their grade. You an save yourself lot
of confusion and embarrassment taking few minutes to read the syllabus
after the first class session and marking an important dates calendar.
Also, sure that you check the syllabus before and after every class.
Although your instructor remind you about upcoming assignments, or
she expects you to know what is due an given day. "1 didn 't know" is not
valid excuse for not having work done.
What about courses where most of assignments are 1imited to reading chapter or more textbook? You wi1l soon notice that the
instructor does not quiz you every day to make sure you read the text, and
it is very tempting to skip reading when you are pressed for time or would
rather do something else. However, resist the temptation. Whether or not you
read the book really does affect understanding of the material, and if
not doing the reading buys you few extra hours in the short run,

589

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590

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time, you 1l find yourselft:rying to read semester's worth ofmaterial in

or two nights--not situation you want to in.
Speaking of exams, col1ege courses administer tests twice
semester--in the middle ofthe semester and at the end. hese exams called
"midterms" and "finals," respectively. Some courses have more than two
tests over the course of the semester, or at ll. he format of these exams
varies depending the course. Large introductory courses often have multiple-choice exams (remember the SAT?). Smaller and more advanced courses
m have exams that involve writing short essays or solving problems. Sometimes you will have what is knwn as "take-home ," where the professor distributes questions in class, but you answer them at m your
own time. Your professors willlet you know whether you use textbooks or
other materials or talk with your classmates while working the m.
Believe it or not, some exams are "open-book," meaning that an use your
textbook or notes to answer questions. However, questions such exams are
usually more difficult and require deep understanding of the material rather
than mere memorizing.
Exams raise an issue that present particular challenge for some
immigrant and intemational students--cheating and plagiarism. Some cultures
value community and collaboration over individual achievement, and it is
sidered acceptable for students to l other during exams. Even if giving
and receiving such l is officially prohibited, it m part of the informal
student culture. m think that refusing to answer questions, pass notes, or
show your answers to someone else during test means that you "siding
with the teacher" or being bad friend. You m also expect other students to
l you in the same situation and offended when they refuse. Unless you
know how such things regarded in American educational institutions, you
an get yourself in serious trouble.
an Americans value the interests of the individual above those of the
whole community. In academics, individual achievement determines one's success, and exams are designed to measure this achievement. Because of this,
giving and receiving help is considered cheating and severely punished.
copying someone else's answers, misrepresenting your mastery of the
subject and "stealing" someone else's hard work. giving l, you
allowing someone else to do the same. If you caught doing either, most l
leges and universities w impose sanctions ranging from waming 1l the
way to expulsion, depending the severity of the offense and whether it is
your fst . What's more, most students also look down those who cheat
and w usua11y refuse if someone asks them for help during test. Remember,
both giving and receiving assistance during tests puts both your and the other
pesoJ1'S academic career injeopardy, so don't do it.

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592

Plagiarism is using other people's words and ideas as wn, and

wblle some of it is intentional, putting paper roommate wrote and turning it in, much of it is due to simple ignorance. Whenever
you use infonnation that you got from book or an other source (pretty much
anywhere other than head), you need to give credit to the author to
it clear that the words or ideas are not wn. instructors and advisor
are excellent sources of infonnation how to avoid plagiarism. For now, just
aware of it.
1 want to emphasize that everything we mentioned about cheating does not
apply to - situations. American students often help each other with
homework, study in pairs or groups, and ask other about material they do
not understand. Helping otber students and asking them to help you is fin as
long as you do not do it when knowledge of the subject is being evaluated.
In fact, most instructors eng collaboration in and out of class and
even assign graded projects that require students to work togetber. Just ak sure
that you are clear about what instructor expects, and when in doubt, ask.

11.4.7.7. Senior Thesis

If l

requires students to complete senior thesis project in order

to graduate, it will probably the blghlight of college career--the most
challenging and rewarding academic experience in f years tbere. Simply
put, typical senior thesis is the longest research ! you have written so far
(and tbe longest on ou' ever write unless you decide to go to graduate
school). Usually, you select topic related to field of study that you are
interested in and draft proposal explaining the urpos of project and how
you will approach it. You also select your thesis advisor-a faculty member in
your department who is an expert topic d will guide you through tbe
research process. his person academic advisor, or it some else. Ifyour proposal is approved the department, you meet with your thesis advisor and set up regular meeting edl as well as outline of
paper d deadlines for lting each part of it. Typica11y, you will have
semester to complete the , and st tbeses are 50-100 pages in length.
he kind of research involved in writing your senior thesis depends
your field of study. Humanities majors will probably spend st of tbeir ti
in the library, reading scholarly articles and tbeir topic. Ntal sciences majors might design d conduct an experiment, with its results being

593
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594

Education

the focal point of the paper. You also to interview people, work in
setting such as an elementary school or hospital, or study museum specimens
or blstorical documents. However, matter what major, writing senior
thesis is your chance to do some original thinking and explore an issue you are
truly interested in. It is much more than simple research report--instead of
simply summarizing what is a1ready known about topic, you are required
to use the existing research to develop own ideas and insights about the
subject. Although this sound overwhelming, intimidating, or even impossible right now, thesis has the potential to one of the most intellectually exciting things you do in college and affect career choice.
Your school an honors thesis option, which is more l
lenging version of the senior thesis project. Usually, departments offer ll
seniors with certain GPA in their major (for example, 3.5 or blgher) the
option of writing an honors thesis. If your GPA is not quite as blgh, but you
would sti1l like to participate, you can talk to advisor or the department
chair. If you do decide to do an honors project, you will typically more
time (up to two semesters) to complete paper, but it wi11 have to longer
and more rigorous than regular thesis. h, after you are done, you wi1l
to "defend" thesis, which means that you will meet with anl of professors who have read paper and answer their questions. he panel usually
includes faculty from department and also one person from
different department and sometimes even someone from different school. If
defense is judged successful, you will graduate with honors in your major.
his experience is similar to doctoral dissertation defense and is good
tice for those who plan to go to graduate school.

11.5.

GraduatelFirst-rfssil

education

Although the vast majority of jobs in America do not require anything

beyond college degree, if you want to practice fields such as medicine, dentistry, veterinary medicine, law, and psychotherapy or university or
college professor, you will need to complete graduate degree progrn. Many
jobs in nursing, social work, business, education, and the arts also require
advanced degrees. Even in fields where most people have bachelor's degrees, an
advanced degree can allow you to work in positions with more responsibi1ity and
eam more money. his section will briet1y describe different types of graduate
degrees and institutions that grant them, as well as provide some general information about the applications process, financial aid, and student life.

595

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Education

596

11.5.1.

ypes

ofGraduate Degrees

An

fonnal degree attained after the bachelor's degree is considered an

advanced degree. Advanced degrees include master's degrees, doctoral
degrees, and first-professional degrees.
According to ''The Condition of Education 2001" published the U.S.
Department ofEducation, Nationa1 Center for Education Statistics (NCES), there
were 2.8 million students enrolled in graduate and first-professiona1 programs
during the 1995-96 academic year. Just over half of them (56 percent) were
enrolled in master's degree programs. Another 12 percent each were enrolled in
doctora1 and first-professiona1 degree programs, and the remaining 20 percent in
post-bacca1aureate certificate or non-degree programs. he Nationa1 Center for
Education Statistics has the following definitions for advanced degrees:
"Master's degree: degree awarded for successful completion of
program generally requiring 1 or 2 years of full-time college-level study
beyond the bachelor's degree.
One type ofmaster's degree, including the Master of Arts degree, or
.., and the Master of Science degree, or M.S., is awarded in the
liberal arts and sciences for advanced scholarship in subject field or
discipline and demonstrated ability to perfonn scholarly research.

second type of master's degree is awarded for the completion of

professiona11y oriented program, for example, an M.Ed. in education,
an ... in business administration, an M.F.A. in fi arts, an
.. in music, an M.S. W. in social work, and an ... in public
administration.

third type of master's degree is waled in professiona1 fields

for study
beyond the first-professiona1 degree, for example, the Master ofLaws
(LL.M.) and Master of Science in various medical specializations."

"Doctor's degree: An earned degree carrying the title of Doctor.

he Doctor ofPhi1osophy degree (Ph.D.) is the blghest academic degree
and requires mastery within field of knowledge and demonstrated ability to
perform scholarly research.
Other doctorates are awarded for fulfilling specia1ized requirements in
professional fields, such as education (Ed.D.), musica1 arts (D.M.A.), business
administration (D.B.A.), and engineering (D.Eng. or D.E.S.).
Many doctor's degrees in both academic and professional fields require
an earned master's degree as prerequisite."
"FInt-rofessioal degree: degree tbat signifies both completion of the
acadei requirements for beginning prcti in given profession and level of

597

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Education

598

professional skill beyond that nnall required for bachelor's degree. his degree
is usually based rogrn requiring at least 2 academic years of work before
entran and total of at least 6 acadei years of work to complete the degree program, including both prior-reqWred college work and the professional progrn itself.
the NCES definition, f1fSt-rfssi1 degrees are awarded in the
fields of dentistry (D.D.S or D.M.D.), medicine (.D.), optometry (O.D.),
osteopathic medicine (D.O.), phannacy (D.Phar.), podiatric medicine (D.P.M.),
veterinary medicine (D.V.M.), chiropractic (D.C. or D.C.M.), law (J.D.), and
theological professions (.Div. or M.H.L.)" (U.S. Department ofEducation).

11.5.2. Advanced Degree-Grating lnstitlltions

advanced degrees awarded on1y universities and col1eges
that have appropriate programs. nonprofit corporation he Carnegie un
dation for the Advanceent ofTeaching developed and maintains the Camegie
Classification: systematic classification of institutions of blgher education in
the United States according to such variables as degrees awarded, field coverage, and specia1ization. You can fd the complete classification the Intemet
at http://www.camegiefoundation.orglClassificationlindex.htm.
Below you find definitions of advanced degree-granting institutions
according to the Camegie Classification.

"Doctorate-granting Institutions
DoctoraVResearch Universities-Extensive: hese institutions typi offer wide range ofbaccalaureate programs, and they are
committed to graduate education through the doctorate. During the
period studied, they awarded 50 or more doctora1 degrees per year
across at least 15 disciplines.
DoctorallResearch Universities-Intensive: hese institutions typi offer wide range ofbaccalaureate programs, and they are committed to graduate education through the d.octorate. During the period
studied, they awarded at least ten doctora1 degrees per year across three
or more disciplines, or at least 20 doctoral degrees per year overa11.

Master's Colleges and Universities

Master's Colleges and Universities 1: hese institutions typical1y
offer wide range ofbaccalaureate programs, and they are committed to graduate education through the master's degree. During the
period studied, they awarded 40 or more master's degrees per year
across three or more disciplines.

599

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(O.D)., (D.O).,
(D.Phar)., (D.P.M)., (D. V.M)., (D.C.
D.C.M.), (J.D)., (.Div. M.H.L.)" (U.S.
Department ofEducation).

11.5.2.

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600

Education
Master's Colleges and Universities : hese institutions typically
offer wide range flte programs, and they are committed to graduate education through the master's degree. During the
period studied, they awarded 20 or more master's degrees per year."

"Specialized InstitutioDs
hese

institutions offer degrees ranging from the bachelor's to the doctorate, and typically award majority of degrees in single tield. he list
includes only institutions that are listed as separate campuses in the 2000
Higher Education Directory. Specialized institutions include:

heological

seminaries and other specialized faith-related institutions: hese institutions primarily offer religious instruction or train
members of the clergy.

Medical schools and medical centers: hese institutions award most

of their professional degrees in medicine. In some instances, they
include other health professions programs, such as dentistry, pharm, or nurs1Dg.
Other separate health profession schools: hese institutions award
most of their degrees in such fields as chiropractic, nursing, pharm, or podiatry.
Schools of engineering and technology: hese institutions award
most oftheir bachelor's or graduate degrees in technical fields of
study.
Schools ofbusiness and management: hese institutions award most
oftheir bachelor's or graduate degrees in business or business-related
programs.
Schools of art, music, and design: hese institutions award most of
their bachelor's or graduate degrees in art, music, design, architecture, or some combination of such fields.
Schools oflaw: hese institutions award most oftheir degrees in law.
Teachers colleges: hese institutions award most oftheir bachelor's
or graduate degrees in education or education-related tields.
Other specialized institutions: Institutions in this category include
graduate centers, maritime academies, military institutes, and institutions that do not fit any other classification category" (Carnegie
Foundation).

601

ter's Colleges and Universities : ypeeIDI

npo , r
r . O'I!mro ,

20 ro".

" l
r JI lCI'O

JIeJJ.

I,

"

2000".

I: r Jl, , :

: r JI
m .
., npo, JI
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.

: r JI
np

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lCO: r I
.

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.

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aro : r JI np

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(Camegie Foundation).

602

Education
11-2:

Distribution of ghr Education Institutions the 2000

Carnegie Classificatlon
Category

Frequency

Percent

DoctoraVResearch Universities-Extensive

151

3.8

DoctoraVResearch Universities-Intensive

110

2.8

Master's Colleges and Universities 1

496

12.6

Master's Colleges and Universities 11

115

2.9

lt

228

5.8

321

8.1

57

1.4

1,669

42.3

Specialized Institutions

766

19.4

Tribal Colleges and Universities

28

0.7

3,941

100.0

Colleges-Libera1 Arts

Baccalaureate Col1eges-General
1t/Associate's

Colleges

Associate's Colleges

Total:
Source: Camegie FoundatioD.

11.5.3. The application process

In an respects, applying to graduate school is similar to applying to
college. will need to fill out an application form, write what is usually
called statement of purpose--an essay that demonstrates why want to
enrol1 into this particular program and why are strong candidate for it,
obtain college transcripts and severalletters of recommendation, and take
standardized . If are applying to graduate programs during
senior year of college, academic advisor or career counse1ing office are
great resource to l through every stage of the application process. However, many people in America decide to further their education after many
years in the workforce, and some as late as when their children leave or
after retiring. Whether the motivation behind such decision is career
advancement, changing fields altogether, or sil fulfilling life-long dream,
older graduate students are very un in the U.S., and most schools have
special support services to t their unique needs. If have en working
for number of years but decide that graduate degree wi11 l reach
your goa1s, do not think that are "too old" to go back to school and do not
hesitate to the admission offices of the institutions are considering for
assistance with the application process.

603
r

11-2:

lC

2000.

ro

151

3.8

110

2.8

Master's Colleges and Universities 1

496

12.6

aster's

115

2.9

Colleges and Universities 11

()

228

5.8

()

321

8.1

57

1.4

1,669

42.3

766

19.4

28

0.7

3,941

100.0

(pl!xlyxro)
()


:
I<:

Camegie Fundati.

11.5.3.

JlX,

. -, ,

0/

statement

purpose

mcpe

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ICD

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.

Education

604
he

standardized required most graduate schools is the

advanced equivalent of the college SAT and is called the Graduate Record
or GRE. Th GRE is multiple-choice test that has three sections: verl, math, and analytical writing. Th analytical writing section tests the ability
to advance well thought out argument in written form. he GRE is administered the computer, usually at one of the man Sylvan Learning Centers
throughout the country. Sylvan Leaming Centers also administer the OEFL
and variety of other tests. here are an books and software programs
available to l you prepare for the test. For more information, go to
www.gre.org.

11.5.4. Financial Aid

apply for tinancial aid, you will fol10w the process that is very similar to
the on you went through whi1e applying for college tinancial aid he good news
is, man graduate prograrns, especially in the humanities, waive the cost of
tuition for qualifying students and even them stipend to 1 cover living
xpenses if these students assist taculty members in conducting research or teaching undergraduate courses. hese forms of tinancial aid are called research or
teaching assistantsblps and are way to get valuable experience in the field, especially ifyou are p1ann ing to teach or do research after completing degree.
While 1 was earning two-year master s degree in linguistics at the
University 01 New Hampshire, 1 taught flrst-year composition to undergraduate students. Not nl did 1 not tuition, but 1 / received $10,400 year
fro the university. he experience l helped realize that lloved teaching, and after graduation, 1 returned to home state and was hired to teach
writing courses at local university.

11.5.5. Student Life

Although most graduate students live off campus, on-campus housing
options are usua11y a1so avai1able. These can include graduate-student dnito
ries (with single rooms) and apartment complexes. an universities also offer
married-student housing, wblch is typically significantly less expensive than
renting an apartment off campus (this option is often used older undergraduates as well as graduate students). However, the number of avai1able units is
usually nowhere near the number of families in need of housing, so married
housing is o:ften difficult to get and involve lottery system or 10ng waiting lists. Although it more practical for students with fami1ies to live

605

Caaprpo , lIM -
l ecra SAT aaecJI

Graduate Record Exam GRE. GRE -

caaprpo8 , 1 : JlICl), rear

aar.

aaro eoJ arar .

GRE

( ll

Sylvan Learning Centers

cafrc

) . I OEFL m .

rep www.gre.org.

utlllR n

11.5.4.

,
. ,

, lO , MOyr
ar ,

research or teaching assistantships

) Jl
, aar
.

yxz no
-n, nn

n1. , n ,

$},4 . nom,
npen, , ,

nnam

11.5.5.

myIlR

lI paro yepcrecI<D ropo,

JIblI .
er
oIlJlec.

MHome

C'I

ara)

aprp

C1Yera,

, I<DOPOe JIJUI , aprp

rec ( 8IIl 1 1CDJDJ,
). mae , oro

arcJI arc . ,

, 1ero .

ropo,

JI

peI<DMeyIO

1era

.yar

606

Education

off campus, 1 encourage single students to explore on-campus housing options

before making decision. Graduate school does not offer the same ready-made
social environment as college because students are older, and man have established social networks, jobs, and other interests. If you are in new place
where you do not know an, living campus will make it easier to meet
new l and mk friends, and you find having your wn apartment
isolating. ll graduate students, regardless of their housing status, are eligible
to purchase meal plans at the school's dining halls.
Although man graduate students work while going to school, you
find that your program limits the number of s week you are permitted to
work. his is especially true if you have research or teaching assistantship,
which is roughly equal to half-time job. is tight for man graduate
students, and the same budgeting strategies you used in college apply
now. If you are paid the school to teach or do research and you live
pus and eat at the dining hall, you able to have the cost of your room
and board automatically deducted from paycheck. his is good option
for those who do not have other sources of in it makes budgeting
much easier.

11.6. Continuing education

he accelerating technological progress has created society where an
acquired knowledge quickly becomes obsolete, and if you do not continue
leaming, you find yourself far behind the times in ink of an . his
can compared to situation when you need to go up floor an escalator
that is going down. succeed, you must run faster than it is moving, and the
moment you stop, you are back to where you started. his affects not only
ple with advanced degrees or specialized training, but almost everyone,
because new equipment and technology have significantly changed an tr
ditional occupations, and many of them have disappeared entirely.
Many Americans further their education while working ful1-time.
Just take 100k at your local university's parking lots at night. According
to Condition of Education 2001, participation in learning activities
increased from 38 percent of those in the population age 18 and above in
1991 to 48 percent in 1999.
hese learning activities included participation in credential programs,
provided either postsecondary institution or some other kind of organization, such as an employer; work-related leaming other than credential progrm; basic skil1s training; leaming English as Second Language;
apprenticeships; and leaming for purposes of personal development.

607

ny , 81' .

8IGIX DJJJI, cry ,

cral , .
MecIe, aere J),

er

rc JO ,

ar

aarc

par,

, er

Xor ocyI , ere

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pa6oIrr.

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urope

te

CJDI

'I

mere

m. c'l88lo 1 ,

RO cpecr, OJl088JI DJJJI,

01I.

88I'CJICyIO , ecmii ,

oere

aroar J8.JI8C . ro ,

COllI<D , aer .

11.6.

RO CROro , (!
oar , rnao

MOPyr eere, RO . ro
, ROra IIJI , .
, ear , RO

, oIcaI' . ro ORO
, m ,
,

, HeICDropwe .
. ocnrro

rnyr RO RO
JI.

Education 2001 (
Jl 2000 ) Jl 18

he

Condition

38% 1991 48% 1999 .

yacm ,
RO,

npearae

CIIJI

arr

, areJlJl; lDl,

OJIYCIDI , ClDl ; arncD

ropoo ; pyI<D
ro ro pa3IJI.

608

Education

Adults obtained their leaming from different types ofproviders. In 1999,

among those age 18 and who participated in credentia1 courses of l1
kinds, 74 percent took courses from postsecondary institution, and the rest
& business or other kind of organization. At least half of those age 18 and
above who participated in work-related courses took courses given businesses or professional associations. Among adults who took courses for personal development, private organizations were the most likely providers (48
percent).
People of 11 ages are going back to school. And, if the percentage of students aged 18-24 not changed significantly in the last 10 years, it has
increased 50% among the 25 to 34-year-olds and doubIed among those 65
and older. Some educational institutions have grants available for providing
financial aid to older students. Often, companies in part or in fu11 for their
employees to tak.e various courses that are directly related to their jobs. l
who do not have jobs eligible for scholarships or low-interest student
10ans through the various Socia1 Security services.
here is a1so plenty of opportunities for self-education. There are countless textbooks and manuals ofvarious levels ofexpertise vtull anything.
If some area of knowledge has couple of experts, you are guaranteed to fd
several the subject. Computer search databases in bookstores allow
you to quickly locate an edition that has ever in print using key
words, the title, or the author's . If you Intemet access, you an do
this without leaving websites of large booksellers such as
zOn.com, Bames and Noble, Borders Books and Music, and others.
Besides textbooks, tbere are great an so-called "How " books that
explain in minute detail how to perform certain job, & an small repairs to
building house, as well as how to acquire tbe skil1s that are in demand tbe
job market. Treat these with caution because almost of them promise
immediate results witbout much effort, wblch is, of s, unrealistic. You
will not computer programmer in 12 lessons or leam foreign language in 20. Nevertheless, an of these are written experts in the
field and an great help in learning something new. Because Books are
expensive in the US, and tbere tens of tbem given subject, look
through several before you buy. help you choose, you want to look
through reader reviews that are published the Amazon.com website, where
you an leam what tbe people who already bought ertain book think
about it, as well as how blgh is demand for it.

609

I .

18 .

1999,
, 74%

BblCIIIIIX ,
. . , ,

. ,
I,

(48%).

18-24
25-34-
1.5 , 65 - .
lC . ,

10

IX

l .
6<
, . ,

, rorn
.

aI .
.
- ,

,
, .
, , ,

8 ,

Amazon.com. Barnes & Noble

Borders and us;.

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20. ,
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61

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

12. Social Security, Welfare, and

Retirement Programs

In this chapter we will talk about what kinds ofbenefits and services are
available in the U.S. to elderly and disabled citizens, and to families with
minor children. Many elderly emigrants - who had worked long years in their
countries and earned pensions - are concerned with the question of how they
willlive in new un, where they have not worked single day. This chapter should also of interest to people of working age, to help them get realistic picture of what to expect in old age and what measures they can take
while they still have time.
In the U.S., for long time the prevaling opinion was that only lazy
ple who don't want to work could poor in this country. here were government programs to protect people unable to work, and the poor could rely
on1y private charitable organizations that somehow provided support. Gradually, l started to realize that not everyone could achieve the same level
of financial security, some groups of people required government protection,
and retired people needed nationwide socia1 security programs. he most powerful un in the world cannot afford to leave its citizens at the mercy of
fate.
In the last few decades numerous programs were created that enabled
survival for l who, for whatever reason, found themselves in difficult
cumstances. Other programs provide certain level of protection to retirees.
But the pension system in the U.S. differs from many other countries'
grams providing guaranteed minirnum and using stimulus program to
encourage working-age l to save money to irnprove their situations at
retirement. his approach enables maintaining lower tax rates than in many
European countries while requiring personal initiative for securing the future.
Various types of social programs can divided into two groups: welfare programs and retirement benefits.

12.

611

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, ,

: JI .

612

Social Seeurity, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

12.1. Aid for low income individuals

Welfare benefits are allocated based need, not merit. he government
uses various criteria to give out funds so erin groups of people maintain
inill acceptable standard of living. People applying for benefits fill out
questionnaires where they indieate their ineomes and other resources, such as
savings, property, d so . This information is periodically updated, to
fmn the right to receive the given benefits. If the recipient's fiil circumstances improve, or she must disclose this information immediately so the
conditions and amount of benefits reviewed. It is m to false
infnti to receive welfare benefits.

12.1.1. Supplemental Security lncome (SSI)

Supplemental Security Income is federal monetary assistanee program

for persons 65 years of age or older, as well as blind or disabled people without
sufficient means for living expenses. he program provides monthly allowan consisting oftwo parts. he larger portion comes from the federal budget
and is l for residents of 11 states. States provide the second from
their wn budgets, which vary, meaning benefits differ bit from state
to state. SS/ is given as check that aivs ail the first day of
month or is directly deposited into the recipient's ank aceount.
As noted above, criteria for receiving SSI include income, age, d the
ability to work. person has the right to receive this benefit if physical or
mental health makes him or her unable to work for minimum of .
Disabled children also SS/ recipients. l who receive SS/ are usually also entitled to Medicaid medical insuranee d food stamps.
Determining SSI eligibility entails examining not n1 ineome, but also
the lit's eurrent assets, including real estate, savings in the ank, securities, d cash. he tota1 sum should not exceed $2,000 for person or
$3,000 for married couple. his calculation usually does not eover:

he

primary residence, including land;

Persona1 belongings (clothes, furniture) d life insuran;

;

Cemetery 10ts for family members;

Up to $1,500 for spouse, set aside for funera1s.

613

12.1.

l ernoc

OCl.

, : rep, CJDIe ro l
JO JI epaIIJI cyJ.ecoaJI

. , perey lDl, 80JJJII0 ,

ICDI'Op pyr, eCJI opJJe ,

ro:

c6epeeI,

lIJlecJI JIJI

ra l

oro lUl.

ocoenca o.nyaR eIOI7IC ,

ro

para r ro JI 18 CJJII
lDl. JIJJJIecJI pec1}'I.

12.1.1. Supplemental Secllrity lncoe (SSI)

Supp/emental

Secrity /ncme (--8 ore )

rpa JIJI

65

, cpecr, ocarox JIJI ecro. paaerc

, I<DOPOe :. l
: , ,
xrera JIJJJI JIJI mrro; RD ropo

cocaJ]JIIO JIJJJIec,. mrro, orop r pa3JI'

HecI<DJl< rara
,

ero

umny. SS/ ,.

an nyre aIco are:.

I IDI

SS/

JIJDOC,.,

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,. , , . -8JI ro

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$2,000

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$1,500 , I .

614

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

If disabled person works, then part ofhis or her incom is not included in
the ca1cu1ations, nor are an items used for the job or job-re1ated .penses.
here is misconception among immigrants receiving SSI that they will

lose
benefits if they have any money in their ank. accounts. his is not so. If you have
nothing beyond what's listed above, you have up to $2,000 for one person or
$3,000 per married l in bank account or in cash without losing the right to
receive benefits. Moreover, your savings not ex.ceed this sum only at the end
of the month, just before receiving the check Immediately after receiving the
on, the total ofthe ank savings and the benefits greater than the allow1e limit. For l, ifyou receive $500 SSI check, you can have $2,500 right
after it is deposited into the account. But again, this sum should more $2,000
the ti you receive the next check. It is important not to exceed this sum at any
time because in some cases you will required to present copies of ank statements for the last three as, for example, during admission to nursing home.
"On August 22, 1996, severallaws changed the way we Supplemental Security In (SSI) benefits to noncitizens. he laws apply to l
who already receiving SSI benefits and to l who are applying for benefits. [..] Under these laws, only United States (U.S.) citizens and nationa1s and
certain noncitizens get SSI benefits.
Who Get SSI or After August 22, 1996
Citizens or nationals ofthe U.S.
Certain noncitizens who were lawfully residing in the U.S. August
22, 1996 and who blind or disabled, or who were receiving SSI
August 22, 1996;
Noncitizens who are lawful1y admitted for permanent residence
under the Immigration and Nationality ! (lNA) and have total of
40 qualifying quarters of work.
Work done spouse or parent also count toward the 40
quarters of work for getting SSI only.
Quarters ofwork acquired after . 31, 1996, camt COlted ifthe
noncitizen, spouse or parent received certain types offedera1Iy funded
benefits based on limited income and resoces during that od
Certain noncitizens who are active duty members, or who honor discharged veterans, ofthe U.S. armed forces, their spouses and
unmarried dependent cblldren. he unremarried spouse and unmarried dependent child of deceased veteran a1so qua1ify.
American Indians bom outside the U.S. who are under section 289 ofthe
INA, or who are members of federally recogoized Indian tnes under section 4() of the Indian Self-detennination and Eduction Assistan !.

615

, ro
, , JI
, .

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$2,000

ro

$3,000

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ar : ll

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ro . ,

ro JI

JI

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$2,500,

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1996

nursing home.

ro ,

JI

SSI

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.

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SSI

or:

SSI 22 1996 ro:

;
ro ,

22

1996 ro JIJIJIIO
SSI 22 1996 ro;

Ip88, IOp caryc OCOJlro re (permanent resident)

comaco Immigration and NationaJity Act (lNA) 018 40 apra;
, eJIJl
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, 31 1996 ro MOyr
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;

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ar

4()
he Indian Self-determination an Education Assistance Act.

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

616

Certain noncitizens admitted as Amerasian immigrants under section

584 of the Foreign Operations, Export Financing, and Related Programs Appropriations Act, 1988. SSI eligibility is 1imited to the first
seven years after being admitted.
Cuban or Haitian entrants as defined in section 501 () of the Refugee
Education Assistance Act of 1980 m eligible for seven years
from the date their status was granted.
Some noncitizens granted conditiona1 entry under Section 203 of the
INA as in effect before Apri11, 1980;
Some noncitizens paroled into the U.S. under section 212 ofthe INA
for period of at least one ;
Some noncitizens and their cblldren if subjected to battery or extreme
cruelty;

ertain

other noncitizens eligible for seven years after:

the date of admission as refugee under Section 207 of the INA;
the date granted asylum under Section 208 ofthe INA; or
the date deportation is withheld under Section 243(h) ofthe INA
(as in effect prior to April 1, 1997), or the date removal has been
witbheld under section 241 ()(3) ofthe INA."

Source: Socia1 Security Administration.

he

am.ount of SSI benefits depends how man SSI recipients in

the fam.ily. SSI in 2000 (not including state contributions) was $512 for one
person and $769 for maid couple. his benefit increases annually depending the inflation rate. If an SSI recipient is admitted to nursing or
other establishment where Medicaid insurance covers bls stay, or she
receives only small amount, for exam.ple, $40.

12.1.2. Welfare
Welfare is program that provides monetary assistance to l with
inm or very low income. l who unable to work (for an reason
other than disability) or who have exhausted the terms of payment of unm
ployment benefits use this program. It is supervised state governments
and local municipalities, and the program's eligibility criteria and benefit
amounts differ significantly fto region to region.
Many people who receive welfare simultaneously receive Medicaid
medical insurance free-of-charge, plus subsidized housing. his creates situations where it makes better financial sense for people not to work at than to

617

, Jle "-"
584 he Foreign Operns,
Export Financing, and Related Progras Appropriations Act, 1988.
.

501() he Re!

ugee Education Assistance Act 0/1980

WI .

,
I

203 lNA, 1 1980 ;

212lNA

, JI
;

are SSI

> rn 207

INA;

WI 208INA;
WI WI pra COrnacHO I

243(h)

INA ( 1 1997 ) ,

llJ(:

241 ()(3) lNA".

Socia1 Security Administration.

JJ

SSI ,
. SSI 2000 raa
$512 $769 . r
.

SSI

$40.

12.1.2. Welfare
Welfare

()

: ,

IIII . , paoar
- , cJIa , lcDope
epa6oI, MOry . : rpa.

popyerc e.nca urraro cm CIp8

paae1'CJI rep, arop CJIJlecJI

rpa, .
, ,

JI!. , ,

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

618

work in low-wage jobs where they would lose Medicaid. here are families
that have been welfare for several generations. his is why recent years
have seen attempts to change the system limiting the length of payment
terms.

12.1.3. Food Stamps

Food Stamps is program designed to l l with low income eat
decent food. Criteria for receiving food stamps are very similar to the requirements for SSI, except age and disability. Able-bodied people between 18 and
60 years of age must register with an employment or participate in
retraining programs to assist them in finding work.
Booklets of food stamps in various denominations - from $1 to $20 - are
distributed monthly and total sum that depends income and the size of the
family. Food stamp recipients must report their incomes odill (usually
quarterly) to keep the right to benefits and they must also provide information
about financial changes within 1 days.
Food stamps are intended only for purchasing food and cannot used
for other purposes, so ifyou something that is not food - tobacco products,
alcohol, or household goods - must for that with real money. Transfer,
sale, or exchange of food stamps for money is strictly prohibited.
Food stamps are accepted as payment in nearly 11 supermarkets and in
many food stores, even small ones. Stores frequently ask purchasers to show
food stamp booklet covers to confirm that they are truly entitled to them.

12.1.4.

m Assistance for

Needy Families

Temporary Assistancefor Needy Families (TANF) program was formerly ll Aidfor Dependent Children. his program serves to:
Provide l to needy families so children can taken care of in
their own families or in families oftheir relatives;
Stimulate independence among recipients of social welfare benetits
encouraging people to obtain work skil1s, undertake job searches,
and enter into marriage;
Prevent and reduce the number of out-of-wedlock pregnancies;
Encourage the creation and preservation of families with two parents.

619

, JI .
, ,.
. ,.

r, .

12.1.3. Food Stamps

(

Food Stamps
IIJI

,.. 8IIWI carycy are

SS1.

ICJO acra 8.III .

18

60

$1

$20

, CJ . o.yare
(

eeapra) 0I1>cJI

ro

xpar , . Jl1 , CJI

DI - .

JI

,. JI ,

- ( :, ,
), JI . ,
are .

,.

IX, .

, JI ,
, .

12.1.4. Temporary Assistance for Needy Families

empory Assistace

for Needy Families

ANF (lWl

CJI ) ecma Aidfor Depedent Children

( JIJI ). JIJIJIIOC":

CJI ,
cocre ceIX ;

8OC'I'O'I'eJIOC'I
wpe aucDB,
;

npeoI1Ip8IC I<DJJeCIa epeeocre;

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

620

Funds from this program are used to l families make transitions from
welfare to employment and then independent. his include providing necessaly transportation or covering transportation expenses related to
job.
entitled to program benefits, family should have at least one
minor child Iiving with parent, guardian, or relative, or pregnant woman. In
addition, families must pursuing the goals outlined above.

12.1.5. Low Income Energy Assistance Program

he

Low /n Energy Assistance Program is federal program

administered states or municipalities to help people with 10w incomes in
paying for energy - including diesel fuel, gas, or electricity - to heat their
homes during cold season or l them during hot season.
his program mostly covers the elderly and disabled as well as families
with sma11 children. Families with incomes not higher than 150% of the poverty level and not higher than 60% of the median income in the given state
e1igible. l receiving SS/ or food stamps automatically entitled to
assistance under this program.
One oddity of this program is that avai1able funds are often not sufficient
to meet needs, so benefits are given "first , first served" basis and
a1ready exhausted the middle of winter.

12.2. Pensions, retirement funds and accounts

Pensions and pension programs a110w working and taxpaying citizens to
have security after retirement or in the event of disability. As mentioned 1ier, the govemment provides guaranteed pension - Social Security benefits through Social Security taxes. Unlike the benefits mentioned above, Social
Security benefits an earned pension that is direct1y related to the amount of
income received for many years before retirement. In addition to this, there
various pension plans and accounts that enable people to k untaxed contributions before retirement to special funds that they can access after reaching
retirement.

621

JIJI

. ro

, .

,
, ,
,

aI'C , Bme.

12.1.5. Lo",lncome Households Energy Assistllnce Progrllm

Low Income Households

n'

Assistance Program

nare )

nare (
, )

, .

150%

mare. ,

SSI

60010

JIJUIeCJI , ro , Be.mrex
. ocraro IDI ,

'' ,

", .

12.2.

'

. ,

(Social Security

) lp

fits.

, ,

Social Security n
Social Security benefits

, ,
, .
,

ar
,
.

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

622

12.2.1. Social Security Benefits

The money withheld ftom every employed person's in as Social Security tax is divided into two unequal rts. greater portion makes 85% of tax
receipts and is set aside to Social Security benefits to retirees. he other 15%
goes into the ftmd that pays Social Security benefits to the disabled.
eligible for Social Security benefits, must rtain number of so-called credits. must accrue 40 credits to receive pension based
age. he number of credits to receive disability pension depends the
age at which the disability ued. Social Security Administration l
lects data length of service and eamings for everyone who works. person 's Social Security number (not his or her ) is the key to these data, so
every employee is required to provide that number to an employer when hired
for work. Working for cash where taxes aren 't paid is not only illegal, but it
adds nothing to your opportunity to receive retirement benefits in the future.
arn on credit, must arn less than ertain aount of on
year. (he amount increases year; in 2002 it was $870.) The maximum
number of credits received in year cannot exceed four. Thus, must work for
about 10 years to eligible for Social Security benefits. Years can incomplete, but they count as long as earn the equivalent offour credits. For
ple, person who earned $3,480 (wblch equals $870 4) in the calendar year
2002 will receive four credits even ifhe or she worked for only one month. S
is the same as credits earned someone who ad more money or worked
10nger for the same eamings. Taking this into account, it is not difficult to calculate that even with blgh income, the minimum time necessary to receive 40
credits will more than eight calendar years. his could pen if the person
began working at the end of er and had time to arn 4 credits, then worked 8
full years (32 credits) and the beginning of ninth er (4 credits).
Despite the fact that the number of credits over 40 does not play role, if
person works longer or has higher earnings, the amount of Social Security
benefits will larger. Average earnings over an extended period are used to
calculate Social Security benefits. Bere are some of the conditions:

he

35 rs with the blghest income are selected from the employhistory;

ent

Adjustments are made for int1ation;

The average monthly income for the entire period is calculated;
Using special fonula, social Security benefits are calculated to
approximate1y equal to 42% of the incom. real percentage may
less for those with higher income or more for people with lower income.

623

12.2.1. Social Security Benejits

,
JI

(Social Security

COC8JIJle

) .

85% cyI IIJI ua

15% ,

JI ,

l .

JI,

credits

(). JI , 40 ,

IIJI JI
, .

cnJI. JI JI JI,
JI

(Social Secur;ty

Nuber), Jl

are . ,

I8JIC m, ,
.

, (

$870),

2002

, ,

l . , 1IJI JI

1 .

OJl,

, .

, ,

$870 4 = $3,480

2002

, I ,
,
. 8JI , l, ,

JI JI

40

8-

. ,

,
) eJlOO

4 ,
(4 ).

, .

(32

40

, JI ,
. JI
I1pOJI . :

35 ;

JI

42 % ( JI

- 1IJI l).

624

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

It is obvious that person who aived in the country in middle age and
worked n1 1 of the 35 years used to calculate average income l1 have
very low monthly average income because bls or her in will considered zero for 25 years. If the amount calculated is too small, the person
eligible for SS/ as described above, and he or she ll have full rights to
care medical insuran, regardless of the size of Social Security benefits.
In addition to the above criteria, the size of the pension is also affected
the age when the person begins to receive it. For those before 1938, the
full retirement age is 65 years. It increases gradually, to age 67, for younger
people, as shown in the table below.
It's not necessary to wait for full retirement age to receive Social Security benefits - they can begin at 62 - but benefit size is reduced approximately 7% for each year less than the full pension age. For l, if
someone for whom ful1 pension age is 65 years retires at 62 years, that person
ll receive 21 % less than if or she had retired at 65. the other hand,
those who apply for Social Security benefits after full pension age can receive
an additional 6-8% for each year over the age specified in 12-1. Each
person can decide bls or her wn retirement age based hea1th and financial
situation.

12-1:

Retirement Age Based Year of Birth

ofbirth

Retirement age

1937 or earlier

65

1938

65 and 2 months

1939

65 and 4 months

1940

65 and 6 months

1941

65 and 8 months

1942

65 and ] months

1943 - 1954

66

1955

66 and 2 months

1956

66 and 4 months

1957

66 and 6 months

1958

66 and 8 months

1959

66 and 1 months

1960 and later

67

Source: Social Security AdministratiOD.

625

, , I

35-, ,

R3 JI ,

25

carc . ,

SS/,

Bme,

,
.

u. JI ,
! . lX

1938

65 , I1JI
67 ! .

oare ar ,
ar !

7%

62

, IIJI

. , , opacr

65

62 , oyar 21 % ,

! lO . , ICI'O

JI

OJl'l'CJI

6-8%

JCJ , .

12-1.

, fro JIJI :I am. ,

, .

12-1:

I'O :;.

oJIR

1937

65

1938

65 2 Ja

1939

65 4

1940

65 6

1941

65 8

1942

65 1

1943 - 1954

66

1955

66 2

1956

66 4

1957

66 6

1958

66 8

1959

66 1

1960

67

Social Secity AdministratiOD.

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

626

Every year the Social Security Administration sends future Social

Security benefit recipient Social Security Statement, personal document
that outlines wages and paid taxes for 11 years, plus the amount of possible
future benefits, calculated based the assumption that in wi1l not change
before retirement age. he amount of disability benefits is al80 calculated,
based loss of the ability to work in the accounting . his document is
sent approximately three months prior to birtbdays. Carefully verify that all
data are t. If there are discrepancies, contact SSA to 't them.
he average amounts of Social Security benefits that were paid in 2000
to various categories of recipients 1isted below.
Single retiree:
aid couple:
Disabled person:

$804
$1,348
$754

Disabled person with spouse and child: $1,255

widow/er:
young widow/er with two children:

$749
$1,611

Social Security pension recipients work without reducing benefit

amount as long as their incomes do not exceed certain amount. In 2000 the
following restrictions applied:
Persons who had not reached full retirement age could arn to
$10,080 per without benefit reduction. For $2 earned over
this amount, the benefits decreased $1;
In the reach full retirement age, can to $17,000
without benefit reduction, but for $3 earned above that
amount, the benefits would diminish $1. Onl income received
before reaching full retirement age is counted.

Starting with the month reach ful1 retirement age,

receive your full benefits with limit your earnings.

can

Social Security benefits not just paid to people who earned them.
also paid to some members of their families, for example, to
spouses of retirement age, minor children, or spouses of work age who caring for minor children. In some cases they even paid to form.er spouses.
he total amount of benefits paid to family usually does not exceed 150180% ofthe benefits ofthe primary recipient.

hey

627

ro

(Socia/ Security Administration)

yaemo

oyer

ro

ero

Social Security Statement.

I ,

ra

rollll I
. rc , roc

roy.

ro

oyer

are.

, ooecyr cm

, I .
ro , I:

2000 roy ro are,

Ul :

rc .

$804
$1,348

$754

():

() () :

$1,255
$749

ro

$1,611

JIJI , m
.

2000

, ro ,

$10,080

$2

$1;

JlOro ro

$17,000 , $3
, $1
( ,
II );

ro

.
,
, , , ,

, ,

. ,
I ,
.

150-180%

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

628

12.2.2. 401(k) and Keogh Retirement Plans

In the U.S. there are other types ofpension and retirement savings plans
(Retirement Savings Programs, Pension Plans) that are established employers to go beyond the government-provided Social Security pensions that we
discussed in the previous section. For some plans an employing company
would annua11y l set sum into special pension fund for each worker and
invest all the money in stocks and securities. hat would bring in an annual
income to pensions to former workers who have a1ready reached retirement age. Payment size depends the length of the worker's service in the
given company and the wages he or she received. In many cases, certain
minimal length of service is required. After that, the worker receives the right
to full or partial pension fund. Requirements vary from 3-1 years.
Someone who leaves the company before that period lose rights to the
pension fund. he size of the pension determined the number of
years worked, the average earnings during the years of service, or the average
in during the last severa1 years.
As retirement age approaches, person usuaHy has the opportunity to
choose the conditions of pension payment. Some choices receiving 11
the funds at once, referred to as lum sum, or taking montbly payments during certain term under an annuity. If choosing an annuity, the retiree then
chooses among possible payment plans that differ in the amount of monthly
payments and the terms over which they are paid.

,,-, term certai"

only for 1 years.

a"""ity - the greatest monthly payments, but

smaller Iifetime pension that cannot passed to

surviving spouse.

Life a"""ity

Life a"n"ity with ten-year te,.", certain - smaller payments for the
rest of one's Hfe, but if the addressee dies before 10 years have
passed, the spouse can receive payments until the end of that term. If
the addressee dies more than 1 years after payments begin, the
spouse receives nothing.

Joint and s"rvWor an""ity - the smaHest monthly payments for the
rest ofthe retiree's Hfe; less than 50% ofthat sum would paid
to the surviving spouse until his or her death.
Similar pension Ians - as well as their variations, where employers k 11
were widespread in the past, mainly at large compa-

contnutions to pension fimds -

nies.

12.2.2.

629

WI, ,
,

are ,
I

(Retirement Savings Programs, Pension P/ans),

ll
, , II

, . . I8
I8,
. aomx , ,

. ro arCJI

3 10 .

, , .

CJIJI ,

.

I , 1fI'O
lum

I:

sum

annuity.

annuity

I , .

,,-ll1' 'erm

certlJi" tllUllIUy -

Life _",," -

Jl I8,

1 .

, JIIU

Life tlII"lI with '"-, 'erm certtJin -

I8

mrre

10 ,

. , ,
.

Joi"t tlIId suivor _""lI - JIe I

50010

,
aeJIJl,
JIJIX.

630

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

401(1) PlIIns. Retirement plans known as 40J(k) are centl enjoying

widespread popularity. 1is plan received its name fto section 401 (k) 01 the
lnternal Revenue Code, which pennits, in certain cases, deductions of portion of
pre-tax wages to placed in certain fimds. The goal is for the on to used
when contributors reach retirement age. Unlike pension funds, which are established and fully controlled the employer, 40J(k) is plan that requires workers'
active participation. It al80 called Salary Reduction A"angement.
Under the conditions ofthis lan, if mpan offers 401(k) progra the
worker must notifY the company in writing of his or her desire to participate in the
lan, specifY (as percentage of sa1ary or wages) how much or her wants
deducted, and sign Sa/ary Reduction Agreement. he amount any sn that
doesn't an annuallimit; the limit increases and was $11,000 in
2002. he employer also con1ribute to the worker's 1.lt, in proportion to his
or her payments (80 caUed mpany match), but tota1 employee and employer contributions may not an establisbed limit hat limit in 2002 was $40,000 or 25%
of , whichever was less.
Many employers, for example, contribute $0.50-1.00 for dollar that the
worker mutes, with limit of 4-6% ofthe worker's . For example, if 8Omeone eams $400 per week and deducts 10010 ($40) as 401(k) contributions, and the
employer contributes 50 cents for dollar up to 5% ofthe work.er's , that
makes company match conmution of$400 0.05 0.5 = $10. bus, $50 would
go into that worker's account week. he more generous the pan, the
more it contributes to the plan, but only if the worker makes yro deductions.
Another feature of 401 (k) plans is that the employer usually finds financial
establishment that holds the 40 1(k) on in its accounts. The worker himself or herself supervises the investment of these fimds, following guidelines established the
company. Investments might include bonds, stocks of various vestment fimds, SOcalled utual Funds, and so on. All these investments ertain degree of risk,
depending on terest rates or expected rates of retn the vestment
entireportion ofthe account that the worker contributes belongs to him
or her, and if or h leaves the company for any reason or h can transfer
this money to another account or plan. Although the employer's contributions
collect in the worker's account, they do not belong to him or ber until certain
requirements are met. Once those conditions are met, the money either belongs
100010 to the employee, under one-step cliff vesting, or is tumed over gradually,
within 3-5 ers, under graded vesting. Conditions for transferring this portion of
the account to the worker are refeed to as vesting schedule. Examples of the
most ftequently used vesting schedules are shown in 12-3 page 634.
In the situation discussed above, both the employer and the employee
contribute money to retirement account every period. However, there are
other ways to handle tbese accounts; for example, at the end of tbe year tbe

631

4fJl(k) PItUr. 8COJIIee ony JDIPIIOCI oyaer o

, ecr

: rooro ICDe1<C8

401(k). ro
(section 401(k) 01 the lntemal Revenue Code),

ImOPO

papeaerc ~eJI CJD . apam JJI onoeJI

oro an. 1 qcma
8C'l}'IDICI oro . orne OlIOC'l
re,

401 (")

yacm paomICD -pyro aaerc

oaraer

SaJmY Reduction Arrangement.

rnac JI ro , er
ar ,

mrr er CJDI,

Salary Reduction Agreement.

ro er u , mWI ,

ro JIJI

2002
$11,000 8 . oroare er

ocr (

match),

2002

$40,000 25% mrr, or , .

, IpOI<D JI , I<Dra

$0.50 - $1.00 OJ, I<D,

4-6% or . , or
er $400 er 10%, . . $40,
paoro orer 50 J 5%,
er $400 0.05 0.5 = $10, er
$50 . , er
, <D , Ol
ler .

401(k)

JI ,

,
, lpOer
, .
rocyapcee , aJI ,
tual Funds . JI8
I<D

or .

, aerc ,
, - , er
. ,

, ery ,
.

""

(graded)

3-5

(cliff),

er.

vesting schedule.

vesting schedu/e . 12-3 . 635.

pa6oI<O paoroare
are

aI<O , ,

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

632

employer deposit its share as IUl sum into the accounts of 11 employees who had worked for the company for the full year. In this case, the
10 vested immediately.
Now let's look at why it's most advantageous to participate in these programs as soon as possible and why they're better than simply putting
money into savings account.
Let's assume that the worker who earns $400 per week works at
pany that contributes 50 cents for do11ar for to 5% of the worker's
wages. Table 12-2 compares two situations - where the worker contributes $40
per week to 401(k) plan or to savings account:

12-2:

Savings Account and 401(k) Plan Comparison

Savings Account

401(k) Plan

$400.00

$400.00

pre Transfer

50.00

$40.00

Employer Contribution

$0.00

$10.00

Taxable Income

5400.00

5360.00

5110.60

599.54

After Transfer

$40.00

50.00

Cash Hands

5249.40

5260.46

Account Value

$40.00

550.00

Week1yPay

Federall5%
Social Security 7.65%
State5%

Weeldy Savings

$21.06

Annua1 Savings

51095.12

the example shows, the gain is more than 50% of the deductions. If
a1so consider that 401(k.) contributions accumulate compound interest, it
becomes clear that 401(k) plan savings grow faster. Even with modest
contributions, people who gin participating in these plans at young age can
accumulate significant amounts of money retirement age, assuming contributions are made regularly and for at least as as the employer matches.
Many people with low to moderate income, when they start working at
company that uses graded vesting schedule, think that there is incentive to
contribute to retirement plan because they are not sure if they wi11 stay at

,
, .
MOryr .

,
,

o'JIa8 rre l!.

, ,
JI,

50

$400

5%

ar . .12-2, ,
CJlJl

$40

401(k)

l!.
401(k) fa

.12-2:

l!

401(k)

$400.00

$400.00

Or ( )

$0.00

$40.00

Or JIJI

$0.00

$10.00

$400.00

$60.00

$110.60

$99.54

$40.00

$0.00

5249.40

$260.46

$40.00

550.00

15%

. .

7.65%

5%

Or ( )

521.06

JI

$1095.12

' ,

50%

401(k)

PaC1YI' . ,

, MOryr e ,
1Jl, , ,

, , IeJI CJlJl .
, JI,

graded vesting schedule

, , cno ,

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

634

their job long enough to own more or l significant of their

employer's contributions.
First of all, remember that retirement plan tenns cbange, and vesting
schedules are not necessarily permanent. hese cbanges usua shorten the time
it takes for employees to vested. he copany where 1 work has
changed owners twice, and every time the tens of retirement plan, including
vesting schedule, changed as well. We started with 7-year graded plan, moved
to 3-year cliff, and uentl have the lum.p-sum contribution described above.
Besides, even if the employer's contributions don't your own
money, you save taxes as long as you do not use the funds before reaching
retirement age.

12-3:

ear

Examples ofVesting Schedule

ofservice

Vesting Schedule
3 years (C/iff)

6 years (Graded)

20%

1()()oIo

40%

100%

60%

100%

80%

100%

1()()%

Government tax breaks mean that there are ertain restrictions using
40 1(k) account money. he money can used only in rtain cases, such as:
Dismissal or transition to another job;
Disability;
Death;
Significant financial difficulties;
Reaching 59.5 years ofage.
If 40 1(k) account money is used before age 59.5, the holder must
usual in tax plus penalty equal to 10010 of the distributed sum. h, the
distributed sum is added to other inm, and the tota1 amount is taxed. Since
tax rates in the U.S. are progressive (the blgher the income, the higher the
taxes) taking money out would not advantageous at decent income level.
Beyond that, the worker loses bls right to any unvested part ofthe account con-

635

, CJlJl
np.

cero , lUlCJl,

vesting schedu/e

JI.JDI - . JI J

cropo JI . , , MeJlJla
,

JlJDl JI lJJI88, mo8JI

epeReJl. 7- amagraded, u 3-emii /iff

80J , Bme.

, JIJI ,
, , m .

6.12-3:

Vestfng Schedule

Vesting Schedule

3 (C/iff)

6 (Graded)

20%

l000!

40%

lOOO!o

60%

l000!

80%

l000!

100%

!lIe .
poar , :

arp;

59.5 .

OCRe:

mmrrcJI

10%

59.5

JI

. , r
, (

, ),
. , om , ro
, . OaaICO
, : l000! ,.

636

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

tributed the employer. However, ifthe worker has fulfil1ed the requirements
necessary for receiving the entire account balance, including the employer's
contributions, even with the pena1ty and increased taxes it more favor than putting savings in the ank. If the person begins using bls account
after reacng retirement age, or she pays on1y usua1 income taxes, and if
that is bls or her on1y income, the taxes wi1l much less.
However, there is one other way to use this money - taking out 10an.
In some cases, you can w this money and it back with interest. But
unlike with regular 10ans, credit history is ilvant and credit insurance is not
necessary because, as it happens, you are wing from yourself. downside of these 10ans is that if for any reason you leave the company or get laid
offbefore you it off, you must repay this loan completely in short amount
of time, otherwise that sum will counted as an early distribution, so 1ties and taxes wi1l have to paid.
If you are dismissed from your job or move to another one, your account
can transfd to similar account in your new place of work or "rolled
over" into the special type of saving account discussed below. In these cases,
penalties are not imposed and taxes are not paid.
Usually workers are given the opportunity to participate in 401(k) programs
witbln 6-12 months after being hired as penanent employees, but in reality they
only enroll at the beginning ofthe following quarter or half-year. There a1so
age restrictions. For l, the worker might need to at least 21 ers of age.
Retirement plans received their in honor of Congressman
Eugene J. Keogh, who actively advocated for them. his pension plan is
intended for individua1 businesspeople who work for themselves (selfemployed) instead of for companies and thus have opportunity to participate
in the pension plans described above. he iu a110wable tax-exempt
contribution to these accounts is 20% of income, with an annual maximum of
$30,000.

12.2.3. lRA and Roth lRA Retirement un

Individal Retirement Accounts are persona1 savings plans that are
intended for use after retirement. Contributions to these accounts are t
exempt, but contributions in 2002 were limited to $3,000 year per person for
single person with an annual taxable in of $34,000 or for maied couple with an in of $54,000 if they were not covered retirement plan at
work. For additional $5 of income, the allowable sum decreases $1,
therefore, if single person's income is $49,000, or maid couple earns
$69,000, they not make untaxed contributions (Intemal Revenue Service).

637

,
, . JI .
ar acyIJI ,
ar 'l'OJIO , er

er , .
- JI
. , IlII88JI

, ,
, , ,
, . JIIJI ,
- ,

, ,

JI8JI
.


, .
II8JI88Io .

6-12

JI OC'I'OJIY paory, cmre MOryr

ar ) apraa oyroJl.
CJl, , , r
21 .

Keogh Retire",ent p/tl"

(Eugene J. Keogh),

8IC .

JIJI

(se/f-employed).

are,

, .

COC8JIJIe 200! , -

12.2.3.

lRA

lmJiyitJlIIIl

Retiree"t

'
,

$30,000.

Roth lRA
(

JI .
,

$3,000

roo

S34,OOO

$5,
$1, S49,OOO
- S69,OOO, (Interl Revenue Service).

S54,OOO.

JIJI

2002

Social Security, Welfare, and Retirement Programs

638
he

main advantage of tbese accounts is that contributions are not only

tax-exempt, but tbe accumulated interest is also tax-exempt until you begin
withdrawing from tbe account. his enables much faster growth.
contrast, interest that you accrue year usual savings contributions is
added to income and taxed annually.
Restrictions using IRA money are similar to tbose for otber retirement plans: ifmoney ftom the account is withdrawn before reaching age 59.5,
penalty of 10% of the distributed sum, plus the usual income tax must
paid. Beyond that, once or she reacbes the age of71.5, tbe account bolder is
required to withdraw certain amount annually ftom the account.
Roth lRA is type of persona1 retirement account that received its
in honor of m Roth, senator ftom the state of Delaware. Contributions
to these accounts are not tax-exempt, but their accumulated interest is not subject to taxation if funds are withdrawn after tbe account bolder reacbes the age
of 59.5, dies, becomes disabled, or (in some cases) buys first .
Contributions to these accounts in 2002 were also limited to $3,000 per
person per year for single l with annua1 taxable income of up to $95,000
or maied couple witb income up to $150,000. As income increases, the
maximum a110wable contribution decreases, and if single person reacbes the
income of $110,000 or married couple reaches $160,000, they not
tribute.
Because contributions to these accounts are made after taxes, distributions are not subject to 10% pena1ty, nor are they taxed lRA or 401 (k)
accounts, as 10ng as the m take out before retirement is not investment
earnings, wblch are considered income.

639

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640

Insurance

13. Insurance

he

purpose of insurance is to distribute the expenses of compensation

for significant damages from events that are not very likely to happen. Dividing these expenses among the greatest possible number of l whom the
event could theoretically happen to reduces the cost of insurance to an affordable ll. herefore, everybody who buys insurance pays relatively small
sum regard1ess of whether this event l1 happens to or her. But if the
insured event occurs, the purchaser receives the stipulated compensation.
Examples include insurance for homeowners, insuring property against
theft, accidental life insurance, car insurance to protect against accident or
theft, and so forth. hese examples probably exhaust the limited knowledge
and experience we had with the insurance field before aiving in the U.S.
he insurance business is ofthe largest in the U.S., with annual revenues of hundreds of bi1lions of dollars. Various types of insurance cover the
entire population and ll businesses, beginning with the largest corporations
and ending with house painter working alone as contractor. he wide
spread of insurance services facilitates involving larger and larger capital
resources, and fierce competition between insurance companies forces them to
create more and more new services.

13.1. Insurance types, terminology, and basic

concepts
heoretically,

you can insure anything you want. Singers are insured

against 10sing their voices. Supermodels are insured against 10sing their
appearance, athletes against injuries, museums against theft, and so .
Although these policies exist, they're far removed from basic needs of most
l. In this chapter we ll touch on1y the most common types of insurance among Americans, insurance that nearly everybody needs to deal with.
You should know about insurance for two reasons:

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Insurance

642

protect yourself in advan against possibIe financial catastro in which you lose everything you wn;

avoid spending money insurance that is not necessary or that

could obtained for less.

most common !ypes of insurance :

Car Insurance
Life Insurance
Homeowner's lnsurance
Health Insurance
I>ental Insurance
I>isability Insurance
Most businesses have insurance that covers them in case of liabi1ity or
for damages that their property. his insurance is called Liabl/ity
/nsn. Practicing doctors buy Malpractice /nsun (insurance against
incompetence) that covers damages that result from medical rs.
Below are some of the tenns and concepts frequently encountered in the
insuran business:

Insurance Pol;cy - the insurance contract

lnsurer - an that provides insurance policies
Insured - an individual or an that purchases insurance
Imll1'tl1lCe agent - the intermediaty between the insan compan and the
insured. Agents usuaUy receive conission ftom policies they sell. any
agen1s are mdependent and represent more tban one sance compan.

",;", -

the regular payment for keeping the insuran contract in

effect. he payment schedule depends the type of insurance. For
example, payments week1y salary deductions for medical
insurance or semi-annua1 payments for automobile insurance.

Coverage -

he amount of compensation provided the insurance

expressed either as money or goods or services. In other
words, what, exactly, is insured and for how much.
an,

/;",

- the application for damage compensation after an insured

event cs.

DeductibIe - the insurance an compensates damage above this

amount. If the cost of damage is 10wer than this amount, the owner

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644

Insurance
he

whole insurance business is based statistics and the probability

theory. Payments collected from the insured must enable insurance cornpanies
to provide payment for claims when insured events take place, cover administrative costs to n the cornpany, and profit ! the owners (shareholders)
who invested in the business. Insurance costs are higher for insured
events with blgh probability or high damage costs. Insurance costs are less
when there is greater competition: when more companies offer services,
panies agree to less profit and offer lower-priced policies.
Sorne kinds insurance - ! car or for house bought credit - are
mandatory for 11, but other insurance is voluntary. he key rule when purchasing insurance is to estimate the degree risk you could afford to take without
buying the insurance. You shou1d insure everything that surpasses your allow limit. Excessive insurance is waste rnoney.
Every state administration has an Insurance Department that oversees
insurance companies doing business in the state. There can 10callaws and
regulations that govem ts type business. Insurance Departments usua11y
publish Consumer Guides for different types insurance (for l "Consurner Guide to Auto Insurance") explaining how to avoid unnecessary
expenses. You an find these docurnents the official Intemet site your
state.

13.2. Auto insurance

As we already mentioned in the appropriate chapter, automobile insuran
is the most m services offered insurance companies. Because
car insurance is mandatory, and almost every adult has car, it is possible to protect yourseIf from huge expenses in case of accidentfor reasonable fee.
Laws governing car insurance differ significantly from state to state. he
ain difference is in the dfiti ofhow - and for what - parties involved in
car accidents .

Fault Stlltes are states in wblch the insurance an of the gui1ty

party covers expenses for treatment of injuries received as result
an automobile accident. Investigations drag for years because
it can sometimes very difficu1t to determine who is at fau1t.

No-jalt

States are states in which the insurance company of the

injured driver pays for his or her treatment or treatment of his or her
passengers, regardless which driver was at fault in the accident. As
rule, in no-fault states there are restrictions lawsuits against the
guilty party in an accident.

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646

Insurance

According to the Foundation for Taxpayers & Consumer Rights (FTCR)

''the mandatory no-fault states are: Colorado, Florida, Hawaii, ansas, Massachusetts, Micblgan, innesota, New York, North Dakota, and Utah.
Twelve jurisdictions have hybrid no-fault systems: Arkansas, Delaware,
District ofColumbia, Kentucky, Maryland, New Jersey, Oregon, Pennsylvania,
South Carolina, South Dakota, Texas, and Virginia" (FTCR).
As was already mentioned, automobile insurance consists of several
independent components. he amount of insurance coverage and the premium
are calculated separately for of them. Some components are not only
obligatory in most states, but there are legal coverage minimums which you
cannot go below. Here is Hst of the most common components of car ins
ance, with explanations:
Bodily Injllry LiabUity - his component is mandatory in fault states

and can optional in no-fault states. Ifyou or someone you allowed to drive
car were at fault in car accident in wblch someone was injured or killed,
this part of the insan would cover treatment expenses, compensation for
10st income, t expenses and so . Two num.bers separated slash usua1ly
indicate the amount of coverage. For example 50/100 means that the insan
ll up to $50,000 for victim, but more than $100,000 total for the
accident. an states establish minimum level of coverage that you must
have. It varies between 10/20 and 50/100.
You should remember that if the cost of damage resulting an accident is higher than your insan coverage, you are responsible for the rest
especially in the jau/t states where lawsuits are not regulated. Medical
expenses for severe injuries nnus, therefore, if you have stable
in and property or other assets, do not try to save this part of
insan.

Propeny Dtl1IUIge Litlbility - his component is mandatory in almost 11

states. his part of the insan covers the cost of property damage that results
fro an accident, it smashed car or house that you drove into. If you
consider that accidents sometimes involve more than two cars, d the price of
many cars is far above $20,000, you can draw your own conclusions. State
laws ftequently establish minimum coverage levels for this component of the
insan.

Sometimes the two above-mentioned components combined

under one nam Liability and represented three numbers separated
slashes. For example, 50/100/25 means $50,000/$100,000 of Bodily /njury
Liability and $25,000 of Property Damage Liability.

647

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Insuran

648
he

foHowing two components not mandatory in every state

from legal point view, and you m have the right to not purchase them,
but they are perhaps the least expensive, so there's sense saving
them.

Metlicol Payme1lts - his part ofthe insuran covers medical expenses for
you and passengers who were injed in the accident, matter who caused
it he coverage is specified per passenger d cannot exceed certain limit. It's
good to have this insan even if medical insuran covers medica1
penses - passengers not have insuran. In addition, unl medical
insuran, this coverage pays funeral expenses.
Un;nsuredlUnde"nsured Motorists Bodily Inju'Y - This part the
insurance covers medical expenses for you and passengers injured in an
accident where the driver at fault has insurance or insuffi.cient insurance to
cover all expenses. It also covers 10st income and punitive damages. This m
ponent is inexpensive because the probability collision with an uninsured
driver is not very blgh.
;n - Tbls part the insurance is the most expensive. It
covers expenses for repairing if it was damaged in an accident with
another car (or with an object), even ifyou are at fau1t for the accident. Falling
objects do not count under the definition of incidents covered this type of
insurance. According to the rules, insurance pays the cost of repairing the
and retuming it to the condition it was in before the accident, but not to more
than the market value the at the time of the accident. Since repair is
expensive, this component is also not . You an Iower it through the
deductible, the amount of damage that insurance does not cover.
If, for l, you have deductible of $500, and repairing the damage
costs less - perhaps for scratched paint or broken headlight - you for it
out of your wn pocket. If the repair is more expensive, the insuran pays for
but $500. deductible is subtracted from insurance li, even if
more than is ad during the .
As discussed above, insuran covers repairs that cost more than the
market value (Book Value) of the If the cost of repairs exceeds the cost
the , (the is considered totaled), the insurance an pays the market
value and takes the away. Tbls is rarely the best outcome for the owner
because it difficult to fd equivalent replacement at this price, especially if the was old or had high mileage but was in good condition. his is
why it is sometimes better not to purchase this type of insurance or to increase
the deductible considerabIy. thus reducing insurance payments so you
spend the you save possibIe repairs.

18

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Insurance

650
mns

- his part of the insurance "pays for damage to your

car from almost 11 other causes (other than co1lision) including flre, severe
weather, vandalism, floods, and theft. Comprehensive coverage also covers
broken glass, such as windshield damage. However, remember that comprehensive is not required law" (he Maine Bureau of Insurance).
Perso1Ulllnju'Y Protection (PIP) - his type of insurance is obIigatory
in no-fault states and is intended to cover medical expenses, regardless of who
was at fault in the accident.
car bought credit in most cases is required to Collision and
Comprehensive insurance until the loan is completely paid o:ff. he insurance
an sends of the insuran to the establishment that
financed the purcbase and is, therefore, the co-owner.

Insurance costs vary widely m sevetal hundred dol1ars per year up to

several thousand; depending many factors such as:
Age ofthe driver - tbe most expensive is insurance for young drivers,
younger than 22-25 years old. Despite tbe fact tbey account for only
7% of the total number of drivers, they are responsible for 25% of
accidents. People age 50 or older can expect an additional discount
compared with younger l, 11 other things being equal;
Driver's experience - the less experienced the driver, the higher the
cost of insurance, because fewer insurance companies are willing to
insure unexperienced drivers clients;
Smoking - according to statistics, nonsmoking drivers get into fewer
accidents, therefore their insurance costs little lower;
Traffic violations - insurance costs grow with traffic violation recorded in Driving Record. Speeding tickets are particularly costly: they a:ffect insurance rates for three years from the
time of the incident;

he

driver's past accidents and insurance payments - altbough insurcompanies compete fiercely with other, there is central
database where insurance companies enter data insurance
ments related to accidents. hey 11 access to this infnti,
so careless drivers cannot hide their past sins, even wben changing
insurance companies;
an

Model and of tbe car - Insurance is genera1ly more expensive

for cars with high value or 10w safety rating. In addition, ertain
types of cars, such as sports cars, are insured under higher rates;

651

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652

Insuranee
Safety deviees in the ear - if ear has automatie seat belts, air bags,
or brakes sueh as Antilock Brakes, that factor in diseounted
insuranee payments;
State and eity of residenee - there are sometimes eompletely inexpli differenees in the priee of insuranee in various states. Within
one state, insuranee in areas with blgh population density or heavy
traffie would undoubtedly blgher than in small eity or in the
eountry.

Although different insuranee eompanies use the same prineiples to determine their rates, you to save 10t of money eheeking with several of them and ehoosing the best offer. In doing this, it's very important to
request identieal insuranee eoverage so you an make va1id eomparison. As
they say in Ameriea, you have to eompare "apples to apples."
Another way to reeeive diseount is to use the same eompany for insuran more than one ear, Hfe insuranee, or homeowner's insuranee.

13.3. Life insurance

Life is full of unexpeeted events, some of them pleasant. Other events
are not so pleasant, and some are tragie, if they involve the death of our relatives and 10ved ones. Although any death is huge psyehologiea1 shoek for the
fami1y, there is another aspeet that you should think of and take eare of in
advanee - the finaneial one.
It is obvious that eonsequenees for the family wi1l differ significantly in
the event of the death of an elderly person with grown ehildren versus the sole
breadwinner in family with severa1 young eblldren. In the ft ease, the
spouse would live in house that is most likely eompletely paid ofI and reeeive
pension that her husband earned even if she did not work. As last resort, she
eould expeet l from her adult ehildren. In the seeond ease, there would
rea1 eatastrophe. he family would not nl 10se ineome, but it lose its
residenee and end up in ineredibly diffieult eircumstanees for man years.
Before proceeding to review of Hfe insuranee possibilities, we will talk
about who needs Hfe insuranee and how mueh. As has been ad elear above,
the primary purpose of life insuranee is to maintain eertain standard of living
for those who survive the death of family member; therefore, the person in
most need of insuranee is the one who provides the majority of the fami1y
ineome. If both spouses work and both ineomes are vital, requires some

653

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Insuran

654

insurance. he younger the family and the more dependents it includes, the
greater the need for insuran and the blgher the needed coverage. Insuring
unemployed family members or minor cblldren is hard1y priority. he elderly, as rule, do not need much insurance coverage if they need it at 11.
Mark Green 's Con.vumer Bible suggests seven annual incomes as desir level of 1ife insurance coverage. Obviously, this amount would differ in
particu1ar case, depending how easi1y 10st in could replaced
and how much the family could afford to spend insurance.
Statistical data death rates - broken down age, cause of death, and
other factors - are extremely t and are collected over 10ng m periods,
so insurance companies are certain of what they will face in the future because
they develop models of short-term and 10ng-term trends in the country's popul. Armed with accurate information, they develop various insuran
cies designed for different age and social groups, and offering different terms
and an additional conditions.

here

are so man possibi1ities within just one insuran mpan that

l feel inclined to choose the best on when the insuran agent lays them out. But
don't forget that it's very important to choose insurance mpan first.
Life insurance poHcies are usually sold for 10ng terms, such as 1, 20,
30, 40, or more years. he younger and hea1thier the insured, the more favor conditions or she will receive. Ifafter 5, 10, or 15 years ofmaking
ments, the insuran an goes bankrupt, you will need to buy new
policy under less favorable conditions since you wi11 older and, most likely,
not as healthy. Taking this into consideration, you should choose the optimum
combination of insurance cost and reliabi1ity. If you find out soon after signing
the contract that it is not the best option, you an a1ways terminate the contract,
but it's better to do some research beforehand.
There are two ways to research companies. flfSt is to 100k throughpublications such as . Best, Standard & Poor s, Moody s lnvestors Service
and others that describe insuran companies and publish their ratings. You
an then choose an with good reputation and contact its representative. he second method is to find good independent agent representing several companies and have or her show you the ropes, describing 11 the
different options. Neither way is simple, even for Americans, but it's more difficult for immigrants who have problems with the language.
Remember, too, that though the majority of insurance companies offer
man kinds of insurance, the that insures car not the best
choice for Hfe insurance, especia11y since respectable companies frequently

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Insuran

656

avoid inexperienced drivers. Ask friends - someone knows good

agent or bad positive en doing business with certain company.
Even when you bave good agent, from time to ti you sbould compare his
offers to others. agents receive commissions, and it is in their best interest
to sel1 more expensive policies. difference between good and bad agents is
that the good ones are interested in long-term clients and can sacrifice sbortterm profit in order establish these relationsblp. Better agents also know the
industry better.
/ bought first life insurance policy from whose agent
kocked our door weeks after the .funeral / n acquaintance, /e1l0w
countryman who died as the result / household accident. h was years
after our arrival in the u.s. /ew months later, thanks to recommendation, 1
met with n insurance agent who continues to meet a1l our insurance n to
this day. / terminated the previous contract and siged new n with the
other .
here

are different kinds of life insuran policies, the basics of wbich

reviewed below:
m Life lnsul'tlnce - sets ti fra for the insurance, the amount of
compensation in the event of the insured's death, and the amount of monthly
payments. contract remains in effect until tbe end of the stipulated term as
long as the payments continue to made. Ifthey stop, the contract is automatically terminated. Premium.s, as rule, increase gradually a10ng with the
insured's age.
he advantage of ts kind of insurance is its low cost and avai1ability at
young age, wben the likeibood of death is very low. he downside is that if
the insured event does not pen - that is, you ain alive, whicb isn't so
bad in and of itself - you lose l1 the you have paid. In addition, the cost
ofthis insurance increases significantly after the age of 40 or 50.
Decreasing rm lnsurtlnce - type of term insurance, where the
payment amount is constant througb the term of the insurance
tract, and the coverage decreases with the decreasing mortgage balance. It is designed to secure mortgage. See Credit Life /nsurance.
Level rm lnsurtlnce - type of term insurance wbere premium
amount is constant for number ofyears (5, 10, 15 or even 20) and
then increases sbarply.
lncreasing m lnsurtlnce - type of term insurance where the
coverage increases in the amount and at intervals specified the
li. Premiums usuaHy a1so increase with the coverage.

657

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TI!I7II Life l1D11n111Ce ( OI"Ollq) CZPaXOaIIIDI) - oroapaer ICDrop

011 aroe, IDJ8 1 C'lP8XYeOO IDJaled1.
oroop 0C'Ialm: ICDa ~oro qxa 1'OIJD cnyae, ecJI Jal
pepam.aICI, DpOIO aroamec . IJare,
, ocreeo yeJIIIIIOI' opacra C'lp8XyeOO.

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40-50 .

Decreas;ng ,., lmurance -

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Level Term ln -

Credit Life lnsurance.

(5,10,15 20), .
lncreasmg Term luran -
,

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Insuran

658
- Vtd"e

Life InS"1'ance is kind of life insurance combined with

capital investment. Besides making the stipulated insurance payout in case of

death, portion of the paid the insured is invested.

T1'aditional Whole Life /nS"1'nc differs from Term Life Insurance

in that premiums remain constant for the entire duration of the
tract, which can tn1ss as long as premiums are paid. "Some
variations of these policies permit the premiums to paid for
shorter period, such as 10 years, 20 years or until age 65" (North
Carolina Department of Insuran, 1999). hese payments are
smaller if the contract is signed at younger age; nevertheless, they
are much higher at young ages than in case of tn insurance. part
of these payments covers the insurance company's actual insurance
and administrative expenses, and another portion is invested in
shares and securities that bring in profit. Since this profit is reinvested, compound interest collects, as with savings account in
ank. Unlike ank accounts, though, the profit is not taxed annually.
Upon cancellation of the contract you receive the sum that collected
in your account and taxes only the part that exceeds the su
of the payments you ad while the contract was in effect. If the
insured dies while the contract is active, his or her beneficiary
receives the stipulated insurance su.

Unive1'Sal Life InS"1'ance is

mucb more flexible kind of contract

than the previous type. he insured an reduce, increase, or even skip
premium payments as 10ng as maintains certain minimum. he
amount of insurance coverage also changed in either direction. he return the invested is linked to short-term interest
rates and thus varies from year to year.

Va";abIe Life Ins"1'ance - unlike the previous two types of insurance

contracts, which put in less risky securities, this type of insuran allows owner to invest m from the account into
stocks and various types of funds. Rates of return an thus mucb
higher, but there is an increased possibility of 10sses.

Endowment lns"rance - ''pays sum or income to you - the policyholder - ifyou live to certain age. Ifyou were to die before then, the
death benefit would paid to your beneficiary. Premiums and cash
values for endowment insurance are higher than for the same amount
of whole 1ife insurance. hus endowment insurance gives you the
least amount of death protection for your premium dollar" (North
Carolina Department of Insurance, 1999).

659

OIsh-Valw Life lnsll1flllCe -

arana, lDI8 crpax cnyae cepm.

CIp8XyCJI aaeIaI paoro .

TrtlitJonal Whole

Life lnsll1'tlnce - rm Life Insurance

are ci!M <mlc

,
. "
e are, ,,

1, 20
65 " (North Carolina Department ofInsurance, 1999). ,
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UniversaI Lije lnSlll'tl1lee -

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ar year

ar , ocyr.

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VtuiIIble Life lnSlll'tl1lee -

,
aar tmt

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Erlowent lnslI,ance (-)

- ''

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, ara .

are ,

whole

life insurance.
i!e

"

(North Carolina Department of Insurance, 1999).

Insurance

660

Credit Life InSllrtmce is always offered when you take out significant

loan, such as purchasing or car. Equal insurance payments are

included in monthly loan payments for the life of the loan. If the person who
took out the loan dies, this insurance covers the outstanding an. his kind
of insurance is, for several reasons, of the most expensive of ll. On reason is the fact that 10ans are very often made to both spouses, and the probability of both dying simultaneously is too small. he second reason is that this
insurance is attached not to the purchase but to the loan. If, for example, you
bought house and signed 10an with this insurance, then five or more years
later found 10an with better conditions and refinanced the first loan, you
would compelled to buy the new insurance worse tenns since you would
older. Never buy this insurance since you an find Decreasing nn Insuran with much better (or the same) conditions for significantly less .
In an cases, signing life insurance contract requires consideration of
not only the age of the insured, but also his past and current health, as wel1 as
hereditary factors. You should answer honestly all questions about illnesses or
surgeries in wn past and among relatives. If you blgh blood
pressure or aunt died of cancer, that doesn 't an that you won 't able
to buy insurance, but you w little bit more.
he purpose of insan is for the family of th.e insured to receive stipulated sum if the insured dies. But if false information was submitted to the insuran an when the contract was signed, this gives th.e insan an
basis to cha11enge the contract. Isan companies employ special investigators who, when claims are made, check the validity of information included in
contracts. It would s to tens or hundreds of thousands of dollars without spending small piece ofthe funds to sure th.at the claim is legal. It is clear
th.at if an insured dies prematurely after claiming perfect health in bls contract,
but his medical record mentions th.at he was suffering from chronic il1ness
before signing the contract or his body is scarred ftom past surgeries, his family
has little han of receiving the insan .

13.4. Homeowner's insurance

1 convinced of the value of property insurance wblle stil1living
in native country - apartment was broken into and robbed in the 1980s.
Despite the fact that not much was taken, it would expensive to
replace, so it was blessing that we had insurance that almost completely
pensated the loss.

661

Credit Life Ins",.tlIICe -

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crpaxooo JI npo , ICIO(! , COO1'eC'I

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apro rc, ro IaIICD- ecICD

JI ero npoux epaii, ero cre
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13.4.

OJIocm crpax: ocm .

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crpaxoy, IOpWI ecma pam OJIOC'l1dO.

Insurance

662
bough

property insurance in the former Soviet Union was mostly li

ited to insuring the contents of an apartment against fire and theft, in the U.S.
the m target of insuran is the house itself. Like car, house bought
credit must insured for an amount not less than what it would cost to restore
it fully if necessary.
Like other types of insurance, the insurance referred to as Homeowner s
lnsurance () exists in an variations, ofwhich includes its own set
of potential dangers the damage from wblch the contract compensates. here
are six basic types ofhomeowner's insurance policies:
-1 covers damage ftom the most common perils, such as f, lightning, hurricanes, hail, theft, vandalism, and damage from automobiles and
planes.
-2 includes 11 of the above plus damages from falling objects, as
we11 as ftozen heating system or damage ftom water or steam pipe that suddenly burst, etc.
-3 is the most extensive contract, covering damage from l1 perils,
with few specifical1y mentioned exceptions, such as flood, earthquakes, war,
or an accident at nuclear facility.
-4 is contract for renters that covers damage of personal property
from the same perils as -2, but without including the cost of the building,
since that is the building owner's concem.
- is contract for condominium owners that covers damages to the
property caused the same dangers as 0-2.
-8 is used to insure old and unique houses when cost of restoration
an significantly higher than their market value.

-15
-3

is Comprehensive Endorsement Form which in combination with

provides the broadest coverage.

Table 13-1 page 664 shows which policies cover damage to either
your or the contents ofyour as caused specific perils.
Beyond compensating damages to the insured property, 11 insurance
policies also include Liabllity Coverage. bls insures the responsibility for
damage that cs the insured property or is the fault of members of the
owner's family. For l, this part of the insurance would cover medical
expenses if someone slipped your doorstep and broke leg or if your dog
bit neighbor. Liabllity Coverage also covers legal expenses in the event that
conflict can 't resolved without going to court.

663

CoercOM 18 ecra JI,

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ar , ro CIIIA

epell aaro Jlerc 18 .

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Homeowner s Insurance

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HO-15 aercJl Comprehensive Endorsement Form -

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13-1

665

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Coverage -

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Liabl/ity Coverage roM

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Insuran

664

13-1:

Property Damage Coverage Caused Speclfic ril.

"0-1 "0-2 -3
Basic Broad Special

-3/

Losses Covered

-15

Dwelling

Contents

Riot or civil cornmotion

Aircraft
Veblcles
Smoke
Vandalism and malicious miscblef

heft

Breakage of glass constituting part of the building

Fa11ing objects
Weight of ice, snow, sleet
ll ofbuilding(s) or an
Sudden & accidenta1 tearing apart, cracking, urning, or bulging of steam or hot water heating system or of appliances for heating water
Accidenta1 discharge, leakage or overflow ofwater
or steam from within plumbing, heating or -ditioning system or domestic lian
Freezing of plumbing, heating and air-conditioning
systems and domestic appliances

Fire or Lightning
Loss of property removed from prei dangered fire or other perils
Windstorm or l
Explosion

Sudden and accidenta1 damage from artificially generated cuets to electrical appliances, devices, fIXtures and wiring (V & radio tubes not included)
All perils except flood, earthquake, war, nuclear
accident and others specified in policy. Check
policy for complete 1isting of perils not covered.

Source: he Maine Bureau of Insuran.

.13-1:

665

3JI

-l

-2

-3

-3/

-15

rpa

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Maine Bureau of lnsurance.

Insurance

666
Insan

companies give small discounts on the cost of insuran based on

ertain ho features or characteristics of the hn owners, as, for l, listed
below:

new house;

Presence of smoke detectors;

Presence of security system;
Presence of fire 1an system;

house built ftom inflammable materials (stone, brick);

Elderly tenants;
Non-smoking tenants.
When estimating the cost of property for insan purposes, it is
recommended to consider not the present value of items or your expenses in
hasing them, but rather the amount that you would need to spend to
rep1ace things in case of 10ss. So, for l, the fumiture you bought for
$1,000 ten years ago might bring nothing if you tried to se11 it, but you would
need to $3-4,000 to buy new furniture. And house might cost
$100,000 when you purchased it, but at the ti the insan is taken, it might
cost $200-300,000 to rebuild the house. Take this into consideration and reassess the conditions of insurance contract from time to time, reflecting
actual situation in light of recent changes. standard homeowner's
insan contracts limit the amount of compensation in case of 10ss of jewelry, works of art, or collectables. hese items are insured separately.
As is the case with any other insan, you should compare the costs of
property insurance at severa1 companies. It over wide range, and
you could save up to 50% spending some ti your search.

13.5. Health insurance

Health insurance is not mandatory, but it is necessary and, undoubtedly,
the most expensive of 11 types of insurance. In addition, for people who have
never had to deal with this type of insurance, it is very difficult to grasp a11 its
features, and this can result in unnecessary additiona1 expenses or in underutilizing the benefits that this insurance can offer.
Advances in medicine meant that complex surgeries
routine uen and new, stronger d more effective medications regularly
appear the market. his has resulted in reduced mortality and increased life

667

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100

3-4 ,

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200-300

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13.5.

(Hea/th /nsurance)

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668

Insurance

expectancy, but at the same ti it has dramatical1y increased the total cost of
medical services. According to 1999 data, the average annual cost of medica1
for resident of our state was $4,000. hat ans that family of four
would have had to spend $16,000 insuran, if the entire populatiQn
was covered. But because roughly 20-25% of the population has insurance,
this amount would close to $20,000. If you consider that the average
income in the country is just over $30,000, it becomes obvious that very few of
us could these expenses without outside l. his l comes from two
sources: employers d the government.
he overwhelming majority of medica1 insurance po1icies for l of
working age d their fami1ies is aanged through their workplaces, with the
employer paying - or sometimes 100% - of the expenses. his kind of
insurance is cal1ed group coverage. he larger the group, the better it conforms
to the laws of statistics d the more favorable the terms for the insuran.
here are also individua1 medical insurances that purchased without
connection to an employer, but they , as rule, not nl more
sive th group insuran, but their cost depends great dea1 age and the
state ofthe insured's hea1th. Medica1 insurance for the elderly (Medicare) d
some categories of people with low income (Medicaid) is provided the government and paid for with taxpayer .
feature of medica1 insurance provided through workplace is that
it's impossible to buy it or change its conditions at time other th certain
enrollment periods. his is intended to prevent situations where person who
doesn't currently require health declines to buy insurance until has
large expenses. worker an usually enroll in insurance within 1-3 months of
taking permanent job. If or she doesn 't take advantage of the opportunity
then, there l1 another an at the beginning of the next , but the
insurance an refuse to for treatment of illnesses whose symptoms were present 6-12 months before purchasing the insurance. his is ll
Pre-Existing

Condition Exclusion.

Health insurance through workplace a110ws covering members of the

insured's family. For tbls, "family members" does not include everyone who
might live with the l, but only his working or unemployed spouse d
children up to 21 years old who live with the fami1y. Children included
the insurance until age 25 ifthey are full-time col1ege or university students.
Documentary proof is required before the beginning of semester. Parents
cannot included in the insurance of son or daughter except in cases when

669

m , 'll

1999 ,

lp ra, ,

$4,000. ro
$16,000

, mp

20-25%

$20,000.

cocaJI

$30,000,

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lnsurance

670

work, it sometimes makes the most financia1 sense for them to have separate
insurance plans and include the children in one of them.
Insurance tens may changed on1y in certain situations, with fiunily hanges
such as maiage, vorce, birth of child, death of family member, exrffing the
allowable ge, new employment of an unempl spouse, or leaving job.
Iffor any reason the employee leaves hisor her job at the company where
heor she had the insurance, under the Consolidated Omnibus Budget Reconci/iation Act -- wmch was adopted in 1985 and is widely known its abbreviated , COBRA -- or she can keep the insurance for 18 months. But
or she is required to his or her share of the cost plus the share that the
employer used to for n or her. Although this is much more expensive
than making regular payments, it could less expensive than purchasing individual insurance. his law does not cover situations where the company goes
out of business or has less than 20 workers.
here are several types ofhealth insurance, for example:
Fee-for-Service Plans;
Health Maintenance Organizations ();
Preferred Provider Organizations ().

Fee-/or-service plam (or Indemnity Health Insurance) a1low the insured to

go to any d.octor or hospital or she wishes when necessary. The insured patient is
responsible for paying the ill and for presenting it to the insurance company for
reimbursement In man cases, medical establishments take care of the necessary
paperwork and submit bills to the insurance company. All fee-for-service insuran
pays on1y part of expenses and gins covering payments in stages.
In the first stage, expenses are paid in full the patient, up to certain
amount known as the deductible, which is usually somewhere between $100-500
per person or $300-1,500 for family. his means that if only one person in the
family receives medical treatm.ent during the year, the deductible would $100500, but if two needed care it would rise to $200-1,000, and the amount would
$300-1,500 for three or more needing treat:m.ent. his amount includes only
expenses for services norma1ly covered the insuran. Even though you 11
expenses below the deductible, you should provide the insuran company with
infonnation about the expenses so the insuran mpan can keep track of them.
he second stage begins when expenses have exceeded the unt
of the deductible. hen the insurance company begins to compensate, for
example, 80'1o of expenses, leaving 20% as share, as so-called coinsurance, until total annual expenses reach certain limit, an nnul , which
is usua11y about $1,000-5,000, not including monthly or weekly payments
(premiums) for the insurance.

CIpax

671

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ar

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, rn Consolidated Omnis Budget Reconciliation

Act, JlO 1985
COBRA, 18 J,
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20 .

, :

Fee-for-service plan;
Health aitenan Organization ();

Prefeed

Provider Organization ().

Fee-for-serv;ce P/IIn (rra ) /ndemnity (ll) Health

lnsurance opaarc moo oropy
. ary
th'a JIeII 1 .

mo
'bllJIJl . Fee-for-service
moJl ary O8Il.

OJl1

aarc

ocme ,

$100-500

deductible (ara),
5300-1500 . ro

om ,
,

deductible $100-500, - 5200-1000,

5300-1500. JO

, mae . 1Jl , OJI1

paere deductible, ocaJlJl

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an ,

deductible. ar,
80010 , 20%, coinsur-

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$1,000-5,000

8IIX .

672

Insan

Once this sum is reached, the third stage begins, where the isan
company covers 100010 of expenses. he l begins all over again January
1 of the next r.
A11fee-for-service isan p1ans have two components, ofwhich
has limit and is intended for covering certain kind of medical services.
Basic coverage usually pays for doctor visits, prescription medicines, in-home
care, and so , up to $20,000-25,000. Major medical insurance or catastrophic coverage is intended to for hospita1 services during 1 surgeries and procedures and is limited to $250,000-1,000,000.

Hetdth Maintenance Organizations () differ from the insan

plans above having deductible or coinsurance. Beyond monthly
ments, there are n1 small payments required - $5-25 - - for visit
to the doctor or emergency room. As result, this kind of insan is the least
expensive. But the negative side is that subscriber to this type of insan is
not to choose specialists for consultations. subscriber is also compelled
to follow instructions from his or her Primary Physician. whom or her
chooses from list of doctors under contract with the given insurance
pany. Pr;mary Physician usually has family doctor qualifications that
internal medicine and pediatrics, and or her makes 11 medical
decisions within his or her wn ten. As needed, or her refers
patients to specialists, diagnostic centers, or hospitals.
Since the receives payment whether or not the patient is sick, it is
very interested in preventive care and, in most cases, pays for regular physica1
exams, x-rays and other tests that diagnose illnesses at an early stage, thus 10wering possible treatment expenses. At the same time, the company can demand
additional fIrti - so-called second opinion -that the patient requires
an expensive surgery or procedure before giving pennission for it.
Prejerred Provider Organizations () are combination of the previous two types of insan. holder of this medical insurance also has primary care doctor who facilitates preventive measures and coordinates visits to
specialists. But it is different from the because this doctor not have
contract with the insan . payments are hdled automatically (as they would under ) if the doctor has contract with the
insurance m. Ifthe doctor does not belong to the company's list,
receive payment anyway, but the patient wil1 need to ll out necessary forms.
In addition, l isd PPOs go to doctors who are not included
the list provided the is , but the patient would responsible for portion of the payment. Monthly payments for this type of isan
are a1so bit higher than for an .

673

Jl

l000! ,

JIaP

OC8JIJl,

fee-for-service

JI

Basic coverage

, ,

25,000. Major medica/ insurance

catastrophic coverage

$20,000-

JI

$250,000-1,000,000.

Helllth Mlli1lte",,1Ice Orgll"i1,lltlo"s ()

coinsurance, I(

m, deductible

my

$5-25

(-)

m. ar JIJIJI ,
ar 8J1,

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(Primary Care Physician),

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Primary Care Physician,

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pacn. cra cr

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PrejenwJ Provider Orgll1liUltiom (pPOs) JIJIJIJl
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672

Insuran

Once tbis sum is reached, the tbird stage begins, where the insurance
pan covers 100% of expenses. he cycle begins 11 over again January
1 of the next year.
Allfee-for-service insurance plans have two components, ofwhich
has limit and is intended for covering certain kind of medical services.
Basic coverage usually pays for doctor visits, prescription medicines, in-home
care, and so , up to $20,000-25,000. Major medical insurance or catastrophic coverage is intended to for hospital services during complex surgeries and procedures and is limited to $250,000-1,000,000.
Health Mtlintentlnce rgtlnitions (RMOs) differ fto tbe insurance
plans above having deductible or coinsurance. Beyond monthly
ments, there are only small payments required - $5-25 - - for visit
to the doctor or emergency room. As result, this kind of insurance is the least
expensive. But the negative side is that subscriber to this type of insurance is
not free to choose specialists for consultations. subscriber is also compelled
to follow instructions from ms or her Primary Physician, whom or her
chooses from list of doctors under contract with the given insurance
pany. Primary Physicion usually has faily doctor qualifications that
combine intemal medicine and pediatrics, and or her makes ll medical
decisions within his or her own competence. As needed, or her refers
patients to specialists, diagnostic centers, or hospitals.
Since the receives payment whether or not the patient is sick, it is
very interested in preventive care and, in most cases, pays for regular physical
exas, x-rays and other tests that diagnose illnesses at an early stage, thus 10wering possible treatment expenses. At the sae time, the an demand
additional confinnation - so-called second opinion -that the patient requires
an expensive surgery or procedure before giving pennission for it.
Pre/e"ed Provider rgtlnitions (PPOs) are combination of the previous two types of insurance. holder of this medical insurance also has primary care doctor who facilitates preventive measures and coordinates visits to
specialists. But it is different from the because this doctor m not have
contract with the insurance an. payments are handled automatill (as they would under an ) if the doctor has contract with the
insurance an. Ifthe doctor does not belong to the company's 1ist, m
receive payment anyway, but the patient ll need to f out necessary forms.
In addition, people insured PPOs go to doctors who are not included
the list provided the insurance an, but the patient would responsi for portion of the payment. Montbly payments for this type of insurance
are also bit mgher than for an .

673

100%

mo,

fee-for-service

Basic coverage

, ,

25,000. Major medical insurance

catastrophic coverage

$20,000-

$250,000-1,000,000.

Health Mainte""nce Organizations

,

deductible coinsurance,

my

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$5-25

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Primary Care Physician,

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Insurance

674

Medicald insurance is intended to cover medical expenses of the least

protected groups of the population, l who meet certain criteria. It was
established document called 1itle XlX 0/ the Soeial Security Aet. under
joint initiative of the federal government d 1l state govemments. It took
effect in 1965. Since some states have more than others, there are variations in Medicaid eligibility and types of medica1 services covered different
states. Still, in all cases the criteria meet recommendations established at federallevel. he primary groups of Medicaid recipients :

Low-income families with minor children that are eligible for the
AFDC program;
SS/ (Supplemental Security /n) recipients and the disabled,

including the blind;

Newbom cblldren to mothers receiving Medicaid;
Children \lder age 6 d preghant women whose family incom is at or
below 133 percent ofthe Federal poverty level (FPL) (in some states this
threshold blgher, andlor the age of cblldren reach 19 years);
Recipients of adoption or foster assistance;
Some recipients of Medieare insurance.

W8s already mentioned, individua1 states can establish roader guide-

lines for granting the insuran, depending amount of money they have avai1able, but they cannot narrow the federal government's set criteria, wblch a1so
establish mdatory list of medical services covered Medicaid. If states do
not follow these criteria, they 10se the right to federal funds eannarked for the
rogra. partia1list of services covered Medicaid is given below:
Inpatient hospital services;
Outpatient hospital services;
Prenatal ;
Vaccines for cblldren;
Fami1y planning services and supplies;

health for persons eligible for skilled-nursing services;

Laboratory and - services;

Diagnostic services;
Prescription drugs and prosthetic devices;
Transportation services;
Rehabilitation and physical therapy services (DHHS, 2000).

Medicaid -

675

Social Security Act

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Insurance

ecause

expenses for Medicaid-provided seIVices are eventually covered

taxpayer money, states establish restrictions the anIOmt and dati of some services, as well as thcir cost. For example, there limits ome se visits or 1he
nnber of days allowed for hospital st. Since payment for doctors' seIVices aISO
fiills lder these restrictions, not all doctors accept Medicaid patients, so before making
an appohltment with specia1ist, sure to check in advance wbether will see you.
Until1996 the majority oflegal immigrants received Medicaid insurance
for at least limited ti after their arrival in the country. Under new 1aw, he
Personal Responsibility and Work Opportunity Reconciliation Act 0/1996, also
knwn as the "welfare reform act," nl persons with refugee status are eligible
for the fst five years after arrival. others receive Medicaid nl upon
becoming citizens. After depriving most new immigrants of Medicaid insuran
at the nationallevel, the federal government granted individual states the right to
offer the insurance, as long as it was faned the state budget Only about
dozen states have used this opportunity, wblch means that access to health services for man immigrants depends significantly where they end up.
Medicare is insurance intended to cover expenses for l of
retirement age (65 years and older) who are eligible for Social Security enefits.
As rule, these are l who worked for at least 1 years and paid Social
Security taxes. he majority of immigrants who arrived as older people are not
eligible for this insurance. his insurance took effect in Ju1y 1966 and covered
about 19 million l at the time. 2000 this figure increased to 40 mi1lion.
For long time Medicare consisted of two parts - and - to wblch
part was added in 1997.
Part , Hospital Insurance (l), is given free..of-haIge to an who has
reached 65 years of age and is ligJ.le for Social Security benefits, whether or not the
person continues to work. Those who are not eligible can buy this insan ak
ing monthly payments. This porti ofthe insan covers the following xpenses:

Inpatient hospital treatment in semi-private room, including operating and recovery rooms, meals, medications, laboratory tests, x-rays,
etc., once deductible has been met. Covers days 61-90 ofhospitalization expenses with required co-payment.
Ski11ed nursing facility (SNF) care if it follows within 30 days of hospitalization of 3 days or more and is certified as medically necessary. he
first 20 days are paid in ful1, with co-payment required for days 21-100.

health agency () care, including care provided

health aide. health care under HI has duration limitations,
co-payment, and deductible. Certain supplies and

677

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Insurance

678

durable medica1 equipment (DE) also provided. For DE,

beneticiaries must 20-percent coinsurance.
Hospice care provided to terminally ill persons with Hfe expectancies
of 6 months or less (DS, 2000).
, Supp/emetary

Medical Insurance (SI), is offered, for

monthly fee, to people eligible for Part . In 2000, monthly payments for this
insurance were $45.50. he overwhelming majority of people with Medicare
insurance have both parts described above. his portion of the insurance covr the fo11owing expenses:
Visits to internists, podiatrists, dentists, optometrists, and others, covered at 80010 the deductibIe is met;
Emergency and outpatient services;
Laboratory tests, x-rays, and other diagnostic radiology services, as
we11 as ertain preventive care screening tests;
health care not covered under HI;
Most physica1 and occupationa1 therapy;
Radiation therapy, renal (kidney) dialysis and transplants, and heart
and Hver transplants under certain limited conditions;
Blood transfusions.
Under parts and , Medicare does not cover long-term patient care,
eyeglasses, prosthetic dentistry, hearing aids, and the majority ofmedicines not
taken in hospita1.
, the Medicare+Choice program, offers, for an additional fee,
coverage of some medical expenses not included in parts and . In 2000,
about 6.4 mi1lion people took advantage ofthis part ofthe insurance.
Expenses for Medicaid and Medicare medica1 insurances totaled $387
billion in 1998, approximately one-third of 11 expenditures for medical services in the country. At the same time, this sum totals about three quarters of
the govemment's expenses for medical services (DIS, 2000).

13.6. Dental insurance

Most medica1 insurance does not covrer denta1 services other than
removal of teeth causing severe pain. Some plans do cover limited services for

679

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80% rro ;

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Insurance

minor children. In all other cases patients are responsible for payment or have
to buy separate dental insurance.
Dental insurance is not as common as medica1 insurance, making it considerably more expensive and less effective. Unlike medical insurance, dental
insurance has very limited annua1 of covered expenses for person.
If, for 1, medical insurance for family of three costs $60 per week,
that totals $3,120 annually and pays hundreds of thousands of dollars of
expenses for each person if necessary. But dental insurance that costs $25 per
week (or $1,300 annually) covers expenses of more than $1,000 per year
per person. On of the reasons for the blgh price of dental insurance is that
employers don 't always take these expenses, as is standard with medical
insurance. But even taking that into account, dental insurance can useful in
the beginning, considering the poor dental health of many immigrants.
Dental insurance usually covers:

100% of expenses for preventive procedures performed at regular

time intervals (for l, dental cleanings and check-ups every six
month);
80% of treatment expenses once the deductible is met and
time, waiting period of, perhaps, six months, has passed;

certain

50% of prosthetic expenses, after longer waiting period, for

ple, 12 months.
But, as already noted, these payments not exceed the established
annual limit. Un1ike medical insurance, dental insurance deductible is paid
only once, at the beginning, rather than annually.
here is set periodicity for 811 types of dental procedures covered
insurance. Ifyou exceed the specified number ofprocedures or don't wait 10ng
enough, you ll forced to for them out of pocket. If, for example, the
insurance eovers two preventive dental cleanings per year, the time between
them should close to six months (for example, not less than 154 days). or if
the insurance covers panoramic x-ray of the mouth once every three years,
before taking another one, nn that the proper amount of time has elapsed
since your last x-ray. An error of few days can cost you couple hundred dollars. If you do not take advantage of covered preventive procedures, they simplyexpire.
Another important thing that you should aware of is that when insuranee companies cover procedures, they only as mueh as they consider reasonable. If you are treated doctor whose fees are blgher than this limit,
you are responsible for paying the difference.

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Medical Care

14. Medical Care

Health in the US is highly advanced and, standards, among

the best in the world. Many kinds of surgeries and other procedures that
rare in the rest of the world performed frequently in America. New, more
effective drugs constantly the market, enabling treatment of illnesses
considered incurable. ral hospitals expensive diagnostic
equipment. he American health system undoubtedly differs significantly
from what you familiar with from previous experience.
High standards for health are supported large financial expenditures. American medical care is most likely the most expensive in the world.
he country spends about 15% of its gross domestic product health care.
Since the majority of immigrants from countries with substandard
health , chronic conditions or serious health problems and
require treatment almost as soon as they ar in the country. This is why it's
important to some general knowledge of the US health care system.

14.1. Health care at the nationallevel

Although the overwhelming majority of elements making up the health
system belong to the private sector, the govemment plays very important
role in enabling the system to function. This role consists ofthree basic
nents: legislation, control, and financing.
National and state legislatures establish laws that 11 health system
participants - doctors, hospitals, additional service providers, insurance
panies, and others - must fo11ow.

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Medical r

684
he

Food and Drug Adm.inistration, or FDA, supervises the release of

new medications onto the market and monitors the nnan of existing
ones. his agency mak.es the final decision about whether certain medication
meets requirements and whether it has undergone sufficient testing to
approved for public use.
he govemment also finances the two largest medical insuran programs - Medicaid and Medicare - which cover the least protected members of
the population: 10w-income families, the disabled, and senior citizens. he
govemment a1so provides medical insurance to govemment employees. These
expenses total about half of the country's overall health r costs. he other
half falls to the private sector.

14.2. Hospitals and clinics

he

foundation of the health r system is formed numerous hospitals, where patients undergo inpatient treatments, surgeries, and various types
of diagnostic.procedures that require sopblsticated medica1 equipment, such as
-r, u1trasound, RI, and the like. Hospita1s differ significantly in size, staff
credentia1s, treatment outcome for various conditions, and quality of service
they provide.
Hospitals must pass periodic accreditation and certification that
control the qua1ity of the medica1 services they provide. Accreditation, wblch
recognizes that the hospita1 meets certain standards, is conducted private
organizations that are recognized at the national level. hese organizations
include the Joint Commission Accreditation /Healthcare Organizations or
JCAHO, and the American Osteopathic Association or . hey evaluate
how well the hospita1 treats patients and verify the presence and condition of
11 necessary equipment, the competence of hospita1 personnel, and the way
the hospita1 keeps records. hospital is awarded an accreditation category
based results of evaluation. he Joint Commission uses six categories for
hospitals. hey r listed below, from highest to 10west.
1. "Accreditation wlth FuU Standards m (formerly
Accreditation without 1 Recommendations) is awarded to
health r organization that demonstrates satisfactory compliance
with li JCAHO standards in 11 performance areas.

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), ma Accredittltion without type

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JCAO.

686

Medical re

2. Accreditation with ire for Improvement (fonnerly

Accreditation with 1 Recommendations) is awarded to health
care organization that demonstrates satisfactory compliance with applicable JCAO standards in most perfonnance areas, but has deficiencies
in or more perfonnance areas or in meeting accreditation policy
requirements wblch require resolution within specified ti period.
3. Provisional Accreditation is awarded to previously unaccredited
health re organization that demonstrates satisfactory compliance
with subset of standards during preliminary on-site evaluation.
his decision remains in efIect until of the other official accreditation decision categories is assigned, based complete survey
against 11 applicable standards approximately six months later.
4. Conditional Accreditation is awarded to health re organization
that:
fai1s to demonstrate lian with applicable JCAO standards
in multiple performance areas, but is believed to of
achieving acceptable compliance within stipulated ti period; or
is persistently unable or unwilling to demonstrate satisfactory
compliance with or more JCAO standard(s); or,
fails to l with one or more specified accreditation policy
requirements.
5. Pre6minary Denial of Accreditation results when it is detennined
that there is justification to deny accreditation to health re organization because the organization has fai1ed to demonstrate satisfactory
compliance with applicable JCAO standards in multiple performance areas, or with accreditation po1icy requirements, or for other
reasons. his accreditation decision is subject to subsequent review.
6. Accreditation Denied results when health organization has
been denied accreditation. his accreditation decision becomes
efIective only when 11 available l procedures have been
exhausted" (JCAO).
Acacdi1atioo takes place at least oore everj 1hree years, aod most hospitalc; take part
in tbese PrOgt'81. find out 1he accnxJitation leVeI of PartiCUIar hOSPi1aI, call JCAO at
1~792-5800 or at 1-312-202-8258. JCAO on 1he J:ntemet at http://
1oVWWjcaho.tg or at http:/vwat-nelmg. In additim 10 being aa:redited, hospitals
are aISO certffied govetl agcy. certffication and accreditation are not same.
Hospital standards and conditions for hospital patients difIer significantly from what you have en used to in country:
Rooms for two people (semiprivate rooms) with shower and toilet, plus and an individual for each patient the nonn
in the majority of hospitals.

8JI

687

2. AccredittUion with Reqlliremets /01' lmpro't1emellt (

aJl ), Jl wtlfUllIIlIJICJI Accredillltio"
with type 1 recomme"dlltio"s, ,

JCAO, !
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3. Pro"iolUll tlccredittJtion ( al)

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.

5.

Prelimblry tknild / tlccredittJtio" (

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JCAO . ra are
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6. AccredittJtio" de"ied ( )
JI
" (JCAO) .
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1-630-792-5800 1-312-202-8258,
http://wwwjcaho.org http://www.aoa-net.org.
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Medica1

688

Hospital beds are usually equipped with remote-controlled motors

that allow one to change the angle of the top of the bed and the angle
and height of the bottom rt.
A1most ll materials and instruments disposabIe and only used
.

Patients are provided with basic toiletries, such as toothbrushes,

toothpaste, and body lotion.
Bed linens and clothes are changed at least on day.
he patient orders food from menu that offers several possible
choices. Food is brought directly to the room.
When you factor in significant number of personnel and expensive
equipment, it becomes abundantly clear that the cost ofhospital treatment must
high. And that's exact1y the case. one-day stay in hospital can cost more
than $1,000, even without adding in fees for expensive procedures or surgery.
For this reason, patients stay in the hospital for only the minimally necessary
time, usually just few days, even for serious surgical procedures. For less
serious probIems or childbirth, hospitalization only one day.
Relatives and friends of patients have much greater freedom to visit the
hospita1 than is customary in other countries. If the patient is in regular room
rather than intensive , there are virtually restrictions the number of
visitors or visiting times. surprise, nowhere have 1 seen any clothing
requirements for visitors. here are special robes, and it is not necessary to
remove coats or jackets before entering the room. There is need to bring
food for patients unless they want something specia1. Most visitors bring flowers, toys, cards, and balloons with traditional wishes for fast recovery: Get
well soon.
Hospitals usually have souvenir and gift shops where you can buy something if you didn 't have the time or didn 't remember to do so beforehand. You
can a1so ll the store to purchase something credit card and have it delivered directly to the room. Most of these stores open only in the moming
and aftemoon. Besides visiting, you can always check the patient's condition ca11ing or her directly or phoning the hospital information center.
Hospitals also serve as bases for training future medica1 personnel and
providing emergency . Besides providing inpatient treatment for patients
rfd various doctors, most hospitals have outpatient clinics and emergency rooms.

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Medical r

690

14.1. Doctors in private practice

Many American doctors aintain their wn private practices rather than
work in hospitals and clinics. Some work alone and others work with partners,
but their income is determined their knowledge, credentials, and the ability
to organize their practice efficiently.
he fst level of the medical hierarchy - in terms of closeness to
patients, not importance - is composed of so-called Primary Care Providers or
Primary Care Physicians. hey r the same as internists an pediatricians
most of us r fami1iar with, and they r who we visit fst with various health
concems. hese doctors have ofthree types of credentials:
Pediatricians - treat only children;
Internists or Internal Medicine Doctors - treat only adults;
Family Practice Doctors - treat both children and adults.

Doctors with F amily Practice credentials r trained in special program that includes broad set of disciplines that cover an situations. Proceds that an at Fami/y Practice doctor's office include taking
bIood or other laboratory samples, giving vaccinations, measuring pressure, taking cardiogram, conducting simple surgery, prescribing necessary
treatment, or performing physical . Doctors support personnel nurses, nurses' aids, and administrative assistants - to help them provide serVlces.
Although Primary Care Providers work independently, they r usually
affiliated with or several nearby hospitals. If their patients r admitted to
these hospitals, the doctors can visit them and participate in their treatment.
In many cases, this doctor refers patients to experts in specific fields,
ll specialists. as . referral must obtained in advance, in writing, or insurance companies wil1 not cover the cost of appointments or treatment. Primary r doctors also refer patients to hospitals for complex
diagnostic or medical procedures that they cannot perform themselves.

14.2. Emergency medical care

Almost hospitals Emergency Rooms. where patients can
treated at any time of or night; patients arrive their own or r brought
in ambulances. he telephone number 911 is dedicated throughout the US

691

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Room,

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692

Medical Care

to emergency and rescue services, including fire departments, police, and

ambulances. Often, ll three services arrive simultaneously, especial1y in cases
when the caller cannot explain the problem, or simply dials the number without
saying anything. In these cases, emergency workers determine the address
using the ca11er's phone number.
Emergency visits are not made free-of-charge. Ifyou're close to the hospital and within city limits, an ambulance might cost $150-200, but suburban
pickup might run $700-1,000, so it's not good idea to use the service without
good reason. At the same time, this shouldn't stop you ifthere's serious danger. Medical insurance usually covers almost the entire cost, and those who
cannot afJord to are treated with compassion.
Prompt service and attention are given to emergency room patients in
direct proportion to the seriousness of their conditions. In case of false alarms,
or after fst aid treatment has been administered, when it becomes clear that
the patient is in immediate danger, personnel move to other patients.
need to spend another two or three hours waiting for paperwork to
completed before you are allowed to leave.
Emergency rooms are also places where uninsured patients usually seek
treatment. law, nobody can denied medical help the grounds that
or she is not able to . l must provided, and means for payment are
found later. In the end, this treatment is covered increases in payment from
people who have insurance since hospitals are commercial enterprises
and cannot afford to leave expenses uncompensated.
Besides emergency rooms, many hospitals have free programs that serve
certain categories of uninsured patients. Income is usual1y main criterion in
meeting their requirements, but age, presence of minor children, and other factors also determine eligibility.

14.3. Dentistry
It would difficult to find another country where teeth receive as much
attention as they get in America. here is definitely some truth to the belief that
healthy and beautiful teeth are indispensable to feeling good and that they
improve self-esteem and in the end help one to succeed. Most Americans leam
the importance of good oral hygiene at an early age, and they visit the dentist
regularly (every six months) for routine checkups and cleanings. result of

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Medical re

694

their teeth, and it's not unusual that people of middle age or even older have
never experienced toothache.
However, if Americans have healthy teeth thanks to preventive care,
hygienists, and general dentistry, beautiful teeth through the efforts of
numerous specialists. Let's take brief 100k at the most common dental specialties.

Orthodo1ltics - correction of the bite and the spacing between teeth

using braces. Straightening and moving teeth is the most common
procedure. Putting braces involves attaching metal band to
tooth, then installing wire with springs to connect the teeth. Pressure fro the wire gradually moves the teeth into their proper positions. his contraption must wom for minimum of several
months, and sometimes more than year. Despite the fact that few
l enjoy having mouth full of metal for so 10ng, more than
50% of school-age children undergo this procedure at one time or
another, as do some adults, who for some reason did not have
han to get braces at an earlier age. he results are usually worth
the months of discomfort. It should noted that this procedure is
quite expensive. he cost an range from $3,000 to 10,000 or more,
depending the complexity of the work and the region where it is
performed.

Etulodo1ltics - removal of tooth nerves and sealing off root ls. If

the tooth is so damaged that dental nerve must removed, the
patient goes to an endontist, who performs this procedure as well as
cleans and seals up root ls. he procedure usually takes about
two hours and cost $600-1,800 for molars, depending where
you live. Once that's done, you retum to the general dentist, who fills
or puts crown the tooth.

Prosthodotics

- manufacture or repair of full and partial dentures,

as well as crowns and bridges. Depending materials used and the

region of the country, the price of single crown vary from $600
to $2,000 and blgher. full denture cost $900-2,800.

Periodo1ltics - treatment of gum disease. Since most dental problems

begin with or are accompanied gum disease, timely treatment of
gum disease is the best way to keep teeth healthy and save treatment.

Extrtlcti01lS tl1ld Oral Surgery - simple oral surgery and removal of

teeth.

Cosmetic Dentistry is the fastest developing bran of dentistry. Cos

dentistry aims for aesthetic improvement of the teeth d mouth.

lWl

695

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(genera/ dentistry),

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roro aepc.mar . ar: COJI

orx , RDOpe opear naeI.
caar, ra ' opoOCOJll8JI.

$3,000 $10,000
penl, I<DOpOM CJI.

Endodontics -
(Root Cana/s). ,
, ,
JI ,
.

$600 $1,800

. 1(
, .

ProatJuJontics -

, IC3J( o,

acmx (I<DpOOK, ).
I<Dearc

$600 $2,000 , $900 $2,800.

Peritlontics -

pra. . cro

aeICJI ,
JIJ1JI
par .

Ex:trtu:tiOIlS tUUI Oral Surgery -

CoslIU!Iic Detistry - erCIaUI aroJl. ro

lOJI,

Medical Care

696

Common procedures include bleaching teeth, changing the shape or

color of teeth, altering gum shape, bridges and crowns, implants, and
the . Prices for these procedures are detennined the complexity
of the work and v significantly depending region.
an

find great deal of information all aspects of dentistry the

Intemet at the fol1owing addresses:
http:// www.ada.o1g - American Dental Association;
http://www.aacd.com - American Academy of Cosmetic Dentistry;

http://www.bracesinfo.comldentalcosts/

14.4. Choosing doctor and making an appointment

here are many factors to consider when choosing doctor, and they
differ depending age, gender, family status, overall health, and the .
For some people, the most important consideration is whether that the doctor is
good expert in certain area, for others it's more important that his or her
office nearby. Some patients prefer doctor of their own gender. It is very
important to have doctor whose level of competence you trust and with
whom feel completely comfortable. However, your choice of doctor
depends significantly your medical insurance, so your choices are very limited at the beginning.
Pr;mary Care Providers accept patients regardless of where they 1ive, so,
in theory, you an search for doctor anywhere you , and as far away as
you're willing and to travel for an appointment. However, not 11 doctors
accept patients with certain types of insurance, and not l1 insurance programs
allow going to an doctor. Besides, some doctors have such heavy patient
10ads that they don't accept new patients.
If you have govemment insurance such as or Medicare, you '11
fst need to find out whether the doctor accepts patients with this coverage. As it
ens, doctors are paid less under these insuran programs than commercial insurance, so doctors whose patient clientele is largely covered commercial insurance an afford not to accept patients with government insurance.
If you have commercial insurance through your employer, such as an
, will given list of doctors who have contract with the insuran company. choose doctor on1y from this list unless want to
extra from your own pocket. Only if have Fee-for-service type of insuran an go to any doctor.
recommendation from other doctors or patients is the best way to
choose doctor. Talk to friends, relatives, colleagues, or members ofyour reli

ICaJI

697

ero OJlOC'l pr8. 18

JIIDIIOCJI , ll era
, , , ara
. emr or
arc 1 .

http://www.ada.org - mn Denta/ Association,

http://www.aacdcom - American Jm ojCosmetic Dentistry;
http://www.bracesinjo.comldenta/costs/

14.4.

, ,
, JI, JIJI . ,

,
,

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,

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ICO,

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Fee-for-service, .
aJI

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Medical

698

gious community. information is much better than simply choosing at random from the telephone book or the Hst given to you the insurance
an.

If you have insurance, you need to choose doctor and have

appointment with him or her even ifyou're in good health. his is necessary
for two reasons:
he doctor needs to get to know you, learn health history, and
start file. After that you an make routine or emergency visits
when necessary. If you need urgent medical and haven 't done
this, you not to seen this doctor.
Almost 1l health insurance pays for periodic routine exams (annually
or every two ar) because usually the earlier disease is discovered, the lower the cost of treatment. It would unwise not to use
this opportunity, especially because you have essentially paid for
these visits when you bought the insurance.
Doctor appointments are usually made well in advance, either in person
or , sometimes severa1 months or even year ahead. Appointments
are very easy to forget, so it's very important to have calendar where you
enter the exact dates and time of appointments. an doctors' secretaries call
to remind patients about appointments day or two before, but not all doctors'
offices do this.
If for some reason you cannot at appointment at the set time, you
should contact the doctor's office as soon as possible, to either anl or
reschedule the appointment for more convenient time. his is nal, and
you do not have to explain the reason why you cannot in.
If you didn 't l the appointment and didn 't show up, you
charged because the doctor could not see another patient in the ti allotted for
visit. Most likely you will not charged, but if this ns again, the
doctor not very to have you as patient.
Patients ften need to fill out paperwork, so you should arrive 10-15
minutes before appointment time. his doesn 't ean that you ll necessarily seen right time. he doctor doesn't know in advance how much
time patient will need, and it is quite possible that you will need to wait
longer than you expected.
For newcomers, difficulty comm.unicating is ertainl the greatest barrier when first becoming acquainted with the Amri medical system. This is
especially true for people who have serious health problems that weren't
resolved in their native countries: symptoms must described precisely and
in detail, and discrepancies in translation result in wrong diagnosis.

WI

699

.
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Medical Care

700

Idea11y, an English-speaking friend or relative should accompany the

patient. If you do not k English and have friends or relatives who can
accompany you, sure to inform the doctor's office in adv. Many hospitals and clinics have interpreters whom they hire needed. h is usually
someone from the l1 immigrant community wbo k English fluently
d might (or might not) have medical education. Although law, interpretr are required to keep confidentia1 ll information that they have to
during their work, not everyone feels comfortable talking about high1y personal issues in the presence of third party. he best option is for the close
family member wbo speaks English the best to accompany the patient, together
with the interpreter, starting at the very fst visits and then gradually tk over
the interpreting.
You shou1d a1so remember that Aman doctors are unfamiliar with
many medications used in other countries. l who successfully maintained
their health status with certain medicines in their native countries might not
fd the same drugs in the US. It's best to have not only the of the medicine but 1so the i1 composition or the formula so the doctor choose
medicine with similar etfects.

14.5. Paying for medical services

he

patient usually provides information about his or her medical insurance before seeing the doctor. It is assumed that the patient wil1 his share
(deductibIe or -) after the appointment, d the rest ofthe i11 is submitted to the insurance m. Sometimes the ll w submitted to the
insurance company first, d then the patient is responsible for any unpaid portion.
Since man doctors d hospita1s u special companies to l1 and l
lect money from clients, significant period of time - month or two -
pass between the time service was provided and receiving ll for it. Is not
unusua1 for patient to mistakenly charged the entire unt when the
insurance an should most of it. his ns especially often when
tbe doctor's office performs l tests and sends them to laboratories without
forwarding insurance information. If you receive ll that you be1ieve is
wrong, do everything you to t the mistake. he overwhelming
majority of these misunderstandings resolved calling telephone
number the ll. Ifyou simply ignore these bIOs, you wi1l have serious prob1ems with your credit history.

lWl

701

, ro-o C'I'eICD, -arn

npooar . -arn !'

8l<D , I<OO ' ,

ocar cpl'O.
ICJIIIIII( I<D, lCOOpe paorar IC I>Op

1. ro-o ecm
, ern 80pJ o-amii , o6JIare,
. aICD, IC O6Jna

l, IC IOpO eer peJl

06Jna, ycyr

Ce6JI

cyrc 1Pe'l'eO ,

OIa r rrx . aro

JIJDI, I<DIa , JIIC, er
ar

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ih' ''J .
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14.5.

8JI I<D JI
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ar

(deductible

!,

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I<D. JIl
, are 8JI ' .

JIJI ,

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aer ih' , ! JIa

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arop, .

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ih'e. ar ,
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702

Medical Care

14.6. Medications and pharmacies

In the US, only certain medications are sold without prescription.
are usual1y various drugs for cold symptom or pain relief, laxatives,
anti-diarrheals, sleeping pi1ls, and some others. these medicines are produced different manufacturers and sold in various package sizes with several variations in form (tablets, caplets, soft gels) that make them slightly
different from other. this creates the impression of large variety, but
that's not quite the .
Antibiotics, drugs for managing blood pressure, and other medications
offered over-tbe-counter in otber countries are sold in the US only with doctor's prescription. Moreover, some drugs that are used in otber countries only
during acute illnesses or when tbe patient is experiencing symptoms are prescribed and taken in the US for many years, as maintenance drugs. For
ple, people prone to hypertension k medicines to lower their blood pressure
continuously, not just when their blood pressure is actuaHy bigher than normal.
Doctors usually write out prescriptions that are valid for long ti, but
you can't buy supply ofmedicine for period longer than month because
the prescription indicates how an doses you wi1l receive and how many
times you an buy refills witb that prescription. One reason for this is that
many health insurance policies cover the costs of prescription drugs partiaHy
or completely and at the sae time monitor the tnss and timeliness of
tbeir sales. Ifyour medical insurance covers the cost ofprescription drugs, you
should bring your insurance card when you go to the drugstore with prescription.
Even if you don't see line in tbe drugstore, it usually takes at least
15-30 minutes to get your medicine. hat's because pharmacists take orders
phone, Intemet, and other methods, processing them "first , first
served" basis. If you need to refiH prescription tbat the pbarmacist already
bas , you in advance and give the prescription number the
medicine's ll (Rx # ). an drugstores, like banks and fast
food restaurants, drive-through windows wbere you an place your order
and it filled without leaving your car.
hese

703

14.6.

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aro,
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(rejills).

JIJIJIJl

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15-30

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704

Services for the Elderly and Disabled

15. Services for the Elderly and

DisabIed

he general attitude toward the elderly d the disabled is of the

most te11ing indicators of how civilized country is. One consider their
level of legal protection, access to various activities that they wish to participate in, and availability of appropriate care to those who need it.
he US has established legislation to protect the disabled from civil
rights infringements. he mns with Disabilities Act, signed July 26,
1990, guarantees that disabled people receive equal opportunities for work as
well as access to public buildings, transportation, and federal and local government services. All govemment and public buildings, plus public transportation,
must, without exception, equipped to enable access for the disabled. Municipalities d libraries, theaters and stadiums, stores and multi-story apartment
buildings must meet requirements that wheelchair access. his includes
ramps around staircases, appropriate elevators, large bathroom sta11s, and m
inating thresholds or sharp differences in t100r levels. hese modifications,
plus motorized wheelchairs and specially equipped automobiles, en man
l who under different circumstances would doomed to isolation to
lead active lives and largely independent. he most convenient parking
spaces everywhere are reserved for the disabIed, and all supermarkets, large
stores and shopping centers have electric carriages for the convenience of disabled customers.
When we first arrived in the US, we had the impression that there are
many more disabled people here than in the country we arrived from. Only
gradually did we gin to understand that the reverse is probably true, it's just
that in less developed countries, the disabIed people's existence is barely
acknowledged, except the close relatives who must care for them. In the US
see l in wheelchairs in stores and libraries, restaurants and hotels,
airports and train stations. see them as both participants and spectators at

705

15.

OIDI aa:reJIIIx aICD JIO81

JIJ1JIercJI OI , OC'l OC'l

ocrya

1CD

8ICI'01, ICIO ore rn ,

cc:x:necyero , yxaecJI.
areaJI
. A-mericans with

A-ct

26

1990

Disabi/ities

. er

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cooercoa aJI,

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JIIOaer

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cOOBerceo

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ar

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PeJI , ear,
lCD l8 re , ,

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CllIA

ore,

706

Services for the Elderly and Disabled

high school, college, and university graduation cerem.onies as well as at concerts and sporting events. Educational institutions rogras to ensure that
special students all they require for successful study.
With increases in 1ife expectancy and, thus, the number of elderly people
in the US population, it has more important to encourage senior
citizens to remain active. Some universities special funds to assist retirees
in receiving education. In 2000, an 84-year-old woman received bachelor's
degree from the University of Southern Maine. Still, matter how active the
senior age group is, it its own problems and needs that are very different
from those of younger generations.
Sooner or later, there comes time when person requires assistance
because or she is 10nger able to live independently. Of course the
required help an vary signiticantly, depending age and hea1th. Some l
need only riil assistance, such as grocery deliveries and rides to the store
or to doctors' appointments. Others need l with laundry, food preparation,
or housecleaning. Some require more or less pennanent care. Sti11 others need
care plus daily medica1 procedures. In most countries that immigrants
from, care for the elderly falls to their close relatives, and those who
relatives are forced to fmd solutions to these problems their own.
an immigrant families that included several generations living
together before coming to the US are surprised to fd that their elderly parents
are perceived here as separate household, which imp1ies certain consequences. Very often, people who reached retirement age can
standards can receive housing favorable terms in specia1 apartment
plexes for the elderly.

15.1. Housing for the elderly

he majority ofpeople in the US li in single-family homes, and an,
even as they get older, prefer to remain as independent as possible and to 1ive
their own. However, an elderly l an longer maintain their own
houses, so variety ofhousing options for the elderly has established, for
example:

Subsidized Senior Housing - subsidized housing for the elderly. Federal and state programs assist elderly low-income l with housing. As rule, participants of these programs li independently in

707

OCIDI8X, . Iepr8X
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, cre: 8Clll(D.
eIIJIX ecryr , Jll,

lO JI C1YeroB .
JI

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ro

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2000

84

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Jl JIJI JI
Jl

arJl JIJI .

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JI , , ,
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15.1.

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:

SuIJsidirJ!d &nior HoaVng - . JDI .

ecmyr Mecme rpa, i!
JOI . . npa, yacm

708

Serviees for the Elderly and Disabled

apartment eomplexes designed for the elderly. Some of these
plexes help with everyday needs, sueh as laundry or shopping.

Assisted Living - housing that provides assistanee to elderly and disabled l. hese are apartment complexes where tenants are independent but an use serviees sueh as food preparation, laundry,
eleaning, and the . In these eomplexes tenants for the serviees
provided as well as rent.
BOtlrd tmd Care Ho",es - homes that for people who eannot live
independently. he majority of these faei1ities offer broad range of
serviees for daily life, ineluding feeding, bathing, and other personal
eare. In some eases, costs of these serviees are covered commereiallong-term eare insuranee, though rarely Medieaid and Medi.

Continuing Retire",ent Co",,,,unities - housing eomplexes that

inelude various levels of ongoing eare. Depending their health,
tenants transferred from type ofhousing to another, from
regular apartments to homes with qualified medieal personnel. hese
eomplexes are usua1ly designed for affiuent elients.
he

options listed above are targeted at people who need help but not
permanent professional eare. At eertain stage, m senior eitizens and
ple with serious physieal or mentaI disabi1ities require round-the-elock supervision d medieal eare in addition to routine daily assistanee. You fd
more detailed infnti about lg-ten care in the booklet "Guide to
Choosing Nursing " (U.S. Department ofHealth and um Serviees),
wblch is also available in Spanish, Braille, d audiotape. get free
, 1-800-EDICARE (1-800-633-4227). It also found the
Intemet at the address listed in the bibliography at the end of this book.

15.2. Nursing homes

In the US there are m homes that provide housing, meals, treatment,
oecupational therapy, d supervision to people who require professional eare
and eannot live independently. hese places are ealled nursing homes. Unlike
most of the housing programs listed above, living in nursing home is frequently eovered long-term eare insuranee, as well as Medieaid, and in
some eases Medieare.

709

l1IX nporpa 1CD:: aP11JP,

CICJIlO1IIeJI . emrop l1IX IeI<ro I<338I'

, , , CIpI<a JDf .

Assistetl Living - . JDI , lO

:ne . ro OIDIec aprp,
, IC roolI
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apmar, mrr .

BOIIrd and ", m -

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Continll;ng Retirement Commllnities - ,

.
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.

am rpo ,

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, ,
ll OJI,1 ocyroro amo el

.
orocpo "Gide
Departent

of Health and

uman

Services),

to Choosing Nrsing " (U.S.

a!rcJI

, pamI . mrry era

aaar 1-800-EDICARE

(1-800-6334227).

rep , ICe.

15.2.

CIIIA

ecyer , JI!. ra,

, re repa, mp JOJI,

MOry r , yacJI .

nursing

/ cyr " ",

ar, , ro m .
or or JI ,

nursing

/ acro

CIp8XI<a orocpo , CIp8X

rpa eeiip.

710

Services for the Elderly and Disabled

1 think that in the native countries of man immigrants, the situation for the
elderly is similar to what we saw in the fonner Soviet Union: care of the ill and
elderly falls to close relatives, and only lonely l in desperate circumstances
are forced into government or charitable institutions with bad reputations. But
those who have cared for very i11 people for 10ng months or years know how
exhausting this work is, both physically and menta11y. he family's everyday life
grinds to halt, and, quite often, the family keeps going only because there is
other choice. And still, despite 11 these efforts, in many cases it is impossible to
provide adequate care at and feel the moral satisfaction that should
pany job wel1 done and make the sacrifices seem worth it.
Much of that is different in the US. Although relatives still care for
l who need assistance, the expression of their care differs significantly from
what we might accustomed to. whole industry has fonned to satisfy
demand for care services. As with anything else, there are shortcomings, but
overall, the system performs its tasks relatively we11.
In 1999 there were more than 16,000 government-certified nursing
homes in the US, and about 1.5 million l 1ived in them. Nursing homes
differ in size, personnel credentials, types of care provided, and other factors.
You can find detailed infonnation about nursing faci1ities in database
posted the Intemet at www.medicare.gov. You can compare the nursing
homes you selected various parameters in the section Nursing
pare. In addition, you can fd the 10cations of 11 institutions in area and
find infonnationsuch as the number of beds and occupancy, Medicaid and
Medicare participation, resident demograpblcs, certification results, the
wn' , and so .
Since most nursing homes are businesses that are periodically monitored, man of them provide good level of care even American standards.
Nursing residents or their relatives (ifthey are the decision makers) have
freedom of choice, sufficient legal rights, and, in the end, can change their
mind if the need arises.
Nursing om residents have the right:
to make their wn schedules, including when to go to bed, get up in
the moming, and eat their meals.
to leave the facility with relatives or friends after notifying the staff;
to manage their own money or to pick trusted person to handle it;
to have their persona1 items kept safe;

to have m unopened the unless they allow it;

to spend private ti with visitors at any reasonable h and not to
see visitors whom they don 't wish to ;

711

, ro fX , ,

IM , npe.
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. ,

(MecJI )
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,
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JI,
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, IC ICJI.
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pal .

16,000 rocyapc'l12lylO
cepI , D 1.5 JI.JI . Nursing homes
1999

arc JCDJIecI'O MCCl', ,

OI1t pyI1I. oere aih OOJIbllO amo
JIX repere
:

Nursing

www.medicare.gov

, OOJI !

: 8eIp8.

yar OJICD ecroax

, 1, oyr ,
MCCl' arroc, yacm crpaxoax ,
ero, 38I aICC8, .

nursing homes

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Services for the Elderly and Disabled

712

to infonned about their medical conditions and medications, and

to participate in developing Plan of ;

to move to another l giving proper notice that they wish to

leave. Living in nursing is voluntary.
Relatives and friends have the right:
to privacy when visiting the nursing m when the resident asks;
to participate in 1he development of1he care pJan with 1he resident's pennission;

If relatives have legal guardianship of nursing m residents, they

have the right to examine all medical records conceming their loved
one and the right to m important decisions bls or her behalf.
to ensure the resident receives good ;
to visit often, know the nursing home's staffand procedures, and
express concerns to the right staffmer or the facility's family
un, composed of relatives of residents.
he

nursing staff is required to:

treat residents with respect;

work out plan for resident;
provide safe keeping for residents' personal items and money if they
entrust them to the facility;
provide residents with access to social and legal services as needed.
Nursing homes cannot:
use physical restraints or medications to limit resident's movement,
except when necessary for treating medical symptoms. other
words, residents not strapped in or bound.) Restraints not
used for discipline or for the convenience of the nursing staff.

scge or transfer resiclent, for situations other than those 1isted below.

Nursing homes cannot discharge resident unless:

It is ecessry for the welfare, health, or safety ofthe resident or others;
he resident's health has declined to the point that the nursing
m cannot t his or her needs;
he resident's health has improved to the point that nursing m
is longer necessary;
he resident hasn 't paid for services rendered;
The sing home is cbing (U.S. Deptmentofealth arXI nan Services).

Serviees for the Elderly and Disabled

712

to infonned about their medieal conditions and medieations, and

to partieipate in developing 1an of re;
to move to another l giving proper notiee that they wish to
leave. Living in nursing home is voluntary.
Relatives and friends have the right:
to privacy when visiting the nursing when the resident s;

to participate in 1he devel0pme0t of1he care plan with 1he resident's penission;

If relatives have legal guardianship of nursing home residents, they

have the right to examine ll medieal records eoneerning their 10ved
one and the right to k important decisions his or her behalf.
to ensure the resident reeeives good r;
to visit often, know the nursing home's staff and procedures, and
express coneerns to the right staff member or the faci1ity's family
council, eomposed of relatives of residents.
he

nursing home staff is required to:

treat residents with respeet;

work out r lan for resident;
provide safe keeping for residents' personal items and money if they
entrust them to the facility;
provide residents with access to social and legal services as needed.
Nursing homes cannot:
use physiea1 restraints or medications to limit resident's movement,
except when necessary for treating medical symptoms. (In other
words, residents m not strapped in or bound.) Restraints not
used for discipline or for the eonvenience ofthe nursing home staff.
discharge or transfer resident, for situations other 1han those listed below.

Nursing homes cannot diseharge resident unless:

It is ecessy for the welfare, health, or safety ofthe resident or others;
he resident's health s deelined to the point that the nursing
eannot meet his or her re needs;
he resident's health has improved to the point that nursing home
re is longer necessary;
he resident hasn 't paid for services rendered;
The rsing hane is kEng (U.S. Departmetofealth arxIrm Services).

713

, xOJl , BpeJI
, ;

nursing home ,

nursing home :

BpeJI , ;

,
;

poaero er OCIy8 I() tC[(yera

poaero . or ero ;

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nursing home " " ,

nursing home :

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nursing home :

m<a ,
( , JIar'
arm ) eJIJIX
IIJI ;

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nursing home;

COCOJIJI :l, ICDJ8 OCI;

;
nursing home ae'ICJI (U.S. Department ofHeal1h and nan Services).

714

Services for the Elderly and Disabled

If family needs care for an ill or aged relative and your region has
satisfactory facilities, your biggest wil1 financial. Medicaid is the
sole fonn of payment for most immigrants since it's rare that anyone can afford
full payment for care without insurance, and those who arrived recently certainly don't have commercial insurance.
Medicaid covers almost ll expenses for nurs;ng home residents; however, as is the case with doctors, not a1l facilities accept residents with Medicaid insurance. hose that do accept Medicaid have restrictions the
number of beds for these clients.
If person requiring care cannot decision independently, close
relative has legal guardiansblp, cal1ed Power / Attorney. lawyer
necessary for this. Social services agencies help you obtain power of attor, and nursing home staff also to give you some direction.
he decision to place someone in nursing is often made under
circumstances where there is aImost other choice and when there hasn 't
time to do any preliminary research. Ask doc1or, se, or social worker
10 specific nursing recommendations. With telephone book or the
Intemet database mentioned earlier, you can ak list of nearby facilities.
Location is always important to encourage relatives and friends to visit as often
as possible, but it's much more important for people from other countries.
After you have chosen two or three institutions in acceptable locations,
them to ask if they have available beds. If they have spots, an
appointment to visit, talk, and see the facility yourself. staff ! usually
offers short tours of the faci1ity during these visits.
sure to notice the temperature in the building ( sure it is not too
cold ! too hot), presence of smells, and cleanliness of rooms, as wel1 as to
100k at fumiture and common areas. Note, too, how neatly the patients are
dressed and groomed and attention 10 their interactions with the staff. you
can also ask permission to and look at another time, without staff
ber present.
One of the most serious difficulties is the language barrier. In most cases
people who need care and only recently arrived in the US do not speak English,
which makes their care considerably more difficult. If someone the nursing
home staff speaks language, that could help detennine your choice, but it
is not necessarily the most important factor.
Nursing residents who receive SSI receive on1y smal1 portion of
it (about $40) for personal needs since the majority of expenses are covered
Medicaid insurance. hese people have the right to have money in ank
account and as cash, but if the total exceeds $2,000, the resident will not li
gible for Medicaid.

715

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716

Charity

16. Charity

Charity is an integral part of American Hfe. Low-income populations

aren tt the l recipients of charity: an clearly valuable organizations and
programs cannot support themselves. These nonprofit organizations include
public radio and television t symphony orchestras, museums t parks, etc.
basis of charity in the u.s. is widely held understanding that
individual 's personal contribution will, in the end, improve the quality of life
for everybody. Individuals' participation in charity an take various fonns,
including:

direct donation of 10
community organization;

local

charitable fund, or

donation of clothes, food, and other basic items (even including

automobiles) for distribution among the needy;

Volunteering time after school or work for cleanups, taking care of

sickt elderlYt or disabled people, fund raising, and other projects;
Providing professional services free-of-charge under pro n programs that might provide dental treatment, legal assistance, various
types of training, help filing tax retums, or other services.
According to statisticst Americans contribute, average, about 2.5% of
their incomes to charitable causes. When 1 was still in Russiat 1 often heard that
in the U.S charitable donations allow people to reduce their tax bills considerably. This was always presented as if the , after donating rtain
amountt would gain even more his or her taxes than or she had donated.
That isn't quite true. In fact t it's not true at all.

16.

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Charity

Let's assume that someone donated $1,000 to charity. When fil1ing out
his tax return, would simply subtract this amount from bls income before
calculating his tax . If kept this for himself and fel1 into the tax
bracket with rate of 28%, would $280 in tax the , keeping
$720. But because donated tbls money, does not have to tax the
$1,000. Still, the donation of$I,OOO cost $720. his primarily benefits the
charitable organization, which receives the ful1 donation amount, including the
unpaid t.
Not everybody an k advantage of the tax deductions mentioned
above. Only those who k itemized deductions, wblch we discussed in the
chapter taxes, an use them, and taxpayers nl deduct up to 2% of
their annual in as charitable donations.
In addition to individual donations, corporations also give to charitable
organizations, and sponsoring various community, cultural, and sports events
is widely popular.
Monetary donations are important, but they are not the only kind of charity. More than half the population over the age of 12 volunteers in various
types of jobs for an average of about 3.5 hours week.

16.1. CharitabIe Organizations

In the US, there are tens of thousands of various charitable organizations
and funds. heir pwpose helping the poor or caring for the environment, promoting world or saving endangered species of anima1s, financing medical research or preserving historical monuments, and many other
things. Most immigrants' first encounter with American charity ns soon
after their arrival in the country, because much of the work is done volunteers and financed througb charitable donations.
1 would like to mention two organizations that maintain retail store
ins throughout the country where can buy second-hand items inexpensively. hese organizations have been in existence for 10ng time, have established themselves as reputable, and many Americans, even those who are far
from being poor, shop at their stores.
Salvation n is Christian organization founded in England in
the 1850s. Its pwpose is to disseminate the teacblngs of Jesus Christ and meet
the basic needs of the poor without an form of discrimination. he Salvation
rm is the oldest and largest international organization that devotes significant portion of its activity to charity. he Salvation Army finances medical
clinics and rehabilitation centers, summer camps and day care for cblldren,

719

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720

Charity

nursing , soup kitchens, and shelters for the homeless.

Long before Christmas you see Salvation Ar volunteers at store
entrances and other public places. hey stand with traditional kett1e i
pod and ring bells, inviting passers-by to donate to charitable causes.
he Salvation An has more than 1,500 stores throughout the U.S.
hey sell inexpensive clothing and other basic items that are donated the
public.
he organization Goodwill Idustries, widely knwn as "odlI,"
was founded in Boston in 1902 the Methodist minister Edgar Helms.
collected used items in prosperous areas and then hired and trained poor people
and immigrants to repair them and put them in working order. hen these items
were either sold or given to those who repaired them.
Today Goodwil1 is an intemationa1 organization with annual revenues of
$1.85 i, that administers work training andjob placement progras for
the disabled. GoodwilI operates more than 1,700 secondhand stores throughout
North America. Goodwill's donation containers and attended donation centers
can seen everywhere. For addresses of stores in your area, check the Internet at www.goodwill.org or use your telephone book.
charitable organizations solicit donations from the public sending
out huge number of letters addressed to specific people (direct m). In many
cases these letters, written professional writers, explain what your money
spent . Very often these letters contain sma11 gifts to thank you for
your donations, such as greeting cards, ca1endars, and other items. he most
common enclosure is set of persona1ized labels with the and mailing
address of potential donor. Do not surprised that someone knows your
nam and address, because in America, there is whole industry co11ects and
sells people's personal information to various organizations that interested in having these l as their clients. You will start receiving these letters as soon as your ends up in one of many databases.
Although you have obligation to send money in response to these letters, if you do decide to donate, you should first sure that donation
actualIy spent the cause you are giving to. his is because a10ng with
many reputable organizations that are truly devoted to their causes, there are
others that spend most of the money they receive administrative cost and ...
soliciting new donations, not to mention those that are run swindlers.
Information about many 1 charitable organizations and how effectively they use the money they raise can found the Internet at
www.give.org, the website of the Wise Giving an. his rgan
tion is affiliated with the Better Business Bureau () that protects the interests of consumers.

721

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Information

722

17. Information

It is difficult to overestimate the role of information in lives,

although when we are living in the un where we were m, we usually do
not attention to how and when we receive new information. We acquire
infnti natal1, through multiple channels that we adjust, often subconsciously, to fit our needs. We read newspapers, if something interests us, we
watch v, we listen to the radio, and we know about everything that is
ing around us even if we do not particularly want to know.
If you move to another un without knowing the language, you 10se
most of usual ways of acquiring new infonnation. Sight is an exception.
In the beginning, the undan of newness surrounding us that an perceived through sight compensates for, or rather masks this 10ss. But as time
passes, the hunger for new ifnti manifests itself more and more in various ways. It is easy to notice ding meetings with friends and acquaintances
that conversation is always reduced to the same topics, which are discussed
repeatedly. And though we m sick and tired of them, we cannot replace
them. his means that anything that ns in ethnic community, matter how minor, is discussed an times over while important events happening
in the country receive attention.
rtil solution is to subscribe to newspaper in native language
and install satellite dish to na you to view programs from your native
country. bis helps somewhat, but does not do anything to improve your
understanding of the country where you live now, creating strange mix of the
old reality and new circumstances.
If you want to m full-f1edged citizen of new country -where you will most likely live for the rest of life -- you should begin as
soon as possible to acquaint slf with 10cal ss of information and
m interested in the events that are happening in the country, state, city,
and neighborhood where you live, rather than l in the country where you

723

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724

Information

from and the rest ofthe world. Not knowing the language should not stop
you. Instead, it should force you to l more effort d spend more ti fol10wing the news than you would have spent it in native country.
Undoubtedly, the amount of information avai1able to US residents s
passes an times over available resources in an other country. You fd
anything you want, and 11 you need are some skills and the desire to larn.

17.1. Advertising
Advertising is an information source that we encounter everywhere,
whether we want to or not. Signs with an names and bi11boards advertising goods and services larger and larger so l an notice them
from afar. Commercia1s regularly interrupt radio and shows, often every
station or hannl at , so that we an 't get away from them. If you attempt
to quickly thumb through magazines, they on1y open to the advertising pages
because they are printed thicker paper. And the ail that was usually
empty in the old country is suddenly full of stuff every day, starting with leaflet :from candidate for the 101 school board and ending with mai1-order
cata1ogue. It's not unusual to fd in your i1 samples of real potato chips,
rubber g1oves, or feminine hygiene pads, not to mention numerous coupons
offering discounts anything you want.
Advertising in America is huge business. In 1998 advertising expenses
exceeded 200 lli dollars and continue to grow at rate higher than the rate
of inflation or the growth rate of the as whole. his amount with
eleven zeroes -- $200,000,000,000 -- exceeds the gross domestic product of
such countries as k, Poland, Fin1and, Taiwan, Norway, Portuga1, and others. his sum is f times the gross domestic product of Ukraine, and it is
more than half of Russia 's gross domestic product.
There are different kinds of advertising - from rfed, clever and
graceful to coarse and foolish. Either way, the goa1 of advertising is to attract
attention, at an cost, to promoted goods. here is an expression that ''there is
bad advertising, l ineffective advertising." When new goods and services are constantly trying to ak their way to statd market, heavy
advertising that an entice the consumer to at least try something new is
essary condition of success even for products of the highest qua1ity.
Advertising is very expensive, and it is designed professionals who
are well educated in consumer psychology and to l to the very foundations of human t. Often the success of product is determined not so
much its qua1ity as its advertising budget and the talent of the people
conductin2 its advertisin2 camnaim.

725

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726
hough

there laws forbidding unfair advertising, one shou1d remember that the laws are generally applied only in cases where customers have
obviously been deceived and only after the damage has a1ready been done. he
requirements to infn consumers of the product's possible negative effects
are fulfilled using various tricks. You wil1 frequently see catchy names and
slogans printed in l fonts that praise products such as cold medicine. But
the medication's side effects are printed in such tiny font that you need
microscope to read them.
In many cases, advertising inflates very minor product improvements to
fantastic proportions, enabling product to sold at higher prices than
peting items of simi1ar quality, which not enjoy the sa popularity
because their manufacturers cannot afford expensive advertising.
l react to advertising differently. hose who take it at face value
and think "if they advertise it, then it must good" often end up wasting their
money. hose who can evaluate the product - objectively taking advertising
into account without depending it - always end up ahead.
Profits from advertising make up significant portion of the budgets of
most mass media outlets. Many technical and other professional journa1s
distributed free-of-charge among professionals because these people l crucial role in decisions to has the goods and services they promote.

17.2. Newspapers
Newspapers enjoy tremendous popularity in the US. And there are man
of them, too: in 1998, 10,508 different papers were published in the US, of
which 1,489 were daily papers and 898 were Sunday papers. More than 60% of
daily and Sunday editions read in cities with population of 25,000 or less,
and the average American spends about 30 minutes day reading the paper. At
the beginning of the book 1 mentioned the benefits and necessity of reading
newspapers. Regular reading will gradually but steadily improve not only your
knowledge of the English language, but also your understanding of the society
aroundyou.
Even in small towns American newspapers are published in thick multipage editions. Besides printing national news items, they publish detailed
ifnti about local events. State newspapers that are distributed in various
counties, contain section devoted to the given county. Listed below are
the typical contents of the Sunday newspaper:

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728

Infonnation
News - th.e first section of newspaper, as rl, has tit1e and
includes th.e main news of national or global importance. In most

cases, th.e first page contain headings, photos, and the beginnings of
articles, which continued eith.er inside the section or its last
page. infonnation is presented neutrally, with an emphasis th.e
facts.
lnsight - contains detailed articles devoted to various events that

offer an analysis of given situation and reflect th.e author 's personal
position.
Sports is completely devoted to sports news, including game scores,

sports digests, and so . In most cases, th.e first few pages

devoted to American sports events.

LocaI and Stilte - contains infonnation about th.e most significant

events in the Hfe of the given state, as well as local obituaries.
Business - is devoted to news about the and a1so contains

stock quotes, interest rates, and the state of th.e stock market indexes.
Lifestyles - includes articles and items devoted to persona1life, ques-

tion and answer columns, crossword puzzles, horoscopes, and the

10l engagement and wedding announcements like.
T'llVel and Arts - contains articles devoted to tourism and cu1tural

events.
Clt1Ssijied -lists thematically grouped advertisements and annun

ments, such as employment ("l wanted"), items for sale, services,

and 10st and found.
Real Estate - infonnation about the real estate market, including ads

1isting apartments for rent, or houses and land for sale.

l'S

is 11 about automobiles, and includes advertisements for dealers selling new and used cars, plus ads from private owners selling
their cars.

Section titles and th.eir contents vary little from newspaper to

newspaper, or ftom state to state, but not much. On you understand the
tents of 10l newspaper, you shou1dn 't have an difficulties in the future.
Sections are usua1ly "numbered" letters in alphabetica1 order (, , , D,
etc.), and section's pages are numbered individual1y.
Daily newspapers are organized the same principle, but th.ey are usull much smaller, and different sections included in them different

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Information

days ofthe week. For l, the most extensive sections devoted to cars and
real estate are published Fridays because l shop for houses and cars
primarily weekends.
can local newspapers fro vending macbines the street, in
supermarkets, at gas stations, and in other locations. Newspapers fro other
regions can found in bookstores. Newspaper subscriptions purchased quarterly, with the subscription price little bit lower than retai1,
though not much. Newspapers are usually delivered early, before 6 o'clock
in the moming. hey put in special newspaper , dropped under
the door, or tossed into your yard; papers are put in plastic bags in wet weather.
Newspaper delivery is not connected in any way to the US postal service, and
students often deliver to arn pocket or save for college. It is
customary to tip the newspaper delivery person before Christmas.

17.3. Magazines

great number of magazines is also published in the US. hey number

in the thousands and include ll conceivable - and inconceivable - areas of
uman activity. Besides well-known magazines printed in mass quantities and
targeted to wide audience, there are generally several magazines covering
any more or less popular , sport, trade, region, or pastime.
he most popular magazines, such as , People. v Guide, Glamour,
or gu. plus tabloids (the ''yellow press") can found in supermarket
checkout aisles. larger assortment of magazines is avai1able in the periodicals section of the s supennarket. Bookstores sell an even greater selection,
but the most specialized magazines and journals are avai1able only subscription.
he subscription price for magazines very often differs significantly
from retail. Subscriptions cost fifty to eighty percent less than buying
individual magazine issues, so if you like magazine enough to buy it
sionally, it is probably worth subscribing. magazines contain subscription
cards that indicate subscription tenns, including cost and number of issues. ll
you need to do is fill in your and address and drop the card in il.
Most, perhaps a1l, of these cards don 't even require stamp since the addressee
pays postage. Usually put check mark the card indicating your prefd fonn of payment, such as:
ill
ill in full

in 4 monthly installments

731

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732

Infonnation

Magazines very often send offers of free trial issues with the right to cancel the subscription if you don 't the magazine or change your mind. ll
with due date aiv together with the free magazine, though these bills
sometimes aiv after or even before the magazine. If you want to subscribe,
you should the bill ti. If you have decided not to subscribe, you
should write the word nl the ll and send it back without payment.
Don 't think that an unpaid subscription is cancelled automatically. If you
request trial issues of magazine, you enter into certain agreement with the
publisher, it's fair to comply with the publisher's conditions. If you simply
ignore the ll, you will receive second bill, third, and so for increased
amounts.
Professiona1 magazines publish up-to-date infonnation for their fields,
such as development and acceptance of new standards, mergers and acquisitions, advertising for new products and software, best practices, infonnation
about trade shows and conferences, and so . Most specialized magazines
publish employment ads and annual salary reviews - often ca11ed Sa/ary Survey or Salary and Opinion Survey - for the given profession. Surveys contain
detai1ed statistical data about sa1ary and benefits, broken up region, age
group, company size, level of education, qua1ifications, and so forth.
In today's, constantly changing world, you must stay current in your
field or the field you want to work in. As mentioned above, technical and specialized magazines are very often distributed free-of-charge among professionals, though annual subscriptions cost tens or even hundreds of dollars.
Beginners' attempts to receive free subscriptions filling out the appropriate
applications printed in the magazines often fail.
Most specialized magazines include so-called Reader Service Cards that
list set of numbers indexed to articles and advertisements in the given issue.
item in the magazine is assigned an index number that is shown at the end
of the rtil, notice, or ad. If the reader found the piece interesting, or she
can request additiona1 infonnation, catalogue, or other items fil1ing out the
card. Since these magazines arn most of their revenue ftom advertising, readers' requests for additional information are the best evidence of the effectiveness of ads printed in them. If your colleagues receive magazines that interest
you, ask to w the next issue and fill in Reader Service Card requesting
information that interests you. If you do this two or three times, will
included in the magazine's mai1ing list and you will start to receive subscription offers.

733

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Infonnation

734

recommendation ftom colleague who alred receives the publication is another way to accelerate the subscription process. Most subscription
renewa1 forms include the question "Do have an co11eagues who wou1d
benefit ftom subscription?" Your colleague an answer with your .
Magazine subscriptions an start at an time, so need not wait until
the beginning of r or quarter. After receiving free magazine for rtain
period of time, wi1l usua11y receive an issue with specia1 jacket or insert
containing subscription renewa1 fonn that should 1l out and send
mail or fax. Most magazines now offer subscriptions over the Internet, and
many a1so publish electronic versions that can read computer.
Unlike newspapers, magazines are delivered mail and r put in i1boxes. Many magazines are packed in pIastic to protect them from damage.

17.4. Radio
In the US people listen to the radio mostly in their cars, but since almost
everybody spends significant ti behind the wheel, variety of radio stations
target different tastes. Most stations broadcast music of one rtain genre, mixing in short news updates and commercials, but there are also radio stations
dedicated primarily to news. Other stations broadcast mostly talk shows, with
mjnjmum aount of music.
Undoubtedly, in the initial stages of life in new country the choice of
radio stations is based exclusively musica1 preferences. many choices
range from classica1 music perfonned symphony orchestras and chamber
ensembles, jazz, rock-n-roll, disco, and the like to modem music of types,
plus religious music of various genres. Nevertheless, with the exception of
classical music, almost 11 songs broadcast the air r American, English or,
at the least, sung in English perfonners from other countries.
It is very di:fficult to understand news or commercia1s in the beginning.
Weather forecasts are perhaps the first type of information that gradua11y
becomes clear since the sae words r repeated over and over in various
combinations.
Broadcasts Public Radio lnternational, or PRI, are some of the most
informative, covering broad spectrum. of national and intemational events in
an objective manner.

735

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oreOB,

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Pub/ic

RJi

lnternational ( ),
, .

Ifnti

736

17.5.

is one of the main sources of ifnti and the most popular leisure activity. he average American watches more than four hours of per
day. More than 98 percent of American families have s, with the average
number of sets per family exceeding two. he number of various channels
exceed 100.
his abundance is somewhat stunning at first, and it takes time to get
used to it, then choose what interests you most and try to understand it. In the
absence of language skills, this requires 10t of efforts, and the brain soon siml stops paying attention to speech, perceiving only the visual ifnti. In
feature films it possible to understand something through the unfolding
of the plot, but the situation with news broadcasts is much worse because
anchors speak: very quickly. 1 recall conversation with friend during first
visit to the US. had living in the country for over two years d was
successfully working in his field, but still understood nothing from news
broadcasts.
With modem technology it is not difficult to have one or more channels
with broadcasts in your native language, but careful. For older people this
convenience necessary source of new ifnti, but for the
younger generation it can trap, slowing down the leaming of English
because it eliminates the necessity of making the effort required to see
progress.
As mentioned in the beginning ofthe book, it's best to improve language
skills watching thematic shows that provide detailed coverage of the same
topic or shows that teach how to do something and provide detailed demonstrations and ltis of step. l also find watching animated
films useful.
You'll need to read the programming schedule to navigate the
channels. he program contains m symbols that are not explained anywhere. We'll discuss film classifications and ratings fIrSt. Some examples of
how films are presented in program are shown below.
Stars indicate the quality of movies. he absence of stars doesn 't always
bad movie. Check the r of release; new films not rated yet.

***

***
****

poor
fair
good
outstanding

17.5.

737

. 4-
.

98%

100.

, ,

,
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. ,
,

BCt5 .

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.
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t5 .

. ,

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***

***
****

poor
fair
good
outstanding

-
-
-
-

Information

738

**

"Family Plot" (1976, Suspense)

Bruce Dem, Karen Black. '' (Adult
situations, violence.) () 9876543

*** "Mickey One" (1965, Crime

draa) Warren Beaty. (Adult situation,

language, nudity, violence) 4756987

***

"Analyze his" (1999) Robert

De Niro. (V-17) ()

****

"ramer vs. ramer" (1979,

Drama) Dustin ffman, Meryl Streep,
Justin nry () 1234567
ft

Fair movie made in 1976. Staing

Bruce Dem, aren Black. Some material ma not suitable for children.
Contains adult situations and violence.
Closed Captions.
Good movie in the Crime Dra genre
made in 1965. Starring Warren Beaty.
Contains adult situation, inappropriate
language, nudity, violence.
Good movie with Robert De Niro in
leading role made in 1999. Inappropriate for anyone under 17.
Outstanding drama made in 1979. Starring Dustin ffman, Meryl Streep, JustinHenry.

and television movies belong to certain genres, usuaHy indicated in the program with the year the film was released, i.e. (1964, War). Classification of films genres is shown below.
Action
Biography
Comedy
Crimedrama
Drarna
Fantasy
Historical drama
r

Miniseries
Musical
Musical comedy
Romance
Romance comedy
Science fiction
Suspense
War
Westem

739

** "Family Plot" (1976, Suspense) Broce Dern, Karen Black.

''

(Adult situations, vio9876543

len.)()

" ",

1976 .
POmIX,
.
np .

*** "Mickey " (1965, Crime

draa) W

Beaty. (Adult situation, language, nudity, violence)

4756987

*** "Analyze This" (1999) Rob-

ert DeNiro. (-17) ()

l8 " 1", 1965.

r po.I,
, aryp ,

.
" ",

1999 . oepro
. .

****

"ramer vs. ramer"

(1979, Drama) Dustin ffinan,
Meryl Streep, Justin nry ()
1234567

"
",

1979 . ,

rn .

1
, aerc rpa aec:re ro myca 8,

, (1964,

War). npoIaIJI .

Action

IC

Biography

Comedy

ridraa

Dra

Fantasy

Historical dra

ICaJI

iniseries

Musical

WI, IC

Musica1 comedy

Romance

Romance comedy

ICaJI

Science fiction

Suspense

WI

War

Western

WI

npo

Information

740

Movies and other television shows receive ratings indicating what age
group their content is intended for. Unti1 recent1y there was system of ratings
that were assigned the makers ofthe movie voluntary basis. It is shown
below.

17-1:

Ratings

Movie Ratings

Limitations

Genera1 audiences

Parental guidance suggested

Some material not suitable

for children.

-13

Parents strongly cautioned

Some material inappropriate for ldren under 13.

Restricted

Under 17 requires accompanying

parent or adult guardian.

ages admitted.

NC-17 No 17 and under admitted

Source: he Motion Picture Association of America.

01d or foreign movies that are not rated have been indicated as NR.
Quite often, in addition to rating, there is description of what exactly makes
lm inappropriate for viewing general audience.
Violence
Adult situations
Nudity
Language

new system for categorizing television broadcasts audience age

was recently developed. his system contains an age code, beginning with the
letters and foHowed an abbreviation that characterizes the content, represented the letters V, S, L, D.
" rating icon appears in the upper left hand comer at the start of the
program. If the program is more than hour, the icon wil1 reappear at the
beginning of the second hour" ( Parental Guidelines Monitoring Board).
his universal rating system aows parents to block children's access to
undesirable progrms using special device built into modern s, which
is caHed V-.

741

.
JI l'a npoeI, .

17-1:

Jl ....lO

enl

audi-

JI

ences
Parenta1 guidan suggested

PG
PG-t

Jl

Parents strongly
cautioned

IIpcoIp poree

np

1IC'l'OJlreJJ~

Restricted

13

17

eJI

NC-17

Noone 17 and

under admitted

nyJl

17

Motion Picture Association of America.

Crp ocrpa: , mope peIra, MOry

o6oaarcJI

NR (Not RDted).

JI, Jl IIJI
.

Jliolence -
Adult situations - JI
Nudity -

Re

Language -

JI

HOaJI
ropJI
, . ra

, IJl
,

V,S,L,D.

"rpa OJlJlJI yrny

aan . Jl , 1'0
OJlJlJlJI ropoo "

(1v Parenta1 Guidelines Monitoring oard).

03OJl eJI
ocryn are

V -.

Infonnation

742
he foUowing categories apply to rograms designed

solely for h:

AUChUdren.
his program is designed to appropriate for l children. Whether
animated or live-action, the themes and elements in this program are
specifically designed for very young audience, including cblldren
ftom ages 2 - 6. his program is not expected to ftighten younger children.

11

Directed to Older CbUdren.

1is program is designed for children age 7 and above.lt more
appropriate for cblldren who have acquired the developmental skills
needed to distinguish between make-believe and reality. hemes and
elements in this program include mild fantasy violence or comedic violence,
or ftighten children under the age of 7. herefore, parents wish to consider the suitability of this program for their very young children.

11

Directed to Older ChUdren - Fantasy Violence

Programs where fantasy violence more intense or more
combative than programs in previous category.

he foUowing categories apply to rograms designed for different audience:

11

General Audience.
Most parents would find this program suitabIe for l ages. Although
this rating does not signify progra designed specifically for children, most parents let younger children watch this program unattended. It contains little or violence, strong language and little or sexual
dialogue or situations.

Parental Guidance Suggested.

1is program tains material that parents find unsuit for

younger children. Many parents want to watch it with their younger

chi1dren. he theme itself call for parental guidance and/or the program contains on or more of the following: moderate violence , some sexual situations (S), infrequent coarse language (L), or some suggestive dialogue (D).

11
~

Parents Strongly Cautioned.

his program contains some te that man arent would find
unsuitable for chi1dren under 14 years of age. arent are strongly
urged to exercise greater care in monitoring this progra and are -

743

:
.

11

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744

Information

tioned against letting children under the age of 14 watch unattended. his program
contains one or more of the following: intense violence , intense sexual situations (S), strong coarse language (L), or intensl suggestive dialogue (D).

11

Mature Audience Only.

his program is specifically designed to viewed adults and
... therefore unsuitabIe for cblldren under 17. his program
contains one or more of the following: graphic violence (V),
explicit sexual activity (S), or crude indecent language (L).
Many modem Ys are equipped with devices called Caption Decoders.
Most broadcasts and movies contain images and sounds accompanied
latent signal that can convert the sound into text the screen using special device. his service is for people with hearing difficulties, but it can also
useful for those who can read language better than they understand it
when it is spoken. Watching broadcasts with captions can tiresome
since captions sometimes lag little behind action. Broadcasts with captions
are indicated in the programming guide the abbreviation (), meaning
C/osed Captions. he remote control can mak:e the captions visibIe when
necessary.

17.6. Telephone Book

Telephone in the US are printed in large quantities, updated frequently, and delivered free-of-charge to 11 telephone company customers.
Rather, their cost is included in your phone service charges. Beyond addresses
and telephone numbers of residents and businesses, telephone books also serve
as necessary source of information goods and services offered businesses.
Phone contain all necessary information using phone and all
the services the phone company offers in the area. Beyond that, telephone
have two parts, called White Pages and Yel/ow Pages, wblch really are colored
white and yel1ow. ln large cities they divided into two separate .
he White Pages are divided into two parts, the flfSt containing personal
telephone numbers (Residence Listings). listed in alphabetical order.
second Iists phone numbers of companies and organizations (Business
Listings), also in alphabetical order.
he Yel/ow Pages contain addresses, phone numbers, and advertising of
local businesses, grouped topic, and listed in alphabetical order within their
groups, which are also aangd alphabetical1y. For example, under Automobl/e

14

745

. ra

(S),

rre

(V),
(L)

ll

.: ).
.

17 . r

(S)

(V),

(L).

Caption Decoders ( 1). nm

, ar
, rop lDf. ro JO,
, er -
, rae, .
mpa

I<D<D

. rpa (),

Closed tns ( ). , ,
.

17.6.

IDf ,
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. ,
,
.

. ,
,

low Pages

White Pages ( ) Yel-

( ). tm .

IDf.

White Pages

,
(usinss

Ye//ow

Pages

Listings),

(Residence Listings),

. ,

Automoblle

746

Information

you an find everything related to motor vehicles, including new and used car
dealers, service and repair shops, auto parts stores, car rentals, and so . In the
"Restaurant" section, in addition to fdig addresses and telephone numbers,
you an often read menus with prices.
If you need service, sure to check the phone book for discount
coupon. If it contains coupon, it and take it with you. You save five
to fifteen percent.

17.7. Libraries
Public libraries in the US are ca11ed "peoples' universities." There are
about 9,000 public libraries in the country. hey are free, treat everyone
equally, and contain huge amounts of information. also provide easy
access to information for ll l, without exception. You don't need to register to use library unless you need to t books . You don't need any
document to work or study in library, and nobody will ask you who you are.
libraries are equipped with computer search systems allowing
patrons to find necessary materials independently, but l is always available
from librarians. If you want book that the library doesn 't own, you can order
it from another 1ibrary for set period oftime.
Most libraries house reference materials, , and periodicaJs as well
as collections of audio- and videotapes, including foreign language courses.
hey are also equipped with computers providing Internet access that any visitor can take advantage of first , first served basis.

17.8.

Internet

If you consider 11 its resources, the Internet is the largest library, store,
station, and post office in the world. With personal computer and Internet access, it's possible to find practically any information from anywhere
the globe. You can also buy anything, bills, listen to nearly any radio station, communicate with relatives, friends, and col1eagues any distance away,
study any occupation, and do lots of other things at minimal expense and without leaving the house.
Special "browser" programs helped open up mass access to the Internet
network in the 1990s. Since then, an aspects of 1ife have changed 50 radi11 that it is difficult to imagine how we lived without the Internet. Information previously available to just few has m available to everyone, and
it's Dossible to receive what vou used to wait weeks for in few minutes. Labor
ra

747

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ecr ,

, ero ICy '.'f cyry. ecr,

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5-15% 1.

17.7.

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<D

ar

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17.8.

rep - JIoreICa, , , ora,

, De. lcD OC'I)' mep, M~

1 np8ICI moy opamo cero ro , ymm. ro yroaoJ

, CJIyI Ol moy , . ~

pyI Dea moo paccro, yrc moo OC'l ~

pyroe, mpara.

Orp'I rep 9- ~

rp "" I<OPOI>e ~
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748

Infonnation

productivity in some occupations is now dozens or hundreds of times higher

than before. patent search, for l, was 10ng and laborious task occupying weeks and months and requiring trip to special ry to manually
leafthrough hundreds ofvolumes or microfilms. Now it an done automati in minutes with special search engines and without anyone's assistance.
In the late 1990s the incredible increase in demand for persona1 computers resulted in price drops that now make computers affordable to most families. In some cases you an get rati for free ifyou subscribe to three
ear of Intemet access. In 2002 about 150 million l over the age of 18
out of203 illi had Intemet access (U.S. Census Bureau, 2002).
he creator of what is now ed the Wor/d Wide Web, or WWw. is
graduate of Oxford University in England, Tim Bemers-Lee. In 1990, wblle
working at CERN, an science center, invented computer program
(web browser), that allows m users to have access to information stored
an computer connected to network. also up with an initiative for
organizing global information network. Now ead up noncommercial
organization based at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology. hat organization, World Wide Web Consortium, is dfing the further development of
this network for the benefit ofa11 humanity (Quittner, 1999).
Although Intemet communications and computers that store information for the Intemet have specific owners, the Intemet itself does not belong to
an in particular. his network a110ws holders of information to grant
access to ll interested parties free-of-charge or under certain conditions.
he Intemet is based so-called pages or sites that store information
that the owner wants to make accessible to an other l. he owner
government that wns hundreds ofmillions ofpages oftext, huge corporation, sm an, or young family posting photos of their first-bom
child for everyone to see.
he number of sites the Intemet is estimated at tens of millions, and
has an individual digital address that, for convenience, has an equivalent
expressed in words, for l, www.firstgov.gov or www.yahoo.com. Until
recently the following address system was used the Intemet:
American sites were divided into severa1 groups:
Addresses of govemment sites ending in .gov (government);
Addresses ofnonprofit organizations ending in .org (organization);
Addresses of commercial organizations ending in . (commerciaQ
Addresses of educational institutions ending in .edu (education).

8JI

749

1)' eIOP 8JJOCJIX CJI(

CO'I . anp, arem

, MeCJlbl, exar
par CO'I 1 .

aroar
yr JIeJ.I I<DO 10 .
m I<D 9-

IDC I, .
. paxr ,

rep. Cl'CICe,

2002 roy 150 18 ( 203 )

(U.S. Census Bureau, 2(02).
AropoM 101'0,

World Wuie Web

(UI )

www. JlCCJI my CICD rea Arn m Berners-Lee

(I' -).

1990 I'O,

I<D

(web browser).

OOJIJO

OJl3()areJDI , xpaIOICJI 10
I<D, omof

1,

. orna:er

raao

World Wzde Web Consortium.

CICD C11f1'YI'C, oropa er

par repe (Quittner,

1999).

rep I<D I<Dpe11Io, 10, ro

I<D I<D, ,
. ra OOJlJl 011<paI'

ecm aICX-1 ..

repera COC8JDIIO crpa car

(siles).

, ICDOJ'YIO ear III1lX

, r r rocyapcro,
CO'I ~ op8Jl, eauI

J.I , C8IUI coero .

C8I'0 J'll J,
, I<D'IO ocra

er, :R , , ,

ocrc " I'O I'O"

lCJl "

JIXY

wwwJirstgov.gov,
www.yahoo.com.

".

repere emac , .

a '<D :

.org (organization);

I<D .

(commercial).

.d

(education).

.gov (government):

Infonnation

750
Addresses of sites in other countries had special suffixes:
.ru (Russia),
.it (Italy),
. (Canada),
.uk(United ingdom) and so .

Because there are already probIems adding new addresses, this system
m moditied so new suffixes an used.
he number of sites and the volume of information them is constantly
increasing. Special search programs, search engines, 10cated so-called ''porta1" sites an l navigate this sea of infonnation. hese programs en the
user to enter combination ofkey words and very quickly receive list of sites
where the words are mentioned.
here is fair number of these programs, and there are dozens of general-purpose search engines plus specialized ones. use the Intemet effectively, you should know not nI the addresses of these porta1s, but also their
ftes since they use different search methods, and search results an differ
depending the search gin you use.
here are two types of search engines. Directories are basically ordinary
directories containing l those addresses that their pubIishers decided to
include. Crawlers actually go through ll existing addresses and ak lists of
words used these sites. In most cases directories are created commercial1y.
Clients set fee to place information about their sites in given directory
for certain amount of time. Information searches are usual1y . an
search programs combine the two models described above.
Here are addresses and features of some of the most popular search
engines:

www.aport.ruis Russian-language search engine.

www.altavista.coAltaVista

is ofthe largest search engines,

popu1ar among researchers. It includes search results and lists from
directories.

www.ask.co Ask Jeeves

www.excite.co

allows you to ask questions in ordinary

uman language (in Eng1ish, of course), for l, Where is the
city /Moscow? If the program cannot tind direct answer, it gives
the resu1ts of regu1ar search.
is ofthe most popular search programs,
and includes big index plus search results.

751

ca'rO

. (Russia),

.it (Ita1y),

. (anada),

.uk (United ingdom) .

,
, JUlC .
8 .
arc ,

search engines

8, .

omo amo JIIO

8, .

rp .
CJIIOC , . ,

,
, , Jl
,

, .

rp :

directories

(),

JII , ,

are

craw/ers

(),

JllO
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, ora ,
(5 , rr !

aI'.

rpa

caJIJI Yl'. JlC

,
.

www.rt.ru ....

- rp.

www.a/tavista.com AltaVi.vta -

, .

www.ask.com Ask Jeeves -

(, .), ,

city 01 Moscow? ( ?).

Where is the

rp

, ! l .

www.excite.com Excite -

rp, I .

Infonnation

752

www.alltheweb.comFAST Search - contains ofthe largest

indexes the Net and allows searches in different languages.
www.hotbot.com HotBot -

popular search

engine.

www.goto.comGoTop/acesinfonnationindirectoriesforafee.CIients an more if they want their infonnation located at the beginning of search results. Resu1ts include data from the site's directories
plus search results.
www.goog/e.com Google is ofthe most effective search engines,
and operates based ind.ex of the popu1arity of sites, so the more
other sites link to site, the higher it wi11 in the search resu1ts.
www.northern/ight.com Northern Light groups earc results content in various folders. It has the greatest database of newspaper and
magazine materials, including col1ege and university newspapers.
Searching and viewing infonnation from popu1ar sou.rces is ftee, but
accessing publications from tbe "Special ll" costs $4.
www.yahoo.com - the oldest and most popular portal the
Intemet has huge index and offers search results from Google plus
access to other search engines in addition to its own.

Since the content of sites constantly changes, there is guarantee that

the information you found once wi1l always there. It is lso tl in regard of
search engines. You an find the most up to date infonnation about them at
http://www.searchengines.com.
Still, there are sites that you wi1l need to visit again and again. was
mentioned above: www:.firstgov.gov, portal to l1 sites belonging to the US
government. Ifyou start at this address, you find almost an official information, including legislation and statistics. You an save addresses for future
visits in Favorites tile that you access directly from browser.
When you use the Intemet, you need to remember that you leave traces
everywhere, despite the seeming anonymity of wandering through the network's labyrinths. l1 actions - including the contents of sent and
received e-mails, as well as addresses and the contents of the sites you visited known to an number of l. Intemet providers are required to keep
tbeir lient' navigation records for seven rs. hat doesn't an you
shouldn't use this source of infonnation, but you shou1d know that you sacritice signiticant part of privacy when you use it.

753

www.a//theweb.com FAST Search -

OJI .

www.hotbot.com HotBot -

www.goto.com GoTo -
JIX . MOyr aIl .
,
ar .
ar .

www.google.com Google -

, JUIp 8, ..

8 8,
.

www.northernlight.com Northern Light -

().
ar,

.
6ar.

www.yahoo.com Yahoo -

$4.

DIp

, .

nrr

Google,
porpa, JI Iai Yahoo.

8 . .

:. . . ro
.
8 http://www.searchengies.com.
, , ar

. 80 OJI y

wwwjirstgov.gov.

OJI 8. ,
.. ,

, areco car. ,
ar .

Favorites.

"".
, , ,
.
. ,

E-Mail.

, MOyr . &

. ro
. .
ar. , .

Shopping

754

18. Shopping

At tirst glance it seems that there's problem buying anything in

America - selling things appears to the larger problem. But that's not quite
how it is - buying things isn't so easy, either. he flI'St problem is the problem
of choice: what exactly do you buy tirst if everything's available and financial
opportunities are limited? he second problem is also problem of choice: if
you have decided exactly what to buy, you need to choose from huge number
of similar products. use limited resos most effectively, especially in the
beginning, you should have some general knowledge ofthe US retai1 system so
you can shop where you can save the most money.

18.1.

retail industry in the US

American retail industry is constantly evolving, both to accomodate

the changing demands from the population d to in:fluence buyers. New sales
methods d types of stores fight for their l in the sun, competing with traditional stores that dominated for m generations. brief review of the basic
types of retail establishments and sale methods is presented below.

18.1.1. Supermarkets
Supermarkets are the main place to has groceries in the US. hey
offer an incredibly wide range of products, and reasonable prices have enabled
them to push most small stores out of the grocery business. Smaller stores are
left to fill small niches, such as specialty shops (for example, stores selling ethni products) or small communities where construction of supermarket is not
economically viable. In the 1970s, the deflnition of supennarket refd to

755

18.

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. r , .

:
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JIJI : JI ,
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110 ,
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18.1.1.

.,

(SlIpermarkets)

JllC

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756

Shopping

self-service grocery stores with annua1 revenue of at least $1,000,000. Due to

inflation and increased consumption, the annual revenue of modem sunar
kets is now many times greater.
he average suenarkt has an area of about 5,000 square meters and
30-40,000 products. You can find dozens of variations of the sae products
from different manufacturers, in different flavors or different packaging.
Besides food, there are an other basic products, such as cosmetics, nonprescription drugs, cookware, detergents and householdcleaners, newspapers,
magazines, stationery, and so . You can develop film, rent video, make
wire transfer, or cash check at the supennarket. an supermarkets
have ank: branch and ar.

18.1.2. Malls
Most densely popu1ated areas in the US have shopping centers called
shopping malls. ll complexes are made up of stores in connected buildings,
with extensive parking around the perimeter. he total number of stores in
can range from dozen to 100 or more. Owners of m buildings lease
spaces to stores, so the combination of stores change with time, depending
the success of individual store's business.
As rule, there few big stores - s. J. .nn. Fi/ene s.
Sears. and the like - in 11. here are a1so an smaH and average-sized
stores belonging to different owners. ga11ery connects 11 the stores, so
shoppers can enter the through large store (or directly into the gry)
and then get to another store without going outside. Many ms so large
and their layout so complex that first-time visitors disoriented and an
not find where they entered or forget where they parked their cars. Finding
among thousands is not an easy task.
avoid these situations, a1ways remember - or write down - the number of the parking 10t where you left your car plus the of the store
through which you entered. It's also good idea to remember what department
is next to the door: large stores have multiple exits facing in different
directions. Believe , this is not an unnecessary warning - many l find
themselves in this situation. It takes some ti to get used to the layout of even
an average-sized .
Ma11s don 't just have stores - there are usuaHy cafes, restaurants, bathrooms, and hair salons, too. he entire mall provides access for people in
wheelchairs and for children 's strrs, which are available for deposit from
customer service.

ymc

757

5,000

. .

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(Malls)

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758

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18.1.3. Department Stores

Department stores are, definition, stores that sell wide assortment of
various goods grouped in departments, such as clothes, footwear, cosmetics,
jewelry, fumiture, and so . Although this dfiti should include stores
such as Wal-Mart and others described in the next category, when l talk
about department stores in the US, they usually an relatively expensive
stores - Bloomingdale s, s and the like - for middle- or upper middleclass customers.
Department stores appeared at the end of the 19th century and were, for
10ng time, the foundation of retai1 in the US. But the appearance and wide
spread of malls in the last few decades have resulted in some reduction of the
market share of department stores.
Department Stores distinguish themselves with expensive and elaborate
displays in their windows and their sales floors. hey also actively advertise
in periodicals and . an salespeople in these stores work commission, so their salary is directly related to sales volume, which is why they
actively initiate contact with customers offering l.
Although prices are usually relatively high in these stores, they very
ften hold sales where you an buy things - especially clothes d other seasonal goods - at quite reasonable prices. his is because, under tbeir price
structure, the actual cost of goods makes up smaller share than in less
sive stores, but overhead is high, so when most of certain product lot is sold,
it is better to sell the rest for nothing than to take up valuable floor space.

18.1.4. D;scount Cha;ns

Inexpensive department store chains sell huge rg of consumer
goods. Clothes and footwear, personal care d cosmetics, fumiture and electronics, toys and hardware, tools and sporting goods - this is far from fu.ll
listing ofwhat one store might offer. Undoubtedly, the leader in this category is
Wal-Mart, which has outperformed its competitors in recent years. This category also includes K-Mart. Target, and m others.
You won't encounter the annoying attention of sales personnel in these
stores and you won't see magnificently designed window dislays, but the quality of an goods is quite decent, and the prices are much lower th in the
previous category.

18.1.3.

759

(Department Stores)

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Department Stores, Bloom-

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18.1.4.

fl20

(Discount Chains)

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760

Shopping

18.1.5. Wholesale Clubs

Wholesale clubs, such as Sam s Club, Js Wholesale Club, and others,
are basically hybrid combinations of warehouses and stores. As rule, these
clubs set up paid memberships for an annual fee of about $35. hey sell food
and other goods in lg packages in very plain retai1 spaces. There is advertising, window displays, service - there are on1y shelves with goods
them. Due to 10w overhead costs and high product turnover, these stores can
reduce retail prices considerably saving the consumer m.
It makes sense for large families to use these clubs to buy lot of the
same goods at one time. But sma11 families might not save enough to cover the
membership fee if they buy there only occasionally, particularly if they have to
tbrow away products that weren't consumed before their expiration dates.
decide if this kind of establishment is right for you, you can request
free one-day pass or go with friend who is club member.

18.1.6. Factory Outlets

Factory Otlet is store owned certain manufacturer. Goods in

these stores directly from factory warehouses, bypassing traditional
wholesa1e and retail channels, and enabling the store to sell products below
regular retai1 prices. hese stores also receive discontinued goods or items with
small imperfections, such as an uneven seam. hese goods m sell at discounts up to 90%.
Factory Outlets are usually located close to the company's manufacturing facilities or in special complexes that house number of similar stores
from different companies. hese are ca11ed Outlet Malls and, in contrast with
regu1ar mal1s, store in these groups of buildings has its wn exit to the
street. hese mal1s are frequently located in places with lots of tourists and are
quite popular. Many people know the small town of Freeport in the state of
Maine because of its outlet stores. Freeport's stores include the company store
of L.L. Bean, ail order catalogue company. his was the on1y existing L.L.
Bean store for many years. his store has 10cks its doors: it is 24
hours day and doesn 't close for weekends or holidays.

18.1.5.

761

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(WholeslIle Clubs)

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18.1.6.

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(Fllctory Outlets)

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762

Shopping

18.1.7. Pharmacies
American phannacies are very dufferent from the establishments we
knew in Russia. In fact, the department that sells prescription drugs is sma11
part of store filled with various goods. Traditionally, drugstores sell soft
drinks and ice cream, erfn and cosmetics, books and magazines, greeting
cards, sweets, and many other things. hey often have departm.ents where you
an develop fil within one . During the Christmas season, drugstores are
fil1ed with festive assortment of goods such as decorative lights, Christmastree omaments, gifts, and so .
any pharmacies have Drive-through windows where you order
medicine d receive it without leaving your car. Most hanacies belong to
large companies - CVS, Rite and Wa/greens, for l - that operate
many stores in networks similar to supermarket chains.

18.1.8. Convenience stores

Lik:e cars, stores at gas stations are an integral part of American life.
are convenient because they are 10cated in easily accessible places, so
they are called Convenience stores. hey sell groceries, sweets, ice cream,
tobacco products, coffee, pizza and sandwiches, 11 kinds of car t1uids, 10ttery
tickets, and so . Many Americans stop there in the morning for cup of coffee and sandwich their the way to work.
Goods in these stores usua11y in smal1 packages and a1ways cost
more per item than in supermarkets or other stores. But person in huy who
needs sma11 item won't go out ofhis or her way to fd supermarket, especial1y if the purchase an combined with pumping gas.
any convenience stores are owned companies that operate chains of
stores under the sa . In places with heavy traffic these stores and gas
stations are open 24 hours day.
hey

18.1.9. Bookstores
Beyond books, bookstores quite often seH periodicals, videocassettes
and musical recordings, greeting cards, and souvenirs. Practica11y 11 bookstores have sections that contain audiotape versions of popular . Some
l might find this useful way to study Eng1ish.

ym

18.1.7.

763

(Pharmacies)

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18.1.8.

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CVS, Rite .A.id Wa/greens.

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(Convenience stores)

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Shopping

764

18.1.10. MailOrder Catalogues

Mail order cata.logues are very popu1ar in the US. here are companies
that combine retail sales in stores with catalogue sales. J. .nn is an am
ple, but man companies specialize in se1ling mail.
Because these companies don 't have store-based expenses, and advertising expenses are reduced to printing and mailing catalogues, they can often seH
product for 25-40% less than it would sell for at retail. When comparing
prices, you shou1d sure to add in the cost of spping the merchandise.
Some cata.logues - Spiege/ is an example - are sold in bookstores and
supermarkets and include gift certificate for amount not less than the price of
the cata.logue. But most cata.logues are sent free-of-charge request. You an
request catalogues phone, fax, mail, or Intemet, and if you order something,
you will start receiving the catalogue regularly. he assortment of goods sold
through catalogues is almost unlimited. Practically alllarge US museums have
gift shops selling goods related to their collections, and they sell the same
products through cata.logues.
Below is list of popu1ar catalogues distributed free-of-charge; contact
phones and addresses are included. Almost all of this companies work 24 s
day 7 days week and accept ll major credit cards.

Domestications - bedding and other accessories for bedrooms, bathrooms, and kitchens, including fumiture, f1XtureS, and wallpaper.
:8~577-5755

Address:

Fax:800-338-1635

..

www.domestications.com

LaCrosse, WI 54602-1568

1568,

Ltmt.Is' nd - men's and women's casual clothes. You can orderproducts personalized with embroidered monograms.
Phone:8~356-4444

Address:

Fax:800-332-0103

1 Lands' End Lane,

www.landsend.com

Dodgeville, WI 53595

Metropolitlln usum / Store - original high-quality gifts with

designs and themes based articles in the museum's collections.
:800-662-3397

Address:

Fax: 718-366-5375

66-26 Metropolitan Avenue,

www.metmuseum.org

Middle Village, NY 11381-0001

18.1.10.

765
zoJI Ilmz failOrder

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25-40%

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erax , CICICy

croOCI ara, clIocJl ecmrr

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Domestictllions - II
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:

800-577-5755

q)akc:800-338-1635

..

www.domestications.com

LaCrosse, WI 54602-1568

1568,

LIInds' End - .
IIO .

800-356-4444

q)ac:800-332-0103

1 Lands' End Lan,

Dodgevi1le, WI 53595

www.landsend.com

Metropolitan usll'" /I1 Store -

'e

, ICO.

:
q)ac:

800-662-3397

718-366-5375

www.metmuseum.org

66-26 Metropolitan Avenue,

iddle

Village. NY 11381-0001

Shopping

766

Lens

- contact lenses, solutions, prescription glasses,

designer sunglasses.
:800-536-7397

Address:

350 SW 12th Avenue,

954-246-2197

www.Jensexpress.com

DeerfieJd , FL 33442

Lane Bryant - women's clothes in sizes 14 through 60.

Phone: 800-248-2000

Address:

Fax: 800-456-9838

..

www.lanebryant.com

Indianapolis, IN 46283-8301

8301,

LLBean - mostly known for casual and outdoor clothes.

Phone:800-441-5713

Address:

Fax: 207-552-308

L.L.Bean Inc.

www.llbean.com

Freeport, 04033-0001

nd Dawd - gift baskets of fruit, chocolate, marzipan, deli

meat, fish and other delicacies from $15 to $400.

Phone:800-547-3033

Address:

..

800-648-6640

www.harryanddavid.com

712,

Medford, OR 97501-0713

Vretoria ' Secret - lingerie, swimsuits, cosmetics.

:

800-970-1109

Address:

Fax: 614-337-5555

..

www.victoriasecret.com

Columbus, 43216-6589

16589,

Additional data are s to fd the Intemet searching mail order

catalog or visiting such sites as www.catalogsite.com or www.cataloglink.com.
You can also check the Directory [Mail Order Catalogs at the lirry.
When ordering from catalogue, the client usually has choice of delivery service and time. For goods that r in stock and ready to sblp, delivery
overnight or within certain time frame is possibIe. he catalogue usual1y
indicates the minimum cost for standard de1ivery.

767

Lens Express -

m ,

, .

:
:

800-536-7397

954-246-2197

www.lensexpress.com

350 SW 12th Avenue,

Deerfield h, FL 33442

ne Bryant -
:
:

800-248-2000

800-456-9838

www.lanryt.m

LLBean -

14 60.

:
..

8301,

Idianlis,

IN 46283-8301

ar

, .
:
:

800-441-5713

207-552-3080

www.l1bean.com

HtI1'ty and David -

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L.L.an

Inc.

Freeport, 04033-0001

, m, ,

, err $15
:

800-547-3033

Fax: 800-648-6640

..

www.harryanddavid.com

Medford, OR 97501-0713

V"rcto";" \- Secret :

$400.

712,

!, , WI.

800-970-1109

Fax: 614-337-5555

..

www.victoriasecret.com

Columbus, Ohio 43216-6589

16589,

, mai/
order catalog I , www.catalogsite.com www.cataloglink.com. Directory
[ Mail Order Catalogs.
,
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(Overnight delivery)

768

Shopping

If you retum product that you bought fro catalogue, you will most
likely lose the money you paid for shipping. Read the retum before you
order, especially if you are not 100% sure that you would keep the product.

18.1.11. Consumer Clubs

There are companies that specialize in meeting demand for specific
types of goods. Examples include books, musical recordings, and stamps. And
though they are called clubs - book club or music club - they are just commercial enterprises that sel1 goods to profit, not to organize activities for
their members.
attractive side ofthese clubs is that, with an extensive clientele interested in buying rtain goods, they can purchase merchandise in large quantities with significant discounts, enabling them to sel1 the items below retail
prices. For example, book club can order special editions of particular
author's book that aren't available in stores. or if new edition of book
comes out, the club might buy unsold previous editions of the book from
publisher for nothing.
he majority of these clubs use identical methods to attract new clients
and have simi1ar membership rules. In their ads they indicate that if you
club member you receive products free-of-charge or for very low
price. You choose the items from small catalogue. h you promise to buy,
at the regular price and within one year, one (or some other specified quantity)
oftheir products that you choose from catalogues that you receive periodical1y.
On you have fulfilled the obligation, you discontinue the club membership at any moment. With additiona1 purchases you a1s0 and accumulate
points that you can redeem for free goods from special catalogue.
Catalogues are sent approximately every two or three weeks. he il
ings also include special card that you need to send back, specifying
order or noting that you don 't want anything at this time. club condition is
that if you do not retum the card the specified due date, you wi11 automati receive the designated Featured Se1ection product shown the first page
of catalogue.
While working this book, 1 decided to conduct n experiment andjoin
music 1 that promises 1n compact disks /or the price /n, meaning
that if n disk at the g1 price, receive ten free-of. J had received this 1 s advertising in the dozens / times.

ymm

769

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18.1.11.

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Club, Music Club,

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Shopping

770
member, must flll

out /orm and stick onto it ten stampshaped pictures /disks that choose.from large sheet. On ou begin to
choose, realize that the assortment is rather limited and that if had to
uy .from this list, would buy more than n or two disks. But it:S- "free, "
so who cares.
After /ew weeks 1 received clg with seven ts (three double and
n single) and bi/l/or $17.03, covering shipping and handling. hey promised
to send the remaining three s as soon as 1 ordered n disk at the regl" .
ln the catalogues that am later, there was nothing that really interested , so
several times 1 sent back cards asking not to send anything. hen 1 received
disk that 1 didn t ier, plus bill/or about $20.00. 1 sent it back. A.fter that 1 began
to receive cards where there was place /or regular orders, n/ reduced
club prices that didn t meet membership conditions.
A.fter skipping some catalogues, 1 entered chosen number
and indicated that 1 would the disk at the regular price. But this disk was
sent to /or $8.17, and, naturally, its purchase did not fulflll membership
obligations. he nl plus was that the next contained check /or
regular price order, so 1 immediately took advantage / it, wishing to stop
experiment as soon as possible. his disk cost $20.65. Shipping and n
dling / the remaining 4 disks was $8.15.
he calculation below.t;hows that 1 got 12 disks, /or which 1 paid $58.30:
$17.03
$8.07
$20.65
$8.15
$4.40
$58.30

the flrst 7 "free" disks

discounted disk
disk at full price
the last 3 "free" disks
Rosta~e stamps

he

average price per disk was $4.86, which looks attractive. But ifyou
consider that the majority were chosen.from the limited list using the principle
"who cares, it sfree, " then /or the same n 1 would have rather bought
/our disks at regular in store (/ , after listening to them flrst),
where the selection is considerably wider than in those catalogues.

Certainly, music fans who have and buy disks in large numbers
save substantially as members of these clubs, but most teenagers tk the
bait of this tempting advertising and end up spending much more than they
afford because the fl result is very different from what is advertised.

an

771

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772

18.1.12.

lnternet

he

Internet is playing bigger and bigger role in selling kinds of

goods. For many traditional retailers Intemet sales supplement existing services. In many cases it's incredibly convenient. An l is choosing wedding gift from gift registry (see the ''wedding'' section), particularly ifthere is
branch of that store in your area.
For mail order catalog companies the Internet is not just convenient
and efficient way to accept orders. It also enables direct communication with
clients through E-mails with tempting offers.
an companies that appeared at the end of the 1990s and sold products
on1y over the Intemet couldn 't survive and subsequently folded. But two of
them are probably the most successful result of the "dot-com" :
-.m, large auction an, and Amazon.com, which began as
bookstore, then added electronics, gardening items, apparel, and other merchandises. hese two companies are examples of the huge opportunities and
convenience that the Intemet can offer to consumers providing access to
information.
It is not difficult to fd sites offering particular goods the Intemet.
are registered with the largest search engines and portals and included
in their indexes. of the major advantages of the Internet is the ability to
search quick1y and find the best price. A1though buying from well-known
panies over the Internet rarely causes problems, you should cautious when
you deal with unfamiliar retai1ers. It is not the best idea to use debit card
that's directly connected to your checking account. It is much safer to use
credit card with smaHline of credit.

18.1.13. Distribution Networks

Some companies distribute products through network of independent
salespeople who are sometimes called "consultants" and work commission.
These networks multilevel: salesperson with an established clientele
finds l who wish to work simi1ar terms. he salesperson would also
receive percentage from their sales and those of new salespeople whom
they subsequently recruit.
his system is typically used to sell products that are sold in sets customized for different clients, or for products that require detai1ed explanations of
how to use them. Cosmetics, dietary supplements, various weight loss products, and other items are frequently sold this way. he best-known examples
are the cosmetic companies Avon and , which for many years sold

18.1.12.

773
",", ( Intemet)

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18.1.13.

",tIJIJI

(Distribution Networks)

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774

their merchandise exclusively through individual salespeople numbering in the

hundreds of thousands just in the US. Check the book for telephone
numbers of local l selling these goods.
Like catalogue saJes, this sales method requires only 10w overhead,
which in tum enabJes price reductions, mig that mhdis costs 4050% less than comparabJe products sold at retail.

18.1.14. Second Hand stores

he

overwhcJming majority of stores selling used items belong to charitabJe rgiztis such as the Salvation rm or Goodwill Industries. These
stores are called hr~ft Stores or Consignment Stores. The difference is that
Thrift Store sells items donated to charitabJe gizti, d the proceeds
their sales fund the organization. Consignment Stores work system
known to immigts from the former Soviet Union through "commission
stores," where the store pays the owner for the sold item and keeps portion of
the sale price. Americans do not mind purchasing sd-hd clothes,
fumiture, and other things.
Prices in these stores are very low - 10-15% of the retail price - but
quite often fd high-quality things, especially in suu stores. Check
the hrift Shops section of the telephone book for store addresses.

18.1.15. Classijied Ads

Items such as fumiture, sporting goods, lis, electronics, fur,
musical instruments, and other things costing $1 or more are often sold
through advertisements in the Classified sections of local newspapers. In the
ads, often see price specified with the addition of or best offer, meaning
that if the seller doesn 't get the requested price, or she will sell for the highest pricethat is offered.
In most cases, goods sold this way go for much less than their real value.
In addition, there is opportunity to bargain d save even more unless the
wordfirm appears in the newspaper ad, indicating that the price is l.

18.1.16. Flea Markets

Flea Markets also exist in America, just as they do in the rest of the
world. You find ything at flea markets, fromjunk nobody wants to local

yn

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18.1.14.

(Second Hand)

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18.1.15.

Thrift Shops.

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18.1.16.

Flea Markets

(Flea Markets)

( )

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776

Shopping

souvenirs in great demand. an people who want to establish businesses

begin at these markets, selling at retail what they bought wholesale. Craftsmen
also show their wares, sometimes to probe the market before trying to sell to
dealers.
Some flea markets are air and only operate during warm seasons.
Others, with permanent facilities, arc year-round, usually weekends.
For locations ofpermanent flea markets, check the Flea Markets section ofthe
telephone book.

18.1.17. Garage Sales

Flea markets m fami1iar to everybody, but we had concept of
garage sales beforc arriving in the US. 1 don 't know whether this is an Ameri invention - they also take place in Canada - and 1 don 't know about Euroan countries, but whoever thought up garage sales did good deed.
Different names - garage sale, tag sale, yard sale, porch sale, lawn sale,
estate sale, moving sale - basically an the same thing: an inexpensive sale
of things the owner longcr needs. Sales may take place lawn near
house, in garage, or in house or apartment, if it's moving sale.
isn 't the main goal of these sales because things are usually sold for 520% of their real value. These sales l get rid of items that lost l
for their owners but useful to somebody else. are also way to
socialize with other people: very often, several fami1ies living near other,
or even whole neighborhoods, organize joint yard sales. Ads about upcoming
garage sales are published in the Class~fied sections of 10l newspapers and
posted utility polcs before the sales.
It is impossible to list what might at garagc sales. find
practically anything: furniture and appliances, sporting goods and toys, clothes
and bedding, utensils and jcwelry, books and paintings, and other things.
Items might absolutely new and in unopened packages, wom out, in perfect
working condition, requiring repair, junk, or collectible.
popular program Antiques Roadshow, appraisers of antiques
from leading fmns and auction houses visit large cities. an bring
itcm for free appraisal. It's not unusual to see cases where itcms bought for
nothing at yard sales tum out to treasures. hat's what happencd with
antique table whosc owncr bought it at garage sale 15 or 20 years ago for
$20, then sold it at an auction for $500,000.
Certainly not everybody is that lucky, but savc great deal of

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Flea Markets.

18.1.17.

(Garage Sales)

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778

Shopping

if you join the tens of mi1lions of Amris who visit garage sales
year. For example, the matching upholstered sofa d annchair that 1
bought for $20 three weeks after amval served us for two years and then went
to two more families after us. he nearly new vacuum cleaner that 1 bought for
$1 nine years ago is still working, too.
grcat majority of garage sales faH weekends, though some begin
Fridays or even Thursdays. Buy the daily newspaper Friday, look at the
ads, and use city to plan route, including as m garage sales as
. ear1ier you get there, the higher your hs of buying something
worthwhile. the way you'll undoubtedly fd m other signs utility
poles for sales not advcrtised in the newspaper. Do not pass them . Ifyou go
100king for fumiture you'll need to have appropriate transportation, though as
last resort you for the purchase and return later to pick it . 't
forget to measure your rooms d to take tape measure with you.
It is quite acceptable to bargain at garage sales. offer lower
price even ifthe asking price doesn't seem high to . It is customary to
in cash, and since most prices are usual1y very low, iCs best to have small bills
and some change.
piece of advice: do not buy ythig you don't need just because it's
.

18.2. Where and how to shop

Most immigrts from developing countries are accustomed to modest
lifestyle. were to spend their efficiently in their countries
knowing the supply d dmd of commodities and services. Some purchases
were considered better th othcrs. Goods that were seldom available were in
high demand, some items could bought only the black market, and so .
ivig in unfamiliar un with stunning undan of goods with asyet unknown relative value, people in the bcginning involuntarily use the
familiar criteria for evaluating purchases, although those criteria most often
don 't fit the new situation.
best rule would this: if, for now, you get without somcthing, do not buy it. Most likely 'll find the same thing for lower price,
something better for the same price, or your taste and needs will hg d
the need for thc purchase will disappear. This is especiaHy true for significant
purchases such as electronics, furniture, , d so . Clothes are
exception.
Before spending large sum of shop around for similar goods in

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780

Shopping

different stores. hink, too, of alternative ways to purchase the itcm: mai1 order
catalogues, classified ads, consignment stores, yard sales, and the like. his book
wi11 l orient you pointing out various ways to save purchases.

18.2.1. Sales, Clearances

Sales with reduced prices are such widespread phenomenon in the US
that sometimes onc has to wonder who buys things at fuJ1 price. Having lived
in America for more than seven years, and having used to this, 1 was
surprised when 1 heard the radio that sales are conducted l twice year
in France. simultaneously in 11 stores, and their terms and duration
are strictly regulated the state. In the US, sales are the most popular way of
attracting customers and increasing revenue.
A1most 11 official and unofficia1 holidays are accompanied big sales.
Bcsides holiday sales, stores offer temporary discounts certain goods, alternating them periodica11y. These discounts, which usual1y last for week,
running from Sunday to Saturday inclusive, are advertised in thc Sunday newspaper and its inserts. Sometimes thcre are one-day sales or even sa1es that 1ast
only few hours. For 1, early specia/s run from early morning to
noon.
Ifan item was advertised as bcing " sale," but the store docsn't havc it,
in many cases you ask for so-J1d rain check, which gives you the right
to buy the given item for the specified sale price when it arrives in the store.
Some stores have policy that if you bought something for the regular price
just before the item goes sa1e (and within time limits stated in the retum l
icy), you receive the difference in price presenting your receipt.
here are many forms of price reduction. Discount amounts and other
conditions are, as rule, described red posters near the merchandise. For
example:

50% OFF - means discount of 50% off the tickct price.

Take Additional20% OFF - means discount of20% in addition to
11 other discounts. This sign is posted for short period of time a10ng with
sign ofthc above-mentioned type. For l, the given goods are sale 11
week at 50% discount, and the additional 20% discount is offered for one
day. You should remember that the discounts aren't added together, but app1ied
after the other. 50% plus 20% discount does not 70% discount.
product worth $100 would sale for $50 after the fIrSt discount and then
for $40 after the second discount because 20% is taken off the sale price, not
the regular price.

781

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18.2.1.

(Sales, Clearances)

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782

Shopping

1'wo Get FREE - if u two items, receive the third

for free. This is equal to 33% discount but forces to more.
50% OFF Second Item - means that ifyou product at the regular price, second item, costing the same or less, an purchased for half the
price. This equals 25% discount but also compels u to more. lf u
don't need two items, get together with friends and share the savings.
$10 OFF - means $10 discount.
here ,

however, an tricks that stores use to attract buyers to merchandise that's not actual1y sale. post signs very similar to discount
notices, but these other signs have somewhat different wording. he percentage is written in huge print, but there is also fine print. Buyers who don't read
the notice closely eagerly stock u the goods, and after discovering their
mistake at the cash register, don't always refuse the purchase.
50% OFF Original Price - means that the ticket price is 50% lower
than the originally printed price. his price is final, and there is additional
discount.
30-50% OFF Department Store Price - means that the ticket price is
30-50% lower than the price for similar products in expensive department
stores. his price is [l, and there is additional discount.
$10 and UP - means that merchandise the sign refers to costs $10 or
more, as marked price tags. There is additional discount.
Ifyou're paying for something and suddenly fd that the price is higher
than expected, tell the cashier that changed your mind. or she wi1l
subtract the price from your total.
he word Clearance is often used in stores. It usually means significant
price reductions unsold merchandise to free space for new arrivals. Price
tags clearance goods often have red stickers with the new price.
type of sale is final sale, when particular store or whole retail
chain goes out ofbusiness. hese occurrences frequent and most noticeabIe
in the retai1 business, where there is cutthroat competition. In the several years
that we 've been living in the US, we have witnessed the closings of dozens of
stores of different sizes, types of merchandise, and chain affiliations. hey
range from small family men's clothing store that existed for several decades
to large discount chains including Bradlees, Ames and the HQ improvement stores.

783
1'wo Get FREE -

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33%, .

25%,

$10 OFF -

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784

Shopping

In these cases, sales begin with small 10-15% discount 11 goods.

Discounts remaining merchandise increase in several stages, depending
how fast the supplies run out and how much time the store has left before it
must close. important feature of these sales is that goods not
exchanged retumed.

18.2.2. Coupons
Coupons are common and very popular way to attract buyers' attention
to certain goods and services giving the bearer time pricc reduction.
here are two typcs of coupons: coupons issued service providcrs or manufacturers of goods (Manufacturer s coupons), and coupons issued stores.
Coupons issued service providers or manufacturers usually indicate
specific product or type of service for which the coupon used. he cou also indicates the monetary amount or percentage of the discount - for
l, $1.00 or 10% - and bar code for price scanning. hese
coupons an used in an store where the given products are sold. Coupons
are usually distributed in special supplements to Sunday newspapers, in magazines, mail, the Intemet, and so . hey are frequently printed or
placed inside product packaging to offer discounts future purchascs of similar items. Coupons offering discounts services also found in the telephone book.
11 coupons issued service providers or manufacturers of goods are
valid for fairly extended periods, often for several weeks, and include the date
when they invalid (Expiration Date). hey also wam that nl
coupon an used per purchase. In other words, you cannot collect scveral
coupons and receive the product for free.
Coupons issued stores very often coincide with sales and supplement
discounts offered in the stores. hese coupons are most often valid type of
goods - such as jewelry or goods - instead of particular product. Products made certain fmns or designers are very frequently excluded ftom the
list of goods the coupon is valid for. hese conditions are usua11y indicated in
fine print. Coupons issued stores printed in daily or Sunday newspapers, or distributed mail. hese coupons are usually valid for very short
periods, perhaps several hours or days. Some coupons used nl in
junction with credit cards issued given store.
Using coupons when buying groceries save several dollars
week, tota1ing $150-200 each year. Using coupons to purchase more expensive
goods and services an also save significant amount of money.

785

10-15%

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18.2.2.

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786

Shopping

18.2.3. Groceries
As we already mentioned, supermarkets are the primary l to purchase groceries. Americans usually buy food week, spending about
hour in the store. This time allows you to walk slowly through 11 the aisles,
from one end ofthe store to thc othcr, fil1ing your cart with items your shopping list. Writing list before coming to the store is absolutely necessary - otherwise you will always forget something and havc to go back. Once you're
used to how the goods arc gd in the store, you can save time writing
your list according to where you fd each item along your route.
Though items are grouped shelves type and, at first glance, appear
to placed in logical order, there are display tricks that draw the customer's attention to goods that bring the most profit to the store. Basic items
and products in greatest demand - such as dairy, meat, and bakery items - arc
always 10cated in the farthest ends of the store. get to them, you must pass
other goods that draw your attention even if you weren't planning to buy
them. The most profitable goods, such as small packages of candy or chewing
gum, are located next to cash registers to tempt customers or their children as
they wait to .
he overwhelming majority of supermarkets belong to large chains that
cover significant territory with identically namcd stores. hese chains
include from 50 to 1,000 or morc storcs. Companies with larger product turnover can buy goods under more favorable conditions and sell them for lower
prices.
Most supermarkets sell the most common food and other items under
their own brands. he quality of these goods differs little from that of similar
brand name products in the manufacturer's packaging, but the storc's brand
costs much less. he difference can up to 50%. Supermarkets order these
goods in large quantities from the same manufacturers, and in many cases
(especially with canned and frozen products), the only difference is cheaper
packaging. 1 saw this with own eyes times in the two months 1
worked convcyor linc. Buying supermarket brand products is one way to
save significant amounts.

Any area has at least two competing supermarket chains. have

different prices for various goods, but comparing them is often very difficult.
hat's because the retailcr order even brand name products and specify
how much of the item is in the package. So, for example, the exact same
flakes have different weights in boxes of identical size or packaged dif-

18.2.3.

787

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788

Shopping

ferently. It becomes even more difficult to r similar goods from different manufacturers. Can calculate in your head what is less expensive: 13.5
ounces for $2.55 or 18 ounces for $3.29? his isn't easy even with calculator,
but it's possible to r without calculator. Many states require stores to
display, along with the price per package, the price per unit ofthe product. his
could per ounce OZ. per pound Lb., or per gallon GAL. These prices are
usually shown price tags attached to the shelves which goods r displayed. Using these figures, can compare the real price of diffcrently packaged products sold in the same store or prices at different stores. As
rule, large packages have lower unit prices. If products that frequently or in large quantities have different prices in different stores, it makes
sense to them where they cost less.
Very often supermarkets temporarily reduce prices for certain goods (
sale), and discounts can significant. Advertisements listing current sale
items can usually found around the store entrance. If products regularly are sale today at significant discount, can two-week supply and save twice as . Of course, this wouldn't l to perishable goods
with close expiration dates.
In some cases product prices aren 't specified for one unit, but for pair
or more, for example, 2 for $/ (two for dollar) 4/$/ (four for dollar). If
the price is specified this way, it doesn 't mean that must two or four to
get the price. If one, will $0.50 or $0.25, respectively. If the
price tag specifies, for example, 2 for $5.00. / for $3.00, then the larger quantity truly docs cost less per unit.
Do not neglect coupons. save several dollars cach time. Some
stores double the value of coupons, making them even more attractive. Sti11, do
not product just because have coupon, unless want to try
something new.

18.3. Returning and exchanging merchandise

In most cases there is problem returning exchanging merchandise
in the US, though store has its own terms and rules for retums. he reason
for return can anytbing: wrong size, the color doesn't match something
else, have simply changed your mind.
he gcneral rule is to save the receipt given to at the time of purchase, though in some cases it is possible to retum or exchange goods without
receipt, for ml, if there is doubt that the product was bought in that
store. Never throw out receipts. best thing is to keep them in for

789

, :

13.5

$2.55

18

$3.29?

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1 for $3.0.

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790

Shopping

to year. There are also cases when you need to exchange or retum purchases
evcn though you didn't plan to. You might, for l, discover hidden
defect or find exactly the same thing in another store for halfthe price.
second requirement is that the goods not have used. Try to
keep tags and packages until you are sure you made the right purchase. If
you bring an item for retum with the price tag tom off but not damaged, it will
accepted, but you sometimes need to retain packaging for items likc TVs.
Policies usually limit returns to within 30-45 days from the time of
chase, though during the Christmas season these terms are extended for gift
items because they sit wrapped under the Christmas tree for long time and are
opened only at Christmas. Also, some expensive stores have unlimited
time for returns as long as merchandise is in its original condition.
In an stores it is possible to get special G!ft Receipt that docsn't
show the price but has bar code. hat way the recipient exchange or
return the gift if necessary.
Some stores do not refund for purchases but offer credit for the
amount ofthe item's price; the credit used an time you wish. You
find these conditions in discount stores or stores with merchandise for which
demand varies significantly with time. calendar bought before the beginning
of year, for l, 10ses value with day after January 1.
How you receive refund largely depends how you purchased the
goods.
If you paid in cash you will receive cash without any problems.
If you paid for the purchase with credit card, bring the same credit
card when you mak.e the retum, and card wi11 credited for the
same amount that was charged. Since credit card companies charge
different rates for purchases and cash advances, this policy is uscd to
avoid opening convenient loophole - buying expensive item
with credit card, then returning it the spot for cash.
If you paid for purchase check, the store delay the
refund until the has transfd from account to the
store's account, which an tak.e several days.
There other terms and restrictions not mentioned here, so
attention. store's return li is usually displayed in prominent place,
such as Customer Service, where retums and exchanges are handled.

791

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792

Buying and Sclling

19. Buying and Selling

Most immigrants are forced to rent housing during their flfst years in the
US - those iving with large arnounts of cash are the exception. Despite the
fact that the overwhelming majority of hornes in the US are bought credit,
not with cash, as previous chapters already made clear, loan approval
requires credit history, something newcomers obviously don 't have. Before
start looking into buying , should steady income as well
as credit history.
According to Census 2000,67.5% of Americans owned housing. Owning piece of land with single-family house and rnanicured green front
lawn is part of "the American drcam," so the number of immigrants who
achieve this dream is convincing indicator of the level of success of the US
immigration .
Data frorn 1996 show that rates of ownership are alrnost identical
for US citizens m in and US citizens m abroad. Rates were
67.4% and 66.9%, respectively. Ifyou consider that acquiring citizenship takes
six or seven years, it is possible to define the end of that period as certain
rnilestone at which immigrants achieve levels identical to US-bom Americans
certain basic parameters. For non-US citizens, the pcrcentage ofhomeowners was 33.1%. his explained the fact that fnant residents (non-citizens) are people who to the US for limited period oftime
and don't wish to thcir wn homes, or people who arrived at an older age
and thus fewer opportunities.

19.

793

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67.5%

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1996

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33.1 %.

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794

Buying and

Sg

19.1. Pros and cons ofthe American dream

Buying m is serious step, and it is also the most expensive purchase most people wil1 ever make. Before deciding to buy m, you should
weigh ll the pros and cons because mistakes extremely costly. avoid
rs, sure to understand clearly the differences between rental costs and
expenses for purchase and the subsequent maintenance of m. Consider
potential costs of selling house, too, as well as factors that influence the market value ofhousing.
obvious advantage of ownership is that, paying off mortgage, you gradually the real owner ofthe property, investing for yourself instead of making profit for your landlord and making him the owner. In
most cases, however, monthly expenses for owning will
higher than for renting.
Homeownership gives sense of freedom, allowing you to decorate and
fumish your m to suit your own taste. At the same time, it imposes
responsibility to maintain it in good condition, which requires significant time
and . Negligence result in significant 10ss of the property's market
value.
As wil1 obvious later, legal formalities, the costs of obtaining
mortgage loan, and the 1 payment schedule make it unprofitable to buy
house if the owner doesn 't plan to live in it for more than five or six years. This
is particularly true if rcal estate prices aren't rising in the area. regional
recession an cause mass layoffs, forcing sales as l move to the
more prosperous regions of the state or un. This an cause sharp drops in
prices or make neighborhood undesirable, causing l to to
other places, thus combining saturated real estate market with diminishing
demand.
l aivig in middle age should especially cautious. should
make realistic estimates of their ability to off mortgage 1an while they
still work. After retirement, l relying l SS/ or the small
amounts provided Social Security Benefits wil1 at best enough for food
and property tax. l altcmative for them is subsidized housing because
Social Security in is not enough to rent for regular apartment.

795

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19.1.

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Buying and Sel1ing

796

19.2. Basic terminology and concepts

real estate market, like other spheres of human activity, has its own
terminology, which you should know if you want to understand what is going
. We'll consider only the most basic and necessary terms and concepts that
you'lI need to get . hey are given in logical rather than alphabetical order.

Real Estate -property, such as houses, land, condominiums, summer

cottages, and the like.
Realty - the agency providing services for sale of real estatc. It
advertises properties to sold, shows them to potential buyers, and
coordinates the closing process.
Real Estate B,oke, - an employee of real estate agency.
Sales - sel1ing price of the property that the buyer pays to the
seller.
B,oke, 's Commission - the amount received the broker (or his or
her agency) after closing the sale. his amount is usually 4-8% ofthe
selling price, except in rare cases when fixed amount is negotiated.
seller pays the broker's commission.
Disclosu,e - detailed document describing characteristics of the
property. he disclosure must contain enough information to meet
certain legal requirements.

,l -

estimate of the market value of the property, made

professional appraiseI appraisal is requirement for obtaining
mortgage loan. he buyer pays for the appraisal, which ensures the
institution fmancing the purchase that the loan wil1 appropriate
collateral. [f the selling price of the property exceeds the appraiser's
estimate, the nk not approve the loan or it m demand that
the buyer the difference in cash.

Mol1gage - loan for purchasing real estate. Property ownership is

trasfd to the lender if the buyer fails to fulfill conditions stipulated in the agreement.
Inte,est Rate - the 10an interest li to particular loan. For
example, 7.5% interest rate means that the wr is required to
7.5% of the unpaid balance annually as interest, in addition to
principle. In the first year of $100,000 1an, the wr would
approximately $7,500 in 10an interest. real figure would
slightly less because repayment decreases loan size.

797

19.2.

, , . ,
, .
, .

Real Estate -

, , ,

, .

Realty -

.
,
-.

Real Estate Broker Sales Price -

Broker~ Coission

, (

) .

4-8 %

, .
.

Disclosure -

,
l .

Appraislll- f cro ,
eIRD

(apprmser).

oare "Ipe6o
. em: , ro are Vl
arep . cro
, IO), oaar
aI, ro yare pamy .

Mortgage -

, .

lnterest Rate - , .
, 7.5 % interest rate ,
, 7.5 %
.

$100,000,
$7,500 .
, .

Buying and Selling

798

Lock-in - an translated as "freezing". Loan interest rates change,

and the loan approval process is long, so banks often offer set fee
called /ocking fee to fix for set time (two three months) thc
interest ratc when the buyer applies for the loan. When the loan is
actually made, the w receives that "frozcn" rate even if intcrest rates have increased. [f the intercst rates decrease, the w
wil1 receive the 10wcr rate, but the /ocking fee will not retumed.
For 30-year mortgage of $100,000, 0.5% interest rate increasc
would cost the w more than $12,000. [n unstable market
ditions, when there is dangcr that the interest rate will increase, it
makes sense to scveral hundred dol1ars to save thousands. [f loan
intercst rates are steadily declining, there is reason to to fix
rate.
Loan Discount - interest rate reduction, more often known as the
payment of so-called Points. One point is equal to 1% of the 10.
Frequently banks offer loans with 10wcr interest rates if the w
pays certain amount when signing loan contract. In most cases,
payment of point 10wers the 10 interest rate 0.25%. Paying
for the discounted interest rate makes sense only if the w is
not planning to sel1 the property or refinance the loan in the
future.
Annual Percentage Rate (APR) - figure showing the real cost of
the loan, including the actual interest ratc, points paid to rcduce it,
and other fees. APR enables comparison of loan terms offered
various financial institutions.
Fixed-rate - when loan interest remains constant for the life of the
loan. Most common are 15- or 30-year fixed-rate loans. hese loans
are calculated so that monthly payment is equal for the term of
the loan. I the first years of payback, the majority of the payment
covers interest and only small portion goes toward principal.
share of payments paying off principal increases gradually.

AdjustabIe-rt

mortgage (R) - wben the loan interest rate varies depending the financial market, rather than being fixed.
rate at the beginning is usually 1ittle lower than for the loans
tioned above, but its behavior is difficult to predict. Though an agreement usually includes provisions stating the minimum and maximum
rate possible, there is significant chance that it an increase to the
point wherc this type ofloan wil1 less favorable.

Lock-;n -

799

"" "".

,
np ,

(2-3

lockingfee,

) ,

.
,

, ,

locking fee

$100,000 30 ,
0.5 % <5 $12,000.

, ,

, ,
I.

, .

LOIln Discount -

ymrra

Point)

Points ().

(J

1% .

.
0.25

%.

JI .

Annual Percentage Rate (APR) -

, ,
,
,

Fixed-rate - npo, npo

m .
,
JI

15

30 . are ,

.
,
-

(interest)
(principal). ,

, , .

Adju.,tabIe-rate IIIOrtgage (AR) -

, ora ,
.

, , 1
, ,

JI
, are
, .

Buying and Selling

800

lnsu1'ance -loan insurance that protects the lender if the

cannot off the loan. This insurance is required if the
loan amount exceeds 80% of the property's market value. In most
cases costs for this insurance added to monthly payments. This
insurance does not protect the wr in way, though pays
for it.

wr

Down Payment - the portion of the property price that the buyer pays
at the moment of purchase. The loan doesn't cover the down
ment.

legal document fining property ownership rights and

indicating what exactly belongs to whom.

1itle -

1itle Sea1'ch - research ofpast legal documents to estabIish the legality of trsfig property rights from previous owners down to the
present owner. It also establishes that there are bases for claims to
the property anybody other than the present owner.

1itle lnsu1'ance - insurance covering legal cxpenses in casc something was missed during

itle

Search.

lnspection - professional inspection of house that looks for

possibIe latent defects that could affect the value or safety of the
structure. Inspection also covers nfnity to ut building code
requirements. An unskilled person, for example, might not notice
wooden structural damage caused termites, wiring that does not
meet ut electrical code, or the presence of toxic materials.
an

P1'operty

- tax imposed

real estate owner; proportional to

property value.

Esc1'oW Account.

compensate potential losses and legal fees, the

lending nk wants the loan and the property to insured, and for
taxes to paid regularly. guarantee this, banks requirc
ing account into which part ofthe wr's monthly payments
is deposited and from which payments of the above-stated expenses
made as necessary. Taxes and insurances are paid only or
twice , so to cover initial expenses, the bank demand
deposit of certain amount to this account upon signing the contract.

Closing - the final stage of the sales and purchase process. ln the
presence of lawyer the necessary agrecments signed and
changes hands. This procedure should conducted in accordance with the federallaw known as he Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act or RESPA.

801

Mongage lnsurance -

, ~ l .
,

80 %

.
.
, .

Down Payment -

Title -

,
.

1itle Search -

e~

e~
.

1itle Insurance -

, -

7itle Search.

Inspection -
,
cro , cooerc

. , ro
,
arep

Property -

E.'icrow Accounl- . . ,
, ro , , acrpax,
r ,
. ,
,

, . IDI
, ~

.

Closing -

yIDI-,

The Real Estate Settlement Procedures Act RESPA.

Buying and Selling

802

Closing costs - one-time expenses eovering neeessary fonnalities

related to mortgage loan. tota1 2-4% of the 1 amount and
should paid in full when the sales agreement is signed.

19.3. What afford?

Before beginning real seareh for house or an apartment that suits your
needs, should determine the priee range ean afford. As it happens, the
possible real estate loan amount is directly related to the buyer's ineome. It
also depends other faetors, ineluding loan terms, interest rate, other debt or
finaneial obligations, eredit history, and so . There are fairly aeeurate formulas for determining what amount will to w.
Banks thoroughly researeh the finaneial situation of potential wr
to avoid possible diffieultics with 10an repayment. It is eonsidered aeeeptable if
family spends to 24% ofits ineome mortgage payments, not including
property tax and various insuranees; the total with ll these expenses would
28%. Beyond mortgages, many l other debts -- ears 10ans, consumer loans, ete. - and it is considered acceptable if the total amount of debt
payments does not exeeed 36% of ineome.
19-1 page 804 shows the amount of possible 30-year mortgage based family ineome and interest rates. Ineome is given, as always in
the US, as Gross , before deduetions or taxes. Calculate annual
ineome multiplying weekly in 52 weeks in year.
Monthly payments are ealeulated as 24% of monthly ineome, wherc
monthly ineome is one-twelfth of annual income. For l, at an annual
ineome of $50,000, the monthly in is $50,000 : 12 = $4,167, so the
aeeeptable monthly payment is $4,167 0.24 = $1,000. At 6% interest rate, it
is possible to expeet 10an for $166,000, but at 11 %, the 10an would only
$105,000.
Real Estate seetions of Sunday newspapers usually eontain diagram
showing the variation of mortgagc interest rates over the last year or more.
hey also an Incoe Estiator, showing the ineome neeessary to afford
$100,000 1 under the eurrent interest rate, average property taxes, and other
expenscs for various types of loans. hirty-year loans with fixed interest rates
are the most eommon for real estate purehases.

Closing costs -

803

, II

, ,

2-4%

-.

19.3.

, IIX

. , ,
, ,
, ,

, ,
,

,
.

rr.
,

24%

II ,

28%

. ,

( , ),
,

36% .
19-1 . 805

30

. ,

Gross

. ,

52

24%

. ,

50,000 : 12 = 4,167 ,
0.24 = 1,000 .
6% 166 ,
11 % - 105 .

50

4,167

Real Estate,

lnm

Estimator

( )

$100,000

30 .

Buying and Selling

804

19-1:

Annual
Family
Income

Income and Maximum Loan Amount

Month-

Maxirnum Loan Amount

Based Interest Rate

l-

ment

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

10.0%

11.0%

$62,112
$74,534

$56,948

$52,521

$25,000

$500

$83,333

$75,188

$68,120

$30,000

$600 $100,000

$90,226

$81,744

$68,337

$63,025

$35,000

$700 $116,667 $105,263 $95,368 $86,957 $79,727

$800 $133,333 $120,301 $108,992 $99,379 $91,116
$900 $150,000 $135,338 $122,616 $111,801 $102,506

$73,529

$40,000
$45,000

$84,034
$94,538

$50,000 $1,000 $166,667 $150,376 $136,240 $124,224 $113,895 $105,042

$55,000 $1,100 $183,333 $165,414 $149,864 $136,646 $125,285 $115,546
$60,000 $1,200 $200,000 $180,451 $163,488 $149,068 $136,674 $126,050
$65,000 $1,300 $216,667 $195,489 $177,112 $161,491 $148,064 $136,555
$70,000 $1,400 $233,333 $210,526 $190,736 $173,913 $159,453 $147,059
$75,000 $1,500 $250,000 $225,564 $204,360 $186,335 $170,843 $157,563
$80,000 $1,600 $266,667 $240,602 $217,984 $198,758 $182,232 $168,067
$85,000 $1,700 $283,333 $255,639 $231,608 $211,180 $193,622 $178,571
$90,000 $1,800 $300,000 $270,677 $245,232 $223,602 $205,011 $189,076
$95,000 $1,900 $316,667 $285,714 $258,856 $236,025 $216,401 $199,580
$100,000 $2,000 $333,333 $300,752 $272,480 $248,447 $227,790 $210,084

Real estate costs differ significantly throughout the country and even
within states, depending various factors that dtnin supply and demand.
give you feel for real estate values in different states, 19-2
page 806 shows median m values for 2001 in the largest cities of state,
plus the lti ofhome values with family inm.
These data were compiled the government of the District of Columbia
for comparison of the tax burden in different states and as was mentioned
above, reflect estimated value of available housing instead of its ut market
price. Actual market prices of houses in the largest metropolitan areas are
given in 19-3 page 810.

.19-1:

805

6.0%

7.0%

8.0%

9.0%

10.0%

11.0%

$25,000

$500

$83,333

$75,188

$68,120

$62,112

$56,948

$52,521

$30,000

$600 $100,000

$90,226

$81,744

$74,534

$68,337

$63,025

$35,000

$700 $116,667 $105,263

$95,368

$86,957

$79,727

$73,529

$40,000

$800 $133,333 $120,301 $108,992

$99,379

$91,116

$84,034

$45,000

$900 $150,000 $135,338 $122,616 $111,801 $102,506

$94,538

$50,000 $1,000 $166,667 $150,376 $136,240 $124,224 $113,895 $105,042

$55,000 $1,100 $183,333 $165,414 $149,864 $136,646 $125,285 $115,546
$60,000 $1,200 $200,000 $180,451 $163,488 $149,068 $136,674 $126,050
$65,000 $1,300 $216,667 $195,489 $177,112 $161,491 $148,064 $136,555
$70,000 $1,400 $233,333 $210,526 $190,736 $173,913 $159,453 $147,059
$75,000 $1,500 $250,000 $225,564 $204,360 $186,335 $170,843 $157,563
$80,000 $1,600 $266,667 $240,602 $217,984 $198,758 $182,232 $168,067
$85,000 $1,700 $283,333 $255,639 $231,608 $211,180 $193,622 $178,571
$90,000 $1,800 $300,000 $270,677 $245,232 $223,602 $205,011 $189,076
$95,000 $1,900 $316,667 $285,714 $258,856 $236,025 $216,401 $199,580
$100,000 $2,000 $333,333 $300,752 $272,480 $248,447 $227,790 $210,084

, .

19-2 . 807,

2001

, ,
,
.

19-3

811.

Buying and Selling

806

19-2:
City

Housing Value Estimates 2001

Median Size Fami1y Median Fami1y Housing to
State Housing Value 1/
Income 2/
Inm Ratio 3/

Honolulu

HI

$386,700

$56,311

6.87

LosAngeles

221,600

39,942

5.55

New York City

York

211,900

41,887

5.06

Boston

190,600

44,151

4.32

Seattle

WA

259,600

62,195

4.17

Newark

NJ

119,000

30,781

3.87

At1anta

GA

130,600

37,231

3.51

Denver

165,800

48,195

3.44

Washington

157,200

46,283

3.40

Sa1t Lake City

UT

153,300

45,140

3.40

Providence

RI

101,500

32,058

3.17

Chicago

lL

132,400

42,724

3.10

Portland

OR

154,900

50,271

3.08

Bridgeport

117,500

39,571

2.97

Burlington

131,200

46,012

2.85

Albuquerque

NM

127,600

46,979

2.72

Las Vegas

NV

137,300

50,465

2.72

New Orleans

LA

87,300

32,338

2.70

Anchorage

160,700

63,682

2.52

Port1and

121,200

48,763

2.49

Columbia

SC

98,500

39,589

2.49

Phoenix

AZ

112,600

46,467

2.42

Charlotte

NC

134,300

56,517

2.38

Minneapolis

MN

113,500

48,602

2.34

Boise City

120,700

52,014

2.32

Virginia Beach

123,200

53,242

2.31

Manchester

114,300

50,039

2.28

Louisville

82,300

36,696

2.24

Bil1ings

99,900

45,032

2.22

Wilmington

89,100

40,241

2.21

Cheyenne

WY

102,400

46,771

2.19

Columbus

101,400

47,391

2.14

19-2:

807

llJI

2001 r.

1/

2/

ll

HI

$386,700

$56,311

6.87

Los Angeles

221,600

39,942

5.55

NewYork City

York

211,900

41,887

5.06

Boston

190,600

44,151

4.32

Seattle

259,600
119,000

62,195
30,781

4.17

Newark

WA
NJ

Atlanta

130,600

37,231

3.87
3.51

Denver

165,800

48,195

3.44

Washington

DC

157,200

3.40

Salt Lake City

UT

153,300

46,283
45,140

Providence

RI

101,500

32,058

3.17

Chicago

IL

132,400

42,724

3.10

Portland

OR

154,900

50,271

3.08

Bridgeport

39,571

2.97

Burlington

117,500
131,200

46,012

2.85

1uqurqu

NM

127,600

46,979

Las Vegas

NV

137,300

50,465

2.72
2.72

NewOrleans

LA

87,300

32,338

2.70

Anchorage

160,700

2.52

Portland

Columbia

SC
AZ

121,200
98,500

63,682
48,763

3.40

39,589

2.49
2.49

112,600

46,467

2.42

NC
MN

134,300

56,517

2.38

113,500

48,602

2.34

Boise City

120,700

52,014

2.32

Virginia Beach

123,200

53,242

2.31

Manchester

114,300

50,039

2.28

Louisville

82,300

36,696

2.24

Billings

99,900

45,032

2.22

Wilmington

DE

89,100

40,241

2.21

WY

102,400

46,771

2.19

lns

101,400

47,391

2.14

nix

Charlotte
inneapolis

Buying and Selling

808

19-2:

Housing Value Estimates 2001

City
Milwaukee
Charleston
lndianapolis
Sioux Falls

Median Size Family Median Family Housingto

State Housing Value 1/
lm 2/
lm Ratio 3/
WI

80,400

37,879

2.12

WV

101,400

47,975

2.11

IN
SD

98,500

48,979

2.01

101,700

51,516

1.97

Houston
Binningham

79,300

40,443

1.96

AL

62,100

31,851

1.95

Baltimore

69,100

35,438

1.95

Fargo

ND

98,700

50,486

1.95

Mempbls

72,800

37,767

1.93

LittleRock

AR

89,300

47,446

1.88

Detroit

63,600

33,853

1.88

Oklahoma City

80,300

42,689

1.88

Jacksonvi11e

87,800

47,243

1.86

FL
NE

94,200

50,821

1.85

Kansas City

84,000

46,012

1.83

Jackson

MS

64,400

36,003

1.79

DesMoines

IA

81,100

46,590

1.74

Pblladelpbla

59,700

37,036

1.61

Wicblta
AVERAGE

KS

78,900

49,247

1.60

$119,753

$44,840

2.65

$101,700

$46,283

2.31

MEDIAN

11 General Housing Characteristics, U.S. Summary, Bureau ofthe Census.

2/ U.S. nsus ureu, census 2000, Table -3, Profilc ofSelectcd Economic Charactcristics: 2000.

3/ Figures are roundcd

Source: Govcrnment ofDistrict ofColumbia, 2002.

.19-2:

809

8JI

2001

aJI

1/

2/

Milwaukee

WI

80,400

37,879

2.12

Charleston

wv

101,400

47,975

2.11

Indianapolis

IN

98,500

48,979

2.01

SiouxFalls

SD

101,700

51,516

1.97

Houston

79,300

40,443

1.96

Binningham

AL

62,100

31,851

1.95

Ba1timore

69,100

35,438

1.95

Fargo

ND

98,700

50,486

1.95

Memphis

TN

72,800

37,767

1.93

Little Rock

AR

89,300

47,446

1.88

Detroit

63,600

33,853

1.88

Oklahoma City

80,300

42,689

1.88

lacksonvi1le

FL

87,800

47,243

1.86

Omaha

NE

94,200

50,821

1.85

Kansas City

84,000

46,012

1.83

Jackson

MS

64,400

36,003

1.79

DesMoines

IA

81,100

46,590

1.74

Philadelphia

59,700

37,036

1.61

Wichita

KS

78,900

49,247

1.60

AVERAGE

5119,753

$44,840

2.65

EDIAN

$101,700

546,283

2.31

11 e , .
2/ lI . 2000 roa, ama -3, ICD
aare: 2000.

3/ rn
: ,

2002.

81

Buying and Se1ling

Median Sale Prices ofExisting Single-Family !
for Metropolitan Areas (in thousands ' doUan)

Table 19-3:

2000 2001

2000 2001
United States

139.0 147.8

Northeast

139.4 146.5 South

]28.3 ]37.4

idwest

123.6 130.2 West

183.0 194.5

Metropolitan Area

Metropolitan
3.6

Akron,

llO.l

A1bany/Schenectadyrrroy, NY

111.] 121.6

Albuquerque, N

130.4 133.3 Melboume!fitusvillel

PalmBay,FL

Amarillo,

86.3

adison,

153.6 162.5

WI

96.9

98.4

90.2 Memphis, N/ARlS

115.6 125.1

iamilialeah,

144.6 162.7

316.2 355.6
Orange Cnty.
(AnaheimlSanta MSA),

FL

AppletonlOshkosh/Neenah, WI

]00.5 ]05.1

At]anta,GA

131.2 138.8 Minneapolis/St. Paul, NIWI

Atlantic City, NJ

121.5 125.7 Mobile,AL

97.6 106.9

Aurora/Elgin, IL

163.0 178.2 Montgomcry, AL

N/A

AustinlSan Marcos,

]42.8 152.0 Nashvillc, N

N/A 130.0

Baltimorc, D

153.0 158.2 New Havenleriden,

151.6 168.0

Baton Rouge, LA

109.] ] 14.0 New Orleans, LA

112.0 117.4

BeaumontIPort Arthur,

80.8

BiloxilGulfport, MS

N/A 105.7

ilwaukce,

WI

84.0 New YorklN. New Jersey/

Long Island,NYINJ/CT

140.7 ]49.4
15].4 167.4
N/A

230.2 258.2

BergenlPassaic, NJ

261.2 288.8

Binningham, AL

125.5 133.6

MiddlesexlSomersetl
Hunterdon, NJ

219.7 244.3

Boise City, m

126.0 130.0

MonmouthlOcean, NJ

179.0 208.6

Boston,

314.2 356.6

NassaulSuffolk, NY

214.0 248.4

Bradenton, FL

127.3 137.8

Newark,NJ

242.4 263.1

84.1 NorfolklVirginia !
Newport News,

BuffalolNiagara Falls, NY

79.8

Canton,

N/A 107.8

dr Rapids,

IA

ChampaignlUrbanalRantoul, IL
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV

FL

112.9 115.7 Oklahoma City,

98.8 100.4

NE/IA

137.9 150.8 Orlando, FL

99.4 104.7 Pcnsacola, FL

CharlottelGastonia/
Rock , NC/SC

140.3 145.3 Peoria,lL

Chattanooga, N

]01.1 107.3 Philadelphia, AlN]

112.3

N/A

70.9

N/A

85.4

95.0

116.9 117.1
lll.2 124.1
101.1 105.0
87.2

88.6

125.2 134.8

.19-3:

811

8
.i!

(8 . .)

2000 2001

2000 2001
Unlted States

139.0 147.8

Northeast

139.4 146.5 South

128.3 137.4

Midwest

123.6 130.2 West

183.0 194.5

MetropoUtan Area

MetropoUtan Area

Akron,

110.1 113.6

Albany/Schenectadyrrroy, NY

111.1 121.6 Madison. WI

130.4 ]33.3 Melbourne!ritusvillc1
PalmBay,FL

153.6 162.5

90.2 Memphis, TN/ARlS

115.6 125.1

MiamiIialeah,

144.6 162.7

Albuquerque. N
AmariUo,

86.3

Orange Cnty.
316.2 355.6
(AnaheimlSanta MSA),

FL

96.9

98.4

AppletonlOshkosh/Neenah, Wl

100.5 105.1 Milwaukee, WI

140.7 ]49.4

Atlanta, GA

151.4 167.4

Atlantic City. NJ

131.2 138.8 Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN/WI

121.5 ]25.7 Mobile,AL

AuroralElgin, IL

163.0 178.2 Montgomery, AL

N/A

AustinlSan Marcos,

142.8 152.0 Nashville, N

N/A 130.0

Baltimore, D

153.0 158.2 New avenIeriden,

109.1 114.0 New Orleans, LA

Baton Rouge, LA
BeaumontIPort rth,

BiloxilGulfport, MS

80.8

84.0 Ncw YorkIN. New Jersey/

Long Is1and,NYINJ/CT

N/A 105.7

97.6 106.9
N/A

151.6 168.0
112.0 117.4
230.2 258.2

BergenlPassaic, NJ

261.2 288.8

Birmingham. AL

125.5 133.6

Middlesex/Somersetl
Hunterdon, NJ

219.7 244.3

Boise City, lD

126.0 130.0

Monmouth/Ocean, NJ

179.0 208.6

Boston,A

314.2 356.6

NassaulSuffolk, NY

214.0 248.4

Bradenton, FL

127.3 137.8

Newark, NJ

242.4 263.1

84.1 Norfolk/Virginia !
NewportNews,

Buffalo/Niagara FaUs, NY

79.8

Canton,OH

N/A 107.8 Ocala, FL

Cedar Rapids, lA
ChampaignlUrbanalRantoul, IL
Charleston, SC
Charleston, WV

112.9 115.7 Oklahoma City,

98.8 100.4

Omah, NEIlA

137.9 150.8 Orlando, FL

99.4 104.7 Pensacola, FL

CharlottelGastonial
Rock , NC/SC

140.3 145.3 Peoria,IL

Chattanooga, NIG

101.1 107.3 Philadelphia, PAlNJ

112.3

N/A

70.9

N/A

85.4

95.0

116.9 117.1
111.2 124.1
101.1 105.0
87.2

88.6

125.2 134.8

Buying and Selling

812

Median Sale Prices ofExisting Single-Family !

for Metropolitan Areas (in thousands of dollars)

19-3:

Chicago, IL

171.8 ]98.5 Phoenix,AZ

Cincinnati, /'/IN

126.7 130.2 Pittsburgh,

Cleveland,

N/A

Colorado Springs,

N/A Portland,

Columbia, SC

154.1 173.3 Portland, OR

] ]2.8 115.8 Providence, RI

Columbus,

129.] 135.7 RaleigblDurham, NC

Corpus Christi,
Dallas,

87.9

9].6 Reno,NV

122.5 131.1

rtllinel

86.3

89.6

134.4 139.4
93.6

97.8

142.0 158.0
170.1 ]72.3
137.8 158.0
158.4 168.2
]57.3 165.1

RichJandlenncwick!Pasco, WA

119.6

Rihmd/Ptrsg,

129.8 133.3

N/A

Rock lsland, WlL

DaytonlSpringfield,

105.1 106.9 Riverside/San Bemardino,

Daytona , FL
Denver,CO

85.3 93.7 Rochcster, NY

]96.8 218.3 Rockford, IL

Des Moines, IA

116.4 125.3 Sacramento,

Saginawlay Citylidland, I

Detroit, I

N/A

N/A

80.2

85.8 Saint Louis, MO/lL

Paso,

Eugene/Springfield, OR
Fargoloorhead, ND/N

Ft. Lauderdalelollywoodl
mpan , FL

138.6 157.2
87.6

92.2

95.9 101.5
145.2 174.2
80.2

84.7

108.4 116.2

132.8 134.6 Salt Lake City/Ogden, UT

141.5 147.6

99.5 San Antonio,

96.0 103.8

97.1

148.7 168.1 San Diego,

269.4 298.6

Ft. MyerslCape l, FL

97.6

N/A San Francisco fea,

454.6 475.9

Ft. Wayne, IN

91.6

93.9 Sarasota, FL

132.0

Ft. WorthlArlington,

N/A

N/A Seattle, WA

230.] 245.4

N/A

] 13.1 118.0 Shreveport, LA

107.0 114.] Sioux Falls, SD

106.5 113.9

Green , WI

114.9 121.1 South BendlMishawaka, IN

] 18.1 123.8 Spokane, WA

82.2 92.8
]04.2 108.0

GreesrolWinst-Salml

129.3 132.7 Springfield, IL

Gainesville, FL
Garylammond,

IN

Grand Rapids, MI

igh

83.8

85.0

88.0

87.3

Point, NC

Greenville/Spartanburg, SC

118.1 124.5 Springfield,

Hartford,

159.9 167.3 Springfield,

86.0

92.3

lulu,

295.0 299.9 Syracuse, NY

81.0

86.1

Houston,

116.1 122.4 Tacoma,WA

lndianapolis, lN

112.3 116.9 Tallahassee, FL

Jackson, MS
Jacksonvi1le, FL

99.5

120.4 127.4

151.1 159.5

122.5 ]29.7
N/A TampalSt. PetersburglClearwa- 110.8 ]23.6
ter,FL

100.0 109.9 Toledo,OH

]04.0 111. ]

.!9-3:

813

II
i! oyrax ( .)

Cblcago,lL

171.8 198.5 Phoenix,AZ

ininna, OIYIIN

126.7 130.2 Pittsburgh,

Cleveland,

134.4 139.4
93.6

97.8

N/A Portland,

142.0 158.0

Colorado Springs,

154.1 173.3 Portland, OR

170.1 172.3

Columbia, SC

112.8 115.8 Providencc, RI

137.8 158.0

Columbus,

129.1 135.7 RaleighlDurham, NC

158.4 168.2

N/A

Corpus Christi,
Dallas,

87.9

91.6 Reno,NV

122.5 131.1

Davenportlolinel

86.3

157.3 165.1

RichIandlennewickl, WA

119.6

N/A

129.8 133.3

89.6 RichmondIPetersburg, VA

Rock Is\and, lA/lL

DaytonlSpringfield,
Daytona , FL

105.1 106.9 RiversidelSan Bemardino,

85.3

93.7 Rochester, NY

Denver,CO

196.8 218.3 Rockford, IL

Des Moincs, IA

116.4 125.3 Sacramento,

Detroit, l

N/A

N/A

EIPaso,

80.2

85.8 Saint Louis, MOI1L

EugenelSpringfield, OR
Fargoloorhead, NDIN

Ft. LauderdaleIollywood/
Pompano , FL

Saginaw/ay Citylidland,

87.6

99.5

92.2

95.9 101.5
145.2 174.2
MI

132.8 134.6 Salt Lake City/Ogden, u

97.1

138.6 157.2

san Antonio,

148.7 168.1 San Dicgo,

80.2

84.7

108.4 116.2
141.5 147.6
96.0 103.8
269.4 298.6

Ft. MyerslCape Coral, FL

97.6

N/A San Francisco rea,

454.6 475.9

Ft. Wayne, IN

91.6

93.9 Sarasota, FL

132.0

Ft. Worth/rligto,

N/A

N/A Seatt1e, WA

230.1 245.4

113.1 118.0 Shreveport, LA

Gainesvi11e, FL
Garylammond,

IN

107.0 114.1 Sioux Falls, SD

Grand Rapids, MJ

114.9 121.1 South BendIishawaka, JN

Green , WI

118.1 123.8 Spokane, WA

GresrolWisto-Slcml

129.3 132.7 Springfield, IL

igh

83.8

N/A
88.0

106.5 113.9
82.2

92.8

104.2 108.0
85.0

87.3

Point, NC

Green~llelSpartanb~,SC

118.1 124.5 Springfield,

Hartford,

159.9 167.3 Springfield,

86.0

92.3

Honolulu, J

295.0 299.9 Syracuse, NY

81.0

86.1

Houston,

116.1 122.4

Indianapolis, IN

112.3 116.9 Tallahassee, FL

Jackson,MS
Jacksonvi11e, FL

99.5

WA

N/A TampalSt. Petersb~

Clearwater, FL

100.0 109.9 Toledo,OH

120.4 127.4

151.1 159.5
122.5 129.7
110.8 123.6
104.0 111.1

Buying and Selling

814

19-3:

Median Sale Prices ofExisting Single-Famlly Homes

for Metropolitan ! (in thousands of dollars)

alamazoo, I

109.9 112.3 Topeka,KS

anss

127.4 135.7 Trenton,NJ

150.9 165.3

110.8 117.2 Tucson, AZ

120.5 128.8
100.0 110.0

LansinglEast Lansing, I

169.4 178.9 uls,

] 1].2 119.5 Washington, OCIDNA

Las Vegas, NV

137.4 149.1 Waterloo/Cedar Falls, IA

Lcxington/Fayette,

118.2 121.7 W. Palm Beach!oca Ratonl

De1ray , FL

Lincoln, NE

109.3 117.4 Wichita, KS

City, MO/KS

noxville,

1N

Lake County, IL

Litt1e Rock-N. Little Rock, AR

87.8

95.1 Wi\mington, DElNJID

Los Angeles r,

215.9 241.4 Worcester,

Louisville, KYIIN

116.7

N/A

ugstwnlWaen,

80.6

88.7

182.6 213.9
80.2

84.5

138.4 149.5
90.8

94.9

127.6 136.5
131.8 152.6
74.1

N/A

Source: National Association of REALTORS. Used with pennission.

an fd ut

prices the National Association ofREAL-

TORS web site at www.realtors.org.

It is helpful to receive preliminary 1 approval from bank before
beginning serious search for . his process is ca11ed pre-approval and
is performed anks and mortgage brokers free-of-charge in the that
wi1l to them for the 1 when it's time. It doesn't, however, oblige
to anything, and are free to choose whatever lender offers the best
tenns when actually need the 1.
he most commonly used criteria for receiving 1an are:
American citizenship or permanent resident status, meaning possession of green card;
Absence of negative infonnation in the credit history;

steady income for at least year;

hand for down payment and closing costs;

Absence of debts in excess of the limits used banks in their l

lations.
Let's consider these requirements in detai1. Rules at most financial and
insurance companies forbid granting or insuring 1 if the wr has not
at least attained pennanent resident status. 1 personally know of situation
where person had passed through 11 green card fonnalities but didn't have
the card physically hand because the Immigration and Naturalization Ser-

815

.I9-3:

i! ( . .)
alamazoo, l

109.9 112.3 Topeka,KS

ss

127.4 135.7 Trenton, NJ

150.9 165.3

110.8 117.2 Tucson,AZ

120.5 128.8

Lake County, lL

169.4 178.9 Tulsa,OK

100.0 ] ]0.0

LansinglEast Lansing, I

1]] .2 119.5 Washington, DCIDNA

182.6 213.9

Las Vegas, NV

137.4 149.1 Waterloo/Cedar Falls, '

Lexington/Fayette,

]]8.2 ]2].7 W. l BeachIoca Ratonl

City, MOIS

noxviUe,

TN

80.6

80.2

88.7

84.5

138.4 149.5

Delray Beach, FL
109.3 ] 17.4 Wichita, KS

Lincoln,NE
Little Rock-N. Little Rock, AR

87.8

90.8

95.1 Wilmington, DElNJID

Los Angeles Area,

2]5.9 24].4 Worccstcr,

Louisville, IlN

116.7

94.9

]27.6 136.5
131.8 152.6

N/A Youngstown/Warren,

74.]

N/A

cro: W1O oproeB 81.

rop 81' (National Association of REALTORS)

www.realtors.org.
, ,
"" - .

pre-approva/

, ~ , OIa . ,

, ,
, .
:

caryca " ",

"" ;

, , ;

(down payment)

(c/osing costs);

on:yrcm QJ]J'(), ,
1

crpaxox aar crpaxI ,

oyare , , cny re.

, , , l
"", , arypaa

816

Buying and Selling

vice, which was switching to new fonnat, couldn 't keep up with demand. Not
having the card almost caused him to 10se the 10an at the last minute.
In the first years of life in new un, credit blstory not extensive, but it shou1d exist. In the appropriate chapter of this book, we talked about
how to start . It is quite possible that, up until the time purchase house,
have had credit card or other credit. This isn't so important. What is important is that 've had credit file for some time and it doesn 't contain an damaging infonnation like an unpaid bil1, rent, medical i11, or the like. It's also
best not to f out too man applications for credit if it is obvious that wi1l not
receive it. The applications will part of your fi1e and create the impression
that are desperate for . And anks, as we know, wil1ing1y lend to
those who do not need and demand it back when need it the most.
Steady income is obvious requirement, but the bank might also look
at how long 've worked in job and what your prospects are. If your
has filed for bankruptcy or is unprofitable and reducing production,
your chances are lower unless you have occupation in high demand. Educational level and experience, plus other qualifications, play an essential role
because your credit fil does not have other data your past.
In most cases, condition for mortgage loan is the ability of the buyer
to 5-20% of the purchase in cash and to closing costs without w
ing . In the absence of credit blstory, when the bank has opportunity
to estimate ability to control income and expenses, it demand
nk statements (dating back year or more) checking or savings
account. Tbls is to convince the bank that you truly saved your rather
than depositing it few days ago after wig from friends or relatives.
his an gift from relatives, who should have the in
ank account, not under mattress or in stocking. hey wil1 need to sign
paper stating that if buy house, they will give you this amount as gift.
it's your business whether or not to retum the later and, if so,
what terms. an immigrants, especial1y those from the older generation,
don't trust banks and keep large amounts of at , so it's good to
take care of this in advance and avoid an unpleasant surprises.
Some people mistakenly think that they have better chances of receiving
loan ifthey don't have an debt. This isn't always the case. Most importantly,
as was made clear above, you should have in your account for down
payment and closing costs. In addition, you should reduce debts - if you
have them - to an acceptable level, so mandatory debt payments don 't exceed
8% of income.
Ifyou meet the above requirements, there's good that you will
pre-approved and an start making the "American dream" reality.

817

myCI<O
. ro .
crpae, pern ,

. , ~ ., ~ Iae. OJl
, I peI I<3PI,

3J([)o pera. ro . , ro ecmo

HeI<DOpoe , m m: I<3X aro,
ra , aprnpy, . r
on CJII) per, , ro ,

J)JI . ro ear,
mpe6 erax, , I<3 ecr, Ol , ro ro

yaerc, 1pe6yr .
,

orp,
.
r , ,

, , ,

: .
,

ing costs.

5-20%

c/os-

I .

,
, ,
, .

,
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, ,

. lf,

, , ,

, .
, ,
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8% .

pre-approva/ ( )
" ".

Buying and 8elling

818

19.4. Factors to consider when choosing

After detennining the amount you afford and confinning your estimate with professionals, you start targeted search. This process is, in
respects, similar to an apartment search (described in the beginning of
the book), but it also has some important difIerences. first difference is
that you are choosing residence for 10nger period and, besides location and
price, you should also interested in how the price will change later. You are
making significant investment and have interest in its results. herefore,
the condition of the structure - and the whole neighborhood where it's located
- play essential role.
8earches also differ depending where you want to live. In suburb
you would most likely search for an individua1 house with some land. In big
city it cou1d an apartment in cooperative or townhouse or brownstone.
hese are houses 10cated in row of simi1ar houses, sharing with them or
two common walls. 80, the first thing you need is to determine approximately
what area you want to live in, considering such factors as:
your rfd lifestyle;
time and transportation to commute to work;
the possibility of fdig another job within an acceptable distance if
you lose the one you have;
presence and quality of schools, if you have children of school age;
distance to stores where you would regularly shop and to other places
you would visit regularly, such as nks, doctor's offices, etc;
road and traffic conditions at rush hour;
demographics and the general atmosphere in the area;
cost of living, including taxes and property maintenance costs to keep
the property in good condition.
When purchasing house, you fulfill your dream ofhow you want to
live - in rural area close to nature, in small town, or in large industrial and
cultural center - but this decision determines an other factors, or is limited
other factors.
an people in the U8 live significant distance from their places of
work. It's not an exception for people to commute to work in another city or
even in another state, more than 100 mi1es away. It is considered acceptable
not to relocate if one-way trip to work takes up to an hour and half. If you

819

19.4.

mm , ,
,
. pr,
, l .

,
, ,

, lre,

ll , , aIO .

: , ,
;

townhouse

hrownstone - ,

. , , ,
, ,

, :

, ;

, , ,
;

, ,
, ;

, ;

,
;

(,
);

, ,
:

, .

. ,
,

100

820

Buying and Selling

choose m that's 10cated significant distance from your workplace only

because house prices here are lower, think hard before making decision.
Additional car and gasoline expenses and - most importantly - time that could
used to generate supplemental income might cancel out savings the
chase of .
Even if you are completely satisfied with job, there is guarantee
that you will always havc present job or that you wil1 remain there for
10ng time. As we already discussed, there are reasons why we cannot
control job 10ss: economic recession, increased competition in given industry,
change in the business owners' plans, and so . this in mind when
choosing and settle where you could fd new job without having to
relocate.
[ public schools the quality of instruction and the general atmosphere
differ significantly from area to area and from city to city. School budgets are
covered in large part local taxes, including property tax, so you should
sider the whole district served given school, not just the particular neighborhood where you l to live. he more prosperous the district, the higher the
probability that the school is , at least financial1y. he school's financial situation isn't the l factor that determines the quality ofteaching, but it is
of the most essential.
Ifyou've decided to live in remote place you must accept long trips to
stores, restaurants, or gym. Deciding remote location not wise if
you have health problems and need to make frcquent visits to the doctor, hospital, or pharmacy.
In most cases, searches k place, weekends when the traffic
situation differs significantly from what you would experience during thc
week. Definitely visit your chosen place weekdays, and it is even better if
you attempt to drive to work and back from this place during rush . This
w protect you from the. possible unpleasant surprise ofthe actual trip tuming
out to k two or three times longer than expected because of traffic jams.
Considering that the US is multicultural country, it is easy to explain
the fact that certain areas are populated primarily l of one race or ethnicity. lt is possible to see whole , neighborhoods, or even towns populated natives of or Germany, Korea or Mexico, Cuba or Russia. lt is
natural for human being to settle close to similar people. his is also true for
social status and occupation: there are neighborhoods inhabited artists or
lawyers, university professors or automobile factory workers.
In both of these cases, the most obvious divisions between neighborhoods are based income level. Blocks or neighborhoods usually contain
houses in the same price range. lt is not common to see mansion next to
shack. If neighborhood is not very good, there is sense in building an

821

,
,

,
, , .

, ,
, , ,
, . ,

, , :

, .
, ,

, ,
.

,
,
, , ,

, , , .

I'

, .

.
, , .

,
, ,

.
, ,

.
,

, .
, , ,

. Ie , ,

, ,
. .
:

, ,
.
,
. ,

822

Buying and Selling

expensive house there: its market value will low. the other hand, if an
is desirable, the price of land will high, and less expensive houses wi1l
gradually replaced mansions. Take this into consideration. As rule, heterogeneous areas are in the process of moving toward improvement or deterioration, and your ability to tl recognize this trend will greatly affect the
future market value of your m.
In addition to the purchase price, homeowner must shoulder also
expenses for upkeep, including insurance, property , and maintenance and
repair expenses, plus lawn if there is lawn. There l1 also running
costs like electricity, water, and heating. here will monthly cooperative or
condo association dues for an apartment in coopcrative or condo in large
l. These expenses in addition to mortgage payments (unless the
insurance and property tax included in your mortgage payments), so they
should considered prior to your final decision.

19.5. Searching for and viewing potential homes

he Classified section of 10cal newspapers publishes advertisements for
houses, apartments, and land for sale under the heading "Real Estate." You
also find 10ts of various booklets issued local associations of real estate
brokers and other organizations. hese tend to distributed free-of-charge in
supermarkets, bank.s, gas stations, and other public places.
Real estate ads in newspapers usual1y contain photo and text that, like
other newspaper ads, contains abbreviations and special terms. Some are
already familiar to you from the chapter rental housing, but others are new.
most frequently used abbreviations are shown in 19-4 page 824.
Most houses for sale have special sign posted in the yard that indicates the
of the real estate agency handling the sa1e, plus the contact telephone number
and sometimes the nam of the broker. If the owner is selling the house without
agency, the sign wou1d probabIy say "FOR SALE OWNER" On you have
defined the area where you wou1d to Iive, you drive around looking for "For
Sa1e" signs. Contact the seller if something interests you.

823

. ,

. ,
, ,
' ,
.
. , ,

,
,

,
, .

, .
,

).

19.5.

Real Estate.

, ,
.

,
,

, . .

19-4 . 825

.
,
, , ,

.
, aII

OWNER".

"FOR SALE

, ,

, , ,
, .

824

Buying and Selling

acre,

19-4:

Abbreviations in the "Real Estate for Sale" Ads

acre

air conditioner

i1

available

bth

bathroom

br, bed

bedroom

R,

built-ins

built-in furniture

type of the house

central /

central air conditionerlheater

central

central vacuum

colonial

type of the house

(two story)

cul-de-sac

cathedral ceiling

type of ceiling

baywindow

type of window

bsmt

basement

dead-end street

deck
den
dorm

dormer

full dormered
DR,Din

dining room

duplex

two-family house

DW

dishwasher

fence, fenced

f1rs, fl

floors

f1r

f100r

fplc

ftreplace

gar

garage

hdwd

hard wood

H/W,H.W.

hot water

incl

included

kit

kitchen

living space

.19-4:

825

acre,

acre

, ,

avail

available

bathroom

bth

conditioner

m
R,

0.4

br, bed

bedroom

built-ins

built-in fumiture

type of the house

l ACIT

central air
conditionerlheater

enl

Jlc

colonial

type of the house

(two story)

()

cul-de-sac

cathedral ceiling

type of ceiling

baywindow

type of window

bsmt

basement

vacuum

dead-end street

deck

den

dorm
full

dr

dred

(ropo )

DR,Din

dining room

duplex

two-family house

DW

dishwasher

fence, fenced
flrs, fl

floors

flr

floor

fplc

fireplace

gar

garage

hdwd

hard wood

()

/W,H.W.

hotwater

incl

included

kit

kitchen

living space

Buying and Selling

826

19-4:

Abbreviations in the "Real Estate for Sale" Ads

large

19
10t

LR,liv

living room

master bedroom

main bedroom with

its own bathroom

ofI-st, ofI st

offstreet

oi1 heat

concept

patio

penthouse

porch
prkg, pkg

parking

ranch

type of the house

( story)

saltbox

type of the house

septic
sf, SF, sq ft

square feet

skylight
siding
split level, split
foyer

type of the house

tile
twnhse,

town u

updated
utils

uti1ities

waterfront
W/D

washer/dryer

w/dhk-up

washer/dryer
hook-up

yd

yard

If appeals to , need to the specified number and

make appointment for the broker to show it to . We must note that if the
is being sold through rea1 estate agency, all contact is made through the
broker. he owner of the house is usual1y out when the house is being shown.

.19-4:

Ig

large

10t

LR,liv

livingroom

master m
off-st, off st

offstreet

oil heat

827

concept

patio

penthouse

( )

porch

prkg,pkg

parking

ran

()

saltbox

septic

sf, SF, sq ft

square feet

apm yr,

(10 . yro - 0.93 .

skyJight

siding
split level,
split foyer

tile

twnhse,

town house

updated
uti1s

utilities

(, ,

waterfront
W/D

washer/dryer

w/dhk-up

washer/dryer
hook-up

yard

yd

rrepecy, 'reJI
ar , ora aar. ,
afrc rco , ra.

. era, orcyrcmy.

828

Buying and Se11ing

It's usual1y most convenient to see during an n House. These

events are announced in advance, and the broker wi1l at the house.
interested person can and look. hese showings are usually arranged for
two to four hours weekends, and temporary " House" signs ! the
property direct viewers. Ifyou see these signs, feel free to go in and look at the
house after signing your the guest list. After visiting several houses
this way, will have better idea of what want. According to some data,
buyers look at dozens of houses before making final choice. It would
mistake to limited to small number and choose something don 't particularly like.
When 100king at house, if are truly interested in it, sure to check
the condition of elements, such as:
Siding, doors, exterior ofwindows, stoop or front stcps, porch, driveway, backyard, etc.;
Walls, ceilings, floors, kitchen cabinets, interior ofwindows;
Age of the heating system, plumbing, wiring;
Presence of cracks or traces of water in the basement.
Brokers usually have plenty of copies of sheet with detailed information about the property (Data Sheet). hey wiI1ingly give these to potential li
ents, and also, in our state, for example, they to have another document,
Disclosure Statement, in which the property owner must state certain data and
information required law. This could include the type of water supply or
septic system, the presence of hazardous building materials or fuel storage
tanks, and the like. Ask for of this document before signing any contract
and putting money down. Although this might just formality for recently
constructed houses, it is an absolute necessity for old houses.
In the past, building practices in the US (as in other countries) used many
materials that were later found to pose significant health risks. Some of the
most frequently used were asbestos insulation or roofing materials and leadbased paints. Asbestos causes cancer, and lead accumulates in the body and
cause serious dysfunctions, especial1y in small children.
lfyou're buying an old house, should hire inspector with appropriate qualifications for detecting the prescnce of these materials. Attempts to
save here cost : safe removal and disposal of these materials
requires specially trained l. l've heard from friends about compatriots
who bought old house because of its relatively low price but found out later
that it is stuffed with asbestos from top to bottom.

829

lO

House -

erc

OIa

.
lDf

2-4

ll yro
. ,

, . ,
, , ,
. rn , ,

are

, .

, ,

, :

, , , m, ,
, np ;

, , , , ;

, , ;

ll

ocaro

(Data Sheet),

, , ,

Stateent,

Disclosure

arec.

,
arep,

. , ar -
.

, .
II , ,

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. ,

Buying and Selling

830

19.6. Purcbase and sale agreement

eontraet ealled the Purchase and Sale Agreeent is usually signcd

the buyer is eonvineed of his intention to the property. The proeess of
getting mortgage and elosing the deal is rather long, sometimes taking three
or more months. The property is taken off the market for this period, and the
buyer must put some money down to proteet the seller from possible 10sses.
This sum is applied toward the eost of the property if the deal is elosed, but if
the buyer eancels the contraet without grounds, the seller retains the money.
The eontraet eontains information the partieipants ofthe sale and purehase, deseription of the property, and eonditions that must fulfilled for
the deal to go forward. Some of the most essential conditions for the buyer are
those that allow him or her to back out without losing down payment, as, for
example, the following:
1. An indication of the types of inspections or she intends to perform, and their due dates. Examples of possible inspections are:
General building inspection;
Water test;
Sewer system inspeetion;
Radon testing;
Asbestos inspection;
Lead-based paint inspection;
Pest inspection;
Soi1 test, and so .
If the inspeetions produce results that were unknown before and don 't
satisfy the buyer, or she have the right to void the contract and get his
or her money back.
2. Conditions of the mortgage loan for the has, indicating its
amount, terms of the loan, and the maximum allowable 10an interest.
Ifthe buyer, for reasons beyond his or her control, is to get any
loan at 11 or loan at the specified interest rate, then or she has the
right to break the agreement and get his or her down payment back.
We looked at n house that was six years old and liked it ", uch.
After soe thought, we ade n offer, signed contract, and put soe n
down. Only a:(ter that did the broker reeber that he hadn t shown us the Dis-

831

. ,
- ,
, .

19.6.

,
,

Purchase and Sale Agreement

.
, .

, .
, ,

, ,
.
-,
,
.

, - ,

. , .

1.

,
. :

;
;

;
;

;
;
;
.

(!

, ,
.

2.

(! ,
.
-,

, .

Buying and Sel1ing

832

closure Statement. As it happened. the water test from this house. which had n
individual we// drilled only year or two be/ore. revealed arsenic in quantities
/9 times higher than the norm!!! We tested again. which showed levels three
times the norm. / course. we demanded cancellation / the contract and
re/und; however, we could have lost the mn if the broker had given us this
document earlier and we hadn ~ read it fll.
Study clauses of contract carefully before signing. Ask the broker
to explain any unclear points to , but remember that or she works for the
seller.

19.1. Applyiog for

mortgage loao

Loans for real estate purchases are available from various fanil institutions, including commercial banks, savings banks, credit unions, mortgage
companies, and so . heir conditions m differ considerably interest rate
and fees, including application fee, discount points, and the like. should
spend some time familiarizing yourselfwith possible 10an sources and the particularities ofthe approval process. his is important: lack ofknowledge could
cost tens of thousands of doHars.

19.1.1. Traditional Mortgages

he

Real Estate section of the Sunday newspaper usually publishes

interest rates and other terms for loans offered various financial institutions,
for examplc:

19-5:

Loan Terms

ONE MORTGAGE .

(123) 456-7890

Loan

Rate

APR

Disc. Pts

15 yr Fix

7.375

7.89

30 yr Fix

7.75

8.08

30 yrJumbo

8.00

yrAR

7.75

5/1

fee

Down

Lock

350

5%

30 days

350

5%

30 days

8.25

0.5

350

10%

45 days

7.93

0.5

350

10%

45 days

The top row of the table shows that the 15-year fixed-rate loan has an
interest rate of 7.375% with the condition that the wr pays 2% of thc
loan amount at signing (2 discount points). Application fee is $350. With those

833

.,

nnr ll r. ,
nr Dislsr

Statement.

r, llru

, lL'tf r n , lI Wl
, Wl , n

/9 !!!

r r, nr n

3 .

nr ,

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.

19.1.

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.

application fee,

disnt points

. ,
.

19.1.1.

Real

Estate,

, :

.19-5:

ONE MORTGAGE

(123) 456-7890

Loan

Rate

APR

Disc. pts

15 yr Fix

7.375

7.89

30 yr Fix

7.75

8.08

30yr Jumbo

8.00

5/1 yr AR

7.75

Down

Lock

350

5%

30 days

350

5%

30 days

8.25

0.5

350

10%

45 days

7.93

0.5

350

10%

45 days

fee

Buying and Sel1ing

834

fees plus 1an isan, it ll cost the client as much as loan without additional expenses, but with an interest rate of 7.89% (APR). he 1an an cover
95% of the purchase, and 5% should paid the buyer at the of purchase (5% down payment). he specified interest rate an "frozen" for 30
days.
he second and third rows concem 30-year fixed-rate loans. he only
difference is that Jumbo designates 1an for larger amount $250,000 and higher. he fourth li concems 1an with variabIe interest
(adjustable rate).
Fifteen-year 10ans with fixed interest rates usually have slightly 10wer
interest rates than 30-year loans, but their monthly payments are higher.
table below shows the difference in monthly payments and the total sum paid
for 15- or 30-year loans for $100,000.
As mentioned above, monthly payments for loans with fixed interest
rates are calculated to remain constant for the life ofthe loan. In the first years,
most of payment pays off interest and only small goes toward
principal. he amount which goes toward the principal increases gradually as
the mortgage balance decreases.
Tablel9-6:

Monthly Payment and talAunt paid (or 15- &

30 Years
$100,000 Loan

Interest
Rate

~ Loan!

15 Years
$100,000 Loan
Payent

Tota)
AmountPaid

Savings

$216,000

$844

$151,920

$64,080

$632

$227,520

$871

$156,780

$70,740

7.0%

$665

$239,400

$899

$161,820

$77,580

7.5%

$700

$252,000

$927

$166,860

$85,140

8.0%

$734

$264,240

$956

$172,080

$92,160

8.5%

$769

$276,840

$985

$177,300

$99,540

9.0%

$805

$289,800

$1,014

$182,520

$107,280

9.5%

$841

$302,760

$1,044

$187,920

$114,840

10.0%

$878

$316,080

$1,075

$193,500

$122,580

10.5%

$915

$329,400

$1,105

$198,900

$130,500

11.0%

$952

$342,720

$1,137

$204,660

$138,060

11.5%

$990

$356,400

$1,168

$210,240

$146,160

12.0%

$1,029

$370,440

$1,200

$216,000

$154,440

Payent

Tota1
AmountPaid

6.0%

$600

6.5%

Monthly

Month1y

15

835

7.375% ,
(2 discount points).

$350 (App/icationjee).

2%

, ,
,

7.89% (APR).

95%

payment).

""

. ,

($250,000

5%
(5% down

30 .

30

Jumbo

).

(adjustable rate).

15

30 ,

. , ,

$100,000,

15

30 .

. ,
, ,
.

.l9-6:

$100,000
30

$100,000
15

6.0%

$600

$216,000

$844

$151,920

$64,080

6.5%

$632

$227,520

$871

$156,780

$70,740

7.0%

$665

$239,400

$899

$161,820

$77,580

7.5%

$700

$252,000

$927

$166,860

$85,140

8.0%

$734

$264,240

$956

$172,080

$92,160

8.5%

$769

$276,840

$985

$177,300

$99,540

9.0%

$805

$289,800

$1,014

$182,520

$107,280

9.5%

$841

$302,760

$1,044

$187,920

$114,840

10.0%

$878

$316,080

$1,075

$193,500

$122,580

10.5%

$915

$329,400

$1,105

$198,900

$130,500

11.0%

$952

$342,720

$1,137

$204,660

$138,060

11.5%

$990

$356,400

$1,168

$210,240

$146,160

12.0%

$1,029

$370,440

$1,200

$216,000

$154,440

Buying and Selling

836

Below is an l of payment 30- mortgage for $100,000

with 7.5% interest rate. Monthly payments $699.21. In the first year of
payment, funds are alloeated as follows.

19-7:

First-Year Mortgage Calculation

Month

Principal

Interest

Balance

$74.21

$625.00

$99,925.79

$74.68

$624.54

$99,851.11

$75.15

$624.07

$99,775.96

$75.61

$623.60

$99,700.35

$76.09

$623.13

$99,624.26

$76.56

$622.65

$99,547.70

$77.04

$622.17

$99,470.66

$77.52

$621.69

$99,393.13

$78.01

$621.21

$99,315.13

10

$78.49

$620.72

$99,236.63

11

$78.99

$620.23

$99,157.64

12

$79.48

$619.74

$99,078.17

Total:

$921.83

$7,468.74

$99,078.17

19-8 page 838 gives breakdown of annual payments and the

1an l for the end of .
he differenee between the market value of house and the unpaid l
an of 1an is ealled Equity, which is the share of the house's value
that belongs to the owner rather than the ank. Ifthe market value ofthe property hasn't ehanged sinee the time of purehase, then Equity is equal to
the paid portion ofthe 10. But ifthe property value is dropping, Equity
will less than the paid portion of the 1, and under eertain eonditions it
turn out that the owner owes more for the property than it costs. This
pened to an l who bought houses in the late '80s when sharp speeulative rise in real estate prices was followed erash in the real estate market
and priees dropped considerably. As the table above shows, 10an payments
inerease Equity very slowly during the first years of the 1. For this
reason there is sense in buying real estate for short time beeause, considering eommissions paid for the sale, these ventures unprofitable in most
cases.

837

30

$100,000, 7.5%
$699.21

.
.19-7:

i!

$ 74.21

$ 625.00

$ 99,925.79

$ 74.68

$ 624.54

$ 99,851.11

$ 75.15

$ 624.07

$ 99,775.96

$ 75.61

$ 623.60

$ 99,700.35

$ 76.09

$ 623.13

$ 99,624.26

$ 76.56

$ 622.65

$ 99,547.70

$ 77.04

$ 622.17

$ 99,470.66

$ 77.52

$ 621.69

$ 99,393.13

$ 78.01

$ 621.21

$ 99,315.13

10

$ 78.49

$ 620.72

$ 99,236.63

11

$ 78.99

$ 620.23

$ 99,157.64

12

$ 79.48

$ 619.74

$ 99,078.17

$921.83

$ 7,468.74

$ 99,078.17

19-8

839

Equity

, .

Equity

m ;

,
,

Equity

Equity

, ,

, ,
. ,
80- ,

, . ,
,

Equity

Buying and Selling

838

18b1e 19-8:

Ou1standing aIanCe at the End ofEvery Vear for 8 3- Loan

Year

Principal

Interest

Balance

$921.83

$7,468.69

$99,078.17

$993.40

$7,397.12

$98,084.77

$1,070.52

$7,320.00

$97,014.25

$1,153.63

$7,236.89

$95,860.62

$1,243.18

$7,147.34

$94,617.44

$1,339.70

$7,050.82

$93,277.74

$1,443.70

$6,946.82

$91,834.04

$1,555.78

$6,834.74

$90,278.26

$1,676.56

$6,713.96

$88,601.70

10

$1,806.71

$6,583.81

586,794.99

11

$1,946.98

$6,443.54

584,848.01

12

$2,098.12

$6,292.40

582,749.89

13

$2,261.00

$6,129.52

$80,488.89

14

$2,436.54

$5,953.98

$78,052.35

15

$2,625.68

$5,764.84

$75,426.67

16

$2,829.53

$5,560.99

$72,597.14

17

$3,049.19

$5,341.33

$69,547.95

18

53,285.91

$5,104.61

$66,262.04

19

53,541.00

$4,849.52

$62,721.04

20

$3,815.89

$4,574.63

$58,905.15

21

$4,112.14

$4,278.38

$54,793.01

22

$4,431.37

$3,959.15

$50,361.64

23

$4,775.39

$3,615.13

$45,586.25

24

$5,146.11

$3,244.41

$40,440.14

25

$5,545.62

$2,844.90

$34,894.52

26

$5,976.15

$2,414.37

$28,918.37

27

$6,440.08

$1,950.44

$22,478.29

28

$6,940.05

$1,450.47

$15,538.24

29

$7,478.82

$911.70

$8,059.42

30

$8,059.42

$331.10

$0.00

Tota1:

$100,000.00

$151,715.60

Quick loan repayment enables you to considerably reduce the total

amount paid reducing the time over which interest collects unpaid rin-

19-8:

839

30

aro

1
2

$921.83
$993.40
$1,070.52
$1,153.63
$1,243.18
$1,339.70
$1,443.70
$1,555.78

$7,468.69
$7,397.12
$7,320.00
$7,236.89
$7,147.34
$7,050.82
$6,946.82
$6,834.74
$6,713.96
$6,583.81
$6,443.54
$6,292.40
$6,129.52
$5,953.98
$5,764.84

$ 99,078.17
$ 98,084.77
$ 97,014.25
$ 95,860.62
$ 94,617.44
$ 93,277.74
$ 91,834.04
$ 90,278.26
$ 88,601.70
$ 86,794.99
$ 84,848.01
$ 82,749.89
$ 80,488.89
$ 78,052.35
$ 75,426.67
$ 72,597.14
$ 69,547.95
$ 66,262.04
$ 62,721.04
$ 58,905.15

3
4
5
6
7
8
9
10
11
12
13
14
15
16
17
18
19
20
21
22
23
24
25
26
27
28
29

$1,676.56
$1,806.71
$1,946.98
$2,098.12
$2,261.00
$2,436.54
$2,625.68
$2,829.53
$3,049.19
$3,285.91
$3,541.00
$3,815.89
$4,112.14
$4,431.37
$4,775.39
$5,146.11
$5,545.62
$5,976.15
$6,440.08
$6,940.05

30

$7,478.82
$8,059.42

$100,000.00

$5,560.99
$5,341.33
$5,104.61
$4,849.52
$4,574.63
$4,278.38
$3,959.15
$3,615.13
$3,244.41
$2,844.90
$2,414.37
$1,950.44
$1,450.47
$911.70
$331.10
$151,715.60

$ 54,793.01
$ 50,361.64
$ 45,586.25
$ 40,440.14
$ 34,894.52
$ 28,918.37
$ 22,478.29
$ 15,538.24
$ 8,059.42
$0.00

, I

Buying and Selling

840

cipal. People with relatively 10w incomes are ll to take out long-term
10ans because such 10ans reduce the amount of month1y payments to levels that
meet bank requirements. But the blgher the interest rate your 10an, the faster
it makes sense to it off, even if doing so requires extra effort.
There are severa1 ways to this. Some banks allow making payments every
two weeks; each payment is equal to 50% ofthe monthly amount. Under this plan,
26 half-sized payments per year equal 13 usua1 monthly payments. This enables
to reduce the payment period of 30-year loan five and half years if the
interest rate is 6%, and significantly more if the interest rate is blgher. The table
below shows the difference in loan payoff with biweckly payments.
This table shows that the higher the loan interest, the faster the loan
off and thc greater the savings. Some lenders allow this type of 10an payment;
payments would also need to transferred directly from your checking
account. You thus need to make sure that you havc the required amount in your
account at the time of the transfer.
If bank does not allow tbls typc of payment, then you achieve
almost the same rcsult simply increasing month1y payments 10% or
making one additional payment every year.

19-9:

....u
....
~
....u

Biweekly Payments Advantage

30 Years
$100,000 Loan
MonthIy Payments

30 Years
$100,000 Loan
Biweekly Payments

<1}

Payment

off
time
(years)

Total

Savings

$216,000

$300

24.4

$190,200

$25,800

$632

$227,520

$316

24.0

$197,500

$30,020

7.0%

$665

$239,400

$333

23.5

$203,490

$35,910

7.5%

$700

$252,000

$350

23.1

$210,350

$41,650

8.0%

$734

$264,240

$367

22.7

$216,530

$47,710

8.5%

$769

$276,840

$385

22.2

$221,472

$55,368

9.0%

$805

$289,800

$403

21.7

$227,010

$62,790

9.5%

$841

$302,760

$421

21.2

$232,116

$70,644

]0.0%

$878

$316,080

$439

20.8

$237,499

$78,581

10.5%

$915

$329,400

$458

20.2

$240,645

$88,755

11.0%

$952

$342,720

$476

19.9

$246,092

$96,628

11.5%

$990

$356,400

$495

19.4

$249,480

$106,920

12.0%

$1,029

$370,440

$515

18.8

$251,076

$119,364

::

Payment

Total

6.0%

$600

6.5%

841

,
, , .

.
,

26

50% .
13

. 30-

5.5

6%

(biweek/y).

IO : 1, ne npo, 6CIPee r ornee

cyecreee ot . ()qJJIee amro
, , , ooer ', ,
aroamec ew . ' oomo

, ro Moer ~ maeIYJeyea
,

10%,

.
m. aJ'e

.I9-9:
1-<
:I:

::r

..

1:

30

):S:

=
~

$100,000

30

$100,000

()

6.0%

$600

$216,000

$300

24.4

$190,200

$25,800

6.5%

$632

$227,520

$316

24.0

$197,500

$30,020

7.0%

$665

$239,400

$333

23.5

$203,490

$35,910

7.5%

$700

$252,000

$350

23.1

$210,350

$41,650

8.0%

$734

$264,240

$367

22.7

$216,530

$47,710

8.5%

$769

$276,840

$385

22.2

$221,472

$55,368

9.0%

$805

$289,800

$403

21.7

$227,010

$62,790

9.5%

$841

$302,760

$421

21.2

$232,116

$70,644

10.0%

$878

$316,080

$439

20.8

$237,499

$78,581

10.5%

$915

$329,400

$458

20.2

$240,645

$88,755

11.0%

$952

$342,720

$476

19.9

$246,092

$96,628

11.5%

$990

$356,400

$495

19.4

$249,480

$106,920

12.0%

$1,029

$370,440

$515

18.8

$251,076

$119,364

842

Buying and Selling

19.1.2. Government-Assisted Loans and special programs

Several federal programs assist families with moderate and low incomes
who want to purchase homes. of them is program of the Rural Development section of the United States Department of Agriculture. he Rural Housing Service (RS), fonnerly known as Fanner's Administration
(FmA), implements the program through many regional offices.
his program allows families who lack sufficient income for regular
mortgage to receivc favorable loan tenns to purchase, build, or renovate
house. he detailed infonnation about this program can obtained from
your 10l office of the Rural Housing Service or its web site at
www.rurdev.usda.gov. following is listing ofRS programs described at
http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhs/lndividual/ind_splash.htm.
"Direct Loan Program (Section 502) Under thc Direct Loan program, individuals or families rcceive direct financial assistance
directly from thc Rural Housing Service in the fonn of 10an
at an affordable intcrest rate. Most of the loans made undcr the Direct
Loan Program are to families with income below 80% of the median
income ll in the communities where they live. Direct 10ans
made for the purchase of an existing or for new construction" (RS).
loan amount to 100% of the house market price, which
eliminates the need for the down payent and minimizes closing costs. hese
10ans are available to people who wi1l not qualify for conventional 1 but
afford monthly payents and acceptable credit history. tenns of
the 10ans can to 33 or 38 years for people with very 10w income.
Monthly payents are usually limited to 22-26% of the wr's inm,
which is achieved through the govemment subsidizing the interest rate. hcre
are some limitations the size, 10cation, and price of the houses these 10ans
can used for. also must comply with ut building codes.
"Loan Guarantee Program (Section 502) Under thc Guaranteed L
program, the Rural Housing Service guarantees 10ans made private
sector lenders. ( loan guarantee through RS means that, should the
individual wr default the loan, RHS will the private fin
cier for the 10an.) hc individual works with the private lender and
makes his or her payments to that lender. Under the terms of the ro
gram, an individual or fami1y m borrow to 100% of the appraised
l of the , which eliminates the need for down payment Since
common air to owning for m low-income l is the
lack ffi.ds to make down paymcnt, the avai1ability ofthe l guarantees ftom RS makes the reality of owning availablc to

19.1.1.

843

n..

l .

mp

(United States Department 01 Agricu/ture, Rura/ Deve/opment). , Rural Housing Service RHS, Faner's Administration
(FmHA), .

, .
RS
I

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov.

http://www.rurdev.usda.gov/rhslIndividual/ind_splash.htm.
"Direct Loan Program (Sect;on 502) -

Rura/ Housing Service. ,

80% ,

.
" (RS).
, ,

100%

(down payment),

(c/osing costs)

33

38

22-26%

. ,

, ,
.

"Loan Guarantee Program (Section 502) rn

Rural Housing Service ,

( )
mam , are
orep. rn ,

100% ,
(down payment),

,
,

Buying and Selling

844

larger percentage of population. Eligibility for this program is the

as for mentioned . he only difference is that recipient's
income should not exceed 115% of the median income level.
sa

Mutual Self-Help Housing rogram (Section 523) The Mutual SelfHelp Housing Program makes homes affordable enabling future
owners to work homes themselves h qualified applicant is required
to complete 65% of the woIk to build his or her own . Groups of
enrollees in the Self-Help Progra woIk under supervision of professiona1s. Members of gro help woIk othet's homes, ving in
only when the homes are completed. On accepted into the Self-Help
Housing Program, individual enrollee generally applies for SingleFamily Housing Direct Loan (Section 502) but the 10an amount will
significant1y smaller in comparison with conventiona1 construction.
Repair and Preservation (Section 5(4) The om Repair Loan and
Grant Program offers loans and grants for renovation for very low income
families who own homes in ofrepair and also provides fimds to ak
om accessible to someone with disabilities. provided, for
l, to repair leaking roo!; to replace wood stove with central heating; to construct fiunt-door rm for someone using wheelchair; or to
replace an outhouse and up with nmning water, throo, and waste
disposal system. Homeowners 62 ers and older are ligI1e for
improvement grants. Other 10w income families and individuals receive
loans at 1% interest rate directly ftom Ral Housing Service.
Rental Assistance Program (Section 521) Rental Assistance Program
ensures that 10w-income residents of multi-family housing complexes
financed Rural Housing Service are able to afford rent payments. With
the l of the Rental Assistance Program, qua1ified applicant pays
more than Io ofhis or her income for housing" (RS).

In large cities and industrial centers, The .s. Department .! Housing

and n Deve/opment or HUD (the same organization that operates subsidized apartments described in an earlier chapter) helps low-income families
housing.
his department was created in 1965, during the tenure ofpresident Lyndon . Johnson, combining various federal organizations. HUD is responsible for national housing policy, as well as developing programs and building
standards, and it also enforces those laws. It distributes federal funds for reviving economic activity in poor neighborhoods, repairs old and builds new housing for 10w income people, and so .

845

pacI1pOC1p8e l
. are ,

, JI ,

115%

11.

Mutual Self-Help Housing Program (Section 523) -

, ,
,
.

65%

.
IIlaTX .
,
, ,

Repair and Preservation (Section 504) -

,
.
,
, .

62 , 1% Rural Housing Service.

RetoJ ssJmc program (Section 521) -

rpa are

ooapmpx ,

Rural Housing Service,

aprp aro. . , JI

mrr

300/0 " (RS).

(he

ment /Housing and n Deve/opment UD).

1965

u.S. Depart

,
.

HUD

, ,
,

Buying and Selling

846
"he

primary programs administered UD include:

Mortgage and 1 insurance through the Federal Housing Administration (or so-called FHA insured /oans that allow to house
without down payment, - author's note);

Community Deve/opent Block Grants (CDBG) to l communities with

i development, job opportunities d housing rehabilitation;

Investment Partnership Act block grants to dcvelop and support affordable housing for 10w-income residents;

Rental assistance in the form of Section 8 certificates or vouchers for

10w inm households;
Public or subsidized housing for 10w-income individuals d families;
Homeless assistance provided through 10l communities and faithbased d other nonprofit organizations;
Fair housing ic education and enforcement" (UD).
Receiving subsidized 1an or reduction of 1an payments during financial1y difficult times is indisputably blessing for families with 10w income,
but it also has negative side. As you could see from the table above, the bal of the 10 decreases very slowly in the first years of payments. In eight
years, only about 10% ofa 30-year 10an is repaid, cven with regular payments.
But if the 10 is for 38 years or payments are not made in full, this process
moves even slower or the lan could even increase.
Some l mistakenly believe that they an 1ive in house bought
with subsidized 10 whi1e their income is low, and, when their finances
improve, they drop the house and another using conventionalloan.
This trick does not work. If you only make partia1 payments, everything that
remains unpaid is considered as your debt, so it tum out that five to ten
years later will end owing significantly more than when you took out
the 1. If the property value has not increased the unpaid amount, then
will forced to cover the difference ifyou want to change your residence.
his is virtually impossible for 1. It is especially sad in cases wherc
the interest rate has decreased substantially over time, but cannot refinance
the 10 because the 10 amount exceeds the market value of the property.
With this information in hand, ask yourself question before using
subsidized program: do want to live in this l for the rest of your 1ife?

847

" ,

HUD,

Federal Housing Administration (

insured loans,
- . );

FA

Community Development lock Grants (CDBG) -

,
;

Investment

Partnership Act block grants -

(8- );

,
;

"

(HUD).

ar . , ,

ClO .

10%

ar,

38

30

, ar

, ocaroK .
, ,

5-1

, .
, ,
, . ,

. ,

.
, , :
?

Buying and Selling

848

19.1.3.

Refinancing

he

economic situation in the un varies with time, and 1an interest

rates are sensitive indicator of these changes. If you took out loan when the
interest rate was high, and it subsequently went down, you an take out new
1an with 10wer interest and off the old , which saves you 10t of
reducing your payments or allowing you to repay the loan quicker.
Of course, make sure that your 1an agreement does not contain penalties for
repaying your loan early.
Because new 1an means new initial expenses, you need to know how
soon these expenses will paid off and whether it even makes sense to refi. he lower these costs, the 10wer the difference between the old and the
new mortgage interest rate for you to reap benefits. Usually, refinancing loan is worth the hassle if mortgage interest rates drop minimum of 12%, but certain other conditions must met, such as:
The market value of the property should exeeed the amount of the
required 1;
You are not planning to sell the property in the near future.
Banks do not grant 10ans that exeeed the market value of the purchase.
herefore, if you took out the initial loan at high interest rate and made
unsuccessful capital investment (i.e. the eost of the property has fallen), you
won 't to refinance it until you have paid off enough of the 1 that its
lan is less than the property's market value.
Rfanig 1an at 10wer interest rate allows reducing monthly
ments, but since refinancing expenses an significant, it will take time to
make up for them. If you 10wered your monthly payments $100 and spent
$1,800 refinancing, you'll need to live in the house for minimum of 18
months for the refinancing to for itself. If you have to sell the house before
then, it would more favorable to eontinue paying the old 1an.

19.2. Homeownership
Living in your wn house is eertainly better than renting an apartment,
but you must ready for additional expenses and work - which were previously your landlord's duties - to keep the house and yard in good condition.
Self-respeeting Americans demonstrate enviable diligence and persistenee in
maintaining their homes and trying to "keep up with the Joneses;" therefore,
most middle-class neighborhoods appear prosperous and well-groomed. in-

19.1.3.

849

I<D: rya crpa ,

eIC yr aropo 1 . JIJI MOMer, 8 '
, 1 ,1' oere J
acm , I1I

ro

I>

ro

n:

ecIe}'

I<D.

eerc, ro ocyrc upa

.

,
, .
,

. , ,

1-2%,

, :

ocr ;

, ocr

. , , I<DIa

amrra (ocr ),
, are ,

, ocr .

,
MOryr , , .

Ie

$1,800,

$100,

18

, , .

, .

19.2.

, , , ,

" , ", ,
, .
,

Buying and Sel1ing

850

tenance expenses primarily depend thc age of the house, the building materials used, and the size of the lot.
1f the house was built recently, in the first years it won't require lot of
upkeep other than nnl hcating system maintenance, and most of your e:fforts
and expenses w go towards landscaping the property. house, even if its
10t is tiny, has neatly trimmed lawn, and in the suburbs or rural areas, the
lawn could hundreds of square mctcrs. keep it in good condition, '1l
need to mow it at least week, fertilize it several times during the summer, and water it during dry weather. Other yard work w include caring for
flowers, bushes, and trees in the summer; raking lcaves in the faH; and snow
removal in the winter. Even without considering the accompanying expenses,
this adds to significant amount of work that is pleasure for some people
and burdcn to others.
house is several years old, 'll need to do regular cosmetic repairs
and paint every f to six years if the house has painted siding. Older houses can
rcquire replacing their heating system, electrical wiring, or other work.
houses in the US have individual septic systems consisting of
concrete septic tank that collects solid waste and water drainage network
(leach jie/d) made of perforated pipes laid underground and covering significant area with good drainage. septic tank requircs pumping every scveral
years, depending its size and usage, which is determined the number of
residents. Pumping costs couple hundred dollars. But if septic tank overflows, and solid waste gets into pipes and blocks them, repair cost $5,00015,000.
examples above are far from comprehensive list of ownership concerns. are mentioned here only to direct the readers' attention to
the "other side of the coin," particularly since thc majority of immigrants from
the Soviet Union lived their whole lives in apartments, and only those who had
dachas imagine what any of this is about.

19.3.

equity loao or of credit

If wn house, the portion of the cost that has repaid is called

Equity and serve as collateral for loan. There are two types of
10ans that use real estate equity as collateral: Equity Loan and
Equity n 01 Credit. With both types of loans the financial institution making
the loan gains rights to the property ifthe contract's conditions are not met.
Equity Loan is loan taken out for certain period of time and
paid o:ff in equal monthly instal1ments, similar to mortgage payments discussed
above. For this reason Equity Loans are frequently called second mort-

851

ar .

, ,

,
,

. , ,
,

.
, ,
.

, ,
, ,

,
.

,
,

4-6

( m).
.
,

(septic tank)

(1each field),

).

. , ,

$5,000-15,000.

,
, ,

IIo

, , .

19.3.

, ,
,

Equity,

, :

Equity Loan

Equity Line

Credit.

, ,
.

Equity Loan - ,

, (),
. lO

(second

852

Buying and Selling

gages. The interest these 10ans is often fixed for the life of the 10an and usull bit higher than market rates for first mortgages made at the same time.
Equity n 01 Credit is similar to credit card but, because the
10an has collateral and the creditor's risk is not very high, interest these
loans is 10wer than credit card. In most cases this interest is variable
and tied to fil index - for example,prime rate +1.5% - and thus
tuates with the index.
The possessor of this type of credit borrow any amount within the
limit at any moment and can it off at any time. l usually access their
credit lines with special checkbook that differs from standard checkbook in
that there is set minimum amount for check, for l $200. Mandatory monthly payments minimal and cover only accumulating interest
or small portion ofthe principal.
Both types of equity 10ans are great financial tools, enabling to use
capital investments, but should careful using them. It is best to
borrow money this way to remodel kitchen, build garage, or tk another
project to increase property's value. Think hard before borrowing money
for vacation. Many l use these 10ans to off other debts, such as
credit cards, car 10ans, and so . But ifthey don't change the spending habits
that put them in debt in the first l, they have high of 10sing their
homes.
One of the most important purposes of establishing Equity Line
01 Credit is to have cushion in case of unexpected expenses. It is recommended to have enough savings to cover f to six month of living expenses
in case of job 10ss, but not everyone afford that. the other hand, it does
not k much sense to keep several thousand dollars in saving account with
1-3% annual return while paying 7-9% the unpaid portion ofa mortgage.
It is much better to use this money for 10 repayment and to establish
equity line of credit that can used only when absolutely necessary, to help
survive difficult times ifthey arrive. However, should think about this
in advance because ank wi11 give credit line if arc unemployed.
But as long as comply with contract, nobody wi11 check once the
credit is established.
large percentage of small businesses are financed at the beginning
these 10ans. In these cases it's vital to estimate rea1istically the degree of risk
and, if necessary, to stop before it's too late.
equity 10an terms, like car loans, vary from bank to ank so
should shop around to compare possibilities, as was described earlier. in
mind that banks consider only 75-90% ofthe property rnarket value when they
calculate the possible arnount of equity loan.

mortgage).

853

, ,

m , ,

l ( m).

Equity Line

Credit -

pe11I8 JII :m

peI apre, I<DJIY aarc /1

re .,

l'O ,

: . Il11Ie l erc ,
I<3I>MY-l'O aare (,rime ate

+1.5%) erc .

.
, ,

$200.

, .
, ,
, .
,

.
, ,

, ,

ll

. , ,
, .

Equity Line o/Crdit erc

~ pel .

I<Derc

4-6

, aI<D MOryr . ,
epar ecRD ceperre

mm

7-90/0 .

1-3%

1 em I ~ , I<DOpO
lC , epeI1 .
OaI<D oaorrc , OCI<DJIY orpoer

per, epaom, ro
peI8, DJI OJnl .

.
.

,
,

75-90%

JX

~ .

854

Buying and Selling

19.4. Selling real estate

Although the question of real estate sales probably isn't very relevant
during the fst years in the country, should have general understanding
ofthe process. As mentioned earlier, houses sold directly their owners or through real estate agencies. Although brokers receive significant
amounts of - 4-8% of sale price - most real estate is sold through brokers.
he property owner signs contract with an agency, and the agency
agrees to advertise and show the house (or apartment or piece of land) to
potential buyers, negotiate behalf of the owncr, prepare necessary documents, and coordinate the sales process. Only when the property has successfu11y sold does the agency receive the commission. When the housing
market is saturated, this isn't as easy job as it might seem. In an cases,
when the owner needs to somewhere else before or she has had time
to sell the house, services of intermediary are the only solution. Even if
broker works hard, it sometimes takes months to sell. Since the owner must
the mortgage during this time, the commission wi11 not seem so high ifthe
broker helps reduce the time it takes to sell the property.
As in any other business, some brokers are true professionals and others
are utterly worth1ess. should stipulate conditions under which the contract
canceled, for example, after six or twelve months. However, broker
claim commission even after cancellation of the contract if the owner
scHs the house to buyer that the broker originally brought in.
In some cases, when the owner has free time, is not limited dead1ines,
and the property is in good condition and located in desirable area, it's possi to seH it without involving broker. At the very least, though, it's good
idea to flfSt acquire some knowledge of the real estate business. here is network of companies throughout the country that, for reasonable fee, conduct
classes for interested persons and supply forms of necessary documents.
hey also publish advertising booklets with titles such as Real Estate
Owner, in which owners place ads. find the company nearest u, check
the lntemet site www.fsbonetwork.com or look for booklets at local supermarket.
property owner ask for lower price when selling without
intermediary because or she won 't need to commission, which can
speed u the process significantly. Or might ask and receive the full price if
there's reason to hurry. For house priced in the range of $100,000200,000, the difference could u to $7,000-15,000.

855

19.4.

, . ,

(4-8%

),

(
) ,

. ,
, . ,
,

, .

, . ,

, .

. ,
, ,

12

. ,

,
.

, , ,
, ,

, , ,
. ,

Real Estate

Owner

www/'ibonetwork.com

.
,
, ,

, ,
.

$7,000 -15,000.

$100,000 - 200,000,

856

Services

20. Services

In this chapter we'lI discuss few of the most important types of services that nearly everybody necds to use from their vcry first days in the country. You'1I1eam about the rest your own, as other needs arise.

20.1. US Postal service

July 1, 1971, the Post Office Department was transfonned into the
United States Postal Service, govemment organization that support itselfwith the
revenue it generates. he organization is controlled an ll- rd of
Govemors. Nine members (the Govemors) appointed the President, with the
advice and consent of the Senate. nine Govemors appoint the Postmaster Genrl, who is the chief exccutive officer of the Postal Service, and these 1 l
select the Deputy Postmaster General. An independent Postal Rate Commission
recommends postal rates for adoption thc Govemors.
The United States Postal Service claims its Intemet site that it is the
largest in the world. It has about 750,000 employees and delivers more than
200 l1i pieces of mail , representing more than 40% of the world's
card and letter mail volume. Most Americans rated their overaH satisfaction
with the Postal Service as excellent, very good or good (www.usps.com).
And this is definitely true. The Postal Service not only delivers mail, it
also offers services not available in other countries. You an send practically
anything mail as long as it's not dangerous harmful. And the speed of
delivery in some cases is simply amazing: you can send letter across thc
whole country with guarantee for delivery noon the next day. You find
complete inf11tin what services available at post offices or the
Intemet at www.usps.co. We wil1 review here only the most basic services.
prices are given as of the end of 2002.

 yr

857

20.

rn
,

. ,
.

20.1.
1

1971

, ,
.
,

11

(Postmaster General)

. Or
.

8 ,
.

200,000,000,000

750,000

40%

(www.usps.com).

. ,
, .
, , ,

www.usps.com.

2002 .

Services

858

The three most popular kinds of delivery differ significantly cost and
speed of delivery:

Express is the fastest service. It offers guaranteed delivery later

than the second day 365 days year, including weekends and holidays. In
most cases it will delivered noon the next day. Mailing should weight
more than 70 pounds or 31.75 kg. and have combined length and girth ofno
more than 108 inches or 274 .

20-1:

Weigbt

Express Mail Rates for Post i to Addressee Service

Pounds

1/2

10

grams

227

907

1360

1814

2267

2721

3175

3628

4082

4535

Rate$

13.65 17.85 21.05 24.20 27.30 30.40 33.45 34.75 36.20 37.50

Source: U.S.Postal Service

Postal Service supp1ies mailing containers (envelopes, boxes, and

tubes) and the necessary mailing labels at charge. Merchandise is automati insured to $500 against 10ss or damage, an, for an extra fee, additional insurance purchased up to $5,000. Every package has unique
tracking number. You can locate your mailing at any time the USPS web
site or calling Customer Service at 1-800-222-1811.
Do not confuse the Express Mail service of the US Postal Service with the
FedEx Express service of the commercial company FedEx Corporation, that
provides fast package delivery in the US and in man other countries. Also, an
abbreviation UPS belongs to another commercial delivery company United Par! Service /m, Inc., and the postal service's abbreviation is USPS.

Priority Mail guarantees second day delivery in most cases. The package weight and size limits are the same as for the Express , but the price is
significantly lower. Priority il rates up to 5 pounds are shown in 20-2.
here is special table for calculating the rate for packages heavier than 1
pound based weight and distance.

20-2:

Weight

Priority Mail Rates for Post to Addressee Service

Pounds
grams

Rate$

453

907

1360

1814

2267

3.85

3.95-5.75

4.75-8.55

5.30-10.55

5.85-12.55

Source: U.S.Postal Service

859

,
:

Expre.~.~ ;'

, , .

70
108" 274 .

$
:

12:00 15:00.

31.75

+ )

mpec r ampa roro ar

.20-1:

1/2

10

227

907

1360

1814

2267

2721

3175

3628

4082

4535

13.65 17.85 21.05 24.20 27.30 30.40 33.45 34.75 36.20 37.50

U.S. Postal Service

,
, . ,

$500

$5000.

222-1811

FedEx Express

1-800-

(Customer Service).

Express Mail

FedEx Corporation,

United Parcel Service

UPS

, ~

Priority Mail-

/ America.

Inc..

USPS.

2-

. JI ,

JI
' . .

20-2

np

. ompa ,

, , .
.20-2:

r ar ororo areJIJI

453

907

1360

1814

2267

3.85

3.95-5.75

4.75-8.55

5.30-10.55

5.85-12.55

U.S. Postal Service

860

Services

Express Mail, as well as Priority Mail, has Flat-Rate Envelope. An

mount of material that fits into the envelope mailed at the regular 1pound rate regardless of the weight of the material in the envelope.
First-Class Mllil is mostly used for cards, letters, and packages.
mailings must weigh less than 13 ounces or 368 grams, and have dimensions
within the following limits: not less than 5" 3.5" 0.007" or 127 mm 89 mm
0.18 mm and not more than 108" or 274 in length + girth (distance
around the thickest part of the package).
Card rate is $0.23 if the card size meets the following standards:
Minimum:

5" 3.5"

0.007" or 127 mm 89 mm 0.18 mm

Maximum: 6" 4.25" 0.016" or 152 mm 108 mm 0.4 mm

Letter rate is $0.37 for the first un (28g) and $0.23 for additional
un if the letter meets the following standards:
Minimum:

5" 3.5"

0.007" or 127 89 mm 0.18 mm

Maximum: 11.5" 6.125" 0.25" or 292 mm 155 6.3 mm

First-Class Rates for Post to Addressee Service

20-3:

Oun

gram

28

56

85

113

141

170

198

RateS
S:

226 255

10

11

12

13

283

311

340

368

0.37 0.60 0.83 1.06 1.29 1.52 1.75 1.98 2.21 2.44 2.67 2.90 3.l3

U.S.Posta1 Service

he proportion of length to width for letters and postcards should in

the range of 1.3 to 2.5. If an item doesn't fit these guidelines, it must sorted
hand, so the sender pays small additional fee.

The postal Service provides other services as well. some of1hem are listed below:
Certijicllte /Ilng is receipt showing evidence of mai1ing. he
certificate does not provide proof of delivery.
Certijied Il provides proof of mailing and delivery, and record of
delivery is maintained the Postal Service.

Co1led Delivery (COD) service is used when the sender wants to collect
payment for merchandise and/or postage when the merchandise ordered
the addressee is delivered. The amount should under $1,000.

Express

861
aiJ,

Priority

ail ep1L, orope

aarc F/aJ-Rte Envelope. rx epro, 1

1I0, cro ompa er cro1 OClI

ar

1 .

First-Cltlss il- ,
. 13 368 ,

. m

5" 3.5" 0.007"

127 89 0.18 108" 274 ( + ).
- $0.21 ,

, .

: 5" 3.5"

0.007" 127 89 0.18

6" 4.25" 0.016" 152 108 0.4

$0.23

(28

$0.34

. ,

, .

: 5" 3.5"

.20-3:
t)

0.007" 127 89 0.18

11.5" 6.125" 0.25" 292 155 6.3

28

56

85

113

141

170

198 226 255

10

11

283

311

12

13

340 368

$ 0.37 0.60 0.83 1.06 1.29 1.52 1.75 1.98 2.21 2.44 2.67 2.90 3.13

U.S. Postal Service

1.3 2.5. ,

, .

Certijicate [ang -

, er,

, repaer

Certijied MaiI- omp,

crper amo .

Delivety (COD)

ara , er aemo

oyr , leJl.

aerc
.

$1,000. er

862

Services

Insured Mai/ provides coverage against 10ss or damage. You

purchase insurance coverage up to $5,000 but not more than the
value the item being mailed.

Order You can buy domestic and intemational orders

at 1l post offices in amounts up to $700.

Registered Mai/ is the most secure service option offered for valuable and important mail. he sender gets receipt and the Postal Service logs the information about mailing and delivery.
Restricted Delivery ms that the sender's mail is delivered only to
specific addressee or to someone authorized in writing to receive
for the addressee.
Return Receipt is the sender's proof of de1ivery. he retum receipt
shows who signed for the item and the date that it was de1ivered.
Unless prohibited law, the retum receipt also provides the de1ivery
address if the address the piece is longer correct.
Specill/ HadlinK - for fragi1e and other sensitive items.

ensure that your mail is delivered as quickly as possible, you should

properly indicate the recipient's address. Here is the standard format for writing addresses in the U.S.:

Recipient's (andlor , if ).
Recipient's street address, post number, rural route number
and number, or highway contract route number and number.
Recipient's city, state, and ZIP Code or ZIP+4, if known.

.
~I Reclpient's !
..-_ _ _~ "'ichaellvanov
...--_ _ _ _. . . ,
ISreet number ~123 Main Street, Apt. 45/1 Apartment number!
Boston, 12345-6789

~a

he recipient's

4J

ZIP

ZIP extension

address is usua11y written in the center ofthe envelope, but

a1so written at the bottom right or ttom left, The sender's address is written in
the upper left-band comer or sometimes the other side ofthe envelope, the flap.

863

lnsured Mail- ll,

.

$5,000 n

ney Order

$7()()

13 .

Registered Mail-
OIpa. Ompre II,

Restricted Delivery -

emo.

Retum Receipt -

, , ora ar,
or

Specilll HandJing -

or orp.

, Heoropx

mp ,
.
:

r ( )
, , ; ro ;

r .

, ,

- ( )

EJ.

~I I
-----~ ~Michael Ivanov
--------,
I 1~123 Main Street, Apt. 45/1
Boston, 12345-6789

g.....,(ZI)

oyare mp oepra,

n . ornpa
yrny, ra pm I<Oepra ( ).

Services

864

It's very important to indicate the full and exact street nam and type when writing the recipient's ddress. This is because in the U.S., there are very often s1reets, lanes,
roads, and avenues with identica1 names that can differentiated only indicating,
for example, that the recipient lives on ocean Street, not ocean Avenue. Table 20-4
gives list ofthe most ftequently enltered abbreviations used in addresse.
he entire United States is divided into zones that are assigned five-digit
postal indexes called Z/P Codes. hese codes sd to post office
branches and are used to sort the machines. Despite the fact that
write ZIP Codes hand and place the address into arbitrary place the
envelope, scanning equipment can recognize them.

20-4:

Abbreviations Used in Addressing

Street

Avenue

PKWY

Parkway

BLVD

Boulevard

PL

CR

Center

PLZ

Plaza

CIR

Circle

RDG

Ridge

Court

Road

DR

Drive

RD
SQ

Expressway

ST

Street

HTS

Heights

STA

Station

WY

Highway

ER

Terrace

IS

Island

TRL

Trai1

JCT

Junction

Turnpike

LK

Lake

VLY

11

LN

Lane

WAY

Way

MN

Mountain

Square

Housing

Apartment

Room

STE

Suite
Direction

North

NE

Northeast

East

NW

Northwest

South

SE

Southeast

West

SW

Southwest

Source: U.S. Postal Service.

865

ar , ! .
, , ,
, , ,

. .

20-4

865

acro

, .

, rr
,

Z/P

od ( ). JDIIOC

aro
. , re ,
, .

.20-4:

Avenue

PKWY

Parkway

BLVD

PL
PLZ

Place

CR

Boulevard
Center

Plaza

J erp

CIR

Circle

RDG

Ridge

()

RD

Road

DR

Court
Drive

SQ

Square

Expressway

. .

ST

Street

HTS

. .

STA
TER

Station

WY

Heights
Highway

IS

Island

RL

Trail

JCT

Junction

ara

LK
LN

Lake
Lane

VLY

Turnpike
Valley

WAY

Way

MN

Mountain

JI

APr
RM
STE

Apartment

Room

Suite

NE

Northeast

North
East

NW

Northwest

South

SE

Southeast

West

SW

Southwest

-I

U.S. Postal Service.

Services

866
he

names of U.S. states and titris have two-letter abbreviations,

listed in the table below, that should written just before the ZIP Code.

20-5:

State Abbreviations
Nebraska

Alaska
American Samoa

NE
NV
NH

AR

Arizona
Arkansas

Nevada
New Hampshire

NJ

New Jersey

Ca1ifomia

NM

NewMexico

NY

NewYork

Colorado
Connecticut

NC

North Caro1ina

DE

Delaware

ND

North Dakota

DC

District of Columbia

Northem Mariana Islands

FM

Federated States ofMicronesia

Ohio

FL

Florida

Oklahoma

GA

Georgia

OR

Oregon

GU

Guam

PW

Palau

m
m

Hawaii

Pennsylvania

Idaho

PR

Puerto Rico

IL

Illinois

RI

Rhode Island

IN

Indiana

SC

South Carolina

IA

Iowa

SD

South Dakota

KS

Kansas

Tennessee

Kentucky

Texas

LA

Louisiana

UT

Utah

Maine

Vermont

Marshall Islands

Virginia

Maryland

Virgin Islands, US

Massachusetts

WA

Washington

Michigan

wv

West Virginia

Minnesota

WI

Wisconsin

MS

Mississippi

WY

Wyoming

issouri

Armed Forces the Americas

tan

Armed Forces Europe

Armed Forces

AS
AZ

Source: U.S. Postal Service.

867

20-5:

Alaska

NE

Nebraska

AS

American Samoa

NV

Nevada

AZ

Arizona

New Hampshire

AR

Arkansas

NJ

New Jersey

Califomia

NM

NewMexico

Colorado

NY

NcwYork

Connecticut

NC

North Caro1ina

DE

Delaware

ND

North Dakota

DC

District of Columbia

Northem Mariana Islands

FM

Federated States of Micronesia

FL

Florida

Oklahoma

Georgia

OR

Oregon

GU

Guam

PW

Hawaii

Pennsylvania

ID

Idaho

PR

Puerto Rico

IL

Illinois

RI

Rhode Island

IN

Indiana

SC

South

IA

Iowa

SD

South Dakota

KS

Kansas

Tennessee

Kentucky

Texas

LA

Louisiana

UT

Utah

Maine

Vermont

Marshall Islands

Virginia

Maryland

Virgin Islands, US

Massachusetts

WA

Washington

Micblgan

wv

West irgini

Minnesota

WI

Wisconsin

MS

Mississippi

WY

Wyoming

Missouri

Armed Forces the Americas

Montana

Armed Forces

Armed Forces Pacific

U.S. Postal Service.

868

Services

Because post office branches are 10cated in densely populated

places and process huge quantities of mai1, additional set of codes was created that enabIes mail to sorted right down to the street, exact bui1ding, or
even the organization in the building. This is done with the l of hyphen
and four additional digits that are written after the ZIP Code. It's not mandatory to use the extra numbers, but it helps speed delivery.
According to www.usps.com, about 17% of the population moves from
l to another each year. When clients request it, the postal service wil1
forward their mai1 to their new addresses for certain amount of time, to
year. do this, should get the Mover s Guide booklet, which contains
the necessary forms, from your mai1 carrier or post . It's best to take care
of this in advance of moving.

20.2. Laundry and dry cleaning

Laundering clothes and linens is completely automated and 10nger
heavy burden in the U.S., but it is also not exclusively women's work.
work is reduced to loading laundry into washing that does everything from washing to rinsing and squeezing out excess water. he wet laundry
is loaded into dryer and then completely ready in approximately hour. If
it is taken out of the dryer hot and immediately folded or hung coat
hanger, laundry, for the most part, does not require ironing. Even are to
these tasks - take equal part in weekly laundry chores.
As rule, people living in their wn homes have washing and drying
machines installed in their basements or in speciallaundry rooms. l who
rent usually use the landlord 's facilities, 10cated in the same building, or go to
self-service laundries (also called laundromats or coin-operated laundries).
There are huge numbers of these scattered throughout the country, quite often
located near supermarkets or shopping centers, so clients 10ad their laundry
into the washing machine or dryer and then go shopping, thus saving time.
other advantage of1aundromats is that - un1ike landlord's laundry with only
few small washers - can simultaneously 10ad as many washers or dryers as
need and save more time. The cost of services in these laundries is very
moderate and affordabIe for everybody. Washing and drying for family of
four is about $10-15 ifyou bring your own detergent instead ofbuying it from
vending machines 10cated at the laundromat.

Americans are so used to the availabi/ity / coin laundries that they have
hard tie understanding that things different in other places. 1

869

m,
,

, .

(ZlP code).

, .

www.usps.com,

17%

. ,

( ).

, Mover~

Guide

( ),

. .

20.2.

, .

,
, .
.

,
. ,
.

, , r
ycaonee ore

"" mare

(/aund!y rr). , ,

ama,

6,

I<DOpx

crpae. arac

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amy ,

MOryr 011Ip8C , .

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1-3

6 anma,
cym, m .

Cro . Crp

06

$12-15,

np

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924

About Numbers

23. About Numbers

Fortunately for , humankind uses uniform number system, so when

moving to another country, there is need to leam arithmetic again. However,
not everything is as simple as we might like. Besides number system, there is
also measurement system that defines what units are used to measure various
physical parameters, such as length, area, speed, temperature, and the .
It is unfortunate for immigrants who from countries with the metric system that the U.S. is the l industrialized country without laws enforcing the use of the metric system as the uniform standard. he metric system is
used l infrequently, together with the archaic English system. his complicates situation that is already somewhat difficult for beginners, if
they don 't need to use measurements at work. Everything is based the
accepted measurement system: clothing and footwear sizes, recipes, weather
forecasts, product packaging, and other things.
In this chapter find conversions - from the metric system to the
English system and vice versa - that are most frequently used in daily 1ife.

23.1. Numericals
As mentioned in the beginning of the book and seen throughout this text,
decimal fractions are separated from whole numbers periods, and hundreds
are separated from thousands commas. If figures with decimal points are
less than 1, quite often the preceding is omitted, and the numeral begins with
period: for example, 0.56 written as .56 in texts or technical drawings. When writing the digit 1 Americans write 1, and they rarely use horizontal when writing 7 (not 1).

925

23.

,
, , .
,

, , , ,

, , .
,

, ,
,

.
II
, -
uJO , :

, , ,
.

23.1.

,
, ,

.56

1,

( 1 ).

0.56

About Numbers

926
Numerals

23-1:

Ordinal.f

Cardinals

zero

one

1st

first

two

2nd

second

three

3rd

third

four

4th

fourth

five

5th

fifth

six

6th

sixth

seven

7th

seventh

eight

8th

eighth

nin

9th

ninth

10

ten

10th

tenth

11

eleven

11th

eleventh

12

twelve

12th

twelfth

13

thirteen

13th

thirteenth

14

fourteen

14th

fourteenth

15

fifteen

15th

fifteenth

16

sixteen

16th

sixteenth

17

seventeen

17th

seventeenth

18

eighteen

18th

eighteenth

19

nineteen

19th

nineteenth

20

twenty

20th

twentieth

21

twenty-one

21st

twenty-fust

22

twenty-two

22nd

twenty-second

23

twenty-three

23rd

twenty-third

30

thirty

30th

thirtieth

40

forty

40th

fortieth

50

fifty

50th

fiftieth

60

sixty

60th

sixtieth

70

seventy

70th

seventieth

80

eighty

80th

eightieth

90

ninety

90th

ninetieth

100

uned

l00th

hundredth

200

twohundred

200th

two hundredth

300

three hundred

300th

three hundredth

400

four hundred

400th

four hundredth

500

500th

five hundredth

zero

hundred

.23-1:

927

JlO

(Cardinals)

(Ordina/s)

zero

1st

f1fSt

2nd

second

three

3rd

third

4th

fourth

five

JI

5th

fifth

Jl

six

6th

sixth

sev

7th

seventh

eight

8th

eighth

ninc

CBJl

9th

ninth

JI

10

ten

10th

tcnth

Jl

11

eleven

lJth

eleventh

12

twelve

12th

twelfth

13

thirteen

13th

thirtth

14

[t

14th

fourteenth

15

fifteen

Jl

15th

fifteenth

Jl

16

sixteen

16th

sixteenth

17

seventeen

17th

seventeenth

18

eighteen

18th

eighteenth

19

ninctccn

eJIaa

19th

nineteenth

20

twenty

20th

twentieth

21

twenty-one

21st

twenty-first

aar

22

twenty-two

22nd

twenty-second

23

twenty-three

23

twenty-third

30

thirty

30th

thirtieth

40

forty

40th

fortieth

50

fifty

nJl

50th

fiftieth

JlJI

60

sixty

60th

sixtieth

70

seventy

Jl

70th

seventieth

Jl

80

eighty

80th

eightieth

90

ninety

eBJlOCO

90th

ninetieth

JI

zero

two

100 hundred

100th

hundredth

200 two hundred

200th

two hundredth

300 three uned

th

three hundredth

400th

four hundredth

Jl

500th

five hundredth

400

[ uned

500 fivehundred

928

About Numbers

23-1:

Numerals

600

six hundred

600th

six hundredth

700

seven hundred

700th

seven hundredth

800

eight hundred

800th

eight hundredth

900

nine hundred

900th

nin

1000

loo0th

thousand

1000000

million

1000000000

hundredth

thousandth

1000oo0th

mlith

1 000 000 Oooth billionth

In texts, numbers less than twenty are often spelled out as words, rather
than represented numerals. In conversation, four-digit number is presented as two-digit number followed "hundred," for example, the numeral
1,200 is pronounced as twelve hundred, instead of one thousand two hundred.
he numeral 1,561 is pronounced as fifteen hundred and sixty n. he
numeral 50,161 is pronounced as fifty thousand n hundred and sixty n.

23.2. Time
Time in the U.S. is, in most cases, indicated using twelve-hour scale.
he first half of the day, from midnight to noon, is designated adding the
letters .., an abbreviation ofthe Latin ante meridiem, meaning "until noon."
second half of the day, from noon to midnight, is designated adding
.., an abbreviation of the Latin post meridiem, "after noon."
Talking about the hours from 12:00 until 1:00 is the greatest difficulty
for l unaccustomed to this system. he problem is that the system doesn 't
include designation of "zero" time, i.e. 00:00. he day begins at midnight,
where 11:59 .. is followed 12:00 .., then 12:30 .., 12:59 .., 1:00
.., and so until noon. hen, 11 :59 .. is followed 12:00 .., then
12:30 .., 12:59 .., 1:00 .., and so .
hus, if plane departs at 11 :59 p.m., that's before midnight, but if it's
12:01 .., that's right after oon. Simple, isn't it? This was very difficult for personally, and even now 1 am afraid to ak mistakes with times in these intervals.
he 24- scale that is traditional for many of us is used in the U.S.
military and is knwn here as military time. When discussing time using this
system, four-digit numerals are used, for example, 16:00 would pronounced
as sixteen hundred hours, and 02:40 is called zero two hundredforty hours.
he teitry ofthe U.S., not including Alaska and Hawaii, occupies four time
zones with the narnes Eastern Tl11Ie, Central m, Mountain m, and Pacific m.
Time in the West coast's Pacific m zo (California, Oregon, and Washington) is
three hs behind the East coast's Eastern me zo (from in to Florida).

.23-1:

929

600

six hundred

600th

six hundredth

700

seven hundred

700th

seven hundredth

800

eight hundred

800th

eight hundredth

900

nin

900th

in

1000

l000th

hundred

thousand

million

1000000

1000000000 billion

hundredth

lOOOOOOth

thousandth
mil1ionth

1 000 000 OOOth billionth

, ,

, ,

1,200 (twelve hundred), , 1,561

(fn hundred sixty n). 50,161
KaKfifty thousand n hundred and sixty n.

23.2.

12- .

..,

ante

eridie ( ),

, , ..,

JIJI

JIJI

, ..

00:00

post meridiem ( ).

12:00 1:00. , ""

11 :59

12:00 , 12:30 ,
12:59 , 1:00 , 11 :59 12:00
, 12:30 , 12:59 , 1:00 .
, 11 :59 , 1'0 ,
12:01 , 1'0 . , pma ?
1, , I<DIa acaerc 1 rep.
JIJI 24-
i/itary

time ( ).

, ,

16:00

sixteen hundred hours ( ),

02:40 zero hundredforty hours ( ).

I
, :

tain

Eastern

n,

Central n,

7im, 7im. n (Jl,

, )
( ) .

Eastern

7i

930

About Numbers

time of departure and arrival of planes is indicated tickets and

schedules in the 10cal time ofthe place ofarrival or departure, ratherthan using
standard time.
When writing dates in the U.S., it is standard to indicate the month, then
the day, and then the year. For example, the date 06-12-01 means June 12,
2001, not December 6, 2001.

23.3.

dol1ar is the monetary unit ofthe u.s. he dollar contains 100 cents.
Face values of coin and l1 denominations that are utl in circulation are
listed below.

ins:

1 cent

1~

$0.01

nn

5 cents

5~

$0.05

nickel

10 cents

10~

$0.10

dime

25 cents

25~

$0.25

quarter

half dol1ar

50~

$0.50

halfdol1ar

100~

$1.00

dollar

dollar
Bil1s:
1 do11ar

$1.00

2 dollars

$2.00

5 dol1ars

$5.00

10 dol1ars

$10.00

20 dol1ars

$20.00

50 do11ars

$50.00

100 dollars

$100.00

One-cent coins, also known as pennies, are made of copper 110, but
11 other coins are made ofnickel. On1y coins made ofnickel are used in vending machines. Since the majority ofprices in the U.S. end with .99, pennies are
widely used and collect rather quickly in pockets and wallets. people
save them in coin boxes; they have full , they pack pennies into
paper ro11s that hold 100 coins each and bring them to the ank. You can buy
coin rol1s in the office supply departments of stores.

931

,
.

, ,
. ,

2001

06-12-01

12 2001

23.3.

100

. , .
:

lt

$0.01

nn

5t

$0.05

nickel

10

10t

$0.10

dime

25

25t

$0.25

quarter

50t

$0.50

halJdollar

100t

$1.00

dollar

$1.00

$2.00

$5.00

$10.00

20

$20.00

50

$50.00

100

$100.00

"" ,

.99,

100 .
.

About Numbers

932

In stores wil1 often see containers with pennies next to s registers.

he pennies were left other buyers and do not belong to the store. If are
short or two cents, tk them ftom the . If you are handed
some pennies as change, d don't need them, an drop them in.
It should also mentioned that the five-cent coin, called "nickel," is
larger than the 10-cent coin, the "dime." But the nickel is smaller th the 25cent in, which is cal1ed "quarter." Further, the half-dollar coin is larger than
the dol1ar in. Two-dol1ar bi11s are very seldom seen in circulation.

23.4.

measurement system

With due respect to technological progress in the U.S., it should

noted that when it comes to the measurement system, the country is in the 19th
century, not the 20th. Even now distances are measured in inches, feet, yards, and
mi1es. Weight is measured in ounces and pounds, and volume is measured in
quarts, gaHons, inches, or feet, as it was in the old English system.
he homeland of this system, Great Britain, had enacted laws forbidding to
use the old units when it integrated into the European Union. Punishments were
established for violators, and 1 remember reading in newspaper that salesman
the first victim of the new law when sold ananas to customer in
pounds instead ofkilograms. he customer happened to an undercover .
As for America, having working in the technical field for these years, 1
have never across an mention of future government lans for making
complete transition to the metric system. Because intemational integration
demands it, the t system is used together with the English system, adding to
the confusion. Some technical drawings are made in t units, others in inches.
Some drawings include both. electrical and lctroni components are made in
two versions, for example, with 2.5 mm pitch and with 0.1" (0.1 inches) pitch,
which equals 2.54 mm. Designers must convert parameters from system to
another the ti, causing numerous mistakes. he best-known example ofthese
mistakes occurred at NASA, where part of project was carried out with t
system calculations, while another part used the English system. spacecraft was
10st as result of the inconsistencies. he spacecraft cost hundreds of millions of
dollars and was supposed to land the surface of Mars.
In 1975 the U.S. Congress enacted the Metric Conversion ! 0/1975
and founded special counci1, the .s. Metric Board, to develop transition
program and coordinate reform of the measurement system. counci1 's recommendations were nonbinding and not supported legislation, so they were
generally ignored. In 1982 the council was abolished.

933

. ,

yn.

1-2

, , ,
.

, 5- ""
, 10- "", 25- ,

, .

23.4.

, ,
: ,

xrx.

, , ;
,

, ,

, .

,
, . ,

ro , are
. u.

, I> m ro,
1 aRD llOro 1
rocy . rerpa

er, eIp arnI>, OJ

er . epre nOJlC eIp , -
, . . rp I>ry

roa amax:

2.5

0.1" (0.1

) =

2.54

. ocro napaeyp
pyI}', ro opoaer .
.

NASA,

1I> cre,

I>Ia m ra
arnI>. rn1

orep I<DC I<Dpa 1 C011Dt JlO ompo, Iop

rc 1 .

, OJa

1975 , Metric Conversion ! 0/1975 ( cre)

u.s. Metric Board, rp
. I>

,
.

1982 .

934

About Numbers

more attempt was made in 1988 to recover the process of introducing the metric system. Provisions included in the Omnibus Trade and Competitiveness Act of 1988 stated that the metric system is preferable for trade and
commerce in thc U.S. This legislation required federal agencies, with only rare
exceptions, to use the metric system in their activity; however, the private sector was not subject to legislative regulation. As it happens, the misunderstanding with the space tlight to Mars ud at the junction of the private
industrial sector and the federal agency NASA.
fair, it should noted that, taking the size ofthe American
into account, it would cost great deal for the whole country to switch to the
metric system. There is politician ready to risk his position and try to move
this issue forward. Th American measurement system has tumed into proverbial Russian suitcase without handle, that is "too heavy to , too precious to
drop." Th nl area benefiting m the presence of two measurement systems
is the tool industry - practically everybody has to have two sets of tools.
Whether you want to or not, you will need to leam this intricate measurement system, something you quite probably never had to deal with before. Th
problem is that mostly English units are used in everyday life. Product weight
is measured in pounds, building materials in feet, gasoline in gallons, and so
. Though metric equivalents are indicated the majority of packages alongside English units, this is not always the case. In ini, the most simple
and effective method for quick translation m system to system is to establish
approximate ratios between the most frequently used units of the t and
English systems.
In daily life it is enough to remember that:
1" )

1 inch is about 2.5 centimeters;

l' (foot)

1 foot - about 30 centimeters;

10sq.ft.

1 square feet - about 1 square meter;

1 l (pound)

1 pound - slightly less than 0.5 ki1ogram;

loz.

1 un - about 30 grams;

1 gal

1 gallon - slightly less than 4 liters;

1 mile

1 mile is about 1.5 kilometers;

1 meter

lmeter is about 3.3 feet;

1 kilogram

1 kilogram is slightly more than 2 pounds;

1 liter

1 liter is slightly more than 0.25 gallon;

1 kilometer

1 kilometer is about 0.62 mile.

1988

935

ClllA

NASA.

,
, ,
.

, " ,

". , , ,

ro , rc ary
, uropo , , . ,

: arn .
yro , CIpO arep ,

3J . m yaD arn

erp l, CeIa.
r ro
, m, 1I coor ,
CIpCa erpI<O aJm1I<O .
, :

1" (inch)

l' (foot)

1 -

10 sq. ft

1 1 .

1 lb (pound)

1 -

1 oz

1 - 30 ;

1 gal

1 -

1 mile

1 meter

1 3.3 ;

1 kilogram

1 - , 2 ;

1 iter

1 - , 0.25

1 kilometer

1 - 0.62 .

2.5

30 ;

0.5

4 ;

1.5 ;

.;

936

About Numbers

Converting temperature from the Fahrenheit scale to Celsius is 1ittle bit

more difficult, but in due course you wi11 simply get used to perceiving it without conversion. For simplicity you should remember few values:

Very low temperature

- 18
Water's freezing point

Room temperature

- 40

40 F

oOC=32 0 F
20 = 70 F

=98

Human body temperature

36.6

Water's boiling point

100 = 212 F

Those who need to k exact calculations for work or school w need

to use conversion tables until they r sufficiently comfortable with the two
systems. Shown below r the basic ltis between English and metric
system units:

23.4.1. Length
1 inch = 2.54 .
1 foot = 12 inches = 30.48 .
1 yard = 3 feet = 91.44 .
1 mile = 1,760 yards = 1,609.344 meters = 1.609344 kilometers.
inch is the basic measurement unit, and mechanical drawings, for
example, r made in inches. However, portions of an inch represented
either with decimals or simple fractions.
Decimal fractions r used in fields where blgh ur is required. In
this s, dimension is shown in inches with hundredths, thousandths, or even
blgher precision, for l, 2.365 inches. In traditional industries,
where accuracy is limited to tenth of millimeter, very often simple fractions

with denominator equa12X are used, for example, 2 1/2,25/16,233/64, and so

. It takes 10t of practice to read dimension f1uently in this format. Try to tell
(without thinking too much) which is larger: 25/8 or 239/64, and how much.
But this is sti1l not the worst of it. In construction, dimensions r specified in
feet, but ftactions offeet r expressed in inches and fractions ofinches. It looks
like this:

937

IIIUIY
HecI<oJI< ,

. mrr HecI<oJI< .

- 40 = _40F

_ 18 = F

= 32F
20 = 70 F

36.6 = 98F

100 = 212F

,
, arc 1 , I<a
. COOIm
. , er .

23.4.1.

1 = 2.54
1 = 12 = 30.48
1 = 3 = 91.44
1 = 1,760 = 1,609.344 = 1.609344
,

, , .

an : .

.
, (,

inches).

2.365

2 (, 21/2,25/16,233/64 ).
.

, , , : 2 5/8 2 39/64 .
. ,

:

938

About Numbers

5' 2 1/2" (5 feet 2.5 inches) = (5 * 12 + 2.5) * 2.54 = 158.75

or
7' 8 1/4" (7 feet 8.25 inches) = (7 * 12 + 8.25) * 2.54 = 234.315 .
l bom and raised in cmmtries with the metric system, this initially
look like nsense that's impossibIe to understand Look at this as trip into the past
On example when will have to use the EngHsh system for measig length
is your height. Hair color, color. height and weight are shown in driver's cense,
where height is specified in feet and inches, and weight in 1ds. In this case ftctins
of inch are not used. Correlations ofheight in English and metric systems are shown
in Table 23-2.

23-2:

Height in English and Metric systems

Height

Height

Height

Height

3'
3'1"
3'2"
3'3"
3'4"
3'5"
3'6"
3'7"
3'8"
3'9"
3'10"
3'11"

91
94
97
99
102
104
107
109
112
114
117
119

4'
4'1"
4'2"
4'3"
4'4"
4'5"
4'6"
4'7"
4'8"
4'9"
4'10"
4'11"

122
124
127
130
132
135
137
140
142
145
147
150

5'
5'1"
5'2"
5'3"
5'4"
5'5"
5'6"
5'7"
5'8"
5'9"
5'10"
5'11"

152
155
157
160
163
165
168
170
173
175
178
180

6'
6'1"
6'2"
6'3"
6'4"
6'5"
6'6"
6'7"
6'8"
6'9"
6'10"
6'11"

183
185
188
191
193
196
198
201
203
206
208
211

23.4.2. Area
1 square in

1 sq. inch = 6.4516 sq.

1 square foot

1 sq. foot = 144 sq. inches = 929.0304 sq. .

1 square yard

1 sq. yard = 9 sq. feet = 8361.2736 sq. .

1 acre

1 acre =43,561 sq. feet = 4,047 sq. . = 0.4 tres.

1 square mi1e

1 sq. mile = 640 acres = 2.590 sq. meters

939

5' 2 1/2" (5 2.5 ) = (5

* 12 + 2.5) * 2.54 = 158.75

8 1/4" (7 8.25 ) = (7

* 12 + 8.25) * 2.54 = 234.315 .

, ,

. .

,
, WJ .

, , WJ, ,

. . .

23-2

.23-2:

3'
3'1"
3'2"
3'3"
3'4"
3'5"
3'6"
3'7"
3'8"
3'9"
3'10"
3'11"

91
94
97
99
102
104
107
109
112
114
117
119

4'
4'1"
4'2"
4'3"
4'4"
4'5"
4'6"
4'7"
4'8"
4'9"
4'10"
4'11"

122
124
127
130
132
135
137
140
142
145
147
150

5'
5'1"
5'2"
5'3"
5'4"
5'5"
5'6"
5'7"
5'8"
5'9"
5'10"
5'11"

152
155
157
160
163
165
168
170
173
175
178
180

6'
6'1"
6'2"
6'3"
6'4"
6'5"
6'6"
6'7"
6'8"
6'9"
6'10"
6'11"

183
185
188
191
193
196
198
201
203
206
208
211

23.4.2.

1 square inch

1 . = 6.4516 .

1 square foot

1 .

= 144 . = 929.0304 .

1 square yard

1 .

= 9 . = 8361.2736 .

1 acre

1 = 43,561

1 square mile

= 4,047 . = 0.4 .
1 . = 640 = 2.590 .
.

940

About Numbers

Square feet are used most often in daily life. living space of houses
and apartments, as well as building materials, is measured in square feet. As
we already mentioned, 10 sq. ft. is approximately equal to square meter (it's
0.929 sq. m. to exact), so it's easy enough to convert in this case. Land is
usually measured in acres. If you remember that one acre is about 0.4 hectare,
it is not difficult to convert quickly to the metric system.

23.4.3. Volume
1 fluid ounce (fl.oz)

1 fluid ounce = 29.57 .

1 cup

1 cup = 8 ounces = 0.236 litcrs.

1 pint

1 pint = 0.4732 liters.

1 quart (qt.)

1 quart = 2 pints = 0.9464 liters.

1 gallon (gal.)

1 gallon = 4 quarts = 8 pints = 3.7851iters.

1 inch (.in)

1 inch = 16.39 .

1 foot (cu.ft.)

1 cubic foot = 1728 cubic inches = 28.32 liters.

1 cubicyard(cu.yd.)

1 cubicyard=27 cubic feet = 0.7646 cu. meters.

he

majority ofliquid food products are distributed in packages of 1 gallon, 0.5 gallons, 1 quart, and so . Practical1y ll perfumes and cosmetics are
distributed in bottles with the volume indicated in liquid ounces.

23.4.4. Weight
Because many goods are made large companies that seH worldwide,
including in countries using the metric system, it is not uncommon to see product weights expressed in ounces and pounds as well as in grams and kilograms.
However, prices for goods that are sold weight are shown per pound.
1 ounce (oz.)

1 ounce = 28.349 grams

1 pound (#,l) 1 pound = 453.59 grams = 0.454 kilograms.

1 ton

1 ton = 2240 pounds = 1 16 ki10grams = 1.016 ton

(metric)

As we already mentioned , body weight is usually expressed in

pounds, therefore use Table 23-3 page 942 for conversion. will
need it when get your driver's license.

941

10
- 0.929

.
.

),

.
. ,

40

23.4.3.

06

1 fluid ounce (fl.oz)

1 = 29.57 .

1 cup

1 = 8 = 0.236

1 pint

1 = 0.4732

1 quart(qt.)

1 = 2 = 0.9464 .

1 gallon (gal.)

1 = 4 = 8 = 3.785

1 cubic inch (cu.inch)

1 . = 16.39 .

1 cubic foot (cu.ft.)

1 .

1 cubic yard (cu.yd.)

1 .

1728 .

= 28.32

= 27 . = 0.7646 .

0.5

1 ,

. -

my OCIX .

23.4.4.

, ,
,
,

1 ounce (oz)

1 = 28.349

1 pound (#, lb)

1 = 453.59 = 0.454

1 ton

1 OI = 2240 =

1016=

1.016 (.)

, ,

23-3

943

942

About Numbers

23-3:

Lb

Kg

Pounds and ilograms Equivalencies

Lb

Kg

Lb

Kg

Lb

Kg

Lb

Kg

Lb

Kg

40

18.1

70

31.8

100 45.4

130

59.0

160

72.6

190

86.2

41

18.6

71

32.2

131

59.4

161

73.0

191

86.6

42

19.1

72

32.7

101 45.8
102 46.3

132

59.9

162

73.5

192

87.1

43

19.5

73

33.1

133

60.3

163

73.9

193

87.5

44

20.0

74

33.6

103 46.7
104 47.2

134

60.8

164

74.4

194

88.0

45

20.4

75

34.0

105 47.6

135

61.2

165

74.8

195

88.5

46

20.9

76

34.5

136

61.7

166

75.3

196

88.9

47

21.3

77

34.9

106 48.1
107 48.5

137

62.1

167

75.7

197

89.4

48

21.8

78

35.4

138

62.6

168

76.2

198

89.8

49

22.2

79

35.8

108 49.0
109 49.4

139

63.0

169

76.7

50

22.7

80

36.3

110 49.9

140

63.5

170

77.1

199 90.3
200 90.7

51

23.1

81

36.7

111

50.3

141

64.0

171

77.6

201

91.2

52

23.6

82

37.2

112 50.8

142

64.4

172

78.0

202

91.6

53

24.0

83

37.6

143

64.9

173

78.5

203

92.1

54

24.5

84

38.1

113 51.3
114 51.7

144

65.3

174

78.9

204 92.5

55

24.9

85

38.6

145

65.8

175

79.4

205 93.0

56

25.4

86

39.0

115 52.2
116 52.6

146

66.2

176

79.8

57

25.9

87

39.5

117 53.1

147

66.7

177

80.3

206 93.4
207 93.9

58

26.3

88

39.9

148

67.1

178

80.7

59

26.8

89

40.4

118 53.5
119 54.0

60

27.2

90

40.8

61

27.7

91

62

28.1

63

208 94.3
209 94.8

120

149 67.6 179 81.2

54.4 150 68.0 180 81.6

210

95.3

41.3

121

54.9

151

68.5

181

82.1

211

95.7

92

41.7

122

55.3

152

68.9

182

82.6

212

96.2

28.6

93

42.2

123

55.8

153

69.4

183

83.0

213

96.6

64

29.0

94

42.6

124

56.2

154

69.9

184

83.5

214

97.1

65

29.5

95

43.1

125

56.7

155

70.3

185

83.9

215

97.5

66

29.9

96

43.5

126

57.2

156

70.8

186

84.4

216

98.0

67

30.4

97

44.0

127

57.6

157

71.2

187

84.8

217

98.4

68

30.8

98

44.5

128

58.1

158

71.7

188

85.3

218

98.9

69

31.3

99

44.9

129

58.5

159

72.1

189

85.7

219

99.3

23-3:

40

18.1

41

18.6

42

19.1

43

19.5

44

20.0

45

20.4

46

20.9

47

21.3

48

21.8

49

22.2

50

22.7

51

23.1

52

23.6

53

24.0

54

24.5

55

24.9

56

25.4

57

25.9

58

26.3

59

26.8

60

27.2

61

27.7

62

28.1

63

28.6

64

29.0

65

29.5

66

29.9

67

30.4

68

30.8

69

31.3

943

llrp

70
71
72
73
74
75
76
77
78
79
80
81
82
83
84
85
86
87
88
89
90
91
92
93
94
95
96
97
98
99

67.6

160
161
162
163
164
165
166
167
168
169
170
171
172
173
174
175
176
177
178
179

150

68.0

180

81.6

210

95.3

54.9

151

68.5

181

82.1

211

95.7

122

55.3

152

68.9

182

82.6

212

96.2

42.2

123

55.8

153

69.4

183

83.0

213

96.6

42.6

124

56.2

154

69.9

184

83.5

214

97.1

43.1

125

56.7

155

70.3

185

83.9

215

97.5

43.5

126

57.2

156

70.8

186

84.4

216

98.0

44.0

127

57.6

157

71.2

187

84.8

217

98.4

44.5

128

58.1

158

71.7

188

85.3

218

98.9

44.9

129

58.5

159

72.1

189

85.7

219

99.3

31.8

100 45.4

32.2

101

32.7

102 46.3

33.1

103 46.7

33.6

104 47.2

34.0

105 47.6

34.5

106 48.1

34.9

107 48.5

35.4

108 49.0

35.8

109 49.4

36.3

110 49.9

36.7

111

37.2

112 50.8

37.6

113 51.3

38.1

114 51.7

38.6

115 52.2

39.0

116 52.6

39.5

117 53.1

39.9

118 53.5

40.4

119 54.0

40.8

120

54.4

41.3

121

41.7

45.8

50.3

130
131
132
133
134
135
136
137
138
139
140
141
142
143
144
145
146
147
148
149

59.0
59.4
59.9
60.3
60.8
61.2
61.7
62.1
62.6
63.0
63.5
64.0
64.4
64.9
65.3
65.8
66.2
66.7
67.1

190
73.0 191
73.5 192
73.9 193
74.4 194
74.8 195
75.3 196
75.7 197
76.2 198
76.7 199
200
77.1
77.6 201
78.0 202
203
78.5
78.9 204
205
79.4
206
79.8
207
80.3
208
80.7
81.2 209

72.6

86.2
86.6
87.1
87.5
88.0
88.5
88.9
89.4
89.8
90.3
90.7
91.2
91.6
92.1
92.5
93.0
93.4
93.9
94.3
94.8

944

About Numbers

23.4.5. Temperature
In most everyday situations Americans use the Fahrenheit scale to
sure temperature. Besides weather forecasts where the temperature is indicated
in Fahrenheit only, you will find that 11 thermostats in houses and apartments,
as wel1 as thermometers in kitchen ovens, r calibrated the sae way. Ifyou
brought cookbook with you and want to k your favorite cake, you should
convert the temperature in the recipe so it's in sync with the thermometer in
your oven; otherwise you risk ruining your cake.

23-4:

Oven Temperature Equivalencies

Description

Farenheit

Celsius

Cool

200F

900

VerySlow

250F

120

/150-160

Moderately Slow

!300-325F
325-350F

Moderate

350-375F

180-1900

Moderately Hot

375-400F

190-2000

Hot

200-2300

VeryHot

400-450F
450-5000F

Extremely Hot

more than 5000F

more than 2600

/S/ow

'60-1800

230-2600

Source: NatlOnallnstltute of Standards and Technology

You make exact conversion of temperature values from Fahrenheit to Celsius (and back) using the formulas given below or 48.

= (OF - 32) 5/9

F = 9/5) + 32

Temperature in degrees Celsius:

Temperature in degrees Farenheit:

Celsius and Farenheit Temperature Equivalencies

23-5:

Degrees

Degrees

Degrees

Degrees

Degrees

Degrees

-40

-40.0

80
81

176.0
177.8

160

320.0

104.0
105.8

248.0

-38.2

40
41

120

-39

32.0
33.8

121

249.8

161

321.8

-38

-36.4

35.6

42

107.6

251.6

162

323.6

-34.6

37.4

43

109.4

179.6
181.4

122

-37

82
83

-32.8

39.2

44

111.2

84

164

325.4
327.2

-35

-31.0

41.0

45

113.0

85

183.2
185.0

253.4
255.2

163

-36

123
124
125

257.0

165

329.0

945

23.4.5.

08

, ,
,

, ,

, .

.23-4:

2000F

90

250F

120

300-325F

150-1600

325-350F

160-1800

350-375F

180-190 0

llO

375-4000F

190-2000

400-4500F

200-2300

450-500F

230-2600

2600

500F

Source: Nabonal Instltute of Standards and Technology

= (Of - 32) * 5/9

F = ( * 9/5) + 32

.23-5:

of

of

of

-40

-40.0

32.0

40

104.0

80

176.0

120

248.0

160

320.0

-39

-38.2

33.8

41

105.8

81

177.8

121

249.8

161

321.8

-38

-36.4

35.6

42

107.6

82

179.6

122

251.6

162

323.6

-37

-34.6

37.4

43

109.4

83

181.4

123

253.4

163

325.4

-36

-32.8

39.2

44

111.2

84

183.2

124

255.2

164

327.2

-35

-31.0

41.0

45

113.0

85

185.0

125

257.0

165

329.0

About Numbers

946

23-5:
F

Celsius and Farenheit Temperature Equivaleneies

-34

-29.2

42.8

46

114.8

86

186.8

126

258.8

166

330.8

-33

-27.4

44.6

47

116.6

87

188.6

127

260.6

167

332.6

-32

-25.6

46.4

48

118.4

88

190.4

128

262.4

168

334.4

-31

-23.8

48.2

49

120.2

89

192.2

129

264.2

169

336.2

-30

-22.0

10

50.0

50

122.0

90

194.0

130

266.0

170

338.0

-29

-20.2

11

51.8

51

123.8

91

195.8

131

267.8

171

339.8

-28

-18.4

12

53.6

52

125.6

92

197.6

132

269.6

172

341.6

-27

-16.6

13

55.4

53

127.4

93

199.4

133

271.4

173

343.4

-26

-14.8

14

57.2

54

129.2

94

201.2

134

273.2

174

345.2

-25

-13.0

15

59.0

55

131.0

95

203.0

135

275.0

175

347.0

-24

-11.2

16

60.8

56

132.8

96

204.8

136

276.8

176

348.8

-23

-9.4

17

62.6

57

134.6

97

206.6

137

278.6

177

350.6

-22

-7.6

18

64.4

58

136.4

98

208.4

138

280.4

178

352.4

-21

-5.8

19

66.2

59

138.2

99

210.2

139

282.2

179

354.2

-20

-4.0

20

68.0

60

140.0

100

212.0

140

284.0

180

356.0

-19

-2.2

21

69.8

61

141.8

101

213.8

141

285.8

181

357.8

-18

-0.4

22

71.6

62

143.6

102

215.6

142

287.6

182

359.6

-17

1.4

23

73.4

63

145.4

103

217.4

143

289.4

183

361.4

-16

3.2

24

75.2

64

147.2

104

219.2

144

291.2

184

363.2

-15

5.0

25

77.0

65

149.0

105

221.0

145

293.0

185

365.0

-14

6.8

26

78.8

66

150.8

106

222.8

146

294.8

186

366.8

-13

8.6

27

80.6

67

152.6

107

224.6

147

296.6

187

368.6

-12

10.4

28

82.4

68

154.4

108

226.4

148

298.4

188

370.4

-11

12.2

29

84.2

69

156.2

109

228.2

149

300.2

189

372.2

-10

14.0

30

86.0

70

158.0

110

230.0

150

302.0

190

374.0

-9

15.8

31

87.8

71

159.8

111

231.8

151

303.8

191

375.8

-8

17.6

32

89.6

72

161.6

112

233.6

152

305.6

192

377.6

-7

19.4

33

91.4

73

163.4

113

235.4

153

307.4

193

379.4

-6

21.2

34

93.2

74

165.2

114

237.2

154

309.2

194

381.2

-5

23.0

35

95.0

75

167.0

115

239.0

155

311.0

195

383.0

-4

24.8

36

96.8

76

168.8

116

240.8

156

312.8

196

384.8

-3

26.6

37

98.6

77

170.6

117

242.6

157

314.6

197

386.6

-2

28.4

38

100.4

78

172.4

118

244.4

158

316.4

198

388.4

-1

30.2

39

102.2

79

174.2

119

246.2

159

318.2

199

390.2

23-5:
F

947

-34

-29.2

42.8

46

114.8

86

186.8

126

258.8

166

330.8

-33

-27.4

44.6

47

116.6

87

188.6

127

260.6

167

332.6

-32

-25.6

46.4

48

118.4

88

190.4

128

262.4

168

334.4

-31

-23.8

48.2

49

120.2

89

192.2

129

264.2

169

336.2

-30

-22.0

10

50.0

50

122.0

90

194.0

130

266.0

170

338.0

-29

-20.2

11

51.8

51

123.8

91

195.8

131

267.8

171

339.8

-28

-18.4

12

53.6

52

125.6

92

197.6

132

269.6

172

341.6

-27

-16.6

13

55.4

53

127.4

93

199.4

133

271.4

173

343.4

-26

-14.8

14

57.2

54

129.2

94

201.2

134

273.2

174

345.2

-25

-13.0

15

59.0

55

131.0

95

203.0

135

275.0

175

347.0

-24

-11.2

16

60.8

56

132.8

96

204.8

136

276.8

176

348.8

-23

-9.4

17

62.6

57

134.6

97

206.6

137

278.6

177

350.6

-22

-7.6

18

64.4

58

136.4

98

208.4

138

280.4

178

352.4

-21

-5.8

19

66.2

59

138.2

99

210.2

139

282.2

179

354.2

-20

-4.0

20

68.0

60

140.0

100

212.0

140

284.0

180

356.0

-19

-2.2

21

69.8

61

141.8

101

213.8

141

285.8

181

357.8

-18

-0.4

22

71.6

62

143.6

102

215.6

142

287.6

182

359.6

-17

1.4

23

73.4

63

145.4

103

217.4

143

289.4

183

361.4

-16

3.2

24

75.2

64

147.2

104

219.2

144

291.2

184

363.2

-15

5.0

25

77.0

65

149.0

105

221.0

145

293.0

185

365.0

-14

6.8

26

78.8

66

150.8

106

222.8

146

294.8

186

366.8

-13

8.6

27

80.6

67

152.6

107

224.6

147

296.6

187

368.6

-12

10.4

28

82.4

68

154.4

108

226.4

148

298.4

188

370.4

-11

12.2

29

84.2

69

156.2

109

228.2

149

300.2

189

372.2

-10

14.0

30

86.0

70

158.0

110

230.0

150

302.0

190

374.0

-9

15.8

31

87.8

71

159.8

111

231.8

151

303.8

191

375.8

-8

17.6

32

89.6

72

161.6

112

233.6

152

305.6

192

377.6

-7

19.4

33

91.4

73

163.4

113

235.4

153

307.4

193

379.4

-6

21.2

34

93.2

74

165.2

114

237.2

154

309.2

194

381.2

-5

23.0

35

95.0

75

167.0

115

239.0

155

311.0

195

383.0

-4

24.8

36

96.8

76

168.8

116

240.8

156

312.8

196

384.8

-3

26.6

37

98.6

77

170.6

117

242.6

157

314.6

197

386.6

-2

28.4

38

100.4

78

172.4

118

244.4

158

316.4

198

388.4

-1

30.2

39

102.2

79

174.2

119

246.2

159

318.2

199

390.2

About Numbers

948

23.5. Clothing and shoe sizes

he system ofsizes for clothing and footwear in tbe u.s. differs in an
respects from tbe standards accepted , other countries. Not only are most
measurements made in inches, but there is also correlation between 's
and women 's sizes, let alone cblldren 's sizes. First few visits to stores
rather tiring because will need to use trial and error to determine your own
size, tbough have known it for 10ng time. This is even harder for those
who to the u.s. for short first visits with purchase orders from loved
ones and friends.
In tbls chapter will find size conversion tables for the most m
clotng items for , women and cblldren. 1 should note that variations in
sizing m manufacturer to manufacturer - as well as differences in measurement units - make it practically impossible to make an exact conversion of
sizes. Different sources give different tables, an of wblch are very far from
reality. he tables presented below are compilation of data from numerous
sources and do not claim to absolutely accurate.

23.5.1. Men's clothing

he

sizes of men's clothes are relatively easy to convert because in most

cases they are based the physical dimensions of tbe body, even though they
are expressed in incbes.
he majority of modem casual clothes are made in several sizes.
Approximate sizes, designated letters of the Roman alphabet, several exact sizes into one. hese items include t-shirts, casual shirts. casual
pants. and underwear. correspondence of tbese approximate sizes to pbysical body dimensions is shown below.

'5

23-6:

Clothing Sizes
Small

Medium

Large

Size
Chest
Waist

Large

Extra Extra
Large

XL

XXL,2XL

inches

35-37

38-40

41-43

44-46

47-49

89-94

97-102

104-109

112-117

120-125

inches

28-30

31-33

34-36

37-39

40-42

71-76

79-84

86-91

94-99

102-107

23.5.

949

I,

. ,

, ~
, .

,
. ~ ,
.

~ , . ,

, . ~

23.5.1.

CBO~M

. ,
, ~ .

.
.23-6:

Sma11

Medium

Large

Extra
Large

Extra tr
Large

XL

XXL,2XL

35-37

38-40

41-43

44-46

47-49

89-94

97-102

104-109

112-117

120-125

28-30

31-33

34-36

37-39

40-42

71-76

79-84

86-91

94-99

102-107

950

About Numbers

23.5.1.1. Suits, overcoats, sweaters

In the U.S., the sizes ofmen's suits and coats are detennined chest
measurement, taken in inches, under the ns and around the body. contrast, clothing size in Russia is indicated as half of that same measurement,
expressed in centimeters.

Men's Suit and Overcoat Sizes

23-7:

USA

34

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

Russia

44

46

48

50

52-54

54-56

58

60

62

64

Japan

--

--

54

LL

23.5.1.2. Shirts
Men's dress shirt sizes in the U.S., as in other countries, are detennined
collar size. only difference is that the measurement is made in inches,
rather than in centimeters. If know your metric size, can easily l
late it in inches, dividing it 2.54. However, since one American size is
equal to 0.5 inches (or 1.27 as opposed to 1 , as in Russia and Europe),
will need to round the size or down.
Shirt sizes also include sleeve length, expressed in inches and varying
from 32 to 36 inches. 32-inch sleeve is the shortest; 36 inches is the longest.
measure sleeve length, the palm of the hand should placed the ; the
measurement extends from the middle of the back of the neck, across the
shoulder to the elbow and down to the wrist.

Men's Shirt Sizes

23-8:

USA

14

141/2

15

15 1/2

16

161/2

17

171/2

18

181/2

36

37

38

39/40

41

42

43

44

45

46

Russia,
Europe,
Japan

23.5.1.3. Pants, Jeans

Sizes for men's pants and jeans are indicated two numbers, for example,
32 32 or 32 30. Th first number indicates the waist size (waist), expressed in
inches, without fractions. he second number is the length from the crotch seam to

951

, ,

23.5.1.1.

, ,
,
.

.23-7:

34

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

44

46

48

50

52-54

54-56

58

60

62

64

--

--

LL

54

23.5.1.2.

(Dress Shirts),

, , .
, ,

0.5

2.54.

1.27

1 ,

Il ,

32 36 .

(sleeve length)

, .
l-y ,
.23-8:
,

36 -

32

4- .

14

141/2

15

15 1/2

16

16 1/2

17

171/2

18

181/2

36

37

38

39/40

41

42

43

44

45

46

.
,
,

23.5.1.3.

, ,

(waist),

32 32 32 30.
- nsm),

( ).

About Numbers

952

the bottom hem ofthe pants (inseam), also in inches. For each waist size there are
severallengths. Since these are real dimensions based body measurements, they
little ftom manufter to manufacturer, so if you've determined size
, it's not difficult to buy pants without trying them . Trousers sold as part of
suit are usually sold unhemmed, so they include only waist size measurement.

23-9:

n'!

Pant Sizes

USA

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

46

Russia

48

50

52

52-54

54-56

58

60

62

64

()

76

81

86

91

96

102

107

112

117

48

50

122

127

23.5.1.4. Hats
he

sizes of men's hats in the U.S. are determined their diameters,

expressed in inches with fractions, as if the hat formed an ideal circle. The size
calculated measuring the circumference of your head and dividing
that figure , which equals 3.14.
ln Russia and Europe, man's hat size is determined the circumfer of the head expressed in centimeters.

23-10:

USA
,

Russia

n'!

Hat Sizes

65/8

63/4

6 7/8

71/8

71/4

73/8

7 1/2

7 5/8

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

23.5.2. Women's clothing

The sizes ofwomen's clothing are much more difficult to understand and
remember. There are several groups of sizes, depending height and body
type. he clothes sizes for women under 5'4" are marked as sizes, average women as Misses sizes, and fu-figurd women as Women ssizes.
Women's casual clothes, like men's, are made in several sizes, so
approximate sizes combine several exact sizes into and are designated
Latin alphabet letters.

953

, ,
,

, .

, , ,
.

.23-9:

30

32

34

36

38

40

42

44

46

48

50

52

52-54

54-56

58

60

62

64

()

76

81

86

91

96

102

107

112

117

23.5. t .4.

48

50

122

127

,
. ,
1t

= 3.14.

, .

.23-10:

23.5.2.

65/8

63/4

67/8

71/8

71/4

73/8

71/2

7 5/8

53

54

55

56

57

58

59

60

61

tl1I

Misses sizes.

sizes,
Women s

s;zes.
, ,

962

About Numbers

Table 23-20:

Teen-agers' Clothing Sizes

6

10

11

12

13

47

49

51

53

55

57

59

61

120

125

130

135

140

145

150

155

USA

10

Russia

32

32

34

36

38

38

40

42

Age
inches
Height

Size

23.5.4. Shoes
Footwear sizes in the U.S. are also bascd the English measurement
system, though they do not coincide with thc system used in Great Britain. In
the U.S., shoe size is equal to 1/3 inch (approximately 8.5 mm) whereas
size is 2/3 (approximately 6.6 ). hus, there is exact
version of sizes, and 11 conversion tables are rounded off to the half-size.
Table 23-21:

Men's Shoe Sizes

USA

10

11

12

13

UK

5.5

6.5

7.5

8.5

9.5

10.5

11.5

12.5

Europe

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

Japan

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

Russia

39

40

41

42

43

44

45.5

46

's

and women 's shoes of the same length have identical sizes in
Europe, but in the U.S., women's footwear of the same length as men's wi1l
different size, usual1y to and half sizes larger. here are
devices for shoe size asmt in every store, but they are different for
and women.

23-22:

Women's Shoe Sizes

USA

4.5

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5

9.0

9.5

10.5

11.5

UK

4.5

5.5

6.5

7.5

10

Europe

35.5

37

37.5

38

39

39.5

40

40.5

41

42

43

44

Russia

34

35

36

36.5

37.5

38

38.5

39

40

41

23

24

Japan

22.5

23

25

26

27

23-20:

963

10

11

12

13

47

49

51

53

55

57

59

61

120

125

130

135

140

145

150

155

10

32

32

34

36

38

38

40

42

23.5.4.

rn
( ).

J

8.5

2/3

1/3

. ,

6.6

, rn .
.23-21:

10

11

12

13

5.5

6.5

7.5

8.5

9.5

10.5

11.5

12.5

38

39

40

41

42

43

44

45

25

26

27

28

29

30

31

32

39

40

41

42

43

44

45.5

46

, , ,

23-22:

4.5

5.5

6.0

6.5

7.0

7.5

8.0

8.5

9.0

9.5

10.5

11.5

4.5

5.5

6.5

7.5

10

35.5

37

37.5

38

39

39.5

40

40.5

41

42

43

44

34

35

36

36.5

37.5

38

38.5

39

40

41

26

26

6.

22.5

23

24

25

27