Family Album, U.S.A. Viewer’s Guide
Introduction
Welcome to Family Album, U.S.A., the exciting new American television series created to inspire English learning around the world. In 26 episodes, you will experience English in action and learn more about American culture. Family Album, U.S.A. is for everyone who has studied English for at least one year and wants to improve his or her understanding of the language.
Each television episode tells a story about the Stewarts, a typical American family living in New York. You will see the family in everyday situations, and you will share their many experiences as you hear English spoken humly.
The unique format of each television program includes the following:
PREVIEW Before each of the three acts in an episode, a story preview sets the scene and introduces important vocabulary to aid comprehension. The preview usually asks a question for you to think about as you watch the act. Words on the screen help prepare you for the upcoming drama.
DRAMA Each episode tells a complete story. In every drama, you follow the lives of the Stewart family at work or at play. Each episode centers around one important event, such as a holiday celebration, a job interview, a wedding, or the birth of a baby. The language level in the dramas follows a sequence. Grammar and vocabulary are simpler in the earlier episodes. In the later episodes, the language is more advanced.
FOCUS IN After each act, a lively «Focus In» segment calls your attention to idioms, grammar, pronunciation, useful expressions, story comprehension, or important information about life in the U.S. The «Focus In» segments entertain you with music, animation, and humor as they highlight language and culture.
This Viewer’s Guide will help you understand Episodes 1-13 of the series. On these pages, you will find a unique way to study the television programs. Each lesson follows this easy format:
PREVIEW PAGE Before each episode, a preview page prepares you for the story as well as for the language points in the episode. On this page, three key photographs introduce you to the three acts of the drama. A summary of important language and cultural points previews the material that you will study in the Viewer’s Guide episode.
SCRIPT AND The complete script for each drama follows the preview page. The script 1
LANGUAGE NOTES always appears in the left column of a page. Beside the script, colorful photographs, artwork, and many language notes are provided to help you 1 understand the drama. In addition, facts about U.S. life are introduced. A «Your Turn» feature asks you to compare your own culture with aspects of American life.
ACTIVITIES PAGE A page of language and comprehension activities follows the script for each act. The first activity always relates to the «Focus In» segment. Additional activities give you a chance to practice language skills.
ANSWER KEY An Answer Key at the back of the book lets you check your answers to the exercises on the three Activities pages in each episode.
USEFUL VOCABULARY The Viewer’s Guide ends with an alphabetical list of all words and AND EXPRESSIONS expressions that appear in the language notes beside the scripts. Next to each item, the episode number appears in parentheses for easy reference.
You can study an episode in the Viewer s Guide before or after you watch the program. It’s up to you.
Family Album, U.S.A. is designed to be entertaining and educational in an easy-to-follow format. We hope that this Viewer’s Guide will be your companion to enjoying and understanding this innovative television series.
Family Album, U.S.A. Viewer’s Guide 1. Episodes 1-13.
Language and Culture Sequence
EPISODE 1 «46 Linden Street» 1
Grammar and Expressions
• introducing yourself
• responding to introductions
• introducing others
• asking for permission
• thanking
• accepting thanks
• the order of adjectives
Pronunciation
• I’ve got to (I’ve gotta)
• Let me (Lemme)
• hour (hour)
U.S. Life
• U.S. population
• New York City subway system
• Typical conversation topics after introductions
EPISODE 2 «The Blind Date» 13
Grammar and Expressions
• following directions
• making polite suggestions
• offering and ordering food
• changing the subject
Pronunciation
telephone numbers
U.S. Life
• Blind dates
• Baby-sitters
• International foods
• Occupations
EPISODE 3 «Grandpa’s Trunk» 25
Grammar and Expressions
• simple present tense for future schedules
• the preposition by
• two-word verbs
• sentences ending with too
Pronunciation
• intonation: either/or questions
• stress: fifty/fifteen
U.S. Life
• Retirement
• Senior citizens
• Extended families
EPISODE 4 «A Piece of Cake» 37
Grammar and Expressions
• idioms: It’s a snap. No sweat. It s a piece of cake.
• using How much? and How many?
Pronunciation
• can (cn)
• What do you … ? (Waddaya)
• did you (didja)
• don t you (dontcha)
U.S. Life
• Aerobic exercises
• Physical fitness
• Health and doctor s visits
EPISODE 5 «The Right Magic» 49
Grammar and Expressions
• making suggestions
• negative yes/no questions
• talking about the weather
Pronunciation
• want to (wanna)
• out of (outa)
• the letters ti (sh)
U.S. Life
• Personal computers
• Leisure time
• Superstitions
EPISODE 6 «Thanksgiving» 61
Grammar and Expressions
• expressing possibilities
• any in negative sentences
• idioms: come by What s gotten into (someone)? get over look forward to go along with
Pronunciation
• the letter с (5 and к sounds)
• sounds to show surprise (Wow! Wowee!)
U.S. Life
• Thanksgiving: activities, foods, and history
• Family celebrations
EPISODE 7 «Man’s Best Friend» 73
Grammar and Expressions
• so and such
• expressing future possibilities (with if)
• present perfect verb tense
• ordering meat in a restaurant
• answering the telephone
Pronunciation
the before a vowel sound or a consonant sound U.S. Life
• Pets in the U.S.A.
• the AS PC A
EPISODE 8 «You’re Going to Be Fine» 85
Grammar and Expressions
• present tense with future meaning
• talking about health
• tag questions
Pronunciation
basic vowel sounds
U.S. Life
• U.S. medical-care system
• Health insurance
EPISODE 9 «It’s Up to You» 97
Grammar and Expressions
comparative and superlative adjectives
Pronunciation
• intonation of information questions
• stress of prepositions in sentences
U.S. Life
• Colleges and universities
• Applying to college
• College degrees
• Private and public colleges
EPISODE 10 «Smell the Flowers» 109
Grammar and Expressions
• agreeing to do something for someone
• telling time
• talking about past customs: using used to and would pronunciation
• ought to (awta)
• used to (yoosta)
U.S. Life
• Women in the business world
• Free enterprise and the «American Dream»
• Tourist attractions in New York City
EPISODE 11 «A Place of Our Own» 121
Grammar and Expressions
• nouns used as adjectives
• sending regards
Pronunciation
stressing auxiliaries in questions
U.S. Life
• Housing and the «American Dream»
• Mortgages
EPISODE 12 «You’re Tops» 133
Grammar and Expressions
• adding emotion to statements {yes/no question form)
• present perfect progressive tense
Pronunciation
the sound of г between vowels (a lot of)
U.S. Life
• Work after retirement
• Government aid to senior citizens
EPISODE 13 «A Real Stewart» 145
Grammar and Expressions
• weights and measures
• so and neither
• auxiliaries as verb substitutes
Pronunciation
• weight (wait)
• length (lenth or lenkth)
• height (hite)
U.S. Life
• The birth of a baby
• The metric system in daily life
• Average size of families
Family Album, U.S.A. Viewer’s Guide 2. Episodes 14-26.
Language and Culture Sequence
EPISODE 14 «Playing Games» 1
Grammar and Expressions
• there is/there are in conversation
• past perfect verb tense
• idioms: squeeze into (a schedule)
get to know happen to figure (it) out
U.S. Life
• The city vs. the suburbs
• The growth of the suburbs
• The Girl Scouts and Boy Scouts of America
• Marriage proposals
EPISODE 15 «Second Honeymoon» 13
Grammar and Expressions
• verbs + gerunds or infinitives
• am, is, are + being
• idioms: a good sport face the truth give up took the liberty of Compliments of…
U.S. Life
• Making hotel reservations
• Inns, hotels, and hotel chains
• Folk art: patchwork quilts
EPISODE 16 «Full of Surprises» 25
Grammar and Expressions
• idioms: You never know. sleep over read (someone’s) mind Fill er up.
It’s on the house, Make yourself at home, passed awav have the honor
• questions beginning with How come
• expressing appreciation
U.S. Life
• Class reunions
• Rural free delivery (RFD)
• American farms
EPISODE 17 «Photo Finish» 37
Grammar and Expressions
• causative sentences with get and have
• idiom: Does … ring a bell?
• passive voice
• making an appointment
• future possibilities with if
• reported speech
U.S. Life
• Performing arts centers
• Broadway shows: musical comedies
EPISODE 18 «Making a Difference» 49
Grammar and Expressions
• making a suggestion with Why not (+ simple verb form)
• using amount or number
• idioms: hot off the press in need of in favor of up to it Leave it to me. Cool down.
U.S. Life
• Elections
• Public education
• School boards
EPISODE 19 «I Do» 61
Grammar and Expressions
• had better
• (be) supposed to
• (be) about to
U.S. Life
• Weddings
• Name change after marriage
EPISODE 20 «Quality Time» 73
Grammar and Expressions
• though at the end of a sentence
• hardly ever
• idioms: quality time
like ships that pass in the night I don t get it. fits right in with
• making a suggestion with How would it be if
• may have + past participle
• have + noun or noun phrase + infinitive
U.S. Life
• Working couples
• Reading programs
• Literacy programs
• The poetry of Robert Frost
EPISODE 21 «A Big Fish in a Little Pond» 85
Grammar and Expressions
• must have + past participle
• indirect yes/no questions
• idioms: better off How s that? a big fish in a little pond
U.S. Life
• Career and job changes
• Blue jeans
• The Small Business Administration EPISODE 22 «Career Choices» 97
Grammar and Expressions
• idioms: wrestling with the question
in the meantime to the best of my ability
• gerunds and infinitives
U.S. Life
• The history of women in the workplace
• Working mothers
EPISODE 23 «The Community Center» 109
Grammar and Expressions
• idioms: getting down to get a handle on roll (their) sleeves up fix (it) up
• indirect information questions
U.S. Life
• Freedom of the press
• Newspapers in the U.S.A.
• Community centers
EPISODE 24 «Parting Friends» 121
Grammar and Expressions
• idioms: (to be) broke
