Ten questions and answers about American culture and some American slang are meant to help international students, exchange students and visitors understand U.S. culture. This program, excerpted from the cultural competence guide "100 Questions and Answers About Americans," contains questions about greetings and expressions, American gestures, tipping, race, family chores, and guns. Slides can be used by one person or can be used in a classroom, office or small-group setting to facilitate cross-cultural dialogue among Americans and people from other countries. The guide was created by journalism students at Michigan State University who interviewed people from Africa, Asia, Australia, Europe, North American and South America to learn what their questions are. Countries represented in the interviews include China, India, Pakistan South Korea, Canada, Uzbekistan Australia, Nigeria, France, Thailand, Brazil and others. Only 10 questions from the 100-question guide are in this show. The guide, part of a series in cross-cultural competence, also includes a glossary of American slang expressions.

1. Bias Busters
From “100 Questions and Answers About Americans”
Michigan State University School of Journalism | David Crumm Media

2. How this works
Students at the Michigan State University School of Journalism
gathered these questions from international guests in the U.S. and
researched the answers.
You can use this presentation to learn some answers on your own or
to have a cross-cultural conversation with others.
It’s all up to you.

3. Here we go: 10 questions
Work together or on your own

4. Question 1
Why do Americans speak English
with so many different accents?

5. Answer 1
Because the United States is so large, there are many different
regions. Often, people in one area speak English differently than
those in another place. The ethnic composition, lifestyle, culture,
and location of a region influence the way English is spoken
there. The English language is made up of many words from
other languages and countries.

6. Question 2
Why do Americans
smile at people for no reason?

7. Answer 2
Many Americans smile at people to be friendly. It is the same
reason some people say hello to strangers. To Americans, being
friendly is not the same as being a friend. An American might
give a friendly greeting to someone they do not even know on
one day and not remember that person the next day. Friendships
are relationships built over time. The smiles and greetings do
mean, however, that you are in an environment where friendship
is possible.

8. Question 3
What are appropriate ways
to greet people in America?

9. Answer 3
“Hello” or “How are you?” or “It’s nice to meet you,” often are
enough. First-time acquaintances or individuals meeting in
professional situations typically shake hands, and many females
greet their friends with a hug. There are no widespread U.S.
customs about males and females greeting, as there are in some
cultures.

10. Question 4
Why is racism
such an issue in America?

11. Answer 4
The United States has a complicated racial and ethnic history. It
includes slavery of Native Americans and Africans; genocide and
removal of Native Americans; the annexation of parts of Mexico
that now make up several western states; the internment of
Japanese Americans after Pearl Harbor and the civil rights
struggle of African Americans. Arabs and other people of Middle
Eastern descent experienced racism following the 2001 terrorist
attacks. America still faces issues with workplace discrimination
and stereotyping in popular culture.

12. Question 5
When should I tip
and how much should I leave?

13. Answer 5
It is customary, but not mandatory, to leave service workers a
“tip, which is in addition to the bill. In restaurants where food is
brought to the table, tips are the majority of a worker’s pay. The
amount is a percentage of the pre-tax bill and is based on the
quality of service. Ten percent recognizes adequate service, 15
percent is for good service and 20 percent implies excellent
service. Leaving no tip or a very small one can be seen as an
insult or a complaint. Some restaurants, especially for large
parties, will add a gratuity to the bill. The gratuity is the tip.

14. Question 6
Pop, soda
or Coke?

15. Answer 6
Carbonated soft drinks go by all these names. The difference is
regional. Pop is the dominant term in most northern states. Soda
is preferred in New England, California, Nevada, Arizona and
around Missouri. Coke, which has its headquarters in Atlanta, is
used in the South to refer to any carbonated soft drink. Ask
Americans from different places about their preference.

16. Question 7
Why do children
have to do chores?

17. Answer 7
Parents have children do household chores to help the family
and to teach responsibility. Examples of chores could include
unloading the dishwasher, making the bed, cleaning the
bathroom, clearing the dinner table or taking out the trash. A
time-use study at the University of Maryland said U.S. children
do chores for fewer than three hours per week.

18. Question 8
Do Americans drink
a lot of coffee?

19. Answer 8
According to a National Coffee Association study in 2013, 83
percent of American adults drink coffee, the highest proportion
in the world. Sixty-three percent of respondents said they drink
coffee every day. The daily drinker has an average of three cups.
Another group, the International Coffee Organization, said Brazil
had the second-most coffee drinkers and Germany was third.

20. Question 9
Why are there so many guns
in the United States?

21. Answer 9
Gun ownership is protected by the U.S. Constitution’s Second
Amendment. There are frequent debates about whether there
should be restrictions on gun ownership and each debate seems
to prompt a surge in gun sales. America has about 270 million
guns, or about 89 for every 100 people. The second-place country
in guns per person is Yemen, with about 55 per 100 people. Many
Americans own more than one gun and the proportion of gun
owners has been declining. A University of Chicago study
showed that gun ownership declined from 54 percent in 1977 to
32 percent in 2010.

22. Question 10
How can I learn
American slang?

23. Do you know American slang?
How’s it going?
Tailgating
For here, or to go?
Hot mess
Awesome
Rock that
This is my jam

24. Want more?
Those questions came from this guide.
You can find it on Amazon by following
amzn.to/1a0CCEZ
Thank you!