Name: Lea Pavlinek

Chapter 1: Understanding the Culture of the United States

Provide brief answers to the following discussion questions:

1. How would you compare the size and ethnic diversity of your country with that of the United
States? What are some of the challenges that size (large or small) and diversity (great or limited)
present to a country?

Croatia is smaller and less diverse than the US. More size means more land for citizens and for work, but I
don’t think diversity directly affect a country unless diversity is actively being suppressed by the nation.

2. Should a country have immigration quotas based on country of origin? Should immigrants
become citizens? Should countries allow guest workers (people who work there temporarily)?

No, yes and yes. Immigration is a human right.

3. How would you describe the average person in your country and what he or she believes?

I believe Croats are very proud and believe family, religion and our country take priority in life.

4. Do you think people all over the world are basically the same or basically very different?

I think everyone is basically the same in their own different ways, but core behaviors of humans
are alike.
Understand Details
Write T if the statement is true and F if it is false according to the information in the chapter.

T_ 1. One factor affecting lifestyles in the United States is the different climates.

F_ 2. American Indians all speak the same language.

F__ 3. The dominant American culture was established by immigrants who

came from southern Europe.
F_ 4. Throughout the history of the United States, more immigrants have
come from English-speaking countries than any other countries.
T__ 5. Zangwill believed that immigrants would lose their native cultures and
become something different when they came to the United States.
F_ 6. All immigrants want to assimilate to the U.S. culture completely; they
have no desire to maintain their own culture.

F_ 7. U.S. immigration policy has stayed the same for the last 100 years.

T_ 8. The English language has no adjective for United States and therefore
uses the term American to refer to its people.
F__ 9. It is not possible to make generalizations about what Americans
believe because they are so different.
T_ 10. Many of the characteristics of Americans which Alexis de Tocqueville
observed in the 1830s are still true today.