UNIT 2

LIFE IN THE IN THIS UNIT

UNITED STATES In Unit 2, students will:
• Read infographics about the average
American
• Practice simple present with time
expressions and adverbs of frequency
• Learn about community colleges in
the US
• Write a description of the average
person in their country

People walk around Times ABOUT THE PHOTO

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Square, New York City. Located in the heart of Manhattan on
a famous theater strip, Times Square,

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New York City, is one of the most famous
urban locations in the United States.

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Known for its bustling streets full of
performers, bright lights, and ubiquitous

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advertisements, Times Square is at
once visually overwhelming and iconic

c for that very fact. Every aspect of the

square must conform to strict, gaudy
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CIVICS Learn about regulations—even the subway entrance
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the average American; is lit up in the bright lights of Broadway.

read about community To review the present tense, ask students
colleges in the United
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what people do in Times Square and

States
what they can find there (using there is/
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ACADEMIC Take there are). Ask: What do people do in Times

a survey; read and Square? What kinds of things are there?
understand infographics;
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Possible answers: People go to see shows.

represent information in Tourists take pictures. There are many
graphs and charts
theaters. There are many restaurants. Ask
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AT WORK Read about questions to see if you can get students

income taxes to guess the time of year and time of
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day in the photo. It’s likely evening, due

to the crowd, and the coats people are
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wearing would indicate a colder month.

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CCRS Level A: R 1, 2, 5; W 2; L 1; Level B: R 1, 2, 5, 6; W 2, 4; L 1, 3, 6;

Level C: R 1, 2, 7; W 2, 4, 9; L 1, 3, 6; Level D: R 1, 2, 5, 7; W 2, 4, 9; L 1, 3;
Level E: R 1, 2, 5, 7; W 2, 4, 9
ELPS Level 1 Standards 2, 3, 9, 10; Level 2 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10;
Level 3 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10; Level 4 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10;
Level 5 Standards 1, 2, 3, 7, 9, 10
CIVICS 11-2, 11-3, 11-5, 11-10, 14-4
CASAS 0.1.2; 0.1.5; 0.2.1; 0.2.4; 2.8.2; 2.8.3; 6.7.2; 6.7.3; 6.7.4

Life in the United States 17

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 On July 4, Americans celebrate
A their independence with parades,
• Ask questions about the photo. For concerts, and fireworks.
example:
Describe the people you see. How old
are they? What are they wearing? What
are they doing? Where are they?
• Ask students to read the statements
silently. Answer any questions they
may have about vocabulary. Then,
have students circle their answers.
• Read the answers aloud to the
class and have students check
their answers. Ask if any information
surprised them. For example, were
they surprised that the average

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American changes jobs every
four years?

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• Encourage students to discuss
differences between these facts

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about American culture and similar
facts about their own culture.

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A CIVICS Read about the average American. Guess and circle the information.

1. The average American lives in a house / an apartment / a condo.

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2. The typical American family has one child / two children / three children.
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3. About a third of people eat breakfast at home / at work / on the go.
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4. The average person drinks one / two / three cup(s) of coffee a day.
5. Most Americans take a bus / walk / drive to work.
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6. The average American consumes 5 / 50 / over 150 pounds of sugar in one year.
7. The average family has one / two / three TV(s).
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8. Most Americans check their phones 30 / 50 / 80 times a day.

9. The average American changes jobs every four / seven / ten years.
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10. The average person moves five / eight / eleven times in his or her lifetime.
8. 80 9. four 10. eleven 6. over 150 7. two 3. on the go 4. two 5. drive 1. a house 2. two children
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18 Unit 2
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MORE ACTION
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If there are students from several different cultural

groups in the class, make a chart on the board
comparing information about the different cultures. Ask
students about popular foods, the average marrying
age, and other topics, like clothing and hobbies, that
are relevant to their cultural group. You can list topics
down the left side of the chart and list the names of the
countries or groups as column heads across the top.

18 Unit 2

SAMPLE COPY, NOT FOR DISTRIBUTION

B Circle or complete the statements about your life. Then, read your sentences to a partner.
Answers will vary.
1. I live in a house / an apartment / a condo.
B
2. My family has one / two / three / child / children. • Ask students to complete the
statements individually and then
3. I eat breakfast at home / at work / on the go.
discuss their answers with a partner.
4. I take a bus / walk / drive / to work. • Ask students to report to the class on
5. I eat one / two / three / hamburger(s) a week. how their partner’s lifestyle compares
with that of an average American.
6. My family has one / two / three / TV(s).

7. I check my phone 30 / 50 / 80 / times a day. C 6

• Read the instructions and explain
C Listen and complete the chart. Then, compare Charlie to the average American male. 6 the first note under Charlie’s name.
Say: Charlie is 32 years old, and he’s
Charlie The Average American Male single. That means he’s not married.
According to the information in the
32 – single gets married at 27
chart, the average American male gets

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6' 2" married at 27. Charlie is single later in
is tall is 5’10” tall
life than the average American male.

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weighs 210 pounds weighs 195 pounds • Play the audio and have students
take notes while listening. Pause the

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likes / doesn’t like his job likes his job audio after each bit of ­information
so students have time to write their

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works ten hours a day works eight hours a day notes.
earns $ 70,000 a year earns $43,056 a year • Encourage students to fill in as much

c of the chart as they can using their

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lives in a / an apartment lives in a house notes. Then, play the audio again
without stopping and have students
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walks or takes the bus to work drives to work complete the rest of the chart.
• Go over the answers as a class,
has / doesn’t have a pet has a pet
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playing the audio again as necessary.

• Ask volunteers to compare one
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The average American male

gets married at 27. Charlie is aspect of Charlie’s life to that of the
32, and he is single. average American male.
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Life in the United States 19

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MORE ACTION
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For additional writing practice, have

students write some of the comparisons
from Exercise C in complete sentences.

Life in the United States 19

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