Nha Trang Teachers College

Department of Foreign Languages

The English Language Division
Instructor: Dr. Ha Van Sinh
Email: havsinh@gmail.com
Telephone: 527788

AMERICAN STUDIES Course for the 2007 2008 sophomores (Term 2)

Number of credits: 3
Class hours: 45
Course objectives:
Students will be able to:
Have an overview of the culture of American people in comparison with that of Vietnam.
Have a better understanding of the U.S. tourist attractions.
Improve their oral presentation skills.
Course contents and activities
Activities
Contents
The American people
The economy
The political system
The educational system
The family
Religions
Festivals
The U.S. territorial
acquisitions
Knowing more about the
American people
Tourist attractions in the
U.S. and their geographical
and historical features.

Checking basic facts about the US.

Research & Presentation 1: collecting
information and presentation (8 groups) of
Differences between (American people) and
(Vietnamese people)
Talks with guest speakers from the US/ US
representatives

Class work
Research & Presentation 2 (9 groups)

Readings

Textbook and other

references

Living in the USA

Textbook and other
references.

Textbook: Spotlight on the USA, Randee Falk (1993)

References
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_USA
www.lifeintheUSA.com
Living in the USA (Fulbright Scholar Program Guides 2006-7), Chapter 1, 3, 7
American Culture & Advertising (Chapter 4, Sylvester O. Money 2000)
https://www.cia.gov/cia/publications/factbook/geos/us.html
Assessment
Attendance: 10%
Research & presentation 1: 30%
Research and presentation 2: 30%
Final test: 30%
American Studies Course for Sophomores (Term 2, 07 08); Instructor: Dr. Ha Van Sinh

Guides to the Research & Presentation 1

There are 7 topics, each of which will be researched and presented by one group. Basing on the
textbook (Chapter Introduction: The American People) and the other references, you are supposed to
collect related information to provide your friends with an overview of the issue in comparison with
that of Vietnam. This assignment will give you a chance to review and rehearse what you may be
talking to a group of American tourists on a guided tour.
What to present?
Part One: An overview of (the American people).
Part Two: Similarities and differences between the (American and Vietnamese people).
How to present?
Keep to a clear-cut outline.
Use Microsoft Office PowerPoint to support your presentation.
Collect appropriate pictures, photos, maps, video clips to illustrate what you are presenting.
Timing: 3 minutes for the introduction (Telling your friends the topic of your presentation, the
major points, the length, when you are going to answer possible questions from your friends.);
20 minutes for the presentation of the major points; 2 minutes for the conclusion and 15
minutes for the question & answer session.
Marking scheme
Evaluation of the presentation as a whole (timing, outline, illustration, relevance, accuracy and
comprehensiveness, handling of the Q & A session): 20%
Evaluation of individual presentation (linguistic accuracy and fluency, presentation skills): 10%
Guides to the Research & Presentation 2
This assignment requires you to study the major tourist attractions within a geographically defined
region in the U.S. and their historical aspects. These are New England, New York, the Mid-Atlantic
Region, the South, the Midwest, the Southwest, the Rocky Mountain Region, the Pacific Northwest and
Alaska, California and Hawaii. Basing on the textbook (Chapters 1 9) and the other references, you
are supposed to collate information to provide your friends with an overview of the region with its
geographical and historical features which make the tourist sites attractive to holiday-makers. This
assignment will give you a chance to explore the U.S. (virtually!) and speculate what American
tourists may be interested to know about when they visit Vietnamese tourist attractions.
The requirements for presentation and marking scheme for this assignment are similar to the Research
& Presentation 2.
The final test
This is a multiple-choice test checking your knowledge of all the issues related to the U.S. that have
been presented and discussed through the two Research & Presentation components and all the class
activities led by the instructor. The questions will focus on basic facts about all the contents studied.

American Studies Course for Sophomores (Term 2, 07 08); Instructor: Dr. Ha Van Sinh

Class meetings & course activities

Part 1: Overview
Read the Introduction Chapter of Spotlight on the USA (Randee Falk, 1993) and answer the following
questions:
1. Why is the US said to be a nation of nations or compared with a mosaic?
2. Where did the first people on the American continent come from?
3. Where are the Indians currently populated in the US?
4. What has caused immigration to the US since 1600s?
5. In what ways is the US Constitution flexible?
6. What is meant by federalism?
7. Which party has more support among the working classes and the poor?
8. Why does the US Government have a system of checks and balances?
9. Why does the US have to import many resources?
10. What are some US exports?
11. What is the US economy based on?
12. Does the US government support church activities? Why (not)?
13. What is the single largest religious group in the US?
14. What is a reconstituted family?
15. What is the generation gap?
16. How many basic levels are there in the US educational system?
17. Do most American children attend public school or private school?
18. What does the Fourth of July celebrate?
19. On what day will you see many jack-o lanterns?
20. What was the reason for the first Thanksgiving?
Part Two
What are the main features of the tourist sites in (New England)? Are they related to the historical
development of the USA? Do they have any similarities to any tourist site in Vietnam?
Class meeting 1 (Thursday, March 22, 2007)
1. An introduction to the course
2. Basic facts about the US a rough/ preliminary comparison between the two countries
concerning historical foundation, geography, people, government & economy.
Study the Basic Facts about the USA and seek answers to the following questions:
BETWEEN THE USA AND VIETNAM,
1. Which country is older?
2. Which country gained independence earlier?
3. Which country suffered more wars?
4. Which country is larger?
5. How large is Vietnam compared with some individual
states of the US?
6. Which country has better access to the sea?
7. Which country has more severe climate?
8. What natural resources do both countries have?
9. Which country suffers more natural hazards?
10. Which country is encountering more environmental
issues?
11. Which country is more populated?
12. Which country has higher population growth rate?
13. Which country has higher birth/ death rate?
14. Which people live longer?
15. Which people have higher prevalence of being infected
by HIV?
16. Which country has more ethnic groups?

17. What religion do the two countries have in common?

18. Which country has more languages spoken?
19. Which country has more people that can read and
write?
20. Do the two countries have the same government type?
21. Which country has more administrative divisions?
22. Are the two presidents elected in the same way?
23. Which country has more political parties?
24. Which country has higher economic growth rate?
25. Which people earn more?
26. Which is the most popular job in each country?
27. Which country has higher rate of inflation?
28. Which country spends more than earns?
29. Which country has higher rate of telephone and internet
users?
30. Which country has more TV broadcast stations?
31. Which country has more airports?
32. Which country has longer railways and roadways?

Class meeting 2 (Saturday, March 24, 2007)

1. Questions for an overview of the US.
American Studies Course for Sophomores (Term 2, 07 08); Instructor: Dr. Ha Van Sinh

2. Guide for research & presentation tasks

Study the Basic Facts about the USA and seek answers to the following questions:
BETWEEN THE USA AND VIETNAM,
1. Which country is older?
2. Which country gained independence earlier?
3. Which country suffered more wars?
4. Which country is larger?
5. How large is Vietnam compared with some
individual states of the US?
6. Which country has better access to the sea?
7. Which country has more severe climate?
8. What natural resources do both countries have?
9. Which country suffers more natural hazards?
10. Which country is encountering more
environmental issues?
11. Which country is more populated?
12. Which country has higher population growth rate?
13. Which country has higher birth/ death rate?
14. Which people live longer?
15. Which people have higher prevalence of being
infected by HIV?
16. Which country has more ethnic groups?

17. What religion do the two countries have in

common?
18. Which country has more languages spoken?
19. Which country has more people that can read and
write?
20. Do the two countries have the same government
type?
21. Which country has more administrative divisions?
22. Are the two presidents elected in the same way?
23. Which country has more political parties?
24. Which country has higher economic growth rate?
25. Which people earn more?
26. Which is the most popular job in each country?
27. Which country has higher rate of inflation?
28. Which country spends more than earns?
29. Which country has higher rate of telephone and
internet users?
30. Which country has more TV broadcast stations?
31. Which country has more airports?
32. Which country has longer railways and roadways?

Study the Basic Facts about the USA and seek answers to the following questions:
BETWEEN THE USA AND VIETNAM,
1. Which country is older?
2. Which country gained independence earlier?
3. Which country suffered more wars?
4. Which country is larger?
5. How large is Vietnam compared with some
individual states of the US?
6. Which country has better access to the sea?
7. Which country has more severe climate?
8. What natural resources do both countries have?
9. Which country suffers more natural hazards?
10. Which country is encountering more
environmental issues?
11. Which country is more populated?
12. Which country has higher population growth rate?
13. Which country has higher birth/ death rate?
14. Which people live longer?
15. Which people have higher prevalence of being
infected by HIV?
16. Which country has more ethnic groups?

17. What religion do the two countries have in

common?
18. Which country has more languages spoken?
19. Which country has more people that can read and
write?
20. Do the two countries have the same government
type?
21. Which country has more administrative divisions?
22. Are the two presidents elected in the same way?
23. Which country has more political parties?
24. Which country has higher economic growth rate?
25. Which people earn more?
26. Which is the most popular job in each country?
27. Which country has higher rate of inflation?
28. Which country spends more than earns?
29. Which country has higher rate of telephone and
internet users?
30. Which country has more TV broadcast stations?
31. Which country has more airports?
32. Which country has longer railways and roadways?

American Studies Course for Sophomores (Term 2, 07 08); Instructor: Dr. Ha Van Sinh

American Studies Course for Sophomores (Term 2, 07 08); Instructor: Dr. Ha Van Sinh